To Stephen…
None of the schools are getting their fair share. The Feds do not give much at all… I think this years amount was a little over $200K. It is only a little blip on the budget.
The state is supposed to fund 50% of the education costs and we only got 39%. The money has simply gone elsewhere. The way the formula works, all schools get the same basically. The problem is that schools that are experiencing decline or stable enrollment (like inner city schools in Philly), get the same as those expanding. This puts us at a disadvantage. South Eastern, Southern, South West, Red Lion and Dallastown are growing at a fast rate. None of these schools have the large commercial support that Central or Suburban have therefore any deficiciency in grants results in the residential taxpayer picking up the tab.
Harrisburg has just plain dropped the ball. So has the federal government… Bush mandated No Child Left Behind. No money, just a mandate to follow it or lose what little you get. The results have been higher costs and a dumbed down education.
Changing the system is a difficult fight because the areas that are in decline include Philly, Pittsburgh, Scranton and Allentown. These are all high population areas with many senior members in the State House and Senate. Why would they want to essentially reduce funding for their schools? That won’t get them reelected to their posh jobs. Then add to that Rendell gives to Philly at every turn. The deck is stacked against us.
The south central area of PA is the fastest growing area of the state. Specifically, south of York, but the whole county is growing. This is because of the close proximity to Baltimore/Washington. If anyone around here things houses cost too much, try buying the same thing in the DC metro area where a townshouse can set you back $500,000 or rent for a one bedroom high rise can run over $1800 a month. What has happened there is that people have moved beyond the suburbs… they moved here, Frederickburg VA, north western VA, Frederick/Hagerstown MD or Harpers Ferry WV.
