“Seven professionals we could put in front of our students. We could bring back programs we had to reduce, we could hire a math interventionist for our secondary schools. We could hire a reading specialist. There’s a lot we could do.”

This was the key moment when Salisbury Township School District Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten captured the attention of the bipartisan members of Pennsylvania’s Basic Education Funding Commission during its opening hearing Sept. 12 in Allentown.

Fuini-Hetten was explaining how the district operates three school buildings, but at the same time, must provide transportation to students who attend nonpublic and charter schools in an 11-square mile catchment area, at a cost of $706,000 a year. For Salisbury, this figure represents lost funding for educational programs, as well as teachers.

Along with Allentown School District Superintendent Dr. Carol Birks and Bethlehem School District Superintendent Dr. Jack Silva, Fuini-Hetten provided a glimpse of the realities public schools are facing in terms of funding to the BEFC.

The hearings are the result of a recent ruling by Commonwealth Court President Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer in which he stated, “The current education funding system does not meet its constitutional requirements.”

Comprised of three members of each legislative caucus and three administrative members, BEFC is tasked with finding a funding formula for basic education, as per Section 123(k) of the Public School Code, affecting the state’s 500 public school districts.

State Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-28th, co-chair of BEFC started the hearings by making the point, “We need to work together, by-partisan fashion, craft a well-thought-out recommendation for the general assembly regarding funding of the commonwealth’s education system in a way that ensures the system put in place by the general assembly can appropriately serve the needs of our students.”

During his testimony, Penn State University Professor Dr. Matthew Kelly spoke to his study looking into how students in poorer districts fair as compared to their counterparts in wealthier areas.

Kelly investigated state standards, policies for funding, distribution of resources, special education needs and infrastructure. He concluded Pennsylvania’s public schools are underfunded by $6.2 billion a year.

Fuini-Hetten’s testimony drove home the point more needs to be done in terms of ensuring equitable funding for districts’ specific needs.

Speaking on special education, which has a separate funding commission, Fuini-Hetten said, “I want you to be aware that 25% of our population is special education. The state average is 18%. So, we are significantly over that percentage and we are seeing students with more complex needs and being required to open additional programs to support those students.”

Fuini-Hetten added, “As an 11-square mile district, with limited space for development and several nonprofit organizations are landowners, our inability to increase our tax revenue is crippling.”

In an exchange with state Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-46th, Fuini-Hetten reiterated the point of the need “of compensating for the differences of the district so that every child gets what he or she needs.”

After the hearing, Salisbury Township School District Board Member Sarah Nemitz told The Press she felt Fuini-Hetten “did a great job” in expressing the realities the district faces in providing the best education possible for its students.

Reflecting on her testimony, Fuini-Hetten told The Press, “I appreciate the opportunity to testify before the committee and I feel as though the legislators were attentive and interested. They asked relevant follow-up questions and expressed a sincere desire to understand our individual districts’ contexts. I am hopeful the commission will use these hearings to engage with experts and develop an equitable funding solution to ensure all Pennsylvania students have the same opportunity to learn in the facilities they deserve.

“I am encouraged that two of our local legislators who understand our context - state Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-22nd and state Sen. Nick Miller, D-14th are actively engaged in this important commission.”

BEFC is slated to present its recommendations by year’s end.