HANGING BY A THREAD
"I returned last year as a librarian to reopen five elementary school libraries, all of which were closed and basically turned into offices and other uses, and the students were not using the resources that were there. Then we got adequacy funding – that was a huge boost. We were able to buy books and a lot of other things that we need to reopen the libraries."
 John Auberzinsky, a Coatesville Area School District (CASD) librarian with a passion for literacy, shared this inspiring update at a Children First gathering of lawmakers and education leaders.
Avon Grove, Coatesville, Downingtown, Great Valley, Phoenixville, Tredyffrin/Easttown, and West Chester districts – a mix of adequately and underfunded districts – joined the conversation.
Every underfunded district in the room were able to share how they invested the increased education funding to transform student learning. For example, Coatesville was also able to hire more social workers in every school.
"Adequacy funding helps support social workers," said CASD Director of Pupil Services, Michelle Snyder. "They are focusing on truancy and removing barriers for families to get students back in school."
All of these improvements are a risk, though, unless legislators finish their job and pass a state budget, which is already more than two months late.
Until educators know know they're getting next installment of adequacy dollars, they're not able to build on developments like these or, even worse, have to cut them. For example, Downingtown Area School District just invested in full-day kindergarten after years of planning, but it could be on the chopping block if Harrisburg doesn't finish the job of funding the billions of education dollars owed to local districts.
All districts - underfunded or not - are hanging by a thread because Harrisburg has not passed a budget, but that's not their only worry. Every district at the table talked about massive cyber charter payments, the growing needs of special education students and English language learners, and looming cuts in federal education dollars.
At the event, Senators Carolyn Comitta and Katie Muth, and Representatives Paul Friel, Danielle Friel Otten, and Chris Pielli, who all represent parts of Chester County, pledged to continue fighting hard for education funding in the budget negotiations.
And they're fighting hard because they know what last year's investment means for today's children. "This was one of the big success stories the past year," said Representative Friel Otten, about the added funding. "It is one of the big things that keeps us going."
We know where Governor Shapiro and the PA House stand, firmly behind making these kinds of inspirational improvements possible. It's now time for the Senate Republicans to get the budget sown up. Do you part by taking action below.
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