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Gov’s Basic Ed. Budget Plans Already Being Debated

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Pennsylvania policymakers still aren’t on the same page when it comes to the current fiscal year’s public schools budget, let alone Governor Tom Corbett’s newly proposed education spending plan.  For instance, Governor Tom Corbett made it a point to stress that basic education funding was not cut in June. 

“When the Obama Administration handed states billions of dollars in stimulus monies, the previous administration reduced the state’s share in the Basic Education funding formula.  In its place, they put the stimulus funds.  Almost a billion dollars worth,” Corbett said during Tuesday’s budget address.  “That money is gone.  It’s not coming back.” 

As for his new spending plan, Corbett says there are no cuts to the basic education funding formula.  “In fact you will find a slight increase, just as we did last year,” Corbett said to a partisan applause from lawmakers gathered in joint session.  

Corbett’s new education budget does have a new look however, as the Basic Education Funding, Pupil Transportation, Nonpublic and Charter Transportation and Social Security line items have all been lumped into a $6.5-billion dollar block grant.  

Bill Adolph

Bill Adolph addresses the media following the governor's annual budget address.

“We’ve heard for years that local school districts needed more flexibility,” says House Republican Appropriations Chair Bill Adolph (R-Delaware).  “I think what the governor has laid out today… will give the school districts this type of flexibility.  Sometimes they may not need all of that money in transportation, and can put it into the classroom.”  

But House Democratic Appropriations Chair Joe Markosek (D-Westmoreland) is wary of the block grant approach, and he’s identified $124-million dollars in cuts to education programs.  “I think most school directors would tell you they will have less money to spend, in spite of what the governor has said,” Markosek tells us.  

He’s referring primarily to the elimination of something called the Accountability Block Grant, which received $100-million dollars in the current fiscal year.  It’s a program that primarily helps to fund full-day kindergarten classes across the commonwealth.  

While Governor Tom Corbett’s new approach to education is being interpreted in different ways, there’s not debating the challenges created by a different education line item.  The state’s contribution to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System is slotted for a $315-million dollar (53%) increase in FY2013.

Governor Tom Corbett Defends Education Budget

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The new state budget has been in place for about two weeks now, but its impact on public schools is still being sorted out.  “We don’t know yet how many teachers wound up being furloughed, and how many program cuts, so we’re trying to gather that information,” says Tom Gentzel, executive director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA). 

Governor Tom Corbett points out that state education funding has actually increased.  “When it comes to the basic education formula, we actually increased it over the 2008/2009 level,” Corbett said on Radio PA’s monthly “Ask the Governor” program.  He places blame on the prior administration for cutting school funding from the state, only to back-fill with federal stimulus money.  “That money is gone,” Corbett concluded. 

By balancing their budgets with federal stimulus money, Corbett says many school districts set themselves up to fall off this funding cliff.  At least one school district got it right though, according to Corbett.  He singled out Northern Lehigh School District on the program.  “They did not take the federal money and put it into their basic funding formula.  They haven’t laid anybody off, they haven’t cut any classes, they were – in my opinion – responsible in that.” 

However, the PSBA’s Tom Gentzel stresses it was the legislature who put the federal money into schools’ regular appropriation.  “So this wasn’t just a decision on the part of school districts… it was a part of the state funding for education,” Gentzel explains.  He adds that school districts are feeling the pain beyond the basic education funding line item. 

When including the federal stimulus money, basic education funding was trimmed by about $400-million dollars (though Governor Corbett was correct when he said the state’s share increased).  The Accountability Block Grants, which fund full-day kindergarten programs, were cut by about $150-million dollars.  Completely eliminated was the reimbursement of charter schools.  That line item received more than $220-million dollars last year.

Capitol Rotunda - Facing House Chamber

State Budget’s Education Cuts Scrutinized

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It’s a budget that represents shared sacrifices, and president of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children Joan Benso says kids are sharing a big chunk of the sacrifice.  Benso’s budget reaction is somewhat mixed.  For instance she says the $100-million dollar restoration for Accountability Block Grants will be helpful.  “But for example… in Harrisburg, their school board voted to go back to part-day K, the restoration simply isn’t enough,” Benso says.  The Accountability Block Grants are used in large part to fund full-day kindergarten programs across the state.  Governor Tom Corbett’s original budget proposal would have eliminated them.  Lawmakers worked to restore $100-million of last year’s $259-million dollar line item. 

The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) – the state’s largest teachers union – is lamenting what they calculate to be $860-million dollars in cuts to public education.  “We’re very concerned about the consequences this is going to have on student performance,” says PSEA spokesman David Broderic.  “Pennsylvania students in public schools have made dramatic gains in student performance in the past six years, and part of that has to do with resources being directed at programs that work.” 

State Education Secretary Ron Tomalis

State Education Secretary Ron Tomalis

The “Basic Education Funding” line item will receive $5.35– billion dollars this year.  Last year’s appropriation included $4.73-billion state dollars, in addition to roughly a billion federal stimulus dollars, which are no longer available.  “States were warned not to use that money in a way that would create long-term obligations, and unfortunately that’s exactly what Pennsylvania did,” says state Education Secretary Ron Tomalis.  As the new budget forces the state to live within its means, Tomalis says the education system will have to do the same.  Overall, public education and K – 12 educational programs will receive $10.1-billion dollars in FY2012. 

State Senator Jake Corman

State Senator Jake Corman (R-Centre)

Higher education was projected to receive a 50% state funding cut, according to Governor Tom Corbett’s March 8th budget proposal.  Those figures have since been mitigated to 18% cuts to the 14-universities in the State System of Higher Education, 19% cuts to the state related universities (PSU, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln).  The State System’s board has already approved a 7.5% tuition hike for the new school year.  Even more recently, Temple became the first state related university to approve a new budget.  It calls for a 10% tuition increase.  Penn State’s trustees will set new tuition rates next Friday (July 15th).  The higher education funding issue isn’t likely to go away anytime soon.  “I think that we should take the summer and the fall to get a better understanding of some of these issues, and then be prepared for next year when the budget comes around again,” says State Senator Jake Corman, who chairs the Appropriations Committee.  The Centre County Republican also represents State College, which is – of course – home to Penn State University.