But until a federal judge ordered the state to advance the bankrupt school district $3.2 million on Tuesday - only a portion of the $18.7 million the district asked for - nothing was guaranteed.
Except for one thing. That the Corbett administration will continue to sacrifice the futures of Chester's schoolchildren.
It's beyond wrong, the blame game the governor is playing with the beleaguered school district. Corbett justifies withholding funds by saying that Chester Upland shouldn't get any more money because it couldn't manage the money it had been given.
Forget for a moment that the tax-strapped district depends on the state for 80 percent of its funding. This community had endured 12 superintendents in 13 years and at least five boards controlled by the state - that's right, the state.
Seems like there's enough blame to go around. Doesn't matter whether the culprits were Democrats or Republicans, the bulk of the blame should land squarely in the Department of Education's lap.
After all, it's only been a year that the district has operated under a local school board.
The state, declaring them "financially distressed," took over the schools from 1993 to 2010. The district answered to a board of control (later an empowerment board) appointed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Which left the local school board virtually powerless. Heck, it couldn't even spend more than $5,000 without running it past the state folks.
The only thing it had power to do was raise taxes, but there is little to tax. Not only that, viable properties, like Harrah's Casino and Widener University, are tax-exempt.
As if his plans for Chester's kids are a foregone conclusion.
Made a scapegoat
Acting deputy superintendent Thom Persing has been on the job only two months, but it's long enough for him to recognize that the state is using the district as a scapegoat.
