If you haven’t tuned into a Bensalem School Board meeting in a while, the faces on the dais might look a little different. Following the November 2025 elections and the reorganization meeting in December, the Bensalem Township School District Board of Directors has a new look and a new schedule for 2026.
Whether you’re a parent concerned about bus routes or a taxpayer watching the budget, these are the nine neighbors who make the decisions for our schools.
The Leadership
Dr. Deborah King (President)
Taking the gavel as President for 2026, King is a long-serving member of the board. As President, she runs the public meetings, sets the agenda in coordination with the Superintendent, and acts as the primary spokesperson for the Board.
Stephanie Gonzalez Ferrandez, Esq. (Vice President)
An attorney by trade, Ferrandez enters her seventh year on the board with a new role as Vice President. She has been a vocal advocate for long-term planning, recently noting that the board is looking to “plan out what the next five years might look like” regarding district infrastructure and curriculum.
The New Faces (Sworn in December 2025)
Four directors took their oaths of office in December, reshaping the board’s majority.
- Rachel M. Fingles, Esq.: A familiar face returns. Fingles is a former school board member who won her seat back in November. As a practicing attorney, she brings legal and policy experience back to the table.
- Rodger Allen: A newcomer to the board, Allen was elected as part of the Democratic sweep in November. He has been appointed to serve on the Bucks County Technical High School (BCTHS) joint board committee for 2026.
- Leann Hart: Another new voice, Hart also joins the BCTHS joint board committee, representing Bensalem’s interests at the technical school.
- Kate Pascucci: Pascucci joins the board as a first-term director and will serve as an alternate for the BCTHS committee.
The Returning Directors
- Rebecca Mirra, Esq.: A sitting member and attorney, continuing her term.
- Karen A. Winters: A veteran board member, Winters was recently appointed to represent Bensalem on the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (IU) No. 22 board.
- Heather Nicholas: Currently the sole Republican on the board, Nicholas is a long-time member who continues to represent the district.
A Major Change to Meetings
If you’re used to marking your calendar for the “Fourth Tuesday” of the month, you’ll need to update your schedule.
At the December reorganization, the Board approved a shift in the meeting calendar. Regular Action Meetings will now generally be held on the first Tuesday of the month (replacing the previous fourth Tuesday schedule).
- Why attend? The “Action Meeting” is where the actual votes happen—hiring staff, paying bills, and approving policies.
- Where: Dorothy D. Call Administrative Center (3000 Donallen Drive).
- Watch from home: Meetings are live-streamed via the District’s Vimeo channel.
What’s On Their Plate Right Now?
The new board isn’t easing in. They’re immediately facing what officials are calling a “severe budget situation” for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
The Budget Crisis
The district is projecting a $6.5 million funding gap between revenues and expenditures. Making matters worse, the district’s savings—known as the “fund balance”—has plummeted from $13 million to a projected $3 million by year’s end. That’s not even enough to cover one month of district salaries.
The culprits? Skyrocketing costs in two areas the district can’t control: special education (up nearly $10 million over five years) and charter school tuition (up $6.2 million over five years, with particular controversy surrounding School Lane Charter School’s special education enrollment numbers).
The Preliminary Budget Vote
The board is scheduled to vote on adopting the preliminary budget on February 18, 2026. The preliminary budget proposes an 8.25% property tax increase—jumping from 181.3315 mills to 196.3004 mills. For homeowners, that translates to an additional $248 to $621 per year, depending on home value.
Because this exceeds the state’s Act 1 Index limit of 4.2%, the district must apply for a Special Education Exemption to implement the full increase.
What They’re Already Cutting
To save money, the board has already approved moving from one-to-one Chromebooks to shared classroom carts for students in kindergarten through second grade (saving an estimated $400,000). Tech purchases have been slashed, HVAC upgrades postponed for some buildings, and the administration has been tasked with presenting a “list of unpleasantness”—potential staff and program cuts—in February.
The stakes are real. This budget determines everything from class sizes to teacher positions to your property tax bill for the coming year.
