Major Staff Cuts Coming To Reduce Bensalem School Budget Deficit

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — The Bensalem Township School Board is expected to vote for significant staffing cuts at its meeting on Wednesday night to help deal with a "severe financial crisis."

School officials told Patch on Wednesday that the moves would save at least $6 million and shave the 2026-2027 school budget deficit down to $2 million.

School officials said more positions could be cut as well.

The school board heard a budget presentation on Tuesday night.

In March, longtime Schools Superintendent Samuel Lee resigned in the wake of the budget issues.

Lee had sent an email earlier this year to the Bensalem school community stating that the district is facing "a significant budget shortfall" driven largely by rising special education costs and charter school funding obligations, expenses that are mandated and largely outside of our local control.

After reports that the school district has a "severe financial situation," school directors explained what that crisis is and what impact it might have on the next school budget.

Among some of the staffing and other items expected to be eliminated according to the meeting agenda include:

• The elimination of undersubscribed courses
• The reduction of six elementary school teaching positions due to enrollment figures and class size considerations.
• The elimination of 12 positions at the secondary level due to alteration in programs related to under-subscribed courses.
• The elimination of an alteration of high school electives in two areas in favor of courses that are more popular with students and courses that are mandated academic programs for a net reduction of two positions.
• The elimination of an alteration of counselors' support of two positions.