HARRISBURG, PA (March 11, 2021) – The statewide education advocacy campaign PA Schools Work issued the following statement after President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 relief act this afternoon:
“Today, President Biden signed a $1.9 billion COVID-19 relief package, including significant funding for K-12 education in the midst of the pandemic. This funding is sorely needed, as districts have seen drops in local revenue and spikes in spending necessary to ramp up the technology needed to provide distance learning and the safety precautions to keep educators and students safe and healthy.
“But it’s also important to note that these funds, though vital, are one-time disbursements intended to address COVID-driven problems, not the chronically inadequate and inequitable school funding system we have here in the commonwealth.
“We have made clear that we support Governor Wolf’s bold $1.5 billion public education budget proposal for fiscal year 2021-22, which responds to the moment and sets a historic marker for investing in public education. Now is the time for forward-thinking leadership. If members of the General Assembly want to ensure every school they represent has the resources needed, they would support Governor’s Wolf plan to revamp how we fund our schools in Pennsylvania.”
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PA Schools Work is a non-partisan coalition of organizations from across Pennsylvania representing teachers and other educators; urban, suburban and rural communities; and parents and community members working together to advocate for PA public schools, their students and the communities they serve. For more information on PA Schools Work, visit paschoolswork.org.