The Berwick Area School District on Tuesday heard a standing budget committee report that said the district can continue operations for at least the next two to three months while Pennsylvania works to pass a state budget.

The superintendent’s report to the board said two tax appeals remain active: a Moxie Freedom tax appeal scheduled for court in January 2026 and an ongoing appeal involving Burwick Hospital that is under negotiation. District year-to-date expenditures through Sept. 30 were reported at 5.88% compared with 11.93% at the same point last year.

The report flagged rising outside-education costs. According to the presentation, cyber-charter rates and special-education costs have increased; the staff cited increases in non-special-education cyber charter rates from $12,051 to $13,648 and a rise in certain special-education line items (figures reported by staff were unclear in places and are noted below).

The superintendent also told the board the district’s cafeteria operation has accumulated a balance the administration described in the meeting as $2,100,000,000 and said auditors require a formal spend-down plan. The superintendent said funds in the school nutrition account may only be used for cafeteria-related purposes and proposed working with stakeholders and the nutrition vendor to develop a legally allowable spend-down plan. The administration suggested replacing cafeteria equipment, reconfiguring high-school dining with booths and other dining improvements, and said it will return with floor plans and a formal plan for board consideration.

The superintendent also reported a Degenstein grant award in excess of $85,000 to buy two advanced resuscitation mannequins for the district’s sports medicine/medical-science program; the grant award will be placed on next month’s agenda for formal acceptance.

Why it matters: rising charter and special-education costs plus unresolved tax appeals could affect future budget choices; auditors’ requirement to spend down a large school nutrition fund will require board decisions about allowable capital or equipment uses.

The board asked for further documentation and pledged to review a detailed spend-down plan when staff returns with options and cost estimates. The superintendent said he would work with stakeholders to draft the plan and that state auditors will expect the district to demonstrate legitimate cafeteria-related expenditures.

Clarifying details provided at the meeting included the district’s year-to-date expenditure percent (5.88%) and the previous-year comparison (11.93%). The Moxie Freedom tax appeal was described as going to court in January 2026; Burwick Hospital’s appeal remains in negotiation. Several dollar figures mentioned by staff (including the cafeteria balance and some special-education numbers) were stated in the meeting transcript; staff said they will provide documentation when the spend-down plan returns to the board.

The board took no formal vote on changes to the budget at Tuesday’s meeting; staff said they will bring specific proposals, cost estimates and required documentation to a future board agenda.