BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Area School Board on Monday voted to temporarily withhold 30% of the district’s monthly charter school tuition payments until the state passes a budget.
Superintendent Jack Silva said the move is an “important and necessary step” to maintain the Bethlehem Area School District's financial stability until state funding is restored.
“This resolution simply ensures that charter schools share the impact of the state’s inaction in the same proportion that our own district is experiencing."Jack Silva, Bethlehem Area Superintendent
Silva said BASD gets a third of its revenue from state funding, and given the budget impasse, the district “has been forced to operate without the resources [its] entitled.”
The state budget is nearly three months late. It was due June 30.
BASD pays $3.5 million to $4 million in monthly tuition for Bethlehem Area students to attend charter schools.
Per Monday's resolution, the district will withhold about $1 million of that money each month, starting in September. That will help the district’s cash flow until the state budget impasse ends, Silva said.
At that point, charter schools will get their full payments each month and back pay.
'Share the impact'
“This resolution simply ensures that charter schools share the impact of the state’s inaction in the same proportion that our own district is experiencing,” Silva said.
“Our hope is that this action adds to the growing call for Harrisburg to do its job — pass a budget, fund public education fairly and end this uncertainty for all Pennsylvania’s students.”Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Jack Silva
“Our hope is that this action adds to the growing call for Harrisburg to do its job — pass a budget, fund public education fairly and end this uncertainty for all Pennsylvania’s students.”
The resolution also specifically calls for a "funding system that treats both district and charter schools equitably.”
The resolution will expire automatically when a state budget for fiscal year 2025-26 is approved.
Copies of the resolution will be sent to the state legislature, the state Education Department and other local school districts “to encourage a united stance in defense of fair funding for all public schools,” the document states.
Other area districts to follow
At least four local school districts could follow BASD's lead.
In coming weeks, Northwestern Lehigh and Salisbury Township school boards are both poised to consider similar resolutions that would remain active until a state budget is passed.
Northwestern Lehigh will vote on whether to withhold 29% of charter school tuition payments.
Salisbury will vote on whether to withhold 21% of charter school tuition payments.
Those percentages are reflective of the share of each district’s revenue that comes from state funding.
Salisbury Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten said the state legislature's failure to pass a budget on time has put Pennsylvania's school districts "in a difficult position."
"Withholding a portion of the charter school payment at this time is a fair and responsible way to ensure that all available funds are distributed equitably while we wait for the state to meet its obligation," she wrote in an email.
"Our priority in Salisbury is to protect resources for all students until the budget is finalized.”
"We ask our politicians to bring an end to this harmful volley and provide school districts with the resources we need to do our jobs."Harrison Bailey III, Wilson Area Superintendent
Additionally, the Northern Lehigh School Board will discuss the potential for action similar to BASD's resolution at its October meeting, NLSD Superintendent Matthew Link said in an email.
“Although we are on solid footing with our current budget and expenses, the uncertainty of when a state budget will be passed becomes increasingly stressful the longer the delay continues,” Link wrote.
“All districts are required to pass their budgets by July 1st, and we meet this obligation annually. It is my expectation that legislators and the Governor’s office do the same.”
Wilson Area School Board has not discussed such a resolution, but Superintendent Harrison Bailey III said, “it is not without reason to believe it is coming.”
He said the state budget impasse is a “major concern” for WASD.
“While we will always meet our responsibility to provide the best education possible for our students, we must also be able to fulfill our financial obligations,” Bailey wrote in an email.
“I believe we will see an increasing number of school districts taking actions similar to the BASD," he said.
"We ask our politicians to bring an end to this harmful volley and provide school districts with the resources we need to do our jobs. “
