Bensalem board approves MOA to host two preschool classrooms, cutting district preschool sections from four to two

The Bensalem Township School District Board of School Directors on May (date not specified) approved a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit to host two early‑childhood classrooms at Faust Elementary School for the 2025–26 school year, reducing the district’s in‑district preschool sections from four to two.

Board members said the move responds to a districtwide classroom‑space shortage. Several directors raised concerns about the decisionmaking process and the impact on access for local families, particularly for programs that serve low‑income and at‑risk children.

Why it matters: The change halves the district’s locally hosted preschool capacity. Board members noted that Head Start and Pre‑K Counts have different income eligibility thresholds, that some families now will need to travel outside Bensalem to obtain services, and that the reduction disproportionately affects children who start school with the least advantage.

Board discussion and context Board Director (name not specified in transcript) who framed the motion said administrators had concluded there was insufficient in‑district space to continue hosting all four classrooms and presented the MOA as a way to preserve two local sections. Multiple board directors said they would vote to approve the MOA to avoid a scenario in which no preschool sections would be hosted in the district.

Other directors pressed for more transparency and earlier involvement of building principals in planning. One director said the administration initially denied there were space issues and that the board learned details only after decisions were already in motion. Several directors urged the district to explore alternative facilities or temporary modular classrooms to preserve the full program.

Eligibility and program details The board record and discussion referenced two types of early‑childhood programs: Head Start, which prioritizes households at or below federal poverty guidelines and families receiving public assistance, foster care, or experiencing homelessness; and Pre‑K Counts, which can serve families at a higher income threshold (the director cited a family‑of‑four guideline up to $93,600). The MOA authorizes the Bucks County Intermediate Unit to provide two classrooms at Faust Elementary for the 2025–26 school year; the Intermediate Unit supplies program staff under its model and the district provides space.

Vote and next steps The board approved the MOA by roll call. Board members recorded voting in favor included Dr. King (recorded as “Yay” in the roll call), Mrs. Marra, Mrs. Ferrandis, Mr. Patel, Mrs. Winters, Mrs. Rivera and Mr. Petitjean; the motion carried. The MOA will allow the Intermediate Unit to operate two classrooms in district facilities for 2025–26. Several directors said they would continue to press the administration and the Intermediate Unit to pursue options to restore additional in‑district preschool capacity.

What the board said it would do next Directors asked that the district continue to explore alternatives — including temporary modular classrooms, reconfiguring noninstructional spaces, or seeking additional slots from the Intermediate Unit — and discussed returning to the topic at upcoming committee meetings. Multiple directors said they would raise the item again at future business or facilities committee meetings to seek a longer‑term solution.

Provenance: The board returned to agenda item M‑41 and introduced the MOA; the board discussion and roll‑call vote appear in the public meeting transcript (topic introduction through motion and roll call).