CLEARFIELD – After facing a more than $250,000 shortfall, the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors achieved its original goal of 3 mills at Monday night’s budget work session.
Superintendent, Dr. Denise Keltz said the administration had recommended the secondary math teacher position not be filled at the high school.
“It was a position we were going to add. But we have decided to hold off on that for now,” she said. “I’ve spoken with Principal, John Law, who said it was a position we could operate without this year.”
The cost of the secondary math position was set at $55,000.
Board Vice President, Dave Glass asked if statistic courses would still be offered at the school.
Law said the classes would be offered but might require them to “buy a couple periods” from the faculty.
“By buy, he means the teachers could sell their plan periods to help cover the schedule,” Keltz explained.
Law said there were close to a couple hundred students in the school’s business program and business math was well utilized this year.
Keltz said two other factors also allowed the board to overcome the shortfall.
“Our health care change resulted in about $100,000 to $115,000 reduction, and the decision to collapse the second and third grade position reduced it an additional $57,589,” she said.
Barnett said the health care change did not come as a result of the teacher contracts but during direct negations with Highmark.
“We went from a 19.4 percent increase down to about 15.85 percent,” he said.
Barnett said the set 3 mills would have a limited effect.
“Of the 5,116 homesteads in the district, the majority will see no increase or even a decrease because of the property tax reduction,” he said.
Board Member, Larry Putt was relieved the board reached its target.
“Three mills makes me feel a lot better than I did the other night,” he said.
The board of directors must approve the final budget at the end of this month.