On June 9, Mars Area School Board voted 8-0 in favor of the  2026-2027 Mars Area School District General Fund Budget of $69,790,060 with no real estate tax increase.

Board members Anthony DePretis was absent.

The approved 2026-2027 Mars Area School District General Fund Budget will be posted below as soon as possible. The proposed budget will remain posted until the final budget, is available.

 

Mars Area School Board voted 8-0 in favor of Mars Area School District’s 2026-2027 General Fund Budget of $69,790,060 with no real estate tax increase.

Board member Anthony DiPretis was absent.

The budget is approximately 6.7 percent ($4,390,258) higher than the District’s 2025-2026 budget of $65,399,802 with a deficit of $943,588, which will be transferred from the fund balance in order to balance the budget.

Five (5) categories comprise 93.4 percent ($65,190,346) of budget expenditures — Salaries ($28,332,819), Employee Benefits ($20,026,209), Other Purchased Services ($6,982,856), Debt Service ($7,078,887), and Supplies ($2,769,575).

The budget includes the continuation of existing educational programs; the retention of all teaching and support staff, including all unfilled support positions; and the replacement of nine (9) retiring teachers and eight (8) retiring support staff members. The budget also funds 14 new positions for the 2026-2027 School Year, including eight (8) new teachers as well as a school counselor, school nurse, assistant principal, evening custodial supervisor, behavior specialist, and a school police officer.

The revenue budget of $68,846,472 includes an increase of $4,846,023 over the 2025-2026 budget, says Brandstetter. Approximately $48.5 million is expected in local revenue, $19.9 million in state revenue, and $411,900 from federal sources.

The budget also expects an increase in real estate tax revenue of $717,857 attributed to community growth. In addition, earned income tax revenue is expected to increase by 4.5 percent, generating an estimated additional $395,820 in revenue.

State revenues are budgeted to increase by $3,057,612, with $46,477 of the increase coming from an additional basic education subsidy; $119,784 in reimbursement of retirement contributions, and $37,307 in Social Security reimbursement. The District also expects to receive a $2.8 million Ready to Learn Grant Funds adequacy supplement to be used for programs that focus on high quality academic programs.

The 2025-2026 General Fund Budget is posted above for review.

 

The following is the tentative 2026-2027 Mars Area General Fund Budget information that was presented to Mars Area School Board on June 4: 

 

Questions or comments regarding the proposed budget may be directed to Mars Area School Board via e-mail at [email protected] or at any public Board meetings.