Apr. 14, 2016

HARRISBURG – Rep. David Parker (R- Monroe) today condemned the method by which the state’s 2015-16 education funding is being distributed. In particular, Parker called into question the legality of the governor’s distribution “formula” that shortchanges the state’s neediest school districts.

“In June, 2015, the bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission released its long-awaited report to the public – the BEF Commission Report,” Parker said. “During the 12 months of hearings, the BEF Commission received hours of testimony and hundreds of pages of written testimony. Testimony was presented and received by Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration. The BEF Commission Report was well-received by the public and its findings, the proposed new BEF formula, was incorporated into every version of the proposed and passed budgets.

FACT: The BEF Commission Report revealed four school districts combined, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chester-Upland and Wilkinsburg, were underfunded by a total of $11 million, annually.

FACT: The same BEF Commission Report showed East Stroudsburg, Pocono Mountain and Stroudsburg school districts were underfunded by $52.1 million, annually.

FACT: The BEF Commission Report concluded the most underfunded school district was Reading School District, underfunded by a staggering $95 million, annually, and Allentown School District was underfunded by $66 million.

But last week, Wolf and Secretary Pedro Rivera of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced their budget allocation for $200 million of new Basic Education Funding.

“Instead of following the bipartisan BEF Commission Report and its associated new BEF formula, Rivera announced a new, arbitrary, capricious and maliciously unfair Basic Education allocation,” Parker said. “Rivera announced four school districts, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chester-Upland and Wilkinsburg, would receive a whopping $102 million of the $200 million, while the remaining 496 school districts would split $97.5 million. This result announced by Rivera is utterly outrageous, unfair and the most anti-child political act I have ever witnessed!”

• East Stroudsburg, Pocono Mountain and Stroudsburg only received $2.39 million!

• The most underfunded school district, Reading, only received $3.5 million.

• Allentown School District only gets $2.6 million, York School District only gets $2.3 million, Erie School District only gets $1.9 million, and Norristown School District only gets $1 million.

• Unexplainably, Lancaster School District only gets $1.2 million, Wilkes-Barre School District gets $734,017, Easton School District gets $645,850. Pottstown School District gets $491,719; Lebanon School District gets $396,227. State College gets a measly $328,986.

The administration continues its political rhetoric concerning 2010-11 funding restoration, which was 100 percent accounted for by the BEF Commission. In fact, the administration continues its pilgrimage for $370 million of ghost restoration funding, against the bipartisan BEF Commission clearly stating 180 school districts are underfunded by $937 million annually, a funding shortfall that has punished students, taxpayers and teachers for 25 years since.

“Totally disregarding the unanimous recommendations of the bipartisan BEF Commission, which included votes from the secretary of Education, the secretary of Planning and Policy and the Budget secretary, the governor's actions are the most anti-child action ever taken in Pennsylvania history,” Parker said. “This blatant anti-family, anti-children, anti-teacher, anti-taxpayer action by the governor should not stand.”

The governor’s chosen four school districts – Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chester-Upland and Wilkinsburg – get an additional $429.98 per student, while the remaining 496 school districts get a measly $65.80 per student.

According to the bipartisan BEF Commission, Pittsburgh School District is the most overfunded school district in Pennsylvania, overfunded by $57.4 million. With 180 school districts underfunded by $937 million and Reading School District underfunded by $95 million and the combined East Stroudsburg, Pocono Mountain and Stroudsburg underfunded by $50.2 million, it's outrageous, wrong and unconscionable for the overfunded Pittsburgh School District to get $7.5 million more.

Even more despicable, Wilkinsburg School District is solely and intentionally getting $3 million to give it to Pittsburgh School District.

Within the past weeks Rivera said these words: “Chronic underfunding for several years continues to have a negative impact on classrooms across the Commonwealth. In order to meet their critical mission of educating our students, schools need a significant investment.”

“It’s time for Rivera to fight for a ‘thorough and efficient’ education for all 1.7 million students in Pennsylvania’s public schools, not just the 239,000 students from four school districts,” Parker said. “He should redo the allocation immediately and treat all our students fairly.”

“Each of us has a duty to petition our government to be fair, reasonable, unbiased and nondiscriminatory.

“THIS IS OUR CALL TO ACTION: We are asking every student, teacher, parent, administrator, taxpayer and friend of fair education funding to visit and support: SupportEquityFirst.org.

“Restore equality, fairness and justice. Please join the cause and share it with as many friends and taxpayers as possible.”

Join the Declaration for Fairness.

TWITTER https://twitter.com/EquityFirstOrg    
FACEBOOK https://facebook.com/Equity-First-798868560219609
LINKEDIN https://linkedin.com/groups/7050793

Representative David Parker
115th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260.6443
clardner@pahousegop.com
RepParker.com / Facebook.com/RepParker
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