Mc Guffey School District - Budget

Budget

In 2010 the district reported employing over 90 teachers with a salary range of $33,000 to $103,742 for 180 student days (7 professional days). In addition, the teachers receive a benefits package which includes: health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, paid personal days, 10 paid sick days (which accumulate), reimbursement for college courses and multiple other benefits. Teachers get a preparation period each school day. Teachers are paid $27.50 an hour for work done outside the school day.

In 2007, the average teacher salary in the district was $51,238 for 180 days worked. The school board entered into an agreement between the McGuffey Board of Directors and McGuffey Teachers Union for July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2013, that provides an early retirement incentive.

The district administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $857.77 per pupil. The district ranked 135th for administrative spending or highest 25% of school districts in the Commonwealth. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In January 2007, the School Board awarded a five-year contract to Joseph Stefka to serve five years as Superintendent. The first year of the contract called for a salary of $112,306.14. The contract included an extensive benefits package including: milage, 12 paid sick 5 personal days and 20 vacation days; health, vision, dental and life insurance and more. Superintendent Stefka retired in June 2010. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007–08 school year was $122,165. In May 2010 the school board hired Beverly Arbore as superintendent of schools for McGuffey School District effective July 1, 2010.

In 2008, the district administration reported spending $12,239 per pupil which ranked 248th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts.

Reserves In 2008, the district reported a $440,498 in an unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as zero. In September 2011, the school board adopted Resolution 2011/2012-01 authorizing non-electoral debt in an amount not to exceed $7,500,000 under the Local Government Unit Debt Act. The issuance of non-electoral debt is for the refinancing of the General Obligation Bonds Series of 2006.

In 2011 the district received a grant of $13,500 from DPS Penn, which is an acquisition firm that is associated with Chesapeake Energy.

In September 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the administration and the school board by state officials.

The district is funded by a combination of: an income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless the of income level.