Officials on Thursday touted increased education funding in Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2024-25 budget proposal. (Alex Rose – Daily Times)
UPPER DARBY — Education experts joined politicians and advocates Thursday morning at the Upper Darby School District administration building to support Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed $1.1 billion increase in basic education funding in his 2024-25 budget. expressed unanimous support.
“Governor Shapiro's budget is a historic step in fixing our unconstitutional public school funding system,” said Andrea Fink, president of the William Penn Education Association. “Pennsylvania students have been waiting for decades for policymakers to take bold action to address the critical needs of our schools. They can't wait any longer. We must act.”
Fink, along with Upper Darby's Linda Fox, said the teachers union and the superintendent are on the same page on this, and urged lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to join in as well.
Upper Darby School Board President Don Fields said the disparity in education funding forces school districts with fewer resources to spend far more time than wealthy districts “just treading water” to get through each week. He insisted that he would not receive any compensation.
“If school districts didn't have to focus so much on advocacy, they could spend more time and effort on education and developing ways to better serve and educate children,” Fields said. . “None of us in education chose our careers to spend more time in Washington or Harrisburg seeking more funding or giving press conferences. I entered this industry to serve, to serve the future of my community, to make a difference. The only barrier to making this difference is funding.”
Shapiro's plan would pump about $1 billion into day-to-day operations for school districts, as well as $300 million for school repairs, $100 million for mental health services, $50 million for safety grants, and a $20 million in new spending will be spent on recruitment and retention. He is facing a severe teacher shortage. He also proposed cyber charter school tuition of $8,000 per student, which is expected to save districts a total of about $262 million.
The money will be drawn from the state's $14 billion surplus as part of “ambitious” spending for Pennsylvania's finances in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, that Shapiro acknowledged in his budget speech last month. I'm planning on doing it. The proposal would be about a 14% increase over the state's $14 billion surplus. Current basic education funding.
Education officials are under an onslaught of underfunding mandates, rising costs and displacement of teachers after decades of underinvestment in public schools. argue that this system is desperately needed.
“I would argue that we run some of the most complex organizations in this country, and we are expected to meet every new regulation and obligation without proper funding and support.” said Upper Darby School District Superintendent Dr. Daniel McGarry.
Norristown Area School District Superintendent Christopher Dormer said he often hears from lawmakers who are tired of hearing about problems and want to hear about solutions.
“My answer to them is this: Solutions require money. Full stop,” he said. “The funding will make a measurable difference in the lives of our students, in the quality of programs, materials, supports and environments we are able to offer, and the amount of opportunities we are able to offer our students.”
Dormer said the state's charter school law also needs to be revised to address overpayments by cyber charter schools, which serve students from different school districts at variable rates. He compared this to restaurant customers being charged vastly different prices for the same burger based solely on their zip code.
Dr. Maria Edelberg, executive director of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, noted that the proposed budget includes increased funding for career and technical education, which is essential for trade and infrastructure jobs.
She said it was equally essential for the state to fund pre-school and early childhood education, which is under-resourced and the need is rapidly increasing.
“Delaware County Intermediate Unit alone has seen a 30 percent increase in students participating in early intervention programs,” she said. “In the 2021-22 school year, we served 2,160 children with special needs. This year, 3,083 students will receive special education. Ages 3 to 5 The children of.”
like-minded people
Many of those gathered Thursday pointed to last year's Supreme Court decision that found Pennsylvania had failed in its constitutional obligation to provide a fair and appropriate education to all children, and that this was a step in the right direction. He said it was a step towards.
“We have been waiting for this ruling for 10 years, and we are standing up today to fight to ensure that our students receive what they deserve: adequate funding for basic education.” William Penn said Dr. Eric Becoats, the school's superintendent. The district was a plaintiff in that lawsuit. “There is hope that the Basic Education Funding Committee’s recommendations and Governor Shapiro’s budget plan will chart a new historic course for our schools. It is essential for our students, teachers, staff, and families and communities. We can no longer make do with less or do more with less. you can't.”
State Rep. Heather Boyd (D-163), a former Upper Darby school board member, said she remembers advocating for more funding when her children were 2 and 5. They are currently 13 and 16 years old, and the older children will receive full public funding. Education funding is lacking, she said.
“When the governor said $1.1 billion, I screamed,” she said. “That room was echoing with screams because you all remember the $1 billion cut by the last governor and we still feel the pain of it. It's hurting. … So when I hear those numbers, I'm excited and I'm going to vote when I see them. I'm ready to say yes.”
Mr. Boyd must also commit to a comprehensive $5.4 billion seven-year plan to close the education funding gap, or else educators and politicians will soon find themselves in their current positions. I warned him that he would have to go back.
State Rep. Gina Curry (D-164, Upper Darby), also a former member of the Upper Darby School Board, noted that if passed, the budget would have an impact beyond just Delaware County.
“We are trying to make a bipartisan effort to pass this budget,” she said. “As former school board trustees and parents in this district, we are proud to stand before Congress and pass this budget. It's a budget that's going to impact our neighborhoods on the east side in that way, but it's also going to impact rural neighborhoods that a lot of people don't talk about, that don't have the access, they don't have the money. Almost none.”
“Upper Darby has a tagline: When you walk into this room, you walk right through it: opportunity, unity, and excellence,” McGarry said. “That's no joke. Our goal in the Upper Darby School District is to provide every opportunity for all students to be unified in their ability to pursue excellence. We are eliminating barriers through the appropriate allocation of funding. It can be removed and talented, dedicated teachers can help students reach their goals and catchphrases.”
