HARRISBURG - Providing special state aid to distressed school districts for a second year in a row is an issue facing senators as the House-approved state budget bill lands in their lap.
The aid would be in addition to what districts receive through their basic education subsidy.
The Senate Democratic minority is proposing to give such aid in the next budget for six districts in Northeastern Pennsylvania, including Minersville Area in Schuylkill County.
Senators are looking at how much aid would be provided, how to define which of the 500 school districts are considered distressed and the aid distribution formula, Senate Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman, R-34, Bellefonte, said on Monday.
The Northeast Pennsylvania districts named include Scranton, Wilkes-Barre Area, Carbondale Area, Minersville Area, Pocono Mountain and East Stroudsburg Area.
The current state budget provides $49 million in special aid to 16 school districts considered financially distressed or getting loans for financial recovery. Pocono Mountain and East Stroudsburg Area received aid through this route.
"We would like to do more of this again this year," said Corman. "What formula we use remains to be seen."
Corman predicted that any special aid would total in the tens of millions of dollars.
Senate Democratic leaders said lawmakers need to address the issue before they leave for the summer.
"This can't be put off until the fall," said Sen. Anthony Williams, D-8, Philadelphia, adding that some struggling districts may run out of money before the end of the next academic year.
Neither the House budget bill nor Gov. Tom Corbett's budget proposal provide help for distressed schools, said Senate Democratic Appropriations Chairman Vincent Hughes, D-7, Philadelphia.
The Democratic caucus proposal would distribute $39 million in distressed district allocations among 33 districts across the state, including $1.5 million for Scranton, $1.1 million for Wilkes-Barre Area, $253,000 for Carbondale Area, $136,000 for Minersville Area, $950,000 for East Stroudsburg Area and $1.3 million for Mount Pocono.
The 33 districts are on this list for various reasons signaling a level of distress. They include the four districts such as Harrisburg and York declared financially distressed under state law, districts in Act 47 cities such as Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, districts facing red ink, and districts with high numbers of poverty-level students eligible for school lunches either free or at reduced cost, the caucus said.
Meanwhile, Corman said he's willing to consider a freeze in the phaseout of the state Capital Stock and Franchise Tax or a House-approved bill to close part of the Delaware tax loophole for businesses as a way to generate new state revenue.
