Area legislators vow not to support proposed bill to change school funding
Area lawmakers say they won’t support a bill proposed this week to change how money is distributed to area school districts.
Walsh
Warner
Cook
Area state legislators say they will not support a recently introduced bill to revise the formula for distributing the state’s Basic Education Funding.
Republican state Reps. Matthew Dowling, Justin Walsh, Ryan Warner and Bud Cook and Democrat state Rep. Pam Snyder each said a proposal made earlier this week by state Rep. Jim Cox, R-Berks and Lancaster counties, would be devastating for local districts.
The bill calls for a gradual phasing out of the “Hold Harmless” method of education funding, which guarantees school districts that aren’t necessarily experiencing a growth in student enrollment the same amount of state funding they received in the previous fiscal year. In a memorandum seeking support for the bill, Cox notes the practice would be “gradually” phased out.
“My legislation reduces the amount of BEF that school districts receive through the guaranteed base amount from 2014-15 of the BEF formula by reducing the base by 20 percent each fiscal year,” Cox wrote. “The amount removed from the base will be distributed through the BEF Commission’s student-weighted formula. Upon the fifth year, there will no longer be a guaranteed base level of funding.”
Cox maintained that while schools with shrinking populations get the same level of or more funding, schools that have growing populations are “adversely impacted” because they don’t get funding increases.
“I would not be able to support (this bill),” said Dowling, R-Uniontown, whose district covers parts of Fayette and Somerset counties. “It would cripple our schools and students in this area.”
Walsh, R-Rostraver Township, agreed, noting that it’s not just an education issue. He said as he’s been campaigning across his district, he’s heard concerns about whether local funding decreases would place a potential burden on taxpayers.
“Taxpayers would face higher property taxes, which would further burden homeowners. This plan harms everyone,” said Walsh.
Warner, R-Perryopolis, said he is particularly concerned for his constituents in the Frazier School District, which he estimates would receive a 54 percent cut in their state funding if the plan is implemented.
“I do not support it,” said Warner. “These school districts are already strapped for cash. This would devastate our public schools here in Fayette and Westmoreland counties.”
Warner also questioned the fairness of the plan, suggesting it would only benefit the wealthiest school districts in Pennsylvania.
Snyder, a Jefferson Democrat who represents Greene County, stands in opposition with her Republican counterparts and is “100 percent against this bill.”
Snyder’s said school districts in her area simply can’t survive with cuts in state funding.
Cook, R-Coal Center, said he is concerned about the proposal.
He said it could result in a $6.5 million loss to Ringgold and $6 million loss to Beth-Center.
“These are tremendous impacts on schools that are already strapped,” said Cook, who represents areas in Fayette and Washington counties. “We absolutely have to quit playing politics with some of these formulas and hurting our rural schools, especially in our district, in the 49th.”
Currently, the student-weighted formula (or what is called the Fair Funding Formula), is only used on new money added to education since 2015-16. The proposed legislation, which would amend the Public School Code of 1949, calls for the formula to be applied to all funding within a five-year period. The legislation reduced the amount the affected school districts receive by reducing the base by 20 percent each fiscal year and redistributing it through that student-weighted formula. On the fifth year, there would no longer be a guaranteed base level of funding.
“It’s just staggering,” said Dowling. “There will be very few winners.”