ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Allentown School District officials say the state budget impasse is forcing them to make some difficult decisions.

“While the district entered the fiscal year in a stable financial position, the prolonged nature and scale of the current impasse was unforeseen. The prolonged delay has begun to place a serious strain on us as an organization,” said district Superintendent Carol Birks.

She stated that the district receives $333 million annually from the state, which accounts for 67% of its total budget.

Birks said the district was implementing operational adjustments to combat delayed payments from the state.

“Basically, we are reducing some non-essential expenditures, limiting our overtime and reducing the amount of charter school payments,” Birks explained.

Despite cutting the district’s expenses, Birks said the ongoing state budget impasse is hindering their ability to operate efficiently.

She said the funding delay is limiting resources and services for the roughly 16,000 students and families the district serves.

During the school board president’s remarks board President Andrene Brown-Nowell addressed the continued impasse and its impact on the district and its services.

“The state budget is not a game,” Brown-Nowell said. “It’s a fundamental promise of a quality education. Its absence is not merely an accounting issue; it’s a crisis of conscience.”

Going forward, Birks said the district’s financial team will monitor activity and focus on protecting classroom resources, instructional supports and the well-being of students.

“We are confident that with careful stewardship and continued advocacy, we will emerge from this moment even stronger,” Birks said.

Brown-Nowell echoed Birks’ statements.

“We will not compromise on educating our children. We will not. We will continue to press forward. We will do whatever it takes,” she said.

Both officials encouraged putting pressure on local political representatives to effect change “so that we get this (budget) passed,” Brown-Nowell said.

Mold and maintenance

In an evening that spanned three hours with back-to-back meetings, Birks also addressed recent reports of mold at William Allen High School.

She said the district was being “proactive and transparent and student-centered in our response.”

“We will continue to monitor environmental conditions and conduct quarterly air quality testing as we remain committed to providing safe, healthy, and well-maintained learning environments across the schools,” Birks said.

Even so, the district faces a “significant backlog” of deferred maintenance that amounts to millions of dollars.

“Just so you’re aware, some of these facility concerns have been for 20 or more years. We are addressing some of them now using the resources we have,” Birks said.

Hearing for proposed new school

In other news, the board approved a measure allowing a public hearing to be held Nov. 17 to present details for a proposed new K-8 school at the former Allentown State Hospital site, in compliance with Pennsylvania’s Act 34 of 1973.

The hearing, a required step before construction of a new school, will outline the project’s educational purpose, design, estimated costs and financing plan, including potential tax impacts. Residents and staff will have an opportunity to ask questions and submit comments before the school board takes final action.

District officials said the project aims to reduce overcrowding, provide modern learning environments, and expand access to STEM and arts spaces. The initiative aligns with the district’s “Lighting the Way: Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030” plan.

Construction contract

Also in building news, the board approved a contract with SitelogiQ to provide on-call construction management services for future capital and facility projects.

According to a memorandum from Chief Operations Officer Robert Whartenby, the agreement would allow the district to streamline oversight of construction and renovation efforts across multiple campuses. The services will cover projects such as the planned Family Engagement and Resource Center and renovations to Bridgeview Academy.

SitelogiQ was selected after a review process that included eight proposals evaluated for K-12 experience, staff qualifications, proposal quality and cost structure.

“With the amount of work that we’re going to be doing, we need that type of professionalism. We need that type of expert knowledge in the industry,” Whartenby said.

Funding for the services will come from the district’s capital reserve fund, with no impact on the 2025–26 general fund budget.

District officials said the on-call model supports efforts to create safe, modern and technology-rich learning spaces that align with the district’s long-term facilities master plan.