As Pennsylvania students return to their classrooms, take a look at some of the challengers they are facing because of Tom Corbett's education cuts.

Sheepish about budget cuts (WITF) That old pioneer spirit is alive and well in Pennsylvania, where two schools are adjusting to budget cuts with fleece aplomb. Stateline's Ben Wieder has the story: In Carlisle, Pennsylvania, students at two local schools will be greeted this fall by something unusual on the grounds: sheep. Rather than spend money on cutting grass, the Carlisle School District has brought in 7 Romney sheep to tend the fields. "They've done a good job so far," says Superintendent John Friend. 

Schools scramble to save music, the arts (Reading Eagle) Art, music, and physical education were among the programs on the budget chopping block in several Berks County school districts this year. But because of pay freezes and other concessions from teachers and administrators, along with some creative cost-cutting, most districts were able to retain the majority of their programs. "We were looking at all kinds of different stuff that didn't come to fruition because we got the contract freezes," said Dr. Robert F. Pleis, Twin Valley superintendent. "That was the game changer, basically."

Warwick acts to cut costs (Lancaster Online) Warwick School District is restructuring more than 20 employee positions and reducing hours in order to cut costs for the school district, officials reported Aug. 16. Most of the positions included special needs assistant, learning support assistants and computer assistants, who will see former daily schedules of seven hours cut anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.

Harrisburg School District teachers, staff are 'nervous' about changes as school year approaches (Patriot News) As part of its $124 million budget for 2011-12, the district cut 153 teaching positions and closed four school buildings. At least 65 teachers remain on the furlough list, according to Sherri Magnuson, president of the Harrisburg Education Association, the union for the district teachers. Others, she said, reluctantly left the district to find employment elsewhere. 

New Bensalem gym fees could "wipe out" youth programs, group leaders say (Philadelphia Inquirer) Operating the gyms after school and on weekends costs "hundreds of thousands of dollars" for lighting and heating, not including $50,000 every five to seven years for floor resurfacing, Myers said. Facing a loss of $3.5 million in state aid, the district looked to "reduce the burden on taxpayers, our own folks, and maintain access to our facilities for the community," Myers said. An alternative is shutting the gyms to outside groups, so the fees are "the lesser of the other evils," he said. Until now, the district has only charged for custodians' pay on weekends and holidays, and the new fees caught the youth groups by surprise.