AC Valley board previews budget choices: United Way counselor, possible tax index increase and 10¢ lunch hike on Monday agenda

The Allegheny-Clarion Valley School Board on April 8 previewed budget and finance items it will consider at its next voting meeting, including a recommended two-year partnership with the United Way of Winnetka County, a proposed 10¢ increase to the student lunch price and discussion about whether to raise property-tax levies for 2024–25.

At the virtual workshop the chair described a proposed two-year agreement with the United Way that would fund an additional on-campus career counselor one day per week; the district’s local share was identified as $2,500. "It can really offer a a lot of support, not only to our students, but also the local economy," the Chair said in support of recommending the partnership to the board for a vote next Monday.

The food-service director has recommended raising the K–12 student lunch price by 10¢, bringing the student meal to $2.75. The chair presented the price change as a recommendation to include in next week’s finance agenda and said the board will consider it alongside its preliminary budget presentation.

Board members also discussed whether to increase property-tax levies for the 2024–25 school year. The chair said the district could raise taxes up to the index ceiling of 7.1%, but cautioned that because the district spans four counties "two counties go up a little bit and two counties go down a little bit," so not all taxpayers would see the full increase.

The chair said she will deliver a preliminary budget slide presentation showing staffing, known expenditures and expected revenues to help the board evaluate whether a tax increase is necessary. She noted the district faced substantial increases in cyber costs last year — described in the workshop as a 153% rise tied to a Pathway organization contract — and said rising technology costs are weighing on the budget.

The chair also flagged state legislation under consideration in Harrisburg to eliminate the tax-equalization formula ("section 671 of the School Code") and said the district — one of the few in the state that spans four counties — is tracking that proposal and will provide updates at the voting meeting.

No formal votes were taken at the workshop; the partnership agreement, lunch-price change, tax-index decision and budget document were presented as items for formal action at the April 15 voting meeting.