DASD School Board reviews no-tax increase budget for next year. An article by Glenn Schuckers.

Residents of the DuBois Area School District may rest a little easier following the School Board work session on May 4. At that meeting, District Business Manager Jeanette Buriak presented the first look at the District’s 2023-24 budget which shows that there will be no increase in school taxes in the coming year.

That budget is some 3% over the current 2022-23 figure coming in at $72,597,000, but it also projects a revenue increase by about 4.5%. Breaking down the revenue side shows that some 39% comes from local revenue, about 50% from the state, and 11% from federal funding. The biggest source of local revenue comes from property taxes. The current millage of 95.3 in Clearfield County and 29 mills in Jefferson County will remain unchanged. 

Local real estate taxes are expected to bring in over $27 million dollars, state revenue will be over $35 million and the federal revenue will be $7.8 million. The budget is now on file and available  for inspection at  the district website. It will be presented for a vote at the May 11 meeting and directors will vote on its final approval at a June 15 meeting. 

In the current budget, salaries and benefits will account for some 63.3% of expenditures while contractual expenses will be  some 29%. The cost of salaries and benefits are  budgeted to increase by about by 2.9% in the coming year.

Following the budget presentation, the directors had some discussion about the coming graduation. Board member David Schwab said he had a question about students who have not completed all the requirements for graduation being on stage and appearing to receive a diploma. He said the board may want to look at that policy which has been in place for some years. 

Schwab also questioned why DuBois does not use the term “valedictorian” in reference to the student who graduates at the top of his/her class. He pointed out that many years ago that term was used but is no longer assigned. 

Those questions will be discussed and may be on the agenda at the coming regular meeting.