Chester Upland back to bargaining with charters

The court battle over the Chester Upland School District's fate is on hold again after state education officials Tuesday withdrew their recovery plan amid "continuing discussions" with charter schools.

In a statement, the administration and the district's state-appointed receiver said they stand behind their plan to slash charter-school funding in the district but are still talking "with involved parties to reach a resolution that puts Chester Upland on solid financial footing."

A proposal submitted in August to Delaware County Court Judge Chad F. Kenney sought to reduce the district's reimbursements to charter schools, especially relating to special education, to close a deficit that is nearing $24 million.

After charter school operators objected and Kenney deemed the plan insufficient, the state submitted a revised proposal Sept. 15, but withdrew it Tuesday.

Jeff Sheridan, a spokesman for Gov. Wolf, would not specify which parties are involved in the negotiations, but said that any agreement they reach must be reflected in a proposal due to Kenney on Oct. 2.

All Pennsylvania school districts remain in limbo as Wolf and legislative leaders continue debating a budget nearly three months overdue.

Charter schools educate about half of Chester Upland's students, and receive nearly $64 million of its $139 million budget. This summer, teachers and staff at the district's regular schools agreed to return to the classroom even if their paychecks would be delayed as a result of the budget impasse. When the district ran out of money in early September, the state stepped in with a $5 million check to keep payroll flowing.

Wolf's lawyers have portrayed Chester Upland's struggles as unique, arguing in the Sept. 15 proposal that reimbursements are "disproportionately higher for [Chester Upland] than any other school district." Critics have suggested that Wolf's plan with Chester Upland is part of a broader attack against charter schools.

jparks@philly.com 610-313-8117 @JS_Parks www.philly.com/Montco

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