Keystone Central begins planning for additional state money

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – Keystone Central School District Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin told the school board at its work session Thursday night that district administrators will be back to the board with plans for the recently announced $1.4 million in additional state funding.

The superintendent said the district had not budgeted the additional amount but “we got an increase.” She noted the district will have several years in which to spend the funds. She said she would not recommend re-opening the budget the board had approved in June for the new fiscal year.

The exact amount of the additional state funding for KCSD is $1,446,624.93. The “new” money includes $482-thousand for basic education and $133-thousand for special education. Additional funds amounting to more than $830,000 will also be coming to the district; these dollars will go towards summer enrichment, $118,635; after-school programs, $118,635; and “learning loss,” $593,175.

In response to a board member question, Dr. Martin said the new dollars accrue solely to Keystone Central, that the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School gets its own additional state funds as part of the new state budget.

Board member Jeff Johnston said the district should probably know by October how to proceed with the results of an athletic facilities plan for Central Mountain High School. He said the board facilities committee has been involved in the process and four firms expressed interest in conducting a facilities study. He indicated a State

College firm would be the likely contract recommendation for board consideration at its voting session on July 8.