On May 4, Mars Area School Board voted 8-0 in favor of the tentative 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.

To view the proposed 2026-2027 Mars Area School District General Fund Budget, click on the following:

 

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

 

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

Board member Anthony DiPretis was absent.

The proposed budget is approximately 6.7 percent ($4,390,258) higher than the District’s 2025-2026 budget of $65,399,802 with a projected 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 proposed 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 proposed 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 tentative revenue budget of $68,846,472 includes an increase of $4,846,023 over the 2025-2026 budget, says Brandstetter. The budget draft expects approximately $48.5 million 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 is also expected 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 proposed 2025-2026 General Fund Budget is available for public review online at www.marsk12.org. The Board is scheduled to adopt the final budget at its Regular Meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9.

 

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.