William Penn School District is finding itself with a $9.2 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 academic year and has announced cuts to bring that deficit down, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.
Poised to go are several academic interventionists, an assistant principal and office secretary positions.
The district has until June 30 to submit its final budget.
“Our goal is to make sure that people have a job in 2025–2026,” Superintendent Eric Becoats said Feb. 20.
An inconsistent cash flow and rising costs are being blamed for the deficit, along with a history of inequitable funding.
The district is also facing bookkeeping issues, like duplicate payments, according to David Szablowski, interim chief financial officer.
William Penn Education Association (WPEA) President Andrea Fink said budget concerns will mean some teachers leaving as the teachers union negotiates a new contract.
William Penn, with administrative offices in Lansdowne, serves more than 4,500 students, with more than half classified as economically disadvantaged.
The district was one of six in Pennsylvania that successfully sued the state, arguing its funding model for school districts was discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Pennsylvania has stepped up with more funds, but it hasn’t been enough to shore up William Penn’s budget deficit.
Read more about the financial issues plaguing the William Penn School District at WHYY.
