School districts statewide are opening their doors while
balancing the books without an August payment from the state as the
state budget remains unapproved, according to the Pennsylvania
Department of Education.
Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak announced Wednesday that
more than $876 million has been withheld from the state’s 500
school districts for the month of August. Between July and August,
the total is approximately $1.3 billion in funds that are not
reaching the state’s schools.
That boils down to nearly $4.2 million in July and almost $12.1
million for the month of August in the four-county area.
McKean County accounts for a large chunk of the totals for both
months.
In July, the Bradford Area School District did not receive
$850,000; Kane Area School District, $361,000; Otto-Eldred School
District, $257,000; Port Allegany School District, $372,000; and
Smethport Area School District, $303,000.
In August, the districts did not receive the following:
Bradford, $2.06 million; Kane, $1.26 million; Otto-Eldred,
$880,000; Port Allegany, $1.12 million; and Smethport,
$996,000.
Bradford Area School District Business Manager Kathy Kelly said
Wednesday the district is still in good shape despite the state’s
failure to approve a budget and stay faithful to the typical
payment schedule.
“They (state) did pay half of the gaming money that was in the
Legislature and they had actually set dates; that was close to
$800,000,” Kelly said. “We are still getting federal funds and tax
revenues flowing in. Right now we are OK.
“I’m not doing any projections into the future. I have a cash
flow model, although come Aug. 31, I will be tweaking it,” Kelly
said. “I don’t know how long this is going to go on. I never would
have guessed it would go this long; I don’t understand why it has
gone on this long.
“I feel extremely sorry for any district that doesn’t have a
fund balance. That is what it is for. You have to plan for these
type of things. Some neighboring districts have been to banks. That
is just another expense they will have to pay.”
Bradford Superintendent Sandra Romanowski has also heard that
other districts may have to resort to loans for payroll purposes.
She noted that starting a school year without knowing what state
funding the district will receive is a difficult standing.
“It’s very disappointing. School districts don’t have the option
of going past June 30 to develop a budget that can pass our school
boards, yet the Legislature has that option,” Romanowski said.
“We’ve started school and we have to make a commitment to the
students whether we are hiring teachers or not and the programs we
are offering. I am living day-to-day not knowing what I truly do
have to spend. That’s a ridiculous position to be put in.
“For particularly a smaller district, closer to distress, what
are they supposed to do? They can’t raise taxes, and they are
trying to start school and don’t know what the budget is.”
In Elk County, the Johnsonburg, Ridgway and St. Marys school
districts’ combined totals for expected funds totaled $974,000 for
July and $2.56 million for August.
Meanwhile, the Cameron County School District funding is short
almost $1 million combined for the two months; with a $275,000
payment missed in July and just under $815,000 that the district
didn’t receive for August, according to the state Department of
Education.
For Potter County, the five school districts of Austin,
Coudersport, Galeton, Northern Potter and Oswayo Valley are going
without a combined total of more than $812,000 in July and $2.36
million in August.
In frustration with the situation, the superintendents of 10
area school districts co-signed an editorial and submitted it for
print in the Harrisburg Patriot-News newspaper.
The editorial notes the ongoing frustration with the continued
lack of sufficient state funding for public education, as well as
the concerns about this year’s budget and the proposal to further
cut funding for school districts.
The editorial ends with the statement: “No more excuses. No more
delays. … Now is the time to pass the right budget for Pennsylvania
and the right budget will prioritize our students, their future and
our Commonwealth’s responsibility to adequately fund our school
districts.”
Among the signatures listed include Scott Graham, Northern
Potter School District; David Wishard, Galeton Area School
District; Richard Toner, Coudersport Area School District; Matthew
Hutcheson, Austin Area School District; Robert Falk, Otto-Eldred
School District; George Romanowski, Smethport Area School District;
Sandra Romanowski, Bradford Area School District; Tony Flint, Port
Allegany School District; Clyde Moat, Cameron County School
District; and Anna Kearney, St. Marys Area School District.
Even if the budget is passed in early September, that may not be
the end of the effect on school district funding.
The Sept. 24 subsidy payment also could be impacted by the
budget impasse, according to Zahorchak, because it takes about two
weeks to authorize payments after a budget is enacted.
