Thank You Pedro Rivera

     I had to opportunity today to listen and then speak with the Secretary of Education for the state of Pennsylvania, Pedro Rivera. First, Secretary Rivera has an extensive resume from teacher to principal to superintendent to executive director. In short, he has been in the trenches.
     It was wonderful to hear support for public education in general and CTE education specifically. Pennsylvania does have a clear vision to produce college/career ready students.
     It was also a pleasant surprise to hear about multiple measures of assessment for students. Some students do test well. Some students do better with projects. By providing multiple pathways to prove proficiency, Pennsylvania will be able to gage student skills in a manner that reflects student strength.
     The dreaded budget was also briefly mentioned in his presentation. It was the focal point of our conversation. I explained that many of the districts in Lawrence County have passed deficit budgets for several years. I also provided Laurel School District as a specific example. The district has passed 3 budgets in a row that reflect deficit spending. Laurel spends more than it receives. Secretary Rivera clearly stated that the state will not be able to restore funding to the pre-Corbett levels. However, Governor Wolfe has proposed pension relief and a review of cyber charter costs. Specifically, the formula used to assess district charges for cyber charter schools is suspect.
     The conclusion in Harrisburg: the state is aware that schools are struggling. Educational funding is a political football. The Democratic Party solutions do not have Republican support.  The Republic answers are not palatable to the Democrats. The compromise that will result will be a mix of minimal increases in funding, some possible relief in pension costs, and a potential new funding formula for cyber charter schools.
     The conclusion in Lawrence County: deficit spending is a recipe for bankruptcy. Some districts have less than 2 years of fiscal stability. All of us will be on life support at one time or another. It is not an issue of if, it is an issue of when. The Laurel School District has about 6 years of fiscal health before we are fiscally dead. Without substantial reform to reviews or expenditures to the tune of millions of dollars, Lawrence County public education will fight for its mere existence.