2025-26 Budget

Downingtown Area School District strives to maximize resources to maintain high-quality academics and student support systems, with the one of the lowest per pupil instructional expenses across Chester County’s 12 school districts. It's sound and responsible financial practices have been recognized on the national and international stage, as DASD has maintained a AAA financial rating for the past 16 years.

During the 2024-25 school year, loss of revenue from commercial reassessments, costs associated with the start of full-day kindergarten, increased costs associated with special education, increased charter school costs, and general inflation have had a significant impact on the district's budget. District leadership has been working diligently to cut costs and find areas to increase revenue to minimize the projected deficit.

To safeguard a bright future for all DASD students and uphold our reputation for excellence, the district is proposing a 3.9% tax increase for the 2025-26 school year.

The increased overall tax revenue will directly support the expansion of DASD facilities to address full-day kindergarten, additional staff to support students’ educational and social-emotional needs, as well as essential core and extracurricular programs and resources.
DASD is committed to using district funds responsibly to ensure a strong future for our schools and community. We recognize the financial impact any tax increase may have on residents, and this decision is not taken lightly. Investing in our schools increases property values, fosters a more educated workforce and provides a safe and nurturing environment for our children to learn.