Norwin School District Considering Closure Without State Budget Funds

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Norwin School District may be forced to borrow money or close its schools in early 2016 as the state budget stalemate drags on.

Earlier this week, Standard & Poor's withdrew its ratings on a state government program that helps school districts borrow money.

State subsidies make up about 42 percent of Norwin School District's annual operating budget, the district said in a news release Friday, and without money from the state, the school district is facing two unpleasant options.

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"Neither decision is one the School District wants to make, and we have not committed to any of these options," said Robert Perkins, president of the Norwin Board of Education. "No decisions have been made by the Norwin Board of Education and we are still going to discuss these options as a Board. But we are being forced to consider these because of the elected officials who refuse to compromise and provide proper funding. The time has come for school districts to send a strong message to Harrisburg."

The district's Director of Business Affairs, John Wilson, believes the district will exhaust revenues from local sources by February.

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The executive director of the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, Dr. Jason Conway, says multiple school districts have had concerns, and he plans to contact the 17 school districts in Westmoreland County to gauge support for a possible county-wide school shutdown if the state budget stalemate goes on any longer.

"This may be the only way to get the attention of the state's decision makers," Conway said.