LETTER: Progress can be made when parties work together
It should be no surprise that one of the loudest cheers at Gov. Tom Wolf’s second inaugural address came when he spoke about education, specifically about restoring past funding cuts and enacting a new formula to distribute state money to public schools more fairly.
We all know how important investments in education are to our children and communities, but that work is just beginning.
The state share of funding for public schools – one of the lowest in the country – is still leaving many students in classes that are too large for teachers to do their jobs effectively. Too many students are trying to learn with outdated textbooks and outmoded technology, or in crumbling buildings. Too many do not have access to the courses they need to be prepared for 21st century jobs.
Wolf made another important point in his address: that progress can be made when both parties work together.
That is why it is so vital that the governor and the Legislature come together to prioritize Pennsylvania’s future by making significant increases in funding for public schools this year. If they do, the people will respond, just as they did on inauguration day.
Sandra Miller
Northeast Coordinator, Field Advocacy, for PA Schools Work