Bensalem School Board Heads Toward Final Budget Vote

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — The Bensalem Township School Board is heading toward its final decision for how it will finance the 2026-2027 school budget.

Faced with what school officials called a "severe financial situation," school directors have taken measures to reduce a deficit that was initially reported as between $15-16 million with no tax increase.

The school board opted in late April to eliminate 31 positions, including nine administrative posts, and over 20 elementary teachers, librarians, guidance counselors, and special education teachers.

What remained was a budget deficit school officials said was around $2.52 million.

With a final vote on the budget set for June 29, the school board this past week approved the proposed final 2026-2027 school budget, as per the state's procedural process.

At its recent meeting, the school board passed a proposed final budget on May 28 that includes $3 million in bond restructuring, $6 million in personnel and budget line reductions, and a 4.2 percent tax hike, the maximum increase allowed by the state.

The proposed final budget shows $195.42 million in expenditures and $192.3 million in revenues.

School Board President Deborah King said the district cannot survive further budget cuts.

Meanwhile, School Board Vice President Stephanie Gonzalez-Ferrandez stated that drawing more than $500,000 from the fund balance could require additional $2 million in cuts.

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