At its Jan. 20 Education Affairs meeting, Cheltenham School District officials proposed cutting Algebra I placement criteria from six to three, presented three K–5 ELA instructional‑materials finalists, and gave a year‑three strategic‑plan update covering Portrait of a Graduate, MTSS/mental‑health work, DEI efforts and facilities projects; minutes were approved and staff will return with recommendations and engagement plans.
The Cheltenham School District finance committee reviewed interim statements through Dec. 31, 2025, was told the district retains a roughly $30 million reserve, learned state budget timing shifts Ready to Learn/tax-equity recognition into next year, heard a clean independent audit opinion, and placed three items on the upcoming legislative agenda.
The finance presenter said no funds moved for key projects in December due to permitting and contracts; facilities staff reported leaking boiler piping at the administration building that was replaced.
Facilities staff reported progress on the high school lobby and stadium surface but said cold weather is delaying concrete work for the track, estimating late spring to early summer completion after required curing days.
Facilities staff told the committee that data from Veritas and other legacy systems did not fully transfer into the district's FMX asset/work-order system, leaving location details and asset metadata to be entered manually; a board member urged an analysis of retrieval options versus manual reentry.
Cheltenham School District presented 'Panther Paths,' two pathway models intended to help students navigate course choices without early tracking; administration said the plan clarifies required courses (not credit totals) and would phase in for current eighth graders (class of 2030).
A Cheltenham High School student presented a proposal for a semester-long radio broadcasting course and an internet-based station; presenter said startup costs are about $3,000 with roughly $1,500 annual maintenance and transportation would be handled via existing field-trip budgets or vetted drivers.
District administrators proposed adding AP Research (to complete AP Capstone sequencing), creating an Environmental Science honors option for a proposed ninth-grade requirement, and revising an internship pathway that awards credit for sustained work placements.
At a Facilities Committee meeting, staff reported Cedar Brook and Glenside construction bids well under earlier estimates, which could reduce borrowing; committee members pressed for explanations of estimator variances and received updates on stadium progress, a repaired elementary court and permitting.
District staff told trustees that a projected 17% increase in medical premiums—driven by high claims—and a pension rate uptick could add roughly $7 million and $570,000 respectively to next year’s costs, prompting staff to flag staffing and programming as areas for budget reductions to remain within the Act 1 index.
