Property owners in most school districts in Chester County have seen their school taxes rise once again, increasing bills by an average of $100, writes Meghan Bobrowsky for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The modest $100 million increase in school funding provided by the state for this school year was not nearly enough to stave off another round of increases, which have been an annual practice for the last 10 years. They have increased on average by 25 percent for Chester, Bucks, Delaware, and Montgomery counties over this period.

School officials blame many issues for the increases, such as pension, contractual, and special-education costs, and various state and federal mandates.

The Coatesville Area School District had the highest property tax increase at 5.27 percent. Meanwhile, property owners in the Downingtown Area and Oxford Area school districts are among the lucky ones this year, with their property taxes remaining the same.

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The following are the average increases in each school district in Chester County:

• Downingtown Area: $0
• Oxford Area: $0
• Unionville-Chadds Ford: $27
• Octorara Area: $56
• Kennett Consolidated: $103
• West Chester Area: $108
• Great Valley: $120
• Phoenixville Area: $127
• Owen J. Roberts: $135
• Tredyffrin/Easttown: $139
• Avon Grove: $156
• Coatesville Area: $198

Read more about the tax increases in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.