ADAMS TWP — A final budget decision could be delayed until later this month, Mars School District officials said Tuesday.

Last month, the school board gave tentative approval to the 2018-19 budget, which is expected to be $48.36 million. This would leave the district with a $1.5 million deficit.

To cover the gap, a 2.4 mill property tax increase has been proposed, which would generate an additional $610,000. One mill is equal to $256,566, and the current property tax rate for the district is 99 mills per dollar of assessed value. The district hasn’t increased that rate in 10 years, as natural tax growth generated sufficient funding.

On Tuesday, Dayle Ferguson, board president, said since giving tentative approval, the district has received “good news and bad news,” as well as new information.

While she did not comment further on that information, Ferguson said it could alter the tentative budget enough for changes to be made.

“I would go as far as saying I doubt that the final version of the budget will be exactly the same as the tentative budget,” she said.

Ferguson said the final budget is a “moving target” and there is much work to be done before the board considers a final vote.

Though the board is set to hold a vote Tuesday, she said the state deadline is June 30 and the board can take the extra time if needed. In the event a vote isn’t held next week, a special meeting will be scheduled, she said.

The budget also addresses the deficit by not replacing two retirees, and eliminating one staff member from the middle school music program. The ninth-grade football program will also be eliminated, with ninth-grade players becoming part of the junior varsity team.

It also addresses new expenditures including a new middle school construction project, which is still in the planning and design phase. An update on that project is expected to be given during the board’s June 12 meeting.

The budget also includes improvements to the district’s guidance program, with two full-time positions being created. It includes an expansion of a special education life-skills program for kindergarten through fourth grade, and a multitiered system of support to identify students with special needs.

The district will implement the Rachel’s Challenge anti-bullying campaign at the start of the school year, and will hire a literacy intervention specialist at the elementary school.

On Tuesday, several students and parents spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, asking the board to reconsider making cuts to the band program. Others asked for renewed consideration for replacing teachers who are leaving, as well as finding ways to ensure programming is improved and not just maintained.

Superintendent Wes Shipley said district officials do not want to make changes that will impact programs. The goal, he said, is to ensure any such impact would be minimal.