Upper Darby School District officials are asking the state for more help to pay for the resources needed to educate 12,500 students in 14 school buildings, writes Kevin Tustin for the Daily Times.

It was one of 17 districts Dec. 5 talking about funding reforms for urban school districts.

The district faces an annual state funding shortfall of about $16 million.

“The lack of funding for school districts like ours continues to put pressure on our teachers, administrators, school boards, our taxpayers, and in all reality, our students. We are united, however, in our belief that public education should be the number one priority on a national and state level,” said said Upper Darby School District Superintendent Dan McGarry.

Local districts often complain they are required to meet state and federal mandates, even when no financial help accompanies those mandates.

The district said it is not likely to see any state reimbursements for a $100 million plan to build a new middle school and expand an elementary school to ease overcrowding.

Right now, the state funds one-third of public education costs. The remainder is paid for with local real estate taxes.

Read more about Upper Darby School District’s funding problems here.

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