The Avon Grove School Board voted to approve Fair Funding Resolution #24-10 in support of constitutional funding of public schools and opposed to funding of nonpublic schools. The resolution follows recent statewide developments related to school funding. Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in February 2023 decided that the state’s method of funding public schools was unconstitutional because its reliance on property taxes discriminated against students who live in low-income districts. The Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC), made up of 12 state legislators and three officials from the governor’s administration, was charged with determining an equitable method for public school funding. On Jan. 11, it generated two reports. The report that received the most votes of approval identified that Basic Education Funding fell short by $5.4 billion, and it called for that amount to be made up over the next seven years. The minority report advocates public funding of nonpublic schools, in that it proposes taxpayer-funded scholarships that allow students to opt to attend nonpublic schools. Avon Grove’s resolution supporting the first report and rejecting the funding of nonpublic schools will be sent to legislative officials and the governor’s office. “Although the BEFC adopted the majority report, we don’t know whether the general assembly and Gov. Shapiro will ultimately create and approve legislation based on that report,” said School Board President Bonnie Wolff. “We want to make sure we let them know our stance.” Read more here.
Source: Chester County Press; 4/10/2024