PA Public School Funding Trial Resumed With Cross-Examination

Erie News Now Image.

HARRISBURG, PA. (WENY) – Tuesday in Harrisburg, the Public Education Funding Trial continued with cross examination of witnesses.

Among the witnesses, was former Deputy Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Matthew Stem.

Stem oversaw Pennsylvania’s K-12 education system for the PA Department of Education for six years.





Also testifying today, was Superintendent of the Greater Johnstown School District, Dr. Amy Arcurio.

Greater Johnstown is one of the six petitioner school districts that sued state officials to challenge the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s public education funding system.

The Greater Johnstown school district is just one of the six petitioner school districts that sued state officials, for what they call, “Pennsylvania’s inadequate and inequitable school funding system, with some of the nation’s widest gaps in funding between low-wealth and high-wealth school districts.”





















Advocates say the underfunding of schools in the Commonwealth goes well beyond the petitioner districts.

“You know, in many respects, the petitioners are illustrative of the problem, by no means are they the only districts experiencing underfunding,” said Mimi McKenzie, Legal Director at the Public Interest Law Center. “Underfunding impacts rural schools, it impacts urban schools, it impacts suburban schools,” she added.

The Public Interest Law Center and the Education Law Center are the two law centers that filed the case on behalf of the petitioners.

Testimony will continue through Friday of this week with school officials from Greater Johnstown, Lancaster, and Shenandoah Valley School Districts









 

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