Corbett's+2012-13+Budget+-+More+Education+Cuts!

= CORBETT'S BUDGET: MORE EDUCATION CUTS! = = $94 MILLION CUT FROM K-12! = = HIGHER EDUCATION CUT BY 30%! =

=Using a complicated fiscal shell game to “redesign school and district” basic education funding, the state budget proposal Gov. Tom Corbett unveiled Tuesday, 2/7/12, represents an unwise experiment that will cause chaos in the public schools and eliminate research-tested, classroom-proven programs, the president of Pennsylvania’s largest school employee union said today.= = =

= Michael Crossey, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said that the governor’s budget proposal would do nothing to avert the growing financial crisis in Pennsylvania’s school districts. = = “This proposal is an unwise experiment with the education of 1.8 million public school students,” Crossey said. “It leaves school officials and property taxpayers to figure out how to close a two-year, nearly $1 billion funding gap.” =

= Crossey said the governor’s budget proposal uses an accounting gimmick, combining line items for employee Social Security contributions and transportation costs in an attempt to create the appearance of an increase in the state’s main basic education subsidy to public schools. As a result, school districts could receive $94 million less in state funding that will actually go to support students in the classroom. (See chart below.)= = = =PROPOSED STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT EDUCATION BLOCK GRANTS= = **ARE $94 MILLION LESS THAN THE 2011-12 TOTAL** = || = **FOR THE COMBINED LINE ITEMS** = || = //in $ thousands// = || = 2011-12 = || == = 2012-13 = || = Student Achievement Education Block Grants = ||  || == = 6,516,087 = || = Basic Education Funding = || == = 5,354,328 = || == = 0 = || = Accountability Block Grants = || == = 100,000 = || == = 0 = || = Pupil Transportation = || == = 537,958 = || == = 0 = || = Nonpublic Pupil Transportation = || == = 76,640 = || == = 0 = || = School Employees Social Security = || == = 541,560 = || == = 0 = || = Total (Combined Lines) = || == = 6,610,486 = || == = 6,516,087 = || = Change from 2011-12 = ||  || == = -94,399 = || =media type="youtube" key="GmrhLDMEHTg" height="480" width="853"= = = =“Public schools are facing the second year of dramatic state funding cuts,” Crossey said. “Public school students need state support for programs that work, not accounting tricks.”= = = == = = = Gov. Corbett suggested that school districts “adjust” to meet their own needs. Unfortunately his budget once again leaves them with fewer resources, and the only “adjustments” are likely to be even larger classes, elimination of additional programs, and fewer opportunities for children, Crossey said. = == = = = Gov. Corbett’s budget proposal did not even mention, much less address, the plight facing districts in fiscal crisis like Chester Upland and York City – districts which may not be able to pay their bills in the current academic year. = == = = = Crossey pointed out that Gov. Corbett’s budget cuts have so far eliminated more than half a billion dollars in state support for programs that have helped to increase student achievement over the past decade(See chart below.) As a result, school districts now have no state help to cover growing charter school payments and will lose all accountability block grant funds, which pay for full-day kindergarten and class size reduction initiatives. To make matters worse, the Corbett administration has also cut the basic education subsidy by $420 million. = = = = = = = = “For the second year in a row, the governor wants to reverse course on smart public school investments that work for our students,” Crossey said. “So far, his public education track record is all about cutting effective programs.” = == = = = According to Crossey, school districts across the state have already cut programs and staff. In the wake of this proposal, public schools will be forced to raise taxes or cut even more. A study released by the Pennsylvania School Administrators Association and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials in September indicated that: = = = = “Public school students need their elected state officials to be the responsible adults who will provide for their education, instead of hiding behind accounting tricks to paper over that responsibility,” Crossey said. “Public school students deserve a great education. It’s up to all of us – teachers, school administrators, citizens, and elected state officials – to assume some responsibility, and make sure they get a quality education.” = = “Gov. Corbett’s massive budget cuts are hurting students across the Commonwealth,” Crossey said. “The students can’t afford another year of devastating cuts, especially when there are better options to balance the budget.” =
 * ==
 * ==
 * |||| ==
 * || ==
 * ==
 * ==
 * ==
 * ==
 * ==
 * ==
 * ==
 * ==
 * =XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX= || = FY 2010-2011 = || = FY 2011 -2012 = || = FY 2012-2013 (Gov. Proposed) = ||
 * =Charter School Reimbursement Program= || =$219,825,000= || =$0= || =$0= ||
 * =Accountability Block Grant Program= || =$254,526,000= || =$100,000,000= || =$0= ||
 * =Education Assistance (Tutoring) Program= || =$46,701,000= || =$0= || =$0= ||
 * =Dual Enrollment Program= || =$6,827,000= || =$0= || =$0= ||
 * =Basic Education Subsidy (for classroom instruction)= || =$5,774,685,000= || =$5,354,629,000= || =$5,354,629,000= ||
 * =Basic Education Subsidy (for classroom instruction)= || =$5,774,685,000= || =$5,354,629,000= || =$5,354,629,000= ||
 * = 70 percent of school districts increased class sizes. =
 * = 44 percent of school districts reduced course offerings. =
 * = 35 percent of school districts reduced or eliminated tutoring programs. =
 * = 14,159 school district positions were eliminated or left vacant. =

== = "Please as educators take note again of the arrogant and blatant attack on public education. We have made many strides this year to unite…may our unity spread to include all public educators in this battle…remember what happens now will affect our profession forever…and the **WAR ISN’T OVER UNTIL ONE SIDE QUITS**! I don’t know about you…but to me **QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION**!" = =- West Mifflin Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna= =2/7/12=

= [|Please Contact your legislators now]. Tell them to oppose Gov. Corbett's proposal and give our students and schools the funding they need. =



= HIGHER EDUCATION CUTS = = In what one national group called the most severe public university cuts proposed anywhere in the nation this year, the 14 state-owned universities belonging to the State System of Higher Education would see a 20 percent reduction, while three state-related schools -- the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State and Temple universities -- would absorb an even bigger cut of 30 percent. = = At Penn State, the $64 million loss would reduce general support from $227.5 million to $163.5 million. Last year, it lost $68 million. = = The 14 State System schools (including California, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and Slippery Rock universities in Western Pennsylvania) would see support drop to $330.2 million from $412.8 million, a nearly $83 million loss. = = Officials said the cuts, if enacted, would bring their subsidy within $2 million of 1988-89 levels. It would mean the 14 schools have lost $170 million in two years plus half the system's capital budget and money intended to reduce a backlog of deferred building maintenance. =

= Pitt had no immediate comment on Mr. Corbett's proposal to cut its general support to $95.3 million from $136.1 million, a $41 million loss. =

= The state's 14 community colleges would receive $221.9 million, down from $230.7 million in 2011-12. =

= = = FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR SCHOOL IS LOSING! = == =School funding cuts clear with new online calculator= = =

=State-related universities decry proposed state subsidy cuts= =The more Pennsylvanians learn about Gov. Corbett's budget, the less they like it.= =Corbett says 'We reduced education funding if you look at it as a whole'= = » Text of Gov. Corbett's address. = = Higher education proposal termed nation's most onerous = = Lawmakers to Corbett - Hands off education funding = = CLEAR Coalition's 2012-2013 Budget Response = =Governor proposes lean budget, with big higher ed cuts= =Public School Students Need State Support, Not Accounting Tricks=

= = =News= =home=