HARRISBURG, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The acting secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Education was in the hot seat Monday in the Pennsylvania House as budget hearings continued in Harrisburg.
Education funding is the second-largest chunk of the commonwealth’s budget. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal calls for $18 billion for pre-K through 12th grade, a $787 million increase over the current budget.
Acting Sec. Carrie Rowe was asked for specific examples showing higher test scores as the result of increased funding.
“I don't know that we can say that there's a one-to-one correlation that simply adding money is going to beget immediately higher test scores. What I can say is that underfunding school districts we've seen has led to, in some places, lower test scores.”
Rowe says increased funding does show reduced class sizes, better security and technology, and a more welcoming environment. She pushed back when asked if underperforming schools should see funding cuts.
“If we perceive that schools who are underperforming need additional resources to reduce classroom sizes or have full-day kindergarten or have resources that they can have a warm, welcoming environment, then removing funding from them would fly in the face of that logic.”
Rowe was asked a wide range of questions, including if and how her department is preparing for possible cuts to—or the complete loss of—federal education funding, should the Trump administration eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. She said there are so many possible outcomes that it’s impossible to answer with any clarity, but the scenarios they’re considering are “catastrophic.”
“There's a lot at stake for a lot of different student groups. I don't think that anyone would get out of this unscathed if all of that funding went away,” she said.
Asked about concerns of the future of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Rowe said the values of the Shapiro administration have not changed, and laws regarding Individualized Education Plans and 504s would remain in place:
“Needless to say, if $600 million in IDEA funds failed to flow to the state, that would cause irreparable harm, and we certainly would need to have some type of contingency plans in place to continue to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the state.”
Rowe tap-danced around the governor’s stance on school choice, saying the priority is to correct chronically underfunded schools.