Recently, Governor Wolf unveiled his proposal for next budget year. It included a bold proposal that would deliver an increase of $410,546,991 million to the School District of Philadelphia.
Our local students and communities need this funding.
We’ve seen school districts struggle to meet students’ needs as they have coped with the pandemic. It was true before the pandemic and is even more true now: Most of the blame for the lack of resources in our schools lies with state legislators, who have underfunded schools, leaving the burden of filling funding gaps to local districts (which means higher property taxes for residents).
Pennsylvania’s chronic underfunding is failing students. According to a bipartisan formula, 277 Pennsylvania districts need over $2,000 more per student to adequately support their learning needs, totaling $4.6 billion statewide.
Governor Wolf’s proposal of $1.75 billion in new funding is the kind of down payment in public education that is required. The state has the money; the question is whether the state legislature has the desire and will to support the investment our children need and deserve. Their constituents are paying attention to their next move.
Submitted by,
Sarah Miller
