SCOTT TOWNSHIP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— With back-to-school season beginning soon, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) is airing frustrations with the budget holdup in Harrisburg.
Tuesday's press conference was brief, but it was made abundantly clear what educational leaders in the state are looking for from state lawmakers.
"Senator Brown, students and families in your district need you to stand up for them and finalize a budget that invests in Pennsylvania schools where 90% of our students learn," voiced Jeff Ney, Vice President, PSEA.
PSEA leaders and educators, calling on State Senator Rosemary Brown and other lawmakers to pass what they call a real fiscal year state budget.
They say the budget passed last week falls short in funding public schools.
"A Pennsylvania budget should've been passed on June 30. The frustration is that we're now here in the middle of August, and we still don't have a budget, and it seems like there is a budget impasse that should be solved," stated Ney.
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PSEA says area school districts will go without more than $89,000,000 that it would normally have.
They say Pocono Mountain School District is waiting on $16,000,000, the East Stroudsburg Area School District is waiting on $15,400,000, while Pleasant Valley School District $11,200,000, Stroudsburg School District $9,400,000, and Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 $5,100,000, among other districts.
PSEA leaders are stressing the importance that students shouldn't be used as bargaining chips for a tuition voucher program.
"We have a senator on the western part of the state, Senator Kim Ward, that is saying she will not pass a budget or she will not even present a budget unless there are vouchers attached to it. That is immediately taking taxpayer dollars away from our public schools and putting them into private and religious," explained Ney.
"School voucher systems have been a failure everywhere they've been implemented. The voucher plan she's pushing is bad for public schools. It's bad for public school students," expressed Michael Soskil, Vice President, PSEA Northeastern Region.
State Senator Brown responded to PSEA leadership:
"I find it hypocritical for a special interest group who has held kids and taxpayers hostage through strikes to make these claims. The reality is, a state budget requires compromise. That's why the senate put forward a short-term budget identical to last year so schools and local services can receive funds immediately. At this point, the house needs to act. I support vouchers only for the lowest-performing schools, because every child deserves opportunity, something teachers who truly value education should support."
State Senator Rosemary Brown
Association leaders hope the budget will make serious investments in the public school system.
"Any kind of funding shortfalls from our districts is going to have to be taken up by their own resources. So, we want to make sure our students, our educators, are starting the year off with all of the funding that they need. All of the resources that they need," said Ney.
Educators will deliver a letter to Senator Brown to see if she agrees with Senator Ward's plan with these vouchers.
