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With recent fears that school districts across the state will be forced to close in mid-May due to the state’s budget stalemate, school board members at Wyoming Area announced during a board work session meeting Tuesday that an informational meeting for district residents will be held Wednesday.
The public meeting will be held 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Secondary Center. State Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, will be at the meeting, and state Rep Aaron Kaufer, R-Kingston, may also be in attendance, pending his schedule.
The session will include what could — and likely would — happen to districts if a budget fails to pass by May, along with new progress that’s been made and contact information for all state lawmakers.
“The consequences are quite severe, if we do not get our funding in order,” said board President Elizabeth Gober-Mangan.
As of Tuesday evening, the Republican-majority legislators penned a revised, $30 billion budget and plan to vote on it Wednesday.
Roughly 45 percent of the state’s emergency funding was released in December, and if no budget is passed, in about two months the funding will be depleted.
Wyoming Area isn’t the first district to hold an informational session on the education crisis. School districts across the state have been gathering, spreading word to parents, taxpayers and students and urging all to contact their local representatives.
Another top-priority topic for district residents is the possible closing of the Sarah J. Dymond Elementary School, located in Harding.
Board members said that as part of a 90-day cooling off agreement, they cannot discuss or vote on what the fate will be for the building until April.