At the Oct. 24 school board meeting, Avon Grove superintendent Dr. Christopher Marchese reported that the school district now has the lowest per-pupil expenditures in Chester County.

Marchese explained, “Each year during our budget planning meetings, we report to the board about our ranking among Chester County School Districts with regard to per-pupil spending. For the last several years, Avon Grove ranked 11 out of 12 Chester County school districts in this category. This is a data point that the administration and Board is proud of because it speaks to our responsible approach in delivering education to our students. I would like to share that Avon Grove School District now is the lowest of all Chester County School Districts in per-pupil expenditures.  Why is this important?  Because this data point shows the hard work of the administration in bringing forth an educational plan that is fiscally responsible. Avon Grove has invested properly in our students to ensure that a high quality educational program is available for them year after year.”

He added, “When the district is frequently critiqued for its spending and millage increases, one must pause and understand that despite those increases, we continue to do it at a low cost, and now that cost is lowest in our county.”

Avon Grove’s per-pupil expenditures are $15,368 per student, slightly less than the Oxford Area School District’s per-pupil expenditures of $15,687 annual. Great Valley, which has the highest per-pupil expenditures among Chester County schools, spends about $8,000 more per student.

This is based on Annual Financial Report (AFR) data compiled by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The figures are from the 2017-2018 fiscal year, which is the most recent data that is currently available.

In the past, Marchese has often talked about how Avon Grove ranks in the top half of county school districts when it comes to student performance, but in the bottom half when it comes to per-pupil expenditures.

“I would like to that our board members who support the Avon Grove School District and continue to stand behind the educational plan for the district.  I would like to thank our parents and our community who are partners with us.  I would like to thank our CFO Dan Carsley and his business office team their excellent management of our operations.  I would like to thank our administrators, faculty and staff for their day-to-day effort in making Avon Grove the best it can be for the students we serve.”