SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A local school district is impacted by the Pennsylvania state budget impasse. The budget is now 119 days overdue, and the district is still forced to operate without funding.
Monday’s meeting at the West Scranton Intermediate School covered the financial future of the school district as more time passes with no end in sight to the budget impasse.
“We are victims in this situation,” Scranton School District Superintendent Doctor Erin Keating told 28/22 News.
The Scranton School District is one of many school systems in Pennsylvania that are affected by the overdue state budget.
Without federal funding, the district has already had to cut back on what they offer.
“We’ve had to curtail programming like before and after-school tutoring, some other events that would take place for kids after school, field trips. For teachers, we’ve had to stop professional development that has a cost associated with it because we just don’t have the money right now to be able to do that,” Dr. Keating explained.
Along with having to cut back on opportunities for students and teachers, there is a strain when it comes to balancing the remainder of the district’s budget as well.
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“I put out a memo to all of my administrations, both building-level and center office, that they are operating under the idea that they have zero dollars in all of their accounts. Nothing is approved, nothing can be purchased, nothing can be done,” Dr. Keating continued.
The frustration over the budget was shared among other people at the meeting as well.
“We cannot sit and think about sending letters, or calling, or texting. We cannot do that!” Scranton Federation of Teachers President Emeritus Rosemary Boland exclaimed
Since the district is on a calendar-year budget, their focus right now is making it to December 31.
“Our goal is to get to January 2, where we can close on a tax revenue anticipation note to fund the next, basically, three months of operations for us,” Scranton School District Assistant to the Superintendent Pat Laffey stated.
Without a state budget, the situation could only get worse.
“We have to borrow money to keep our doors open and pay our basic overhead. That’s what we have to do, and then we have to pay interest on the money we have to borrow because we’ve been put in this position,” Dr. Keating added.
Monday’s work session ended on a determined note as board members will keep seeking the money the district is owed.
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