In Pennsylvania’s 2022-2023 budget, the School District of Lancaster received an increase in funding of $6.9 million for the upcoming school year. Acting Superintendent Matthew Przywara released the following statement.
We commend our leaders in Harrisburg for making much needed improvements in public education. In particular, we thank Gov. Wolf, who has been a staunch advocate on this issue, as well as Sen. Martin and Rep. Sturla for their continued leadership. We also acknowledge Speaker Cutler and others who collaborated to produce this bipartisan outcome. We hope this is a sign of further cooperation to come.
Importantly, these resources are part of the state’s basic education funding appropriation, which means they are sustainable revenues for the long-term and not budget gimmicks or temporary pass-through dollars. At the same time, we call on lawmakers to continue to work toward full and equitable funding in the years ahead. Inadequate school funding is a problem many years in the making, and it will take years of additional investments to solve it
As I testified in the state’s fair funding trial, this is a necessary investment in education in the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania ranks 44th in the nation in the state’s share of funding for public schools, at just over a third. It will help reduce the inequities in education funding, which have long harmed our students and our taxpayers. Prior to this budget, Pennsylvania underfunded SDoL by nearly $14 million, according to the basic education funding formula. Statewide, high-poverty growing districts received nearly $1 billion less than they would under the formula.
We will ensure new investments are aligned with our district’s key priorities, including elementary reading and math, particularly in the early grades, middle school math proficiency, and equitable opportunity and achievement in high-level courses at McCaskey High School. We also have needs in the areas of staffing and teacher shortages and behavioral and mental health services. And these resources will allow us to consider additional investments in innovative programs that are showing academic promise and accelerate renovations to our outdated and aging facilities.
Finally, we are mindful of our disproportionately high tax burden. Though it is too late to revisit tax rates in this fiscal year, our taxpayers deserve relief from rising property taxes. Pennsylvania residents should not have to choose between affordable housing and quality education. Our community deserves both.