Article Describes PA. Budget Cut Effects on Urban School Districts

[JPZenger]

Article in today's Reading Eagle about the effects of the PA. budget cuts on urban public schools.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=324813

Excerpts:

"The Reading, Philadelphia and York school districts lost more than 10 times the money per student than some of the state's more affluent districts did. The Reading School District faced a hit of nearly $18 million, or $1,020 per student, according to state data... Harrisburg, like Reading, didn't raise taxes, but it had no reserves to absorb a cut of nearly $5 million, or $580 per student. So it eliminated more than 200 jobs - about one-sixth of the district's work force - and is closing four buildings, said district business administrator Jeff Bader.

Philadelphia, the state's biggest school district, lost $272 million in state funds - one-third of the total amount cut by the state and $1,309 per student, according to state data.

"We're a little perplexed as to why with 10 percent of the kids we got 30 percent of the cuts," said Michael Masch, the district's chief business officer."
----
During the budget process, the Republicans used parliamentary procedural tricks to keep the Democrats from being able to debate these cuts. That is why the PA. Democratic Policy Committee of legislators is now travelling throughout the state to hear from school superintendents and county commissioners about the effects of the cuts. You can watch those proceedings on the PCN cable network.

At that hearing, it was explained that up to $16,000 per student of public money is being sent to charter cyberschools, even though they have much worse results than public schools. Some urban schools spend half that much per student.

-------------------
Here's excerpts from a column:

"The Pennsylvania State Education Association estimates that 3,000 teachers statewide are being laid off and another 2,000 positions are not being filled. This does not count nearly 1,500 layoff notices that were sent out earlier this year in Philadelphia, the largest school district in the state.

...Philadelphia saw state funding cut by $557 per student, while nearby and more wealthy Lower and Upper Merion districts were cut by less than $20 per pupil. Many of these cuts were revised by Republican state legislators to favor their home districts.

In addition, the Corbett administration is pushing for the expansion of charter schools and a voucher system to funnel public resources to private education. State lawmakers are expected to approve a voucher system later this year that will funnel another $75 to $100 million to private and religious education.

Higher education has also taken a massive cut. The 14 state-owned universities are having their budgets cut nearly 20 percent. They have already announced that tuition will increase by 7.5 percent. In addition they are cutting $33 million by eliminating teaching positions and course offerings."

http://theglobalrealm.com/2011/08/04/massive-cuts-to-education-in-pennsylvania-budget/

[Pat Riot]

1. I wish more people would get mad.

We're just bending over and taking it.

This voucher money for charter schools, after taking money away from poor, urban public schools, is a major, dangerous step toward further erasing the line between church and state, as well as toward a dumber, more malleable population.

[JPZenger]

2. Voucher Schools Wouldn't Have to Take Standardized Tests

One of the points a superintendent made at the hearing was the current proposal would not even make the schools that get the vouchers have their students take the same standardized tests as the public schools. Therefore, there would be no method of comparison. He said "We are OK with competition, as long as you level the playing field."

He said most public schools cannot afford to provide pre-school for 4 year olds, but if a parent sends their kid off to a charter school that offers it, public dollars are used to pay for it.

[demguy72340]

3. +1