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The board will meet at 6 p.m. in the Sheffy Administrative Building to approve the 2009-10 budget and vote on a proposal by Camelot Schools LLC to take over Buehrle Alternative School.
The special meeting was scheduled for the final day of the fiscal year in hopes the state would have approved its 2009-10 budget and the district would know how much funding to expect from Harrisburg.
But state budget negotiations have reached an impasse, and Gov. Ed Rendell has said it might be six to eight weeks before a spending plan is approved.
That leaves SDL in a bind because it gets such a large share of its revenue — more than 40 percent — from state sources.
The board last month approved a proposed $158 million budget that would boost the property tax rate by 3.52 percent, the lowest increase in six years.
Members also considered a 5.8 percent increase — the maximum allowed under Act 1 — to provide a cushion if state funding were to fall short and to help the district prepare for a huge jump in state retirement fund payments expected in 2012-13.
But the board decided to stick with the lower number, which would raise the tax bill for the average property owner by $79.
The state funding impasse might force members tonight to rethink that position, school board president Patrick Snyder said.
"The uncertainty from the state is causing me to think of the possibility of going higher on a tax increase because (the state's) not leaving us with many options," Snyder said.
A bigger school tax hike would be tough to swallow, though, he said.
"I hate the fact that I have been on the board for six years and we've done several substantial tax increases in that period," Snyder said.
The Buehrle vote will determine whether Camelot will run the alternative school for an annual fee of $1.4 million.
The district is hoping Camelot can provide more structure for Buehrle students and improve their behavior, attendance rates and academic performance, superintendent Pedro Rivera has said.
The school educates students who have been expelled or suspended for major disciplinary offenses.
"I think it's time to take a fresh look at how we can educate and keep engaged this particular group of students," Snyder said.
Camelot has been in business for 40 years and operates three alternative schools in Philadelphia school district.
District administrators and school board members recently visited the Philadelphia schools and are expected to share their observations before tonight's board vote.
E-mail: bwallace@lnpnews.com
