Northeast MS hosted school administrators from across the state March 28 as they addressed the issue of equitable funding, with a focus on urban education.

The Pennsylvania League of Urban Schools is calling on the state to place an urgent priority on sustainable and sufficient funding for urban schools, said Dr. Christopher Dormer, PLUS president and superintendent of the Norristown Area School District.

The PLUS caucus represents 29 different urban school districts, but not every urban school district actively participates in PLUS. Regardless of participation, 322,500 students (1 in 7) of students attending K-12 public school in Pennsylvania attends an urban school.

ASD Superintendent Dr. Carol D. Birks said, “Historically, funding for urban districts has been limited to property taxes.” She also pointed out the available state and federal funding has been redirected to cover charter and cyber schools, the cost of which in the past 10 years has exceeded funding, creating a $3.7 million budget gap.

BASD Director Dr. Karen Beck Pooley spoke to the urgency of providing fair funding for all districts. Much of the inequality is a result of wealthier districts having a local tax base that is providing a different level of funding. One way to lessen the burden on the taxpayer would be by passing charter funding reform, she said. PLUS supports these reforms.

Currently charter and cyber schools are funded by state and local taxes. School districts are required by law to send them same tuition that would have been required for the student in a traditional public school. Very often the costs to run a cyber school are less than that of a traditional school, so when a public school student opts to attend a public charter or cyber school, not only is money taken away from the traditional school but the local school district has no oversight of the money. Additionally, 25 percent of the teaching staff in a charter school need not be certified.

Bethlehem Chapter of the NAACP President Esther Lee emphasized community members must, “advocate for education, talk to legislators, tell them what your schools need, and oppose charter schools”

Officials said PLUS districts are eager to work with local legislators to advocate for oversight and funding reforms to charter and cyber schools, as well as garner general funding for urban schools. Raising taxes isn’t the answer and PLUS is determined to find another way to equalize funding. Reforming funding to charter schools is a start.