From Public Citizens for Children and Youth (http://www.pccy.org):
As any parent will tell candidates, education is their top priority so it’s especially frustrating when lawmakers aren’t seeing what parents, educators and advocates are seeing in schools. As their election campaigns are already in full swing, voters are tuning in to what candidates are saying about public schools and deciding which potential lawmaker “gets it”. That’s why this summer PCCY has been meeting with candidates in tight races throughout southeastern Pennsylvania to make sure they have the right information to make the best choices for students and taxpayers. During the meetings, we go over 5 basic facts about public education.
5 things candidates need to know about PA schools
- Only 3 states give less money to school districts to teach kids than Pennsylvania.
- The funding gap between wealthy and poorer districts in PA are the largest in the U.S.—and getting worse.
- Property taxes will keep going up because districts have mandatory costs that the state does not cover. It’s still not enough; Class sizes are rising and vital learning opportunities for students are falling.
- A fully funded formula would mean schools would receive an additional $3 billion.
- As students go, so goes the Commonwealth—All schools need adequate funding if our students are to succeed. What kind of a future are we building?
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