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Superintendent announces PCCD grant, reports PSSA tech problems; board approves consent items and $5.38 million in bills
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Yamile Sanchez Rivera told the board of a statewide PSSA online testing failure and announced a PCCD school safety and mental‑health grant (district stated the award as $185,576). The board approved the meeting agenda, minutes and the treasurer's report including bills totaling $5,378,186.24; public commenters praised the superintendent and asked about the search process after Dr. Sanchez's resignation.
Superintendent Dr. Yamile Sanchez Rivera used her report to brief the board on two items with immediate operational impact: technical problems with statewide PSSA online testing and a PCCD grant to support school safety and student mental‑health resources.
"There was a massive failure. The system had difficulties," Dr. Yamile Sanchez Rivera said, describing the first day of the online PSSA testing and praising school principals who chose to continue testing and were ultimately able to administer assessments. She said Southeast Delco was among a small number of schools that successfully tested the first day despite statewide difficulties.
Sanchez Rivera also announced a PCCD grant to support school safety and mental‑health work and named Leanne Hudson (20th‑Century Grants and Special Projects Administrator) for her role in securing the award. The district reported the grant amount during the meeting as $185,576 and said the funding will support "Handle With Care" training, sensory items for classrooms and special‑education buses, and training for aides and staff to use sensory regulation and behavioral resources.
Following reports and presentations, the board considered routine business items. The board approved the meeting agenda and the March 26, 2026 minutes by voice vote. It then moved and approved the treasurer's report and bills totaling $5,378,186.24; the motion carried with a voice vote and no recorded opposition.
During the public‑comment period that followed consent approvals, several commenters addressed HR item 9 (the resignation of Dr. Yamile Sanchez Rivera). Raquel Irons (a Sharon Hill representative) thanked the superintendent and praised her work. Margaret Bing and Cynthia Woodfolk also offered public remarks that lauded Sanchez Rivera's leadership and asked procedural questions about the superintendent search and whether an interim will be named.
Board members did not publicly announce a search timeline during the meeting. The board adjourned and said it would enter executive session for a personnel matter after the public portion of the meeting.
