York Suburban School District - Budget

Budget

In 2009, the district reported employing over 250 teachers with a salary range of $40,000 to $143,000. The average salary in the district is $76,000. In 2007, the average teacher salary was $66,519. This was the highest average teacher salary in York County school districts. Additionally, the district's teachers receive: a defined benefit pension, health insurance, life insurance, college credit reimbursement, 2 paid personal days, sick days (4 sick days may be taken for illness of a family member), 4 paid bereavement days, a retirement incentive bonus and other benefits.

York Suburban School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $840 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association's report, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165. In 2009, the superintendent's salary was $143,000. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.

Reserves In 2008, the district reported a zero balance in a unreserved-undesignated fund. The designated fund balance was reported as $2,079,754. In 2010, York Suburban School District Administration reported an increase to $440,819 in the unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as zero. Pennsylvania school district reserve funds are divided into two categories – designated and undesignated. The undesignated funds are not committed to any planned project. Designated funds and any other funds, such as capital reserves, are allocated to specific projects. School districts are required by state law to keep 5 percent of their annual spending in the undesignated reserve funds to preserve bond ratings. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, from 2003 to 2010, as a whole, Pennsylvania school districts amassed nearly $3 billion in reserved funds.

The district administration reported that per pupil spending in 2008 was $13,937 which ranked 107th in the state' 501 school districts. In 2010 the per pupil spending had increased to $15,000 Among the states, Pennsylvania’s total per pupil revenue (including all sources) ranked 11th at $15,023 per student, in 2008-09. In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was $12,759.

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

According to an extensive study of York County school districts conducted by APA Associates in 2008, York Suburban School District achieved a -3 rating based on Performance and Relative Efficiency. Central York School District and Northeastern York School District ranked +10. Eleven of 16 York County districts achieved a positive rating. The district has the highest starting teacher salary and the highest administration salary structure in York County.

The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 1%, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the level of personal wealth.