Legislative update

The fact that the state budget (almost) passed on time last week is unfortunately noteworthy. But this budget represents a significant step towards state-wide educational equity, so one ought not to complain.

The legislature did well by expanding the governor's proposed minimum increase (for "wealthier" districts) of 1.5%, since local school districts, including State College, had already built the standard 2% increase into their budgets.

However, by raising the minimum to 3% (resulting in a "windfall" for State College of about $90,000) it seems to me that they missed the point - which was, after all, to begin to address the issue of how widely financial resources vary for schools across the state.

What the state giveth, however, the state also taketh away. The smaller increase in special education funding (from 3.1% to 1.7%) will cost State College about $98,000 - but since we only budgeted for 2%, the actual shortfall is about $11,000. (Note: according to PDE, that number is actually $28,000. And - the state increased it's reimbursement for charter school costs from 25% of costs to 28%. This will result in a $174,000 increase for State College, due to our high charter school expenses.)

Also, funding for the governor's Classrooms of the Future grant was cut in half.  It's too soon to know whether that will affect the next phase of State College's laptop initiative.