"The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth." (Education Clause/PA Constitution)

The availability of a basic education in Pennsylvania has now become a function of community wealth rather than a basic right as guaranteed by Pennsylvania's constitution. 

The Morrisville School District has announced that it has a 1.5 million dollar budget deficit and will need to make drastic cuts to it's already failing schools. The district announced that all kindergarten programming, all athletics and arts, music and other elective courses would be cut and assistant principals, media specialists, pupil-support positions and other support staff would be furloughed under a resolution already approved by the Morrisville school board. 

Grants applied for but not received and yearly fixed costs such as pension contributions, charter school tuition and special education expenses contributed to 'stress' on  budget, the school district indicated in a letter to the school community. 

Last years budget saw an increase in the tax burden for property owners of 6.3%, with the same fixed costs being sited, pensions, charter school and special education as are now being sighted for the 1.5 million dollar budget deficit. 

For many reasons our school district has continued to decline over the years until we have become the school district paying the highest property tax for the poorest performing school district in Bucks County. 

The school district graduates only 50 students per year and even though the Borough pays one of the highest amounts per student the majority of our students are not receiving enough of an education to meet even minimum requirements.   The continued tax increases spiral our Borough and our students ever downward. 

MSD does not need a bail out, MSD needs to merge with a district that can best meet our students educational needs. 

In these extraordinary times we are asking our representatives  to take extraordinary measures and oversee the merger of the Morrisville School District with a district that can best meet our students educational needs. We believe our students have a right to and the state has a responsibility to provide an education to all students as per the PA State Education Clause.  

Please sign this petition asking our representatives to:

1.  Take measures and work diligently with surrounding school districts to work out a merger that will best meet the needs of all our students.  Morrisville would be a financial asset to any surrounding district. 

2. Work toward the elimination of property taxes to fund school districts and work to resolve the inequities in the funding of school districts so that all students in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have an opportunity to receive an education that best meets their needs. 

We are asking anyone who believes that quality education in Pennsylvania should be available to all students to sign our petition.