On the local, statewide and national fronts, education has made the headlines repeatedly in 2025.

In Butler County, nine school districts have seen a mix of changes in curriculum and policies, adjustments in taxes and funding, renovations and more over the past 12 months.

Next year, the impact of this year’s changes — everything from cellphone policies to renovation costs — will continually become clear.

The majority of districts in Butler County are still undergoing some type of construction project. These projects include new classrooms, updated utilities and more space for learning and playing.

Reasons for these projects have varied by district, but school boards have often cited the need to fix up outdated buildings or to accommodate current and future population growth.

This November, Seneca Valley School District approved an intermediate high school project that includes connecting it to the senior high building, adding three floors of new classroom space and building a performing arts center.

When all is said and done, the project is anticipated to cost roughly $165 million, one of the most expensive projects in Butler County history. The project sparked controversy, with district residents speaking out on both sides of the debate over potential tax increases and the need for upgraded facilities.

Another renovation project approved this past year was in the Freeport Area School District. The district’s board voted 5-4 in favor of a $55 million high school renovation in June, after months of contentious debate.

Board members who voted for the project argued the high school building was in desperate need of repairs and that voting “no” was not a feasible option. They pointed to a failing sewage system and the need to replace elements like the roof, auditorium, heating and cooling, and electrical work.

Other Freeport board members said the tax burden would increase significantly on residents, particularly those on fixed incomes, and would increase debt over time.

Elsewhere, Mars Area School District is also undergoing an elementary school renovation to handle population growth.

Knoch just unveiled renovations at its high school campus.

Karns City is considering razing the former Sugarcreek Elementary School building.

Slippery Rock Area and Allegheny-Clarion Valley school districts have also made building upgrades to fix outdated facilities.

Thanks in large part to those renovations, many Butler County residents will see their property tax rates increase in 2026.

School finances have been a driving force in educational news in the Butler County in 2025. Seneca Valley, Mars, Freeport, Karns City and Slippery Rock all increased millage rates this past year, by different amounts.

While tax increases have been an issue for residents, funding issues have repeatedly been in the news due to concerns from school officials.

In one case, it’s been a source of anger — taking tax dollars and sending them to cyber charter school as reimbursements.

In some cases, this was costing schools several millions of dollars every year. Officials’ calls for reform increased after an audit released by state Auditor General Tim DeFoor highlighted how some cyber charters were exploiting loopholes to add hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Cyber charter reform was addressed in a state budget that was months overdue.

In the days and weeks after the state legislature missed its June 30 budget deadline, superintendents and school officials regularly expressed hope the budget impasse would resolve quickly. Four months later, many of those same officials expressed dismay and exasperation over the partisan gridlock.

The impasse was the result of political disagreements — the Democratic-led House of Representatives, the Republican-led Senate and with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration disagreed on a number of topics, including education funding and overall spending levels.

The recently-passed state budget included regulation and oversight that will save districts money on cyber charter payments. It also included long-discussed adequacy gap funds.

School board elections are intended to be nonpartisan, as candidates are able to cross-file and appear on both the Democratic and Republican ballots despite their party affiliation. However, in Butler County, many decisions coming down from local school board arguably weren’t nonpartisan.

A number of news stories developed out of political votes, actions and disagreements between our districts’ elected leaders and members of the public. This was perhaps most notable at Knoch School District.

Outcry from Knoch parents reached a tipping point months after the board approved joining onto litigation challenging Shapiro’s office and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission’s interpretation of protections for transgender high schoolers.

Board meetings became politically charged. Parents criticized the board’s decision to give $10,000 toward litigation fees. They also expressed concern over a potential conflict of interest. Tom Breth, the school board’s solicitor, serves as special counsel for the Thomas More Society, a conservative Chicago-based law firm that advocates on behalf of faith-based causes. The firm is covering the majority of litigation costs.

In some other communities across the county, school board elections saw many candidates embracing and openly campaigning on conservative values.

It’s taking over the economy and seeping into every aspect of our lives. It’s even appearing in your child’s classrooms.

The artificial intelligence boom is actively impacting school curriculum and changing how students learn. Local educators are still trying navigate the technology.

At school board meetings, officials have discussed how to properly integrate AI into the learning process and how to teach students to use it ethically.

At Butler Area, superintendent Brian White gave an informal presentation in November to the school board. He suggested students should be trained in AI literacy, adaptability and ethics.

AI has been on other schools’ radars. At Moniteau, secondary assistant principal Kimberley McBryar previously told the Eagle the district has an AI policy in which teachers are given some power in deciding when and where to implement AI.

Moniteau career education and student services teacher Jeremy Borkowski also said that in some of his math classes, he and his students use the program Wolfram Alpha, which can solve math problems and give step-by-step instructions when needed.

Seneca Valley superintendent Tracy Vitale also previously said her district was implementing AI in several ways. Seneca Valley has subscribed to Magic School AI and Microsoft Copilot, programs that help create assignments, brainstorm ideas, summarize information, analyze data and more. Vitale described AI as “more like a coach instead of a crutch.”

On the flip side, technology in schools is seeing push back elsewhere.

The push to ban cellphone usage in classrooms has significantly heated up recently. A bill is making its way through the state Senate that would prohibit students from using smartphones during the school day.

The state education association has vocally supported the legislation, while school officials from Butler County have testified in favor of it.

Cellphone policy varies by district. Meanwhile, parents have expressed concerns on both sides of the issue.

Arguments for the ban include limiting distractions. Arguments against it include parents feeling they should be able to communicate with their child, especially in the case of an emergency.