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Bret Binder Affirms His Education Funding Analysis: Responds to "Truitt Calls Out Binder."

Bret Binder, Democratic Party Candidate for the 156 District House Seat, responds to Dan Truitt's recent press release "Truitt Calls Out Binder."

October 16, 2012

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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BINDER AFFIRMS HIS EDUCATION FUNDING ANALYSIS

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East Bradford, Pennsylvania –Earlier today Dan Truitt (R) issued a press release in which he claimed that he has increased state funding for the West Chester Area School District and that the education funding numbers cited by Binder’s supporters are flawed.  Binder responded immediately that Truitt’s claims were misleading and plain wrong – “The truth is public education funding for Pennsylvania and the West Chester Area school district have been drastically cut by Truitt and the Corbett administration”.

Binder said, “Dan Truitt showed once again that he does not understand the legislation for which he voted or that he has supported drastic public education funding cuts.”  Binder invited the public to look at the public education funding figures and confirm that, since Dan Truitt went into office, the actual funding received by the West Chester Areas School District has dropped from $9,269,932.00 to $ 7,176,791.00 for 2011-12 and 2012-13. 

WEST CHESTER AREA SD

2010-2011 Actual State Budget Funding: $9,269,932 2011-2012 Final State Budget Funding: $7,176,791 2012-2013 Final State Budget Funding: $7,176,791 Total Cuts Since 2010-2011: ($2,093,141)

Breakdown of Cuts Since 2010-2011

Basic Ed Funding: $307,560 Accountability Block Grants: $201,970 Charter School Reimbursement: $1,552,461 Other Public Education Programs: $31,150 Total cuts to major instructional subsidies: $2,093,141

(http://www.psea.org/apps/budget/budgetimpact.aspx).  “I am not sure how Dan Truitt believes that there has been an increase in funding to the West Chester Area School District when there has been over four million dollars cut the last two years compared to the year before he went into office.”  The figures cited by Truitt only reference the basic education funding formula and fail to take into account cuts in other sources of education funding, such as charter school reimbursements or accountability block grants as shown in the above chart.  Binder further noted that public education funding cuts have resulted in increased property taxes in the West Chester Area School District. 

Binder cited the October 1, 2012 press release from the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) that details the harsh realities of the almost $1 billion dollars cut from public education (Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), School District Funding Cuts by County).  Those cuts resulted in more than 19,000 jobs lost in elementary and secondary schools in 2011 (Keystone Research Center. The State of Working Pennsylvania 2012. Harrisburg, 2012):

  • Four percent (or 8 school districts) indicated they have reduced/eliminated pre-kindergarten. This is in addition to the six percent of school districts that reduced/eliminated pre-kindergarten in 2011-12.
  • Two percent (or 6 school districts) indicated they have reduced/eliminated full-day kindergarten. Five percent of respondents responding to our prior survey indicated they had reduced/eliminated full-day kindergarten in 2011-12.
  • Fifty-one percent indicated they have increased class size. This is on top of larger class sizes imposed by 70 percent of school districts in 2011-12.
  • Forty-three percent reduced elective course offerings such as those in foreign languages, arts, music, physical education and even some courses in math, science, English and the social studies. Elective courses were already reduced in the prior school year by 44 percent of school districts in 2011-12.
  • Forty percent have delayed textbook purchases. This is on top of the 41 percent of school districts that already delayed textbook purchases last year . . . [.]
  • Thirty-two percent of school districts indicated they have reduced or eliminated programs that provide extra help or tutoring for struggling students. Thirty-five percent of districts statewide said they had already decreased tutoring/additional instruction time in 2011-12.
  • Twenty-one percent eliminated their summer school programs in 2012-2013. Summer school allows students can make up the necessary credits to allow them stay on grade level and to graduate on time. Nineteen percent of school districts eliminated summer school in 2011-12.
  • Forty-three percent of school districts indicated they have reduced or eliminated student field trips. Fifty-five percent of August 2011 survey respondents indicated they had reduced/eliminated student field trips.
  • Thirty percent have reduced/eliminated extra-curricular activities, including establishing/increasing fees for participation in such activities. Thirty-three percent of August 2011 survey respondents had reduced/eliminated extra-curricular in the 2011-12 school year.
  • Twenty percent have delayed building/renovating school buildings. Sixteen percent delayed building/renovating school buildings in the prior school year, according to August 2011 survey results.
  • Seven percent have closed school buildings. Ten percent of August 2011 survey respondents had closed school building(s) in school year 2011-12.

PASA-PASBO, Survey on the impact of proposed funding cuts, 10/1/12

Binder also noted that Pennsylvania is among the worst states in the Union in prioritizing public education.  The national average is for a state to fund approximately 48% of public education costs – Pennsylvania pays approximately 36% and leaves the rest up to the local school district.  “We need to follow through on the 2008 pledge in Act 61 to increase the state share of funding by $2.6 billion.  Instead, Dan Truitt and Governor Corbett have reduced state funding.”  Binder continued, “In order to remain competitive, we need to have a qualified educated workforce in Pennsylvania.  If we allow Governor Corbett and Dan Truitt to continue to slash public education funding and funnel monies to poorly regulated charter schools, our children will not be prepared to enter the 21st century workforce.” 

Binder has received the endorsement of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) and Education Voters PA.

 

For Additional information Please Contact:

Mike Leibowitz, Campaign Press Assistant

803 West Market Street, West Chester, PA 19382

610-696-5904

mleibowitz@bretbinderforpa.com

www.bretbinderforpa.com

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