Even after the state’s decades-old takeover of the city’s public schools, the district’s budget deficits are still portrayed as a local problem.
But a new report by school officials and administrators shows that the district’s financial woes are not unique to the big city, but a problem across the state.
Two statewide groups representing school managers said rising costs and shrinking state and federal aid at Pennsylvania’s public schools are exacerbating an all-too-familiar pattern of property—tax increases, school program cutbacks and employee layoffs.
The report by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials included responses from 279 of the state’s 500 school districts, ranging in size from Philadelphia to some of the smaller districts.
The report said the local share of local school funding has increased from 37 percent in 2010-11 to 45 percent in 2013-14.
In response to this increased share of local school funding, more than three-fourths of the responding districts plan to increase local property taxes next year.
The lackluster economy, reduced levels of state and federal funding, dramatically rising pension costs and other mandated fees are leading to severe cuts.
The deep cuts are hurting school districts across the state.
About one in seven districts plans to furlough teachers, which means class sizes will increase. Of the districts surveyed, 64 percent increased class sizes in 2010-11.
The survey finds the cuts are affecting several academic programs, including Advanced Placement courses, business education, dual enrollment, foreign languages, music, theater, physical education, kindergarten programs, special education, extracurricular and athletic programs.
Philadelphia and other school districts are trying stop-gap measures that will not adequately address the school funding problem.
The recent survey of school managers proves the need for a long-term statewide solution to the funding problem of public schools in the commonwealth.
(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)
