SCRANTON, Pa. — Scranton School District officials say a $2 million windfall announced Monday by state Senator Marty Flynn is a shot in the arm right at a moment the school system needed a boost.
And it might just help fund a counter to gangs.
"It was basically fighting to get additional money," Flynn said. "Since the state Supreme Court ruled that the funding formula was unconstitutional that leaves us to fight for scraps for underfunded districts."
Flynn says the Ready to Learn Block Grant funds will be disbursed to the district this year. Scranton school officials say they already receive nearly $8 million each year from Ready to Learn that they use to fund kindergarten and cyber programs.
Acting Superintendent Pat Laffey said an additional $2 million, even if it is a one-time infusion, will help ease some of the loss of the Level Up program, which provided millions of dollars each year to the district.
Laffey said that assignment of new block grant funds to expenses they've already budgeted — like school counselors or advanced placement programs — means the district could free up that money and move it toward safety and anti-violence programs. They can't spend Ready to Learn dollars on safety initiatives, but they can shuffle money around.
Flynn said that's the tack he hopes they take.
"I want to see them put the money to work in that sector," Flynn said.
Violence — particularly gang violence — has been a growing concern in Scranton since a deadly gang-related stabbing outside of Scranton High School in 2022.
The gang-related shooting of Scranton police Detective Kyle Gilmartin nearly two weeks ago again highlighted the issue.
Flynn says $100,000 will be allocated to prosecutors in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties to combat gangs.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell says the state dollars will help fund salaries in the county's Gang and Gun Reduction and Intelligence Project, a task force founded in 2022.
The disbursement to the district attorney's office will be used "100 percent on enforcement," according to Powell.
But enforcement is not enough.
"It has to be a comprehensive plan it cant just be about enforcement," Powell said. "We do need the prevention and intervention component of it."