Public education heads toward crisis in Pennsylvania

On Feb. 7, Gov. Tom Corbett will deliver his budget address to the General Assembly, laying out his 2012-13 funding and policy priorities for education and a variety of other issues.

Last year, the governor and Republicans in the legislature passed a budget that slashed nearly $1 billion in public education funding. Furthermore, the cuts were greater per pupil and per classroom in poorer districts than they were in wealthier districts. As a result, many school districts across Pennsylvania were forced to lay off teachers, increase class sizes, cut educational programming and RAISE PROPERTY TAXES. The cuts also had a huge impact on the state’s economy – an estimated 14,000 teachers and other public education employees lost their jobs.

Of course, the biggest impact was on public school students. The cuts threaten to end what had been eight straight years of academic progress at every grade level – Pennsylvania was the only state where that happened – and to severely restrict access to a quality education for tens of thousands of students across the state.

As we await the governor’s budget address due next week, public schools are already struggling with next year’s budgets due to last year’s cuts. I am not optimistic that Gov. Corbett will call for a return to adequate and fair funding for our public schools. The vast majority of Pennsylvania students attends public schools, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. That is a fact. If our state and our region are to have any chance of competing academically and economically, we cannot abandon these schools and their students.

If you agree, please take some time before the governor presents his budget on Feb. 7 to communicate to him and the legislative leaders who will control the budget process this year. Tell them to restore the $1 billion in funding the Corbett-Republican budget cut from public education in 2011-12 -- cuts that forced job losses, higher property taxes and fewer education programs for our students. You can also send a message to the governor and legislative leaders by visiting my website.

Tell them to make quality public education a priority in Pennsylvania.

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