BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Area School Board said Monday that with Pennsylvania’s budget impasse resolved, the district has received $2.5 million more than expected from the state.

The board also reappointed its officers at a reorganization meeting.

School directors Michael Faccinetto and Shannon Patrick will continue serving as president and vice president, respectively. Their terms will last until December 2026.

Chief Financial Officer Harry Aristakesian on Monday updated the board on the district’s state funding allocation.

“It’s all going to come out at the end in some kind of a wash.”

Harry Aristakesian, Chief Financial Officer

The state approved its budget Nov. 12 — more than four months after it was due.

BASD temporarily withheld some of its tuition payments to charter schools during the budget impasse to offset its financial burden and share the suffering with charter schools that its students attend.

Now that the budget has been passed, full charter payments will resume and those schools will get back pay, BASD officials said.

Additionally, with the approved budget, Bethlehem Area received $120.8 million from the state. That’s $2.5 million more than the district anticipated.

As a result, the district lost out on interest earnings on the funds held by the state during the impasse.

However, because the allocation was larger than expected, BASD will have to draw only $3.2 million from its reserves to balance its budget.

It initially planned to use $5.7 million from its reserves.

“It’s all going to come out at the end in some kind of a wash,” Aristakesian said.

Vo-tech expansion update

The district on Monday also received a presentation with updates on the status of expansion plans for Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School — which it shares with partner districts Northampton Area and Saucon Valley.

There will be updates at the BAVTS main campus at 3300 Chester Ave., Bethlehem Township, and at a new facility at 315 Columbia St. in South Bethlehem.

Bethlehem Area School Board presentation

As part of the project, there will be updates at the BAVTS main campus at 3300 Chester Ave., Bethlehem Township, and at a new facility at 315 Columbia St. in South Bethlehem.

The renovations will cost an estimated $13.8 million. With optional alternate updates, the project cost could rise to $15 million.

The cost will be shared amongst the partner districts. BAVTS also has $4 million in reserves available for the project if needed.

The renovations on the main buildings at each location are targeted to be completed by August 2026.

Renovations to the spaces for the technical school’s welding and aviation technology programs won’t be finished until December 2026.

Those programs are housed at the Columbia Street location.