Pennsylvania has one of the most inequitable approaches to education funding in the country. The state government provides only about 35% of the money spent each year on public schools, leaving each district, no matter how rich or poor, to fund its schools through local property taxes. Many districts – like those in Philadelphia and in many rural areas – are desperately under-funded. In 2000-2001, spending ranged from a low of $5,302 per student, to a high of $14,406 per student. Only four other states have a greater disparity between rich and poor districts.

Over the past year, a grassroots movement of parents, students, teachers, and other people concerned about education has developed throughout Pennsylvania to demand an equitable statewide system of funding for public education. We believe that over the next several months, we have a real chance to bring desperately-needed resources to under-funded schools, and we need your help!

We think the legislature will begin a serious debate about reforming our education funding system this January. The state government’s budget crisis has forced many school districts to cut back programs and to request increases in the local property taxes. The struggle over privatization of Philadelphia schools has brought even further attention to our state’s inequitable funding policies and candidates for Governor have pledged school-funding reform.

This February, Rep. Nicholas Micozzi, a Republican from Upper Darby, introduced a bill to create a new funding system. Under the Successful Schools Budget Plan, the state would guarantee each district a level of funding that meets its minimal needs. The state government would calculate a "Successful Schools Budget" for each district, based on the average amount of money that the 33 districts with the highest test scores in the state spend on each student, and then supplemented to account for the additional cost of educating students with special needs, low-income students, and students learning English as a second language. Once a district has raised as much money as it can through a reasonable level of local taxes, the state would provide the rest of the funding needed. Districts that are currently under-funded would see their budgets increase by hundreds or thousands of dollars per student each year. Philadelphia schools, for example, would receive more than $500 million a year in new funding.

The state would raise the extra money by increasing the personal income tax, while requiring local governments to reduce their property taxes to 20 mills. Many low- and middle-income taxpayers would end up paying less or the same amount of taxes, and the largest share of the increased tax burden would fall on the wealthiest taxpayers.

Many organizations around Pennsylvania, including The Arc of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania PTA, AARP, and the League of Women of Voters, have come out in support of the bill, and many newspapers have run supportive editorials. The Pennsylvania School Reform Network has been lobbying actively for the Successful Schools Budget Plan, and many activists believe it has a real chance of passing in the next several months.

We are encouraging people around the state to learn about this issue; to call, write, and meet with their legislators; to circulate petitions; to come out to vigils, rallies, and other public actions; to solicit support from their home and school associations, unions, and other organizations. We think that if enough people around the state take action, when the legislature sits down to deal with issue of school funding next year, they will be forced to make the change that we are calling for.

If you’d like to get involved, please contact Good Schools PA and/or the Pennsylvania Schools Reform Network, two statewide coalitions that are leading the campaign.

Good Schools PA – www.goodschoolspa.org  – is focusing on spreading the word, building support for its agenda, and pressuring legislators and candidates for governor. It does not endorse any particular bill, but is simply demanding that the state enact legislation that meets its demands. Good Schools PA has several organizers working throughout the state; if you want to join the chapter in Philadelphia, call Nellie Sepulveda, 215-332-2700.