Morrisville School District Rebounds After State Funding Boost

MORRISVILLE BOROUGH, PA — About a year ago, the Morrisville Borough School District was barely staying afloat.

Officials warned about a potential mid-year district closure due to a lack of state funding to keep its school doors open if the state budget impasse continued.

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Once the budget passed, this longtime underfunded school district received a $3.5 million funding boost that now remains permanent.

State Rep. Jim Prokopiak hosted the PA House Majority Policy Committee for a roundtable and tour at Morrisville on Wednesday so lawmakers could hear firsthand how the additional funds are being spent.

Lawmakers stated that when Pennsylvania invests in public schools that have been underfunded for years, students and communities see the difference.

"When we invest in our public schools, students win and our communities win," said Prokopiak, who represents portions of Bucks County, including Morrisville. "More dollars mean smaller school sizes and more resources for greater academic and mental health support – something that's not possible when schools are underfunded."

The committee was joined by interim acting Morrisville Schools Superintendent Elaine Eib, school business manager Dea Popovski, middle/senior high school principal Brian Oberdick, elementary (K-5) principal Nick Zlupko, and School Board President Damon Miller.

The small school district has survived and remains a tight-knit district, with an estimated 850 students in the building.

"It feels like a family here, and that can't be manufactured," Eib said.

Miller noted that in the past, Morrisville had experienced furloughs and needed to cut programs, finding a path forward despite being underfunded and struggling financially for years.

He added that the goal for the school district now is to be more competitive with other school districts of its size when it comes to salaries.

Being uncompetitive when it came to salaries led to numerous leadership changes and short-term tenures.

School officials explained, the goal with additional funding is stabilization, including increasing its credit rating and exploring sustainable programs.

Administrators noted that Morrisville was forced to be creative in finding answers to funding shortfalls.

Adequacy funds can be used where needed, and across Pennsylvania, schools have used the money to hire more teachers, support technical education programs, provide mental health support, expand STEAM programming and increase staffing.

"The progress in Morrisville shows why sustained investment matters," said state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, who represents portions of Erie County and serves as the House Majority Policy Committee chairman. "We need to keep closing the gaps, so every student has an opportunity to succeed, regardless of their ZIP code."