Equity First and The Citizens for Fair School Funding Say No Overfunded School District Should Get New Money This Budget Year
For Immediate Release:
Equity First and The Citizens for Fair School Funding Say No Overfunded School District Should Get New Money This Budget Year
Group Pushing 2018 #CivilFundingWar Battle Plan to End School Funding Discrimination
(Harrisburg, PA) – March 13, 2018 – Equity First and The Citizens for Fair School Funding recently declared #CivilFundingWar on Pennsylvania school funding and shared its 2018 battle plan.
The group is recruiting Pennsylvania volunteers for 6-month enlistments to join the #CivilFundingWar for the May/June budget battle.
The Dauphin County volunteers are meeting at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Harrisburg.
Three (3) years after the historic adoption of the bipartisan funding formulas for Basic Education and Special Education, shockingly, only 6% of Basic Education funding and 8% of Special Education funding are running through the adopted new funding formulas. Tragically, this inequity makes Pennsylvania worst in nation in its discrimination against poor, minority students.
Kelly Lewis, former state representative and Chairman of Equity First explained, “We appreciate all the hard work it took to adopt the historic funding formulas. Now, we look forward to working together with every group to end school funding discrimination.” Lewis added, “we’ve seen the devastation caused by this funding atrocity to children and families. With this Declaration of a Civil Funding War, we are making our demands and terms of engagement crystal clear. We will never surrender until there is unconditional fairness in school funding.”
DONATE TO THE #CIVILFUNDING WAR TODAY
The 2018 #CivilFundingWar Battle Plan to End School Funding Discrimination:
- Effective immediately, the State Budget shall distribute 100% of funding through the bipartisan funding formulas for Basic Education and Special Education for all students.
- No overfunded school districts shall receive any new state funding until all school districts are fully-funded through the bipartisan-adopted funding formulas for Basic Education and Special Education.
- Establish the School District Consolidation Fund to encourage the efficient consolidation of school districts.
- Cap the Fund Balance and Reserve Fund account balances at 18%.
- Establish a Cost Savings Commission to scrutinize all K-12 spending to implement cost-saving strategies.
Upcoming Harrisburg Meeting Dates:
For more information, visit www.SupportEquityFirst.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @EquityFirstOrg .