CLAYSBURG — Members of the Claysburg-Kimmel School Board discussed a potential increase in funding as outlined in the proposed state budget during a Wednesday night meeting.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget address on Tuesday laid out his fiscal priorities for the new year, such as building upon the substantial investments in public education included in the two previous state budgets.

According to a summary released by the governor’s office, Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal includes $75 million in new basic education funding, $526 million in new adequacy adjustment capital and an increase of $40 million for special education programs.

According to Superintendent Brian Helsel, the district does not include these increases in its budget, since the final number is uncertain and can vary through the negotiation process in Harrisburg.

Claysburg could use the new funding to hire more staff and to “find gaps or needs in the district, and utilize that money to provide more resources,” Helsel said.

The governor also proposed a new statewide cyber charter tuition rate of $8,000 per student per year, taking a step toward reforming a system that has been criticized by school administrators from districts across Blair County.

Helsel said this would amount to an approximately $300,000 increase in adequacy adjustment funding through the Ready to Learn block grant if the proposed budget is signed into law without modification.

That funding must be spent on a number of pre-specified uses, including early childhood education, staff professional development and curriculum development, among others, according to the state Department of Education.

The proposed budget also adds another $25 million to the $100 million available annually for school facility repairs per year through grant funding, according to the budget brief.

“We’re fighting for (the facility grant) this time,” Helsel said. “We’ll call up every legislator, I’ll have meetings with them. It’s political, so we’re going to play the game.”

Capital from the grant can be used for critical building renovation projects like roof repairs, HVAC system replacements and a number of other uses that are often out of reach for smaller school districts due to the cost.

According to Helsel, the state Department of Education has not released much information about the new grant funding.

“(The state website) has two sentences about it, so it doesn’t really tell you much,” he said.

Shapiro’s proposal includes a $40 million increase in funding for special education programs.

According to board member Richard Gergely, Pennsylvania public schools have seen an 86% increase in special education costs over the past decade, while state reimbursement for these expenses remained at 10%.

That deficit often falls on local taxpayers, Gergely said.

“It’s absolutely crazy, and when you hear what (Shapiro said), it’s only going to increase, so he’s looking for ways to help bridge the gap,” Gergely said.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.