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School Funding

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Patch Poll: Should Public School Funding Grant Be Linked to State Liquor Store Privatization?

Gov. Tom Corbett's 2013-14 budget ties sale of state liquor system to a $1 billion grant for school safety, early education programs, individualized learning and science/math programs.

Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed 2013-14 budget, which he presented Feb. 5, contains an interesting cocktail that mixes the sale of the state's liquor system with funding of a public schools grant. Under his proposal, $1 billion obtained by the proposed privatization of the state's liquor sales would be used to create the Passport for Learning Block Grant that would focus on school safety; enhanced early education programs; individualized learning; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses and programs. The $1 billion in revenue to fund that grant will come from the three- to four-year process of selling the Liquor Control Board: $575 million from the wholesale license process, $224 million from the Wine and Spirits retail …

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Joseph

1:47 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

I've been involved. I've seen the beast first hand. The only way to change it is to become a part of the special interest groups or run for office to diffuse the special interest groups (good luck winning an election without the support of special interest groups).   more ›

Monday, October 24, 2011

State Budget Cuts Slice Local Education

Educators, community leaders testify to effects of education budget reductions.

The speakers came from different places, different jobs, different perspectives on the educational system, but the warning was universal—schools are suffering under nearly $930 million in state education funding cuts made this year, and the poorest schools are bearing the heaviest burdens. A dozen school administrators, teachers, parents and representatives of nonprofit groups shared their perspectives at Friday's Pennsylvania State House Democratic Policy Committee hearings in Green Tree.  State Reps. Matt Smith, Dan Deasy and Chelsa Wagner, all D-Allegheny, co-chaired the event, which included Democratic state Reps. Robert Matzie, Joe Markosek, Chris Sainato, Dan Frankel, Paul Costa and Kevin Murphy. Since 1974, when the state paid for …

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