Area superintendents testify about fair funding for public schools
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Two area superintendents stressed the importance of having a fair school funding formula during testimony before a state鈥檚 Basic Education Funding Commission on Thursday.
鈥淲hen I look at the discussion of fair funding, it鈥檚 a discussion of shifting the tax burden from the local taxpayer,鈥� said Dr. Gary Peiffer, superintendent at Chartiers-Houston School District in Washington County.
Peiffer said the district needs a tax base to support growth and to be competitive; however, the senior citizens that make up a large part of his district鈥檚 communities cannot afford the tax increases necessary for that growth.
Peiffer was joined by Brownsville Area School District Superintendent Dr. Keith Hartbauer and Intermediate Unit 1 Executive Director Dr. Donald Martin to testify before the commission, a 15-member group consisting of three members from each legislative caucus, including state Reps. Ryan Warner, R-Perryopolis and Jason Ortitay, R-Cecil.
The hearing, at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, marked the eighth for the commission to hear from educators across the state. The hearings were prompted by a Commonwealth Court ruling that determined Pennsylvania鈥檚 education funding system is unconstitutional based on its reliance on property taxes as the state only covers 38% of educational costs. The ruling found that students in lower-income districts do not have the same opportunities and resources as students in wealthier districts, resulting in wide gaps in terms of achievement on state assessments.
Martin said as an education service agency, IU1 covers Washington, Fayette and Greene counties, the latter two being the poorest counties in the state.
Hartbauer shared a story of a child in the district who, years ago, told their teacher that they had to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night to use their neighbors outdoor hose because the student鈥檚 house didn鈥檛 have running water.
鈥淗ow can we expect a child whose basic needs are not being met to succeed academically if they don鈥檛 have shelter, food or water?鈥� he asked.
Hartbauer said BASD officials have to make difficult decisions with funding. He said the district鈥檚 real estate tax revenue is around $5.7 million, while their annual budget is $30 million. Because Pennsylvania ranks among the lowest states in terms of percentage of funding to its school districts, he said that creates a significant burden on local property taxes and disproportionately affects rural districts.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 trying to tell you today is that public education is not broken, but the support for public education is,鈥� Hartbauer said, adding that he believes that socio-economic status should be a factor in the fair funding formula.
Peiffer said he鈥檇 like to see adjustments in the fair funding formula account for things like competitive salary and benefits to attract and maintain the best educators, aging facilities and unexpected costs that must be absorbed by the local community, charter school funding reform and technology costs.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in this together,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淭here should be some discussion on how that can be done.鈥�
He said schools are under tremendous pressure to produce adequate assessment scores, and while that data is invaluable in making curricular decisions, it shouldn鈥檛 be the key focus area.
鈥淲e should be focusing as a state on collecting and analyzing post-graduate data to ensure that districts are producing students who have become productive citizens in society,鈥� Martin testified.
For more information on the Basic Education Funding Commission and to watch the hearing, visit www.basiceducationfundingcommission.com.