Jodi+Geyer+3

> = Corbett's Budget Proposal- Don't Fix What Isn't Broken =

> =Pennsylvania's educational system is working in almost every district in= > =the state. From increases in PSSA scores to increases in graduation rate,= > =the students of our state continue to lead the nation in education, so why= > =is Governor Corbett so determined to //fix// what isn't broken?= > =No state in the nation has higher reading scores for 8th grade students= > =than PA and only six states have 4th graders whose scores are higher. Not= > =only are PA students scoring proficient and higher on standardized tests,= > =but also they are leading the nation with increases in scores. 8th grade= > =students increased their scores by 39% since 2002 and 82% are proficient or= > =advanced in reading.= > =Pennsylvania students also excel in math- only four states have higher= > =math scores at the 4th grade level and only seven states have higher math= > =scores at the 8th grade level. In 2010, 75% of 8th graders were proficient= > =or advanced in math. In international math rankings, PA students do very= > =well; in fact, only five Asian jurisdictions scored higher than= > =Pennsylvania's students on the TIMSS scale.= > =PA ranks 11 in the country for students who receive course credit for AP= > =test scores and since 2002, 37% more students have enrolled in rigorous AP= > =courses.= > =Students across the state have also made significant gains in all academic= > =categories and 7 of every 10 students goes on to post secondary education.= > =Their progress doesn't stop once they get to college- PA students rank 7th= > =in the nation of full-time college students who complete their bachelor's= > =degree.= > =We are a state comprised of well-educated young men and women who have= > =been effectively trained to be better readers, mathematicians, and critical= > =thinkers. Years from now, these young men and women will be our doctors,= > =lawyers, and politicians. Given their impressive educational rankings, I= > =have no doubt that they will excel beyond the current administration who= > =recently stated in House Bill 885 that, //when such consolidation makes it// = > = //unnecessary to retain the full staff of professional employes// ... I am= > =certain that PA students will know how to spell the word employee before= > =they write a bill to cut jobs across the state---because that's what good= > =students are learning in Pennsylvania.= = = =Sincerely,= = = =Jodi Geyer and the Steel Valley High School English Department=

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