As Budget Deal Nears, Time to Keep Pressure on Lawmakers to Pass Fair Funding

Governor Wolf and Republican legislative leadership are nearing a deal on the budget. This is our chance to move the ball on fair funding. After years of cuts and underfunding--leaving some districts with insurmountable budget woes--Pennsylvania may finally see an increase in basic education funding.

We expect that the framework agreed to by both parties will make way for at least $350 million in new basic education funding and $50 million for special education funding. This represents a crucial first step towards fair funding, especially for districts still hurting from the 2011 cuts. Unfortunately, some legislators are calling for a property tax referendum requirement that would take away school boards' authority to make important tax decisions based on the needs of their schools. This referendum proposal would diminish local school control and create additional obstacles to ensuring children's access to a quality education across the state.

To make sure that Harrisburg lives up to its promises and guarantees that all schools can provide the education to which our children have a right, please call your legislators this week, and tell them:

I urge you to support a budget agreement that invests fairly and fully in public education.
To fix this problem, you must increase basic education funding by at least $350 million, restore past funding cuts, and then implement the full Basic Education Funding Commission formula. Failure to do so will only continue the cycle of program cuts and staff reductions that have occurred in recent years.
Funding for special education and early education programming must also be prioritized.
Also, Pennsylvania cannot fix its school funding system without the ability to raise local revenue when necessary. Please abandon any discussions related to mandatory backend referendum and the elimination of the Act 1 index and exceptions.
With your leadership, Pennsylvania can end its unpredictable and inequitable public school funding system and set a new standard for delivering fair funding that meets the needs of every child, no matter where that child lives.

After you have completed your call(s) email this message to your legislators, which is similar to the above phone script.

Find your state legislators, along with their Harrisburg and district office
phone numbers here.

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