Teachers, administrators and allied organizers made a public call to state legislators May 6 (Thursday), describing a year that made a bad situation dire, and appealed for public education funding corrections in the upcoming budget.

Press conferences were held throughout the state, with Lehigh Valley officials gathering at Marvine ES. The event was organized by PA Schools Work, a nonpartisan education advocacy group.

In their request for a $1.15 billion adjustment, the half-dozen speakers ask for $200 million more for special education and $10 million for career and technical education.

They echoed common refrains: Revenue shortfalls and skyrocketing mandated costs from pensions and unequal charter school support were compounded by the COVID crisis, and the burden will be increasingly on taxpayers as schools struggle to fulfill their mandate.

One-time stimulus funding was helpful, but offers no solution for ongoing problems, officials said.

Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy said state mandated requirements have increased by orders of magnitude while funding provided by the state remained stagnant. He said, for example, since 2013-14, Bethlehem’s special education costs increased by $18 million while funding increased only $1.5 million. Charter tuition is likewise out of control.

“In 2006-07, out of our basic education funding we received from the state, after we paid our charter school bill, we had $16.5 million left to use for our students in the district. In 13-14 after we paid our charter school bills we had $12 million left. This year we only have about $2 million of the state funding left, and next year our projection is that we’ll have $33,000 left.

“So basically the entire basic education subsidy that BASD receives from the state goes out the door to charter schools and tuition.”

And while basic education funding has increased by $6 million since 2014-15, he said, pension costs have vaulted by $13 million.

“The point of these numbers is that the mandated costs, whether it be special ed, charter schools or pensions – all things the district does not have control over – have grown significantly while state funding has not kept up, and then we’re in the position of cutting other programs or raising taxes.”

Allentown School Board President Nancy Wilt said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has shone an even brighter light on the funding disparities in our state. Increases in special education subsidies will allow Allentown to allocate more dollars to educating all students, addressing classroom needs and addressing our ancient school buildings – we have a middle school that was built during the Ulysses S. Grant administration.”

Executive Director of Education Voters of Pa. Susan Spicka said simply, “State lawmakers need to step up. If anybody’s watching, call your state lawmakers and ask them for $1.15 billion in new funding per year.”