Budget slashes higher education, keeps district funding mostly flat

BY SARAH HOFIUS HALL (Times-Shamrock Writer)
Published: February 8, 2012

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After a state funding cut of almost $1 billion last year forced districts to slash programs and staff, area schools would see mostly flat funding under Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed 2012-13 budget, unveiled Tuesday.

However, deep cuts to higher education and the elimination of the Accountability Block Grant program, which most districts use to fund full-day kindergarten programs, have advocates and educators concerned students will feel the deepest effects.

The proposed education budget increases spending by $100 million, to $10.6 billion. The biggest increase in the education budget is $315 million for the pension system, and when the elimination of the block grant is factored in, districts would see about $95 million less than this year, opponents of the budget say.

The Corbett administration also unveiled a new line item, which combines basic education funding, pupil, nonpublic and charter transportation and Social Security into one item called the Student Achievement Education Block Grant - a move the governor said would give districts more flexibility. The change for the largest state funding stream for districts made it difficult for officials to compare the current fiscal year numbers with what was proposed. While the basic education funding of the new grant is the same as this year, when the other items are factored in, it is a 0.34 percent increase over this year, according to the state.

That small increase is negated when the loss of the Accountability Block Grants is considered. In the originally proposed 2010-11 budget, Gov. Corbett tried to eliminate the grants completely. Before its final passage last July, $100 million was restored, which saved some full-day kindergarten programs in the region. The full elimination could have widespread effects in districts across the region: Scranton received $562,676 this year.

Among other items proposed:

- A moratorium on accepting any new school construction projects to be eligible for state reimbursement. Districts are able to receive a certain percentage of their construction costs reimbursed by state. The Corbett administration also intends to review current applications.

- An investment of $3.7 million, to be combined with federal funds, to implement a tool to evaluate teachers and principals. The program would incorporate student achievement as a way to measure teacher performance.

- An allocation of $15.4 million to implement the Keystone Exams, an end-of-course test system for high school students. Beginning in 2017, successful completion of the exams or a project would be required for graduation.

- The development and implementation of a report card system for schools, in an effort to hold districts accountable for achievement.

After the governor's budget address, state education organizations said the budget shifts the burden to local taxpayers and threatens the education of students statewide.

"Our students, our schools and our communities cannot continue to bear the weight of these funding cuts. They are at the breaking point," said Thomas J. Gentzel, executive director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children President and CEO Joan Benso said the governor's budget falls short.

"On the whole, the governor's budget priorities fail to show adequate commitment to the well-being of Pennsylvania's children, and his short-term attempts to cut costs will cause long-term setbacks to the Commonwealth's efforts to build a competitive workforce," she said.

Area superintendents spent much of Tuesday afternoon trying to determine how the governor's budget would effect district finances.

Abington Heights would at least lose its Accountability Block Grant - $103,120. And though basic education funding appears to be similar to this current year, other costs, such as health care and pension costs, are increasing, Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., said.

"Level funding does not mean level services," he said. "We'll definitely have to reduce services."

Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com

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