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Fat Tuesday in Upper Darby
Today is Fat Tuesday, the annual blowout that precedes Ash Wednesday and the season of reflection known as Lent.
Around these parts, it might be a whole different kind of Fat Tuesday for those in the Upper Darby School District.
That’s because if Gov. Ed Rendell gets his way, the school district may be getting fat indeed. No, not their waistlines. We’re talking about their bank accounts.
Rendell today will present his annual budget plan. It is believed he will take to heart the suggestions of a costing-out study completed last fall that pointed out the state is severely short-changing school districts across the state when it comes to funding.
Rendell is looking to rectify that situation. And right at the top of the list sits the Upper Darby School District.
The governor wants to pump some $291 million more into education. That comes to about 5.9 percent.
It’s not exactly a secret that the state has been falling woefully short of its mission to provide 50 percent of education funding costs. The costing-out study delivered last fall only confirmed those suspicions, indicating Pennsylvania was in fact a cool $4.38 billion being the eight-ball.
Across the state, the study indicated that 474 of Pennsylvania’s 501 school districts are adequately funded.
At the top of the list to get help under the Rendell plan would be Upper Darby, in large part because the proposal is weighted to aid those districts dealing with large student populations who are learning English. That certainly fits the bill in Upper Darby.
Under the Rendell plan, they would be in line for a 22 percent hike in state aid, the biggest boost in the state.
As you might guess, the news is being greeted with open arms in Upper Darby.
“We are excited that the governor has identified Upper Darby as its primary target for funding,” Said Lou DeVlieger, assistant superintendent in Upper Darby.
Of course they caution that this is all preliminary. It’s only a proposal. Just because Ed Rendell wants to do it does not mean it’s going to get done. After all, this isn’t funding for a soccer stadium or a proposal for slot-machine gambling in the state.
This is just our kids’ education.
Let’s hope the Legislature gets on board.
Around these parts, it might be a whole different kind of Fat Tuesday for those in the Upper Darby School District.
That’s because if Gov. Ed Rendell gets his way, the school district may be getting fat indeed. No, not their waistlines. We’re talking about their bank accounts.
Rendell today will present his annual budget plan. It is believed he will take to heart the suggestions of a costing-out study completed last fall that pointed out the state is severely short-changing school districts across the state when it comes to funding.
Rendell is looking to rectify that situation. And right at the top of the list sits the Upper Darby School District.
The governor wants to pump some $291 million more into education. That comes to about 5.9 percent.
It’s not exactly a secret that the state has been falling woefully short of its mission to provide 50 percent of education funding costs. The costing-out study delivered last fall only confirmed those suspicions, indicating Pennsylvania was in fact a cool $4.38 billion being the eight-ball.
Across the state, the study indicated that 474 of Pennsylvania’s 501 school districts are adequately funded.
At the top of the list to get help under the Rendell plan would be Upper Darby, in large part because the proposal is weighted to aid those districts dealing with large student populations who are learning English. That certainly fits the bill in Upper Darby.
Under the Rendell plan, they would be in line for a 22 percent hike in state aid, the biggest boost in the state.
As you might guess, the news is being greeted with open arms in Upper Darby.
“We are excited that the governor has identified Upper Darby as its primary target for funding,” Said Lou DeVlieger, assistant superintendent in Upper Darby.
Of course they caution that this is all preliminary. It’s only a proposal. Just because Ed Rendell wants to do it does not mean it’s going to get done. After all, this isn’t funding for a soccer stadium or a proposal for slot-machine gambling in the state.
This is just our kids’ education.
Let’s hope the Legislature gets on board.
posted by Heron's Nest at
7:35 AM
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