Lansdowne, PA – October 13, 2025
Subject: 105 Days Without a State Budget: What It Means for WPSD
Dear William Penn School District Community,
Today marks 105 days without a state budget in Pennsylvania, and the impact on the William Penn School District is immediate and serious. We want to provide another update regarding the budget to keep our community informed as this situation continues to unfold.
As we shared previously, our Board of School Directors approved a balanced $134.5 million budget for the 2025–2026 school year on June 30th. That budget assumed $73 million in state funding — 55% of our total budget — which we have not yet received. This is unacceptable.
Our remaining funding from local taxes cannot sustain operations for long. To maintain cash flow, we took a $9.9 million loan, which must be repaid by year’s end, and we are now relying on these dollars to cover the monthly payroll of more than $4 million and at least $2 million in utilities, transportation, and essential services. These reserves were never meant to replace state funding and will soon be depleted.
Without a state budget, we cannot plan effectively or uphold our commitments to students and staff. We already entered this fiscal year with cuts to staffing, transportation, services, and activities. If the impasse continues, even deeper cuts will be unavoidable.
We are grateful that our local elected representatives are advocating for us in Harrisburg. Please let them know how much we appreciate them. If you wish to reach out to state senators who need to know how this stalemate directly affects classrooms, students, staff, and the stability of our schools, please contact the following:
Sen. Tracy Pennycuick
(215) 541-2388 | tpennycuick@pasen.gov
Sen. Joe Picozzi
(215) 281-2539 | Contact form: https://senatorpicozzi.com/contact/
Sen. Frank A. Farry
(215) 638-1784 | ffarry@pasen.gov
We will continue to monitor developments in Harrisburg and share updates as new information becomes available.
Thank you for your continued partnership and advocacy on behalf of our students and staff.
Sincerely,
Dr. Eric J. Becoats
Superintendent
