Beware of deep cuts in education
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While kids across Pennsylvania are riding bikes, running through sprinklers and enjoying their summer vacations, those of us responsible for the management and administration of school districts cannot be so carefree.
In fact, many of us are sitting and waiting to see if our state will receive federal funding the governor and legislators assumed as part of the 2010-11 budget. If it doesn't materialize, the effects could be damaging to local school district budgets across Pennsylvania and, consequently, our children's education.
Legislation known as Federal Medical Assistance Percentage is designed to help states handle their increasing Medicaid costs for low-income individuals, including the disabled and elderly. While the cost of Medicaid historically is shared by federal and state government, Congress has provided the states with a larger share of Medicaid matching funds since 2009 to assist states in meeting greater demand for Medicaid during the economic crisis. These additional funds are set to expire in December.
If additional FMAP funds fail to reach Pennsylvania, the governor and legislative leaders will be forced to slice an additional $850 million from the state budget. This could mean the loss of thousands of teaching jobs across the state, cuts in aid to colleges, the elimination of drug and alcohol and homeless services, steep reductions in domestic violence services and rape crisis centers, and reduced spending on critical child welfare services.
The questions everyone must ask are: How much more can be cut before many state agencies and organizations that rely on state funds are rendered incapacitated and services are jeopardized or delayed? Are we willing to shortchange our children's education? Will the state and federal governments delay their expectations for all public school students to be proficient in reading and math by 2014 because they have not kept pace with adequate funding for all students to reach these goals?
If the governor and legislators have to cut $850 million from the state budget, there is no way public education won't be affected, especially improvements in educational results for all students. After all, basic education received an increase of $250 million in the recently passed state budget.
First Published July 29, 2010 12:00 am
