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Upper Darby schools to Wolf: We need help

Visiting one of the state's most financially challenged school districts Thursday, Gov. Wolf heard a simple message: We need money.

Visiting one of the state's most financially challenged school districts Thursday, Gov. Wolf heard a simple message: We need money.

At Stonehurst Hills Elementary School, teachers and administrators met with Wolf to discuss how his proposed education-funding plan would benefit the Upper Darby School District, which has been burdened by layoffs and program cuts in recent years.

"We don't have enough to make things work," said Aaronda Beauford, principal of the Delaware County school. "I have a great staff that does what they're supposed to do - but don't let that fool you."

Wolf is campaigning for his education-funding proposal, which is the keystone of a $29.9 billion budget that calls for a $1 billion increase in school subsidies this year, while using sales and personal-income taxes and levies on natural-gas extraction to lower property taxes.

"There is a need for real property-tax relief," said Wolf, who met with officials from both parties during his visit. "If we keep trying to invest what we need to invest to get a good education, you might have to leave your home, and that's not fair."

Under Wolf's plan, the district will receive an additional $3.3 million for a total of more than $45 million from the state.

The district, with a budget of $170 million, faces unique challenges: Its students speak more than 70 languages. More than 1,300 of its 12,000 students are served by special-education programs.

About $13,000 is spent on each student in the district each year. By contrast, Lower Merion School District in Montgomery County spends more than $26,000, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Wolf's proposals are meeting with resistance from the Republican-led legislature.

Under Wolf's plan, Upper Darby's property taxes, among the highest in the region, would be reduced by nearly 50 percent.

School administrators told Wolf that the additional funds would be used to hire back staff members who were laid off during budget constraints, including reading specialists and math coaches. The district hopes to decrease class sizes and restore arts and music programs that have been cut, too.

"We can make a difference with our kids; we have a proven track record of doing that," said Dan McGary, assistant superintendent for the district. "But if you're short millions and millions of dollars in staff, that's not a reality."