KEYSTONE OAKS
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Building a Foundation of Excellence
Congratulations, Class of 2018!
Commencement exercises for the Keystone Oaks
Class of 2018 were held on June 7, 2018 at Dormont
Memorial Stadium. 137 students and 105 students
enrolled in Project Succeed received their diplomas. Of
this year’s graduates, 74% will be attending a two- or
four-year college or university, 6% will be attending a
technical school and three graduates will enter the U.S.
Military.
Board of School Directors approves 2018-2019 Final Budget
K
eystone Oaks School District’s Board of School
Directors approved the District’s 2018-2019 Final
Budget during their Business/Legislative Meeting
on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. The Final Budget, with
expenditures totaling $42,929,629, allows Keystone Oaks
to implement a new elementary strings program and
enhance technology throughout the District.
Keystone Oaks’ spending plan for next school contains
a .2289 mill increase to 19.306 mills. The millage rate,
which is within the District’s Act 1 index, will increase
property tax bills $22.89 annually for a home valued at
$100,000. The District has not raised taxes since the 2016-
2017 school year and this year’s tax increase is to offset
the impact of a revenue shortfall due to an anticipated
reduction in property value for a large commercial
property in the District.
A median home in the Keystone Oaks School District
valued at $114,000 will pay a property tax bill of
approximately $2,200, before any exemptions. The budget
is available on the district’s website: http://www.kosd.org/
FiscalServices.aspx.
Among the items included in the budget are funds for:
• The implementation of an instrumental strings
program in the elementary schools, which includes the
addition of 1.5 elementary music teachers.
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Increasing the number of librarians available at the
elementary schools from 1.5 to two full-time librarians.
New science curriculum for third, fourth and fifth grades.
More than $175,000 to install additional wireless internet
access points throughout the District and to increase the
capacity of the wireless system.
The largest increase in the budget is in the District’s
contribution to the Public School Employee’s Retirement
System, with an estimated $5.5 million in contributions in
the 2018-2019 school year. Additionally, Keystone Oaks
School District is anticipating an increase of $330,000 in
tuition paid to charter schools. To help the public better
understand some of the largest portions of the district’s
budget, the Board of School Directors has put together a
series of “By the Numbers” reports that break down fund
balance, employee pensions, school district debt, and out-
of-district placements. Those reports are available under the
“School Board” section of the District’s website.
A total of 5,443 Castle Shannon, Dormont & Green Tree
approved Homestead property owners, who have filed
Act 1 exception forms, will see a lower tax bill due to state
gambling revenues. The $155.90 real estate tax reduction
results in a larger decrease for qualified home owners.
KEYSTONE OAKS
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FALL 2018
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