Senators and schools

The Gettysburg Area Democracy for America Education Task Force sought to do something informative ahead of the November election. They decided to devise four questions addressing crucial topics relating to the Pennsylvania legislature, and to ask our two state senate candidates to respond. Here are their responses:

1. PA Senate bill 34 provides that school districts which offer cyber school in their district will not be required to pay commercial cyber school tuition for students who opt for those schools. Would you support this change and why or why not in a few words?

Senator Mastriano

Senator Mastriano is not a member of the Senate Education Committee, where this legislation is assigned, nor does he get involved in the panel’s deliberations. However, Senator Mastriano pays close attention to the committee’s legislative agenda, as education is very important to the Senator. For example, during the Senator’s sixteen months in office, he has strongly supported two bipartisan budgets that boosted education funding.

Rich Sterner

The funding formula for cyber charter schools needs to change; otherwise I would support this legislation 100%. The average cost for one student headed to a cyber charter school is about 10 times the cost of a student going to a local school district’s cyber option. Taxpayers need to understand this cost differential and realize that cyber charter schools are not free but fully funded (including their TV commercials) by local property tax dollars. We need to find a better funding solution.

2. Do you agree that the state funding for public school is basically unfair to poorest districts? Would you be willing to revisit that funding formula and how?

Senator Mastriano

Public school funding is an issue that is regularly brought before Senator Mastriano by taxpayers, school leaders, teachers and other stakeholders. A few years ago, the General Assembly updated the formula, resulting in an uptick in funding for local schools. More reform is needed. There are many inequities with the existing school funding formula.

Rich Sterner

A student-based, fair formula for distributing new school funds is important, it will end the era in which funding went to districts based on close relationships to the leadership of the General Assembly. It will use accurate information about the number of students and their needs, giving extra funds for students in poverty or learning English, and give extra help to districts with lower capacity to raise money locally. However, it does not address the inadequate amount of funding available to districts struggling to meet state-set proficiency standards. It never asks what schools need to meet state standards. If districts don’t have enough state support, the burden falls to local taxpayers to make up the difference which makes Pennsylvania the most inequitable in the nation. Pennsylvania must commit to increasing funding so that school districts can adequately meet the actual cost of providing the teachers, books, computers, counselors, nurses, and other resources necessary for students to meet state standards.

3. Pennsylvania uses several standardized tests to evaluate student achievement. Would you be willing to evaluate the validity these programs? Do you think it is appropriate to use such tests as a part of teacher evaluations?

Senator Mastriano

Senator Mastriano is always open to evaluating the effectiveness of existing standardized tests. Given the fluidity of COVID-19 and how it is impacting schools, these types of standardized tests should be re-evaluated in 2020-2021, given the fact that some schools continue to educate pupils via remote methods. Senator Mastriano feels the General Assembly should closely vet standardized testing before imposing any mandates upon the state’s 500 school districts.

Rich Sterner

I know educators and students spend too much time on standardized testing and test prep. The Every Student Succeeds Act allows states and school districts to change the high-stakes consequences of standardized tests in Pennsylvania. Reducing the impact of standardized tests and student performance components, increasing the focus on classroom observation and practice, and taking the first step to recognize poverty’s impact on achievement, will improve the evaluation system. Also, I have long advocated for creating an evaluation system based on graduation data rates and student performance beyond graduation.

4. Many people resent having to pay property tax for school support, but no acceptable plan has come near passing in the legislature. Do you favor transferring all or some of school funding to a broader tax such as sales taxes or income taxes or even both?

Senator Mastriano

Yes, Senator Mastriano fully supports property tax elimination. The system is antiquated and unfair. Seniors are being taxed out of their homes. School districts, unions and their lobbyists oppose property tax elimination. Senator Mastriano was optimistic earlier this year when Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati announced that he wanted to see a vote on property tax reform. However, the General Assembly’s recent legislative agenda has been dominated by COVID-19 mitigation measures

Rich Sterner

Local property taxes provide a substantial amount, about one-third, of the money used to finance public education. It has remained a significant source of funding for public schools. But its role has changed over the years. Some states have taken primary responsibility for school funding, favoring state-imposed taxes over local property taxes. While this may result in more equal education funding, it may also leave some parents and local governments feel that they have lost control of education decisions affecting their community. The use of sales tax is less visible, is not paid in a lump sum, and part of the burden typically is borne by non-residents. Sales taxes—whether collected in person or online—are regressive. They disproportionately burden those who have lower incomes. Also problematic: If the economy stumbles, consumers buy less, and sales tax revenue shrinks. States can always tax vice such as legalized gambling, including newly legalized sports betting to generate revenue. There also are “sin taxes” on substances like tobacco and marijuana. But how much can they raise? There aren’t enough sins in the state to fully fund the K-12 system. But Harrisburg needs to step up and properly fund public education and take the pressure off property owners.

Leon Reed