Yough School District - Budget

Budget

In 2009, the district reports employing over 170 teachers with a starting salary of $40,440 for 180 days for pupil instruction and 190 days total (7 inservice days and 3 clerical days). The average teacher salary was $52,507 while the superintendent's salary is $110,000. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. The Yough teachers work 7 hours 30 minutes per day with a 30 minute paid lunch period. Teachers receive daily preparation periods. Additionally, Yough School District teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, 3 paid personal days, 10 sick days and other benefits. Teachers in the Yough School District have one of the highest cost share contributions in the state for health care. Teachers are paid extra for certain duties, if they are required to work outside of the regular school day. When a teacher takes a sabbatical leave they are paid 50% of their salary and receive taxpayer paid benefits, and continue to pay their health care cost share. The union receives 12 days to conduct union business, in which the cost of those days are reimbursed to the district by the union. According to State Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System Board, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary, as so long as a total of five teachers are willing to retire at a time. Any less than five teachers cannot retire at a time, according to the current teachers contract. ({cite web |url=http://www.scribd.com/doc/58799757/Yough-School-District-Teacher-Union-Contract-2010-2014 |title=Yough School District Teachers Union Employment Contract |author=Yough School Board |year=2010}}

In 2007, the district employed 70 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $50,267 for 180 school days worked.

Yough School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $699.74 per pupil. The district is ranked 319th out of 500 in Pennsylvania for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. Administrators in the Yough School District were granted a 4 percent pay increase for the 2010-11 school year.

In 2008, Yough School District reported spending $18,008 per pupil. This ranked 23rd in the commonwealth.

Reserves

In 2009, the district reported $2,864,419 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as zero.

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

The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, 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 of the individual's wealth. Pennsylvania school district local revenues are dominated by two main sources: 1) Property tax collections, which account for the vast majority (between 75-85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections (Local Tax Enabling Act), which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.