Governor Rendell Proposes Education Budget for FY 2009-2010
Governor Ed Rendell has called for using $418 million in federal economic stimulus funds for the basic education subsidy in 2009-2010. The plan will allow the state to stay on schedule with phasing-in the new school funding formula adopted in July 2008 over six years, and provide full funding for the second year of the phase-in. Last year, the Pennsylvania General Assembly enacted the first real school funding formula since 1991 (Act 61) and committed to fully fund it by 2013-2014.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell recently released a call to action asking citizens to oppose the Senate budget plan (Senate Bill 850) in order to preserve the educational performance gains made over the past few years and continue forward progress for our students. Rendell said Senate Bill 850 will cut more than $1 billion in support for education and leave the state tremendously vulnerable when federal education stimulus funds run out. Click here for video of the Governor's commments on the state education budget. (Requires Adobe Flash Player to view).
Secretary Zahorchak Touring State to Discuss Education Budget
Pennsylvania Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak is traveling across the Commonwealth this week to discuss education funding. Zahorchak was joined by Sen. Bob Casey at his first stop in the East Pennsboro School District on Monday, where the two state leaders criticized the use of federal stimulus funds for education in the Senate's budget plan (Senate Bill 850). They cautioned that Pennsylvania could lose out on additional federal stimulus dollars if it does not invest stimulus in educational improvements, and urged the General Assembly to appropriately allocate stimulus dollars to avoid local property tax increases.
Watch video footage of Secretary Zahorchak and Sen. Casey discussing the state education budget:
House Appropriations Committee Rejects Senate Budget Plan
The House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines on June 8 to reject the state budget plan put forth by Pennsylvania Senate Republicans (Senate Bill 850), which was adopted in the Senate along party lines during the first week of May. The Senate budget proposal would cut more than $728 million in state dollars for the basic education subsidy, divert those state education dollars to other purposes, and use federal stimulus funds to fill the hole caused by the Senate’s cut to flat fund basic education at 2008-09 levels. It does not allow the state to stay on track with its six-year plan to phase-in more adequate and equitable funding for all students. Further, nearly half of Pennsylvania’s school districts have indicated their revenues are below budget and 60% have indicated they are already tapping into reserve funds to offset deficits this year, so the Senate budget would cause school districts to raise local property taxes or cut effective programs that help students learn – or both.
House Education Committee Passes Basic Education Funding Legislation
The House Education Committee adopted legislation (House Bill 1493) on June 3 that would distribute basic education funding using the new school funding formula adopted by the General Assembly in 2008, which is based on the findings of the state's 2007 Costing-Out Study, with small enhancements to improve the effectiveness and fairness of the formula. The legislation will allow the state to meet the year 2 adequacy funding targets of the state’s six-year plan to fully implement its new education funding formula by using $418 million in federal economic stimulus funds to increase basic education funding above current levels.
Testimony on Basic Education Funding Legislation
Representatives of the Pennsylvania School Funding Campaign appeared before the House Education Committee on May 26 to testify on basic education funding legislation (House Bill 1493). Click here for testimony provided to the Committee.
Testimony on Senate Budget Proposal
The House Appropriations Committee held public hearings on the Senate budget proposal (Senate Bill 850) on May 21 and 22. Click here for testimony provided by the PA State Education Association, PA Association of School Business Officials, and PA School Boards Association on May 21. Click here for additional testimony presented by representatives of rural schools and urban schools on May 22.
Testimony on Special Education Funding
The Pennsylvania School Funding Campaign provided testimony to the House Education Committee on May 6 on legislation (House Bill 704) that would change the way the state funds special education. Click here to read the Campaign's testimony.
