Pennsylvania+survey+shows+huge+education+cuts

= 18,800 positions eliminated over 2 years as a result of tight funding =

=By Eleanor Chute= =Published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette= =10/2/12=

=In his 17 years as executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, Jay Himes can't recall a time of bigger cuts in education than last year and the current year. = = = = "I can't think of anything even close," he said, commenting on a survey released Monday on the impact. = = The electronic survey, done by PASBO and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators in August, was answered by 264 of the state's 500 school districts. = = = = More than $900 million in public school funding was reduced in 2011-12, largely as a result of the end of the federal economic stimulus. = = = = That money was not restored in the 2012-13 state budget. = = = = Extrapolating the results to cover the whole state, the survey estimates the second year of tight funding resulted in nearly 4,200 positions eliminated or left vacant in 2012-13, following the loss of 14,590 positions in 2011-12, for a total of 18,790. = = = = "It's important to note the cumulative impact of these reductions," said Jim Buckheit, executive director of PASA. = = = = About 30 percent furloughed employees this school year, with nearly half of the furloughs affecting teachers. = = = = Nearly a quarter had a wage freeze in place this year, and 52 percent did so last year. = = Other findings include: = = = = • Eight school districts reduced or eliminated pre-kindergarten, and six reduced or eliminated full-day kindergarten in 2012-13. = = = = • 43 percent reduced elective course offerings. = = = = • 40 percent delayed buying textbooks. = = = = • 32 percent reduced or eliminated programs providing tutoring or extra help. = = = = • 72 percent dipped into reserves to balance the 2012-13 budget. Combined with the prior year's survey, 52 percent responding to both used the reserves both years. = = = = • 43 percent reduced or eliminated student field trips, and 30 percent reduced or eliminated extracurricular activities. = = = =<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"> • 20 percent delayed building or renovating schools. = = = =<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"> • 81 percent of those responding were able to keep a tax increase within the Act 1 limit or to hold taxes steady. = = = =<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"> Mr. Himes and Mr. Buckheit believe the funding problems are affecting student achievement, including the lower results of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests given in the spring. = = = =<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"> "We're concerned that the continued financial decline and the resulting program and personnel reductions has that impact on student achievement and PSSAs in particular," Mr. Himes said. = = = = = =<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"> More details are available at www.pasbo.org or www.pasa-net.org. = =Read more: [|http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/pennsylvania-survey-shows-huge-education-cuts-655780/#ixzz28CKlP7lG] = = = =News= =home=