Upper Darby School District administrators told board members the district continues to face significant staffing and student‑population challenges even as total enrollment remains near 11,918 pupils.

In a district review presented at the Education & People Services Committee, leaders said the English‑learner population has grown substantially (administration cited more than 2,200 EL students districtwide and that EL students comprise a larger share of kindergarten cohorts in some buildings). Administrators also reported growth in the autistic‑support population (presented as about 377 students) and emphasized that specialized programs require certified staff — a supply that is increasingly hard to find.

"Our total student enrollment of 11,918 students," a presenter said, and went on to note that the district now serves a larger share of students requiring specialized instruction. Presenters described recruitment and retention efforts, including encouraging current teachers to pursue EL certification and other targeted certification pathways.

The presentation outlined wider context: nationally and in Pennsylvania the pipeline of newly certified teachers has contracted since 2011, yielding a rise in emergency or uncertified placements. Upper Darby reported 56 emergency‑certified teachers currently working in the district and said it hired 81 new employees this year. Substitute coverage improved this year from a 35% fill rate to 47%, but administrators said internal coverage by colleagues remains common and increases burnout risk.

Attendance and enrollment dynamics were highlighted as complicating instructional continuity. The district reported an average annual turnover of about 1,400 students (roughly 12% of enrollment) — withdrawals balanced by new admissions — and showed cohort analyses demonstrating substantial churn over 12‑year spans. Attendance measures presented included a pre‑pandemic average daily attendance of 93% (down to 91% post‑pandemic) and a regular‑attendance rate that fell from 81% pre‑pandemic to 74% in the 2021–22 school year; district staff said regular attendance is improving this year and described a suite of interventions (building attendance teams, home visits, multilingual communications, PBIS, school counselors and targeted social‑emotional supports).

Administrators also reviewed academic strengths and gaps: students performed most consistently on procedural math and vocabulary acquisition in ELA, while areas for targeted work include conceptual math reasoning (fractions, ratios, algebraic thinking) and reading comprehension at grade level. District leaders described instructional responses including expanded coaching, targeted early reading interventions, cross‑content literacy work and expanded professional development.

Board members asked about sustainable ways to build pipelines to the profession, how to expand early‑intervention and pre‑K access, and whether new state rules affecting higher‑education funding for education degrees will complicate recruitment. Administrators said they are exploring local pipelines with Delaware County Community College and considering ways to reduce upfront costs for candidates seeking certification.

What happens next: administration will continue to develop recruitment pipelines, report on the impact of pilot certification programs and return to the board with updates on attendance and staffing metrics.