college and school districts cover fuel costs that have exceeded
expectations by millions of dollars, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G.
Rendell today asked the General Assembly to supplement his education
initiatives in his proposed 2006- 07 budget with an additional $46 million.
The additional money will also help schools further support preschool
services for at-risk children and increase the reimbursement to districts
for charter school enrollment.
“With this money, which will come from the surplus at the end of the
fiscal year, families and schools will be better able to deliver a quality
education for their children,” the Governor said. “Over the past three
years, we have made enormous investments in quality, proven programs that
have enhanced student achievement. With this new revenue, we will be able
to continue our work.”
Since districts approved their budgets for the 2005-06 school year,
spending for transportation, especially fuel, was nearly $26 million more
than anticipated. Part of the Governor’s new supplemental budget request
includes $11 million to offset the higher-than-expected school district
fuel bills.
“Because school districts have had to pay so much more to bus their
students from home to school and back, they’ve had to cut back on some
services that students need to learn and grow,” Governor Rendell said.
The supplemental budget request will also help Pennsylvania families
pay for college by making contributions to tuition savings plans, or 529
plans, tax free. The proposal would cost $18 million.
“When families are ready to use 529 plans to pay their children’s
tuition bills, they will have more money to do it because taxes will not
have eroded what they’ve worked hard to save,” the Governor said.
Elsewhere, Governor Rendell is seeking to increase his initial 2006-07
proposed investment in early intervention programs by $6.2 million, so more
preschoolers can be helped with individualized, special education. The
Department of Education has been working with early intervention providers
to identify improved methods of service delivery and to establish a new
funding methodology.
Demand for Early Intervention programs has soared over the past three
years. The increased investment for 2006-07 will ensure that an estimated
41,852 (over 1,300 more than anticipated under the initial proposal) will
be served.
The Governor’s proposal also includes additional funding to school
districts for charter school reimbursement. In order to efficiently
reimburse school districts for incurred costs, Governor Rendell has
proposed that an additional $7.2 million is needed for charter school
reimbursement.
“The programs we have initiated are thriving and thousands of
Pennsylvania children are benefiting from these wise investments. We are in
a position to enhance our commonwealth’s education system even more. I urge
the General Assembly to provide these additional resources so our students
will continue to prosper from the significant returns on these investments.
We owe them that level of responsibility and under my administration, I
will see fit that whatever vital resources we can provide will be
delivered.”
“This is great news for education in Pennsylvania,” Secretary of
Education Gerald L. Zahorchak said. “We have invested so many resources
into a wealth of high-quality programs that have increased student
achievement and proficiency across the commonwealth.
“These additional proposals are examples of Governor Rendell’s
continued commitment to education in Pennsylvania. By ensuring these
resources are made available, we can ensure our students will continue to
succeed from being educated in Pennsylvania’s first-class public education
system.”
For more information about Governor Rendell’s education budget, visit http://www.pde.state.pa.us.