Mars Area officials took a look at preliminary 2021-22 budget numbers in a finance meeting Tuesday night before the regular school board meeting.

Citing documents not provided to the public at the time of the meeting, district business manager Jill Swaney reviewed the 2020-21 budget.

This year's budget was passed at a $1.9 million deficit. As school progressed last fall, the district discovered it was facing an additional deficit of $1.5 million because of costs associated with students who chose to enroll in cyber charter schools.

In Pennsylvania, districts are responsible for covering tuition costs for students who attend charter schools but live within the district. Tuition can range from $10,000 to $23,000 per student.

Despite this unforeseen expenditure, Swaney said revenues in the 2021-21 budget — specifically through realty transfer and earned income taxes — are unexpectedly “positive.”

“We are ahead of budgeted numbers,” Swaney said. “Last year when we did the budget, we were very conservative.”

The district has investigated a few avenues to break even, according to Swaney. One inadvertent solution has been the district's inability to hire support staff.

Swaney said despite advertising for open positions, fewer applicants than expected have applied over the last year. This is also true for contract substitute teachers.

“The workforce is just not there right now,” Swaney said.

Swaney said the district hopes to see the workforce pick up in the fall, between an increase in vaccinations and the expiration of additional unemployment benefits.

“We are projecting a closer-to-normal amount for 2021-22 for contracted substitute teachers,” Swaney said.

As of Tuesday, Swaney said the district's deficit is down to $400,000 for this year.

Swaney said that number could shift a “couple hundred thousand either way” as the academic year wraps up.

Preliminary numbers for the 2021-22 budget include about $1.1 million in additional income through the pandemic-induced Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program. Swaney reminded the board while this is an important income, it can't be depended on every year.

The proposed budget retains all teaching staff and fills open positions, according to Swaney. It also includes adding two new teaching and three paraprofessional spots.

“It maintains all existing educational programs,” Swaney said.

The budget also accounts for $1.395 million in cyber costs, a new cycle of social studies textbooks, a line item of $500,000 for technology devices and two additional transportation runs in anticipation in student population growth.

“It's a good budget, compared to some of the prior years,” Swaney said. “Especially last year's budget.”

The 2021-22 budget still faces a deficit of about $2.195 million, according to Swaney.

“Administration will be putting some recommendations forward to the board,” Swaney said. “They're staffing-related.”

Swaney said that, barring any major changes, the board expects to give the budget its preliminary approval in the next meeting, then post it for public review before the final approval is granted.