Panther Valley School District residents will see a slight drop in their school taxes, as the school board approved a $34.3 million budget for the 2023-24 school year on Wednesday.

The millage rate for Carbon County residents will drop from 64.56 mills to 64.55 mills, or a difference of 0.02%, and Coaldale residents will see millage go from 60.69 mills to 60.50 mills, or a 0.31% drop, said Jesse Walck, business manager.

The decrease equates to about 4 cents a month for those in Carbon County, and 79 cents a month for those in Coaldale, he said.

The district anticipates $34,326,117 in projected revenues and expenses, Walck said. He also moved $75,552 into the budget reserve fund.

The district is expecting a $427,000 increase in Title I funding, which is provided to lower income schools, to bring in additional resources, he said.

The Title I funding will pay for an additional teacher and two aides, Walck said.

The district will be spending more on transportation due to increased enrollment, he said. One bus and a van will need to be added to handle the increased number of students.

Enrollment has increased 25% over the past three years, Walck said, placing Panther Valley in the top five schools in the state in percent increase in growth.

The district will also be spending about $15,000 on upgrades to its aging computer fleet, and will be seeking grant funding for security upgrades, such as two-way radios, identification cards, cameras and new locks, he said.