PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Gov. Tom Wolf is calling for the expansion of a state initiative that pushes more money to poor Pennsylvania school districts.
The governor made his pitch Thursday at James Logan Elementary School in Philadelphia. “Every student in Pennsylvania deserves a top-tier education,” Wolf said, “but inequity and underfunding means that some students aren't getting the opportunities they need.”
The Level Up program established last year sends an extra $100 million to Pennsylvania’s poorest school districts. In his current budget proposal, Wolf is proposing an additional $300 million for Level Up.
“That funding, to be clear, is a boon for Philadelphia,” said Donna Cooper, executive director of child advocacy nonprofit Children First. “But it’s a boon for Souderton and Norristown in Montgomery County. And the William Penn School District and Southeast Delco and Upper Darby in Delaware County and Bristol Borough in Bucks County and the Oxford Area School District and Coatesville in Chester County.”
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Level Up allows poorer districts to rely less on local property taxes to support schools, she said. The state’s surplus should be used to narrow the spending gaps between affluent and poor districts, Cooper suggested.
“The state is sitting on $10 billion, and today we can invest in a second grader and make their life better,” Cooper said.
Budget talks continue with Republican legislative leaders. Senate president pro tempore and gubernatorial candidate Jake Corman declined to comment on Level Up.
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In a statement to KYW Newsradio, House Speaker Bryan Cutler said, “Our budget-making process is still in its early stages. However, helping students and teachers achieve their highest potential remains a cornerstone of our budget priorities, and we remain committed to ensuring a child’s ZIP code does not determine their outcome. We look forward to working with the governor and the Senate on targeted, responsible education investments that are in the best interests of Pennsylvania’s students.”
Wolf said he was hopeful his Level Up proposal would remain intact through the state’s budget process. “I’m optimistic. I mean, what do I know? I’ve been in politics for seven and a half years, but I’m optimistic.”