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The New Kensington-Arnold School District is going forward with a preliminary 2021-22 budget carrying a 6.8% property tax increase despite Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget proposal that boost funding for public schools.
Wolf released his budget proposal Tuesday. It contains nearly $2 billion extra for schools a more than 20% increase paid for with an increase in the state’s personal income tax rate.
New Kensington-Arnold’s preliminary budget, which the school board approved Tuesday night, still carries a 6-mill property tax increase. The board authorized business Manager Jeff McVey to ask the state to allow the district to increase the tax rate by more than its state-imposed inflation limit of 4.4% without voter approval.
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New Kensington-Arnold School District students will return to school buildings Jan. 14, but the district will use a hybrid instruction model and break students into two groups.
The district started the school year with students either fully in schools or fully online.
“We’ve had a hybrid model as part of our instructional options all along, but always felt that providing the maximum amount of face-to-face instruction is best,” acting Superintendent Jon Banko said.
“There are still a lot of concerns surrounding operations during the pandemic, and, as an administrative team, we felt that we would best be able to manage safety concerns with fewer students. We know that we need to get kids into classrooms, in front of their teachers and around their peers, and we felt that this is the best option for considering all circumstances.”