Shapiro Highlights Education Funding Boost at Susquehanna Township

Governor Josh Shapiro visited Susquehanna Township High School on March 13, 2024, to emphasize the impact of recent increases in education funding. With the state budget cycle approaching, Shapiro engaged with students and teachers for over an hour before delivering formal remarks in the high school library. He also signed a commemorative copy of the budget legislation finalized in November, which ended a four-month fiscal impasse in Pennsylvania.

The budget deal included more than $700 million in new baseline K-12 assistance for school districts. Additionally, it provided millions in savings from revisions to how districts fund students attending cyber charter schools. This funding trend, initiated under former Governor Tom Wolf, has continued under Shapiro’s administration, largely due to a landmark court ruling that determined Pennsylvania’s school funding system was unconstitutionally inequitable.

As Shapiro pointed out, Susquehanna Township’s state aid rose significantly since he took office, from just over $7 million to more than $12 million in the last budget cycle. He praised the district’s effective use of these funds, stating, “I really think Susquehanna Township is a model for what we should be doing in other school districts across Pennsylvania.”

The funding has enabled the district to increase staffing, adding school counselors and special education instructors to support a growing number of students requiring additional help, according to Superintendent Tamara Willis. The district has also invested in upgrading outdated heating and cooling systems to improve classroom comfort amid rising energy costs.

A notable initiative is the district’s Cadet Teacher Program, which has recently expanded. This program allows high school students to work as teaching assistants in elementary schools, with some receiving job offers post-graduation while others pursue college degrees in education. Cole Hunsberger, a participant in the program, shared a memorable experience of helping a kindergarten student master the pronunciation of the letter “G,” reinforcing his desire to teach.

The funding increases that Shapiro highlighted represent a 7% boost for K-12 education in the upcoming state budget compared to the previous year. The most substantial increase is associated with the newly created adequacy and tax equity funding formulas, designed to address funding shortfalls identified by the court ruling. Susquehanna Township received nearly $1.9 million in additional adequacy funding alone, amounting to approximately $675 more per student.

The political landscape surrounding these funding increases has been contentious, with Pennsylvania’s Democratic-majority House and Republican-majority Senate often at odds. Republicans have criticized Shapiro’s budget proposal as excessive, suggesting it would lead to an unmanageable deficit. The recently passed budget amounts to $50.1 billion from the state’s general fund, reflecting a 4.7% year-over-year increase.

The agreement that resulted in the current budget included provisions unrelated to education spending, such as withdrawing from a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system and implementing a bipartisan tax credit for low-income workers. As Shapiro prepares for the next budget request in early February, he is expected to advocate for further increases in educational funding aligned with the court ruling.

When asked about the potential resistance from Senate Republicans regarding education spending, Shapiro remarked, “I don’t know that it is useful for me to get into the back and forth we had behind the scenes,” emphasizing the importance of collaboration in advocating for public education.

Senator Patty Kim, representing Dauphin County, echoed the need for continued investment in education. While the current budget deal was broadly bipartisan, she acknowledged that some may question the necessity of further funding increases. Kim highlighted the challenges faced by financially strapped districts, including Harrisburg City and Steelton-Highspire, noting that even more stable districts like Susquehanna Township struggle to meet evolving educational needs.

The visit to Susquehanna Township underscores the ongoing commitment to enhancing educational opportunities across Pennsylvania, reflecting a growing recognition of the importance of equitable funding for all districts.