The day after the Basic Education Funding Commission extended its deadline to deliver a recommendation for a funding formula for Pennsylvania basic education to the Legislature, public school administrators and teachers across the commonwealth took to their local courthouse steps to urge the legislature to fairly fund schools.

Norristown Area School District Superintendent Janet Samuels stood on the steps of the Montgomery County Court House Thursday in front of education advocates to ask that all legislators think of students attending school districts that struggle to come up with funds to adequately educate their children.

Samuels noted how economic advancement is directly linked to educational achievement, and that despite education being the great equalizer, Pennsylvania has no formula to distribute equally the funding provided by the state.

The Basic Education Funding Commission was formed June 10, 2014, to come up with a fair-funding formula by June 10, 2015. The commission decided to delay the vote until June 17.

For Samuels, the unequal and inadequate state share of the district’s budget has forced district administrators to make tough choices over the past years.

“Even with the implementation of cost-containment strategies, our district has had to revisit staffing, modified programs, seek a multitude of grants and levy tax increases,” Samuels said, noting how the district receives 7 percent of its revenue from the state. Just last month, communities came out in numbers to protest the cutting of music and art teaching positions at Norristown Area High School.

One thing not considered in the current allocation of state funds, Samuels said, is tax-exempt properties in county seats.

“There are several factors that contribute to our dilemma. The Norristown Area School District is located in the county seat of Montgomery County. As a result, we are the hub of county state and federal agencies and government offices. All of these offices are exempt from paying school real estate taxes,” Samuels said.

Norristown has more than 559 tax exempt offices, which are valued at approximately $586 million and represent 19 percent of the total assessed value in the district, she said. Those assessments would provide an additional $19 million in revenue to the district.

Samuels noted other factors currently not considered in allocating funds to school districts.

“A funding formula must be put in place that considers poverty, homelessness, and foster care placement. Items that we know greatly affect each district’s budget,” Samuels said. “Increases in long-term per-pupil funding lead to effective and ongoing educational attainment by all. It matters not by what county or area you are from, but as Pennsylvanians we will all be affected by one way or another by the unfair burden placed on our educational system in this state.”

A fair funding formula will lead to “opportunities for unparalleled advances in our society,” she said.

Following Samuels speech, three actors from Villanova University’s master’s program read monologues from “School Play,” a documentary-based live theater production detailing the funding crisis in Pennsylvania.

Christen Mandracchia, Matt Basden and Julia Salvo read in the voices of students who watch their music teachers leave the district due to cuts, teachers who put portions of their salaries to paying for classroom materials or have students read from outdated textbooks. To show the funding disparity, other students, seemingly from private or wealthier districts, talked about the unique technologies employed in their districts.

The commission is expected to make a recommendation to the legislature June 17, but when a formula will be voted upon is not known at this time.

The Times Herald – June 11, 2015 – Leer artículo en línea