PLUS Superintendents condemn discriminatory impact of budget proposals

Harrisburg, PA - May 18 -Superintendents from urban school districts in Pennsylvania today condemned the disproportionate and discriminatory impact that current budget proposals would have on minority students and children from low income families.

 “The Governor’s proposal would cut education spending for everyone. But compared to all students, the Governor’s proposal would cut education spending more for low income students and students of color. This disproportionately harms urban districts with the highest concentrations of low income and minority students,” said Pedro Rivera, superintendent of the Lancaster School District and the new president of the Pennsylvania League of Urban Schools.  “This is just unacceptable, especially when low income students and students of color are often most at risk.”  

“These cuts are especially inappropriate when these students have been making strong academic progress with adequate investment in their education and there is a budget surplus of over $500 million,” said Bill King, Superintendent of the Scranton School District.  “The drastic and inequitable cuts proposed by the Governor and the House Republicans are certain to slow down, or even reverse, that progress.”

Low income, African American and Hispanic students have made dramatic improvements in academic achievement in recent years. From 2002 to 2010, both African American and Hispanic students have narrowed the achievement gap by double digits. 

HB 1485, introduced by House Republicans, proposes to cut slightly less in state education funding than the Governor, but the inequity among subgroups of students gets even worse.  Under HB 1485, education spending for a low income student is cut 32 percent more than for the all students, with cuts that are 53 percent more for a Hispanic student and 100 percent more for an African American student.