Act 1 Adjusted index Ambridge Area School District

for 2016-17 budget year, ambridge area school board applied 1 exception exceed district s act 1 index limit, due escalating teacher pension costs. statewide 299 school districts adopted resolution not exceed act index in 2016-17.

for 2015-16 budget year, ambridge area school board did not apply exceptions exceed act 1 index limit. school budget 2015-16, 310 pennsylvania public school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above act 1 index limit. 187 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeding index limit. regarding pension costs exception, 172 school districts received approval exceed index limit in full, while others received partial approval of request. special education costs, 119 districts received approval exceed tax limit. no pennsylvania public school districts received approval grandfathered construction debts exception.

for 2014-15 budget year, ambridge area school board did not apply exceptions exceed act 1 index limit. in 2014-15, pennsylvania school districts required make 21.4% of payroll payment teacher’s pension fund (psers). school budget 2014-15, 316 pennsylvania public school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above act 1 index limit. 181 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeding index limit. districts may apply multiple exceptions each year. pension costs exception, 163 school districts received approval exceed index in full, while others received partial approval of request. special education costs, 104 districts received approval exceed tax limit. 7 pennsylvania public school districts received approval grandfathered construction debts exception.

for 2013-14 budget year, ambridge area school board applied exception exceed act 1 index limit, due rising costs of teacher s pensions program. in 2013-14, pennsylvania school districts required make 16.93% of payroll payment teacher’s pension fund (psers). school budget year 2013-14, 311 pennsylvania public school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above index. 171 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeded index limit. pension costs exception, 169 school districts received approval exceed index. special education costs, 75 districts received approval exceed tax limit. eleven pennsylvania public school districts received approval grandfathered construction debts.

for 2012-13 budget year, ambridge area school board applied 3 exceptions (debt, pension costs, special education costs) exceed act 1 index. 2012-2013, 274 school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above index; 223 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeded index limit. exception pension costs, 194 school districts received approval exceed index. special education costs, 129 districts received approval exceed tax limit. exception pension costs, 194 school districts received approval exceed index. special education costs, 129 districts received approval exceed tax limit.

for 2011-12 school year, ambridge area school board applied 4 exceptions exceed act 1 index: grandfather debt, pension costs, special education costs , maintenance of local tax revenue). each year, ambridge area school board has option of adopting either 1) resolution in january certifying not increase taxes above index or 2) preliminary budget in february. school district adopting resolution may not apply referendum exceptions or ask voters tax increase above inflation index. specific timeline these decisions published annually, pennsylvania department of education.

according state report, 2011-2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above index; 250 school districts adopted preliminary budget. of 250 school districts adopted preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates exceeded index. tax rate increases in other 19 school districts adopted preliminary budget did not exceed school district’s index. of districts sought exceptions: 221 used pension costs exemption , 171 sought special education costs exemption. 1 school district sought exemption nonacademic school construction project, while 1 sought exception electoral debt school construction.

ambridge area school board did not apply exceptions exceed act 1 index budget in 2011. 2009-10 school budget, board did not apply exceptions exceed index. in spring of 2010, 135 pennsylvania school boards asked exceed adjusted index. approval granted 133 of them , 128 sought exception pension costs increases.