School leaders say it will take a long time for students to make up for COVID closures

news, northwest, regional news

Like in many areas of the country, Pittsburgh education leaders and advocates say the closure is exacerbating inequities like the digital divide between wealthy and poor communities.   Read the full article here:...

What K-12 education needs during the pandemic

news, northwest, regional news, statewide news

We’re in an unprecedented time that will require unprecedented action to ensure the health and well-being of all, including children, is at the forefront of any action taken by our government. To limit the effect the coronavirus pandemic will have on Americans, we...

K-12 funding needed to boost economy: Tom Tupitza

northwest, statewide news

Pennsylvania’s economy is tracking upward. Unemployment is near all-time lows. High-wage, family-sustaining jobs are available statewide. This economic boom promises prosperity for all, right? Not quite. Look more closely, and the upward trajectory threatens to...

Special ed funding slips

northwest

Schools in Butler County are increasingly relying on local tax dollars to fund special education programs as state funding has stagnated for several years, a recent report found. The county isn’t alone: Special education funding across Pennsylvania mirrors the...

PA Schools Work Aims to Improve Funding for Public Schools

northwest, statewide news

Organizers of PA Schools Work are building a new movement across the state to improve public school funding in Pennsylvania. On Saturday they hosted their first summit connecting some 400 people across the state in eight regions. The Northwest region met at St. Brigid...

Officials: Special education funding not keeping pace with needs

northwest

A couple of superintendents with local school districts weighed in on a recent study that reports state special education funding in Pennsylvania is not keeping pace with local needs. The report, titled “Shortchanging Children with Disabilities: State Underfunding of...