Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed $51.5 billion state budget includes a $600 million increase for education, aiming to address the needs of underfunded schools, especially in rural areas. The increase is intended to support basic education, special education, and the state's teacher student stipend program.
Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed $51.5 billion state budget includes a $600 million increase dedicated to basic education, special education , and the state's teacher student stipend program. This funding boost aims to address the needs of underfunded school districts, particularly in rural areas of Pennsylvania.
Priyanka Reyes-Kaura, K-12 policy director at the Children First educational non-profit based in Philadelphia, highlighted the positive impact of increased funding in the York City school district. She explained that the district received significant funding that was directed towards establishing a family welcoming center. This center assists immigrant families by providing multilingual staff who can cater to their specific language needs. Reyes-Kaura further emphasized that the proposed increase in state funds can be instrumental in supporting the poorest school districts across rural Pennsylvania. She pointed out that there are over 100,000 twelfth-grade students currently attending underfunded schools, with 181 rural school districts in dire need of financial assistance.Officials advocating for increased funding are actively working to close the 'adequacy gap,' a term coined last year after state lawmakers recognized the significant underfunding of the state's lowest-tiered school districts. These schools require an estimated $3.5 billion to meet state standards. Chris Lilienthal, assistant director of communications at the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), expressed a desire for more investment in special education within the budget. He acknowledged the positive strides made last year with the previous budget and viewed the current proposal as a continuation of that progress
Education Funding Pennsylvania Schools Rural Education Adequacy Gap Special Education
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