Pennsylvania Schools

New Report Endorses Pennsylvania Governor’s Plan To Increase Education Funding Based On “Practical Outcomes For School Districts.” The Philadelphia Public Schools Notebook (10/8, Offord) reports the Campaign for Fair Education Funding has released a new report entitled “Lifting All Students: Why Pennsylvania Must Act Now to Fairly Fund Public Education and Secure Our Future”, which outlines “the practical outcomes for school districts across the state under both the $410 million funding increase in Gov. Wolf’s proposed budget and the $100 million increase proposed by Republican legislators.” One of the report’s authors said their goal is “to make clear what is at stake” with the different funding proposals. The report endorses the governor’s plan. Financially Troubled Pennsylvania District Reaches Deal With Charter Schools Pending Judge’s Approval And State Legislature’s Action. The Philadelphia Inquirer (10/8, Boccella) reports the Chester Upland School District in Pennsylvania asked a judge to approve a deal where the district would pay three local charter schools “a substantially reduced rate for special-education students.” The district argued that the increasing amount of charter-school payments has left it with very little to take care of its own students, and that the charter schools only take special education students with mild learning disabilities so the increased tuition they charge is not justified. Under the proposed agreement, the district would pay charter schools $27,028 down from $40,000 for special education students. The success of the agreement now depends on the judge granting approval and the state legislature passing a bill giving a one-time payment to the district to help pay off its debts.