Tell PA Legislators to Embrace the Full Funding Plan for Public Education

From Keystone Research Center/Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (https://krc-pbpc.org/):

We probably agree that every child in Pennsylvania, no matter what they look like, where they live or how poor or rich they are, should have a chance to get a good education, secure a good job and contribute to our economy and community. It shouldn’t be controversial to want the best for Pennsylvania’s kids.

Yet Pennsylvania has one of the most inequitable and inadequately funded K-12 school systems in the country. The state is 45th of 50 states for the state share of school district funding. The average gap between the level of funding needed and what is actually provided is 10 times greater for school districts in high poverty areas than in low poverty areas. Year after year, the General Assembly fails to address this, and our kids pay the price.

Let’s change that.

Sign the petition at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/support-the-full-funding-plan to tell your state representative and senator to embrace the Full Funding Plan.

Going into this year’s budget season, we have something that we haven’t had in previous years – billions of dollars in state surpluses and American Rescue Plan funding. Pennsylvania’s House and Senate Democrats are calling to utilize these surpluses for a major new K-12 education funding initiative: the Full Funding Plan. No new taxes would be needed to fund this program, as the money is already in the bank. There is no excuse for legislators not to support this program, which would be a huge step towards fixing the injustice in k-12 education we have lived with for too long.

Join us in telling your legislators you support a critical step forward for our kids – sign the petition and share it with your community.

Let’s make 2022 the year that Pennsylvania finally takes action to correct years of injustice that have left kids (and teachers!) in lower-income communities, and Black and brown communities, with underfunded schools and too few resources. Let’s give every kid the chance to get a quality education, and build a brighter and more equitable future for PA. Budget season is fast approaching, take action now.