Treasurer warns charter tuition and health care drive district budget planning
May 24, 2026 | Chester-Upland SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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The district treasurer outlined priorities for the 2026–27 budget and warned that charter school tuition and health care remain major cost drivers shaping potential reductions, the treasurer said.
"The assumptions currently being used are generally consistent with the financial training that the board previously received," the treasurer said, describing recent meetings with the superintendent and EFM consultants to develop the proposed budget. He said the proposed budget will be presented to the community at the receivers meeting on Thursday, May 28, and invited community members to attend and ask questions.
The treasurer emphasized the district's structural deficit and explained that high charter school enrollment shifts state dollars out of the district: "If you have a school district and the majority of the children in that school district are attending charter schools, the district is always going to be at a financial deficit," the treasurer said. He provided an illustrative example: even a large state allocation may result in a smaller local share because funding follows students to charter schools.
The treasurer also summarized pending state and federal budget developments, noting that the state House had passed a budget amendment that included $53,300,000 for education in a recent action and that a number of issues — basic education funding, special education, cyber‑charter reform and school safety bills — remained under discussion in the Senate.
The treasurer said there were no immediate significant concerns beyond continued monitoring of the Commonwealth's final budget and reiterated the need to align expenditures with available revenue. No formal budget vote was held at the policy‑committee meeting; the treasurer said more updates will be provided monthly and the community is encouraged to attend the receivers' meeting on May 28 for the proposed budget presentation.
The committee continued with student presentations and community items and then adjourned.
"The assumptions currently being used are generally consistent with the financial training that the board previously received," the treasurer said, describing recent meetings with the superintendent and EFM consultants to develop the proposed budget. He said the proposed budget will be presented to the community at the receivers meeting on Thursday, May 28, and invited community members to attend and ask questions.
The treasurer emphasized the district's structural deficit and explained that high charter school enrollment shifts state dollars out of the district: "If you have a school district and the majority of the children in that school district are attending charter schools, the district is always going to be at a financial deficit," the treasurer said. He provided an illustrative example: even a large state allocation may result in a smaller local share because funding follows students to charter schools.
The treasurer also summarized pending state and federal budget developments, noting that the state House had passed a budget amendment that included $53,300,000 for education in a recent action and that a number of issues — basic education funding, special education, cyber‑charter reform and school safety bills — remained under discussion in the Senate.
The treasurer said there were no immediate significant concerns beyond continued monitoring of the Commonwealth's final budget and reiterated the need to align expenditures with available revenue. No formal budget vote was held at the policy‑committee meeting; the treasurer said more updates will be provided monthly and the community is encouraged to attend the receivers' meeting on May 28 for the proposed budget presentation.
The committee continued with student presentations and community items and then adjourned.
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