Advocacy group, Pottstown School District officials seek more state funding – The Reading Eagle – July 24, 2015

Pottstown consistently ranks among the top 10 tax-burdened communities in the Pennsylvania, but local educators say that’s not translating into additional state funding for borough schools.

“Fair and adequate funding for all public schools in the commonwealth is a moral responsibility,” Dr. Jeffrey Sparagana, Pottstown superintendent, said during a press conference Thursday.Property values in Pottstown have steadily decreased over the last 10 years, while school property taxes have steadily increased and state support often remains flat, Sparagana said.

He said Pennsylvania ranks 12th in the U.S. in terms of spending per student, but 45th in equitably dividing funds based on school district needs such as enrollment, poverty levels and the local tax base.

Public Citizens for Children and Youth, a Philadelphia-based advocacy group, organized the press conference at Rupert Elementary School with Pottstown school officials.

The organization urges citizens to push the Legislature to pass a budget that would invest an extra $410 million in public education and adopt a fair funding formula.

The money would come in part from levying a tax on natural gas drillers and closing tax loopholes for large, out-of-state corporations.

“The school district here stands to gain quite a bit from a fair funding formula and increased funding from the state,” said Roxy Barneby with Public Citizens for Children and Youth. “Pottstown has increased property tax rates to make up for a lack of state funding. But there’s only so much tax revenue a local community can generate on its own.”

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf proposed a state budget that would increase funding in Pottstown by more than $1.3 million, a nearly 7 percent increase from last year.

Reached after the event, state Rep. Thomas J. Quigley, a Republican who represents part of Pottstown, said he supports a fair funding formula.

He said the Basic Education Funding Commission made a recommendation in June to put the formula into the school code bill, which is a companion bill to the state budget.

Quigley said pension reform would also help push more money into the classroom.

“In Pottstown, we’ve done our best not to cut programs and shortchange our students,” said Beth Yoder, president of the Federation of Pottstown Teachers. “We need to offer Pottstown’s children the same educational opportunities that children in wealthier districts receive if we want them to thrive in a competitive world.

“The youth advocacy group first worked with Pottstown during the development of the district’s PEAK pre-kindergarten program a few years ago, Barneby said. The group also spoke with school board members at a meeting in June about the Campaign for Fair Education Funding. The organization partners with local school officials and teachers in southeastern Pennsylvania to promote the campaign.

There will be two more community outreach events in Bucks and Delaware counties in the coming months. For more information, visit www.childrenfirstpa.org.


The Reading Eagle – July 24, 2015 – Read article online