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We reviewed the upcoming agenda for Bristol Township SD and found 4 items with policy significance ahead of the vote.
| PRIORITY (LEVEL 8) |
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District to Spend $36,985 on SEL Curriculum
The district is paying CharacterStrong, LLC $36,985 for a software license, confirmed via a pre-payment check and a budget transfer. This purchase implements a formal Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, a framework often contested for its ideological underpinnings.
Policy Use
TRACK AND DOCUMENT: The district is purchasing a $36,985 license for CharacterStrong SEL curriculum (check #0000120145 and Budget Transfer Item 7.07). Add this district to the state’s SEL implementation tracker and obtain the contract/license agreement.
Policy Lever: $36,985 SEL Curriculum License
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| WATCH (LEVEL 6) |
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District Renews Crisis Intervention Training Contract
The district is paying $2,499 to the Crisis Prevention Institute Inc. for a ‘CRISI INTERVENT RENEWAL’. This type of training often focuses on de-escalation techniques which can be associated with a move away from traditional discipline, potentially aligning with restorative practices.
Policy Use
WATCH: The district is renewing its training with the Crisis Prevention Institute (check #0000328728). Request the training materials to determine if the content promotes restorative practices over traditional discipline. Monitor for any related changes to the student code of conduct.
Policy Lever: $2,499 Consultant Contract
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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District Pays Over $500k in Charter School Tuition
The district’s pre-payment list includes over $500,000 in tuition payments to various charter and cyber charter schools for resident students. This reflects a significant exercise of school choice by families within the district and its corresponding fiscal impact on the traditional system.
Policy Use
DOCUMENT FOR TESTIMONY: The pre-payment list under Item 6.01 details significant tuition outflows to charter schools (e.g., Center for Student Learning, MAST, PA Cyber). Aggregate the total charter tuition for the month and add to the state tracker as a data point on the scale of school choice.
Policy Lever: Charter School Tuition
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✅ Models to Replicate
Local actions worth capturing as model policy.
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| Model Policy (LEVEL 9) |
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District to Adopt Resolution Limiting Tax Increases
The board is discussing a resolution to formally commit not to raise any tax rate for the 2027-2028 fiscal year by more than its state-established Act 1 Index of 4.7%. This action limits the district’s future taxing authority and signals fiscal restraint.
How to Capture It
CAPTURE THE MODEL: Item 7.03 presents a resolution to cap tax increases at the state’s Act 1 Index. Secure the final adopted text and vote count. Add this resolution to the model policy file for Pennsylvania as an example of local fiscal discipline.
✅ Why It Matters: Act 1 Tax Cap
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“America First, Always.”
AFPI exists to advance policies that put the American people first. Our guiding principles are liberty, free enterprise, national excellence, American military superiority, foreign-policy engagement in the American interest, and the primacy of American workers, families, and communities in all we do.
America First Policy Institute |