NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
19 November 2003

STATE EDUCATION BUDGET IMPASSE NEEDS ACTION: PENDING BUDGET UNDERFUNDS KEY REFORMS AT HSD

Harrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed today issued the following statement during a press conference regarding the current state education budget impasse, involving a proposed state budget that underfunds key reforms taking place in Harrisburg and elsewhere:

“As many well know, the City of Harrisburg and the Harrisburg School District are jointly engaged in an historic effort to reform and improve urban public education. This is a result of a change in state law which altered the governance of public education here.

It is the first time in the 300-year history of the Commonwealth that such an arrangement is in place. By this effort—and because we are a Capital City—we have a unique vantage point on which to comment on matters related to education and our words today are in that context.

The continuing impasse over getting a state education budget finally adopted is symptomatic of an even larger issue—an issue that can best be described as a crisis in leadership and vision for Pennsylvania.

We are, at this moment, no closer to a state budget resolution than when the statutory deadline date of July 1st came and went. The prospect that the state education budget will not get done until close to Christmas—or even into the new year—is unprecedented in our state’s history—and it is unacceptable.

What is at stake is more than just getting a budget completed and allocating specific monies. The greater question is the future of children and young adults in this state—and the future of Pennsylvania itself.

Last week, the results of the NAEP tests were announced nationwide. This is the National Assessment of Educational Progress test that is now mandated under recently adopted federal law.

Pennsylvania and one other state have the worst results in 4th grade reading amongst all the states in the nation. The test results show a precipitous achievement gap between students of lower income categories and those of higher income families. It underscores the disparities that exist amongst urban and rural schools and their largely suburban counterparts.

Difficulty in reading at early grade levels portends significant challenges and problems for a child’s later years in school

Further, Pennsylvania now ranks 47th in the nation in new job creation. Our ability to build Pennsylvania’s economy—our capacity to provide a trained and ready workforce—our ability to attract and retain good-paying jobs—our competitiveness in the national and global economies—indeed, Pennsylvania’s ability to sustain itself economically, socially and culturally are literally at stake in assuring that public education is properly funded—and funded on time.

That our educational system is so clearly in need of improvement ought to be setting off alarm bells throughout the public and private sectors—and it ought to be a clarion call for real action.

What it takes to reform education is not an unknown nor abstract concept. There is more than sufficient evidence of how Best Practices in literacy instruction, early childhood initiatives, after-school educational programs, curricular upgrades, teacher training and other steps can produce measurable and positive results. Doing such in Harrisburg is well underway. But it takes money, along with commitment, political will and accountability.

What Pennsylvania desperately needs is more than just passage of an education budget that applies to this school year. Our Commonwealth needs a budget based on a long-term vision that makes Pennsylvania an economic powerhouse of job creation and business expansion—that makes Pennsylvania a national leader in innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and technology incubation. In doing so, we would end the outmigration of college-educated young adults that has plagued this state for nearly 40 years. We cannot do this if hundreds of thousands of students are not adequately learning the basic skills at a young age.

We need the vision shown by Governor Tom Ridge and Senator Jeff Piccola when they enacted the empowerment legislation three years ago as a major step to address academically-distressed districts.

We need the vision of Governor Mark Schweiker who last year issued the landmark study on early childhood education that set a blueprint for dramatic long-term achievement.

We need the vision of President George W. Bush who set high expectations in the No Child Left Behind Act adopted at the federal level.

And we need the vision of Governor Ed. Rendell, who set forth a bold agenda for educational system upgrade early this year.

This is not an issue of Republican or Democrat, nor of Executive or Legislative branches. It rises above such things or should. It is a question of what kind of state do we want to see in two, five, ten and twenty years from now. It invites the question of what future is there for Pennsylvania if systemic and protracted education issues go perpetually unsolved?

Those that say that just throwing lots more money at education is not the answer are right. If another one billion dollars were dedicated to supporting local education—with no accountability requirements—there would likely be little in the way of measurable benefit.

That is why we strongly favor targeted educational funding—funding specifically dedicated to specific reform programs that are known to work.

The budget now before the state senate is inadequate to accomplish this. We shall use Harrisburg as an example.

This was one of the top two failing Districts in the state three years ago. Its academic and administrative deficiencies were profound and longstanding.

Since then, major reforms have started. They include an alternate education academy, for the more challenging students; the early childhood initiative for 3 and 4 year olds, to prepare them for kindergarten and the first grade, and a lifetime of learning; the new prep school, associated with the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology; creation of the math and science academy for younger grade levels; the after-school program, where the focus is on continuing school day learning; extensive teacher training; and new books and technology for the classrooms. Over half of these costs are covered by monies we have raised from private foundations, companies and certain grants.

Additionally, curriculum upgrades have occurred; further, specific programs, such as the Junior Naval ROTC Program, have been considerably expanded; instructional delivery has been entirely reorganized at the high school level; accountability standards have been put into place, along with new senior staff.

As a result, test scores are showing the first improvement in many years; enrollment in the District has increased by 1,202 students—the first enrollment increases in over a quarter century; the graduation rate has increased by 58%, the first increase in decades; the number of graduates attending colleges has also considerably expanded. This is just a snapshot of other improvements taking place Districtwide.

Despite this, under the presently pending budget, and even with 1,200 additional students to educate, the net increase to the Harrisburg School District would be $1,080,299. On paper, the proposed budget will say there is an increase of $3,020,000, but that is an illusion.

Starting with this school year, $2 million of new mandated costs have been placed on the District under state law for added teacher pension costs and special education expenses.

In truth, the per-student allocation to Harrisburg is less in the proposed budget than what existed several years ago, when there were 1,200 fewer students.

The Harrisburg School District needs an additional $8 million to sustain current momentum and the reform initiatives. Absent this, much of what has been started will be seriously compromised and financially undermined.

Harrisburg is not alone. If we want true education reform across the state—especially in the Districts with longstanding academic challenges—then adequate funding—targeted to specific improvements and with full accountability requirements—must be a part of the state’s fiscal plan.

We need vision and we need action. Delay for the purpose of crafting long-term educational reform could be understandable. Delay that produces an inadequate and untimely result does an enormous injustice and disservice to all Pennsylvanians and to our state’s future.

It is time for all parties to collectively engage in spirited discussion that ends the stalemate and properly funds what is really needed. Harrisburg stands ready to assist that process.”

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