House Budget Turns Its Back on Pennsylvania’s Children
The budget season got off to a terrible start this week. On June 1st, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a startlingly irresponsible budget on a party line vote. As impossible as it may seem, the house-passed budget makes the situation worse for public schools and early childhood education. It included no increase to the current level of state funding for school districts or for early learning programs. That means that it continues the level of funding signed into law by Governor Corbett in spite of the fact that he was roundly thrown out of office for failing to invest in public schools.
With respect to public schools, the budget proposal continues the horrific four year pattern of slashing public school staff and programs. Last year, 9 out of ten school districts reported that they had cut the number of teachers or support staff. In the lowest income districts in the state, academic programs, arts education, pre-k, full-day kindergarten or foreign language options were eliminated and in a third of the school districts, class sizes were increased, according to a survey of school districts conducted in 2014 by the respected Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officers.
If this budget is enacted, more cuts will be in store since school districts must meet mandated pension contributions which are rising and pay for the other fast growing costs of special education services and charter school payments.
Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education’s survey of school districts found that with the $400 million in additional funds proposed by the current governor, school districts would put new funds to essential uses including:
- 197 school districts will maintain or expand high-quality early childhood education or pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten programs.
- 98 districts will reduce class sizes in elementary school classes.
- 87 districts will restore programs and personnel that districts were forced to eliminate as a result of massive cuts over the past four years. Districts will bring back guidance counselors and librarians and restore extra-curricular programs designed to enhance learning outside the classroom.
Click here to let your representative know that the House budget turns its back on children.
It’s crunch time in Harrisburg! Join PCCY and the Campaign for Fair Education Funding to tell state legislators to support a fair and equitable funding formula for Pennsylvania Schools.
Click here to join the statewide call to action on June 15th.
Can you make a trip to Harrisburg? Click here to get on the bus with PCCY for a rally for fair funding on June 23rd.
Don’t Believe Us? Research Proves Pre-k Works
Believe it or not some people are not fully convinced about the lasting benefits of high-quality pre-k. Let’s reiterate the benefits here. State data shows Pennsylvania’s Pre-K Counts Public/Private Partnership program (the precursor to the current Pre-K Counts program) cuts the portion of children at risk for problematic social and self-control behavior from 22 percent to 4 percent. Right next door in New Jersey, researchers followed children through 4th and 5th grades and found that the children served by high-quality pre-k were 31 percent less likely to be placed in special education and were held back 40 percent less often.
Hundreds of researchers across the country agree: investing in pre-k pays off and high-quality programs can be brought to scale. Click here to see a consensus letter from The National Institute for Early Education Research.
Join PCCY and the Pre-K for PA in Harrisburg to tell lawmakers to support new investments in high-quality early learning programs. Click here for a full calendar with sign-up information.
Candidate for Next Mayor Pledges to Give Kids a “Running Start”
Democratic mayoral nominee Jim Kenney joins Mayor Michael Nutter for announcement of “A Running Start Philadelphia: For Every Child Birth to Five” at Children’s Village. Courtesy: Philadelphia Inquirer
Success begins with a smart plan and the City of Philadelphia has a new roadmap to growing and expanding high-quality early learning programs for the city’s children. Democratic Mayoral nominee Jim Kenney joined current mayor Michael Nutter to pledge his support for “A Running Start Philadelphia: For Every Child Birth to Five.” The plan is designed to meet two challenges: ensure that early learning programs in existing child care centers and private homes are of the highest quality and expand opportunities so the majority of Philadelphia families can benefit.
Giving kids a running start is exactly what we need to place every child on the path to success!
Click here to read A Running Start Philadelphia: For Every Child Birth to Five.
City Council Plan to Fund Schools Needs More Work
Powel and Workshop School students march outside City Council chambers to demand $105 million in funding for schools.
Philadelphia City Council is once again looking at how to provide funding for the city’s woefully underfunded schools, but the plans currently on the table fall short of meeting the District’s request of $105 million. Yesterday Council proposed three ordinances to raise revenue for schools. They are:
| Proposal | Revenue Generated for Schools |
| 4.5% Property Tax Increase |
$50 Million |
| Raise Use & Occupancy Tax to 1.21% | $10 Million |
| Raise Parking Tax to 22.5% | $10 Million |
The three ordinances generate $70 million, $35 million short of the District’s request. Keep in mind, the District is spending 17% less on educating children than in 2011.
Please let Council members know you want them to do its part for schools. Click here to send a letter to your Councilperson telling them to support $105 million for schools.
Click here to join PCCY at next Thursday’s City Council meeting.