Rendell initiative intrigues educators

Gov. Rendell's plan to boost state education funding by $291 million drew a mixed reaction yesterday from legislators and sparked interest among education advocates.

Democrats praised the proposal. Republicans were critical. Education advocates were encouraged by Rendell's long-range plans but wanted to see his complete budget before passing judgment.

"I need to see the details to see whether this proposal makes the problem better or makes it worse," said Baruch Kintisch, a staff lawyer with the Education Law Center, which backs overhauling the way schools are funded.

In tomorrow's budget address, Rendell will ask the legislature to increase school funding by 5.9 percent beyond the nearly $5 billion already spent, sources said.

He will call for similar increases each year until he leaves office in 2011 and will roll out a six-year plan that would boost the state's share of education costs from 37 percent to 44 percent. And, sources say, Rendell will call for the new money to be distributed according to a formula that provides more aid to districts with the greatest needs, including those with large numbers of students living in poverty and those with children learning to speak English. That approach was recommended in a "costing out" study released in November.

The study, which was commissioned by the legislature, said the state's public education system was underfunded by about $4.38 billion.

Under the governor's plan, even the most affluent districts would receive a 1.5 percent increase in state aid.

Though district-by-district calculations have not yet been released, state sources said Upper Darby would receive the largest percentage increase in the state, 22 percent. Philadelphia, the state's largest district, would receive about $86 million, a 9.6 percent increase.

"It is wonderful for our students," said Marian Rucci, a school board member in Upper Darby.

She said her district would receive such a large increase because of a rise in enrollment and an influx of English-language learners in recent years.

"I think it is a very solid down payment moving in the direction recommended by the costing-out study," said Sandra Dungee Glenn, chairwoman of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission. "I think Gov. Rendell has indicated his willingness to be an advocate and a leader in improving quality education here in Pennsylvania. And this kind of funding would be very important to the School District of Philadelphia."

But Steve Miskin, a spokesman for the House Republican caucus, questioned Rendell's proposal. "Money itself is not the answer," he said.

"The money needs to be geared to allow the teachers in the districts to focus on the basics," he said. "No more fancy mandates. No more headline-grabbing. But go back to teaching reading, writing and math."

State Rep. John Perzel (R., Phila.) wondered how the governor would pay for the increase because it exceeds the state's reported $200 million surplus. Perzel said the governor's budget also is expected to propose a state economic stimulus package. "I don't know where he is coming up with all this money," Perzel said yesterday.

The veteran legislator from the Northeast predicted Rendell's plan would be a tough sell in Harrisburg.

But State Rep. James R. Roebuck, chairman of the House Education Committee, expected the plan to receive wide support because it would help districts across the state. "The reality is most rural districts are underfunded even more than we are," said the West Philadelphia Democrat. "It is clear from the costing-out study that we need more money focused on education, and this begins to move us down that road."

State Rep. Dwight Evans of Philadelphia, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, said increasing school funding was vital for the state's future. "If you want to continue to make Pennsylvania a competitive state, we have to invest in our young people," he said. "A total of $291 million and potentially $86 million to $90 million to the city of Philadelphia is a great start, an excellent start," Evans said. "I hope we can have real bipartisan action and work together for the future of this state and not make it a long, drawn-out thing."

Kintisch, the Education Center lawyer, said advocates would study details of the governor's plan to see whether the $291 million would be in addition to supplemental money that has been provided over the last few years to aid underfunded districts. If that money has been removed, he said, the amounts would have to be subtracted from the $291 million "to come at the true amount he is dedicating to underfunded school districts."

Joan Benso, president and chief executive of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said that although she was heartened by the governor's plan, it fell short of the $1 billion increase in funding her group was seeking.

But Benso was buoyed that Rendell had adopted a long-range philosophy and a new approach to help address funding disparities among school districts. "The governor saying it is time to develop and implement a long-term plan is very, very encouraging," Benso said. "We just can't tweak this year after year. We've got to fix it."