"That's because we are considered a less wealthy district than other districts, so they are giving us more money to [cover] our per pupil expenditures," said Gerald Barcik, Bristol Township's business manager.

Bristol Township will receive almost $19 million from the state for basic education in 2008-09, state education department officials said. That's a 7.52 percent increase from the 2007-08 subsidy.

For instance, the Centennial School District's subsidy increased by $167,937 over what was budgeted, said Timothy Vail, the district's business administrator. However, that increase helps offset the special education funding subsidy that was about $25,000, or 1 percent, less than expected, he said.