The School District of Lancaster Board of Directors approved a proposed $250 million budget that uses federal funds to make significant investments in pandemic recovery.
The board has until the end of June to make any further adjustments before approving the budget for the upcoming year. The board is scheduled to vote to adopt the budget on June 22.
The budget includes nearly $22 million in curriculum upgrades, academic tutoring, summer and extended-day programs, improved ventilation, technology, and social-emotional programs to help students and families in the district recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the district still faces a structural deficit of $15.8 million. The budget uses $3.5 million of the district’s reserves and raises property taxes 1.75% to close the deficit. At the new rate, the average property in the district (assessed at $163,484) would pay an additional $5.33 per month.
The budget assumes no basic education funding or special education subsidies from the state.
The Proposed Final Budget for the General Fund of the School District of Lancaster for the 2021-2022 fiscal year in its most recent form is available at the link below and will be presented for adoption as a Final Budget at a School Board meeting on June 22, 2021. The budget may be amended before final adoption.