One of Pennsylvania's poorest school districts says it'll be able to pay staff this week amid an entrenched state budget stalemate because the state is covering the district's regular debt payments.
A Chester Upland School District spokeswoman said Wednesday's payroll would be made, but she didn't know whether the suburban Philadelphia district will be able to make the next payroll.
The Department of Education says it is covering a total of about $5.7 million in Chester Upland debt payments due Sept. 15 or earlier.
Chester Upland, which is under state oversight, serves about 3,800 students. Teachers and support staff have voted to keep working if they're not paid.
State aid to public schools is cut off because of a 2-month-old budget stalemate between Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers and a Delaware County judge rejected the state's proposal to shave charter schools' payments by nearly $25 million.
