Teacher cuts, tax increases in store for Butler Area School District

BUTLER, Pa. — The Butler Area School District has about 600 teachers and staff, who educate about 6700 students.

The 2017-18 school district budget shows tax increases and teacher cuts are in store. Parents Channel 11 talked to are not happy.

“Why are they punishing our kids and punishing the parents?” parent Trisha Ayers asked.

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The acting superintendent, Dr. William Pettigrew, is meeting one-on-one with every person on the furlough list. He told Channel 11 this is happening because of rapid student decline.

Among the teachers and staff furloughed:

• 13 tenured teachers
• 17 non-tenured teachers
• 4 secretaries
• 2 school police officers.

The furloughs are due to a decline in the number of students in the district. Enrollment is down 10 percent in the past five years, the elementary schools being hit the hardest. Officials say the district is not growing and something needs to be done.

The district has approved a one-time-only voluntary early retirement incentive of $7,500 to teachers who agree to retire at the end of this year.

Cox Media Group