Pennsylvania finally has a budget.
Now, a Dauphin County School District is deciding how to get its 'Pre-K Counts' program back to full-strength.
In August, the Superintendent of the Halifax Area School District told CBS 21 News he wasn't sure if the early education program for three and four-year-olds was even going to get off the ground.
At the time, the program was one of many funded primarily by the state, that was rumored to be a cost-cutting area in the inflated state spending plan. In a version of the budget proposed by the state Senate, 'Pre-K Counts' was in line for a 50-percent reduction in state funds.
Another version of the budget kept funding at current levels.
Halifax Area School District Superintendent Robert Hassinger was faced with a tough choice; either cancel or postpone the program for the 2009-2010 school year, or begin the program on a 50-percent budget.
He decided to put
kids first.
But Hassinger told CBS 21 News, that to keep the program within a reduced budget, changes would have been made. That included reducing staff by one teacher and one aide, and offering the program at just one location instead of two. Lunches were also eliminated.
Also, the program used to be offered as both a full-day, and half-day session for children. Currently, Halifax is offering two half-day sessions only.
Hassinger says now that the state budget is passed, and funding for 'Pre-K Counts' has been fully restored, he's got some more choices to make.
Since the start of the school year, the school district has been footing the bill for the program, and hoping to be reimbursed with the state funding.
But even though it now looks like that will happen, it won't happen immediately.
Hassinger says it could take up to eight weeks to receive state funding, and changes to the 'Pre-K Counts' format might not happen until then.
In years past, the program was offered at both the Enders-Fisherville Elementary School, and the Jelly Bean Junction day care center in Halifax. Under the cost-cutting plan, Jelly Bean Junction was eliminated as a program site. (Although children are being transported by bus from the day care to Enders-Fisherville to take part in the 'Pre-K Counts' half-day schedule.)
Hassinger says he'd prefer to restore the program's funding without dipping into any more local tax revenue reserves, or borrowing any money.
Bottom line, the school district has been patient through the 101-day budget impasse... It will have to be patient until the state funds actually arrive.
CBS 21 News will continue to follow this story.
