In Case You Need More of a Reason for Pennsylvania to Address School Funding Disparities – June 12, 2015

PA Now Among 14 States Giving Less to Poor School Districts

Pennsylvania is one of 14 states with a regressive school funding system that provides less funding to districts with high levels of poverty, according to a new report card issued by the Education Law Center.

While the poorest school districts continue to slash programs and student supports, the Pennsylvania Legislature’s Basic Education Funding Commission missed its deadline for issuing its recommended school funding formula intended to redress this situation.  After a year of hearings and debates focused on how to fund schools, and three weeks before the June 30th deadline for passing a state budget, school districts across the state still have no idea how much funding to expect from the Commonwealth.

Marking the missed deadline, on the steps of the Montgomery County Courthouse, Norristown School District Superintendent Dr. Janet Samuels pointed out that the Basic Education Funding Commission must recommend a formula that understands that children in the state’s poorest districts need additional resources to provide a quality education to its children.  “A funding formula must be put in place that considers factors such as poverty, English language proficiency, homelessness and foster care placement — items that greatly affect each district’s budget,” Samuels said.  Samuels’ comments were echoed by superintendents, mayors, parents and local actors in Norristown, Media, West Chester and Philadelphia who called on the legislature to get the job done.

Actors read monologues from School Play outside the Delaware County Courthouse to portray the need for a fair and adequate funding formula for schools.

Drama played a part in each of the four press conferences held in the county seats.  Performers adapted the script from School Play to bring to life the challenges teachers and students face in underfunded districts.  To learn more about School Play click here.

The statewide Campaign for Fair Education Funding, which PCCY helped to launch, is urging concerned citizens to call the Statehouse and push for the Commission to release a fair formula and for the legislature to raise the revenues needed to meet the state’s obligation to fund public education.  Participate in the Call to Action Day this Monday, June 15th.  Click here for more information.

Join PCCY for a statewide rally in Harrisburg on June 23rd!  Click here to reserve your seat on the bus.

Time to Cut Wasteful Cyber Charter Payments

New legislation is on the way to level the playing field between charters schools and public schools.  Representative James Roebuck will introduce a bill that will set a tuition rate of $5,590 for cyber charter schools.  The tuition rate is the same rate proposed by Governor Wolf in his proposed budget.  Currently, school districts pay cyber charters the same tuition as brick-and-mortar charters even though cyber charters do not have the same overhead costs such as maintaining a building and paying for an appropriate amount of classroom staff.  If approved, school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania could save $52 million on cyber charter payments.

The bill also requires annual audits and orders charters to refund any excessive revenue back to school districts. Click here to read more about the bill.  Tell your state representative to support the bill by clicking here.

What’s Holding up Funding for Philadelphia Schools?

Students from Cramp Elementary School made oversize cutouts of arts supplies to tell Council to support $105 million for the Philadelphia School District.

Just one week remains before Philadelphia City Council’s summer recess, but the job of providing $105 million in local funding for its public schools is far from finished.

The good news is that Council President Darrell Clarke said this week that Council will provide $100 million to the district through three tax increases and the sale of commercial tax liens.  The bad news is that it’s still unclear where the funds will come from.

Council is poised to act on a 4.5% property tax increase projected to generate $50 million, but only half is guaranteed to go to the District.  Council is withholding the other half until it gets more answers from the District regarding its plans to contract out for substitute teachers and school health services.

Council is also planning to vote to increase the Use and Occupancy Tax by 7.1% to raise $10 million and raise the Parking Tax to 22.5% to generate another $10 million.

The Council President expects to get another $30 million from the sale of commercial tax liens.  It is unclear if this will be new funding since the District’s budget already assumes $65 million for delinquent property tax collections.

There’s one week left and Council has a lot of work to do to provide $105 million for our schools.  Please call your local Councilperson and tell them to work with their colleagues to provide $105 million for the District.

If you do not know who represents you in Philadelphia City Council, click here to find out.

Time is of the Essence for Expanding Pre-K

Share this graphic online and tell state legislators to #MakeitHappen!