Public education advocates ask lawmakers to put students first
Public education advocates came together outside Pittsburgh Manchester PreK-8 to ask state lawmakers to put students first.
"We all need to come together and make this happen," said Paulette Foster, co-founder of the Education Rights Network.
Foster was part of the group asking legislators to pass Gov. Josh Shapiro's education funding proposal.
"We need our children to be able to have their resources," Foster said.
Shapiro's plan proposes a $75 million increase in basic education funding. It also calls for special education funding to increase by $40 million.
"Special education funding is at risk, as well," Foster said.
Additionally, $526 million would go toward driving more funding to schools that need it most.
"Our schools are suffering, our children are suffering," Foster said.
Part of the plan would also cap the cyber tuition rate at $8,000 statewide.
"They're not spending that money on delivery of services into cyber-charter schools," said Billy Hileman, president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. "It's way too much money for what they do."
The governor's office says it would save districts hundreds of millions yearly. While people want the proposed budget to go through, some do have gripes.
"The adequacy dollars are more than half a billion," Hileman said. "That's for specific school districts. Pittsburgh is not one of them. More needs to be done for Pittsburgh than is being done right now."
Foster says there should also be an emphasis on things like increasing teacher pay.
"They're the second educator for our children. We as parents are the first," she said.
Right now, the focus is on getting what's presented across the table.
"We need to secure the money that is available, and not leave anything on the table in Harrisburg," Hileman said.
