T/E School District faces projected $6.17 million deficit

By Laura Weiss, Co-editor-in-chief

The Tredyffrin/Easttown School District is encountering a projected budget deficit of about $6.17 million for the 2012-13 school year. But assuming that the state approves 3.3 percent tax increases and including previously approved measures, the projected deficit would be lowered to about $2.5 million that would still need to be remedied.

The T/E School Board met on Jan. 23 for its regular monthly meeting. The main action of the meeting was voting on the preliminary budget, which was approved by the Finance Committee on Jan. 3.

The preliminary budget passed by a roll-call vote of 8-1, with only board member Richard Brake voting against the proposal. The current projected deficit of $6.17 million is lower than last year’s projection for the 2012-13 deficit, which was $7.7 million.

At the meeting it was also reported that Devon Elementary School and T/E Middle School may see higher class sizes that could possibly lead to future changes, which the board is monitoring. Responding to citizen concern, board members said that they will have a better idea in the coming months of how much Devon’s population may be expanding due to the closing of local Catholic school St. Monica’s. School Board president Karen Cruickshank also mentioned that negotiations for new teacher contracts, which must be agreed upon by June, have begun.

The school board will continue to develop the 2012-13 budget with a workshop on March 19. They will adopt a proposed final budget on May 14 and pass the finalized balanced budget on June 14, which will then be presented to the state for approval.

Laura Weiss can be reached at lweiss@stoganews.com.