PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRAT TOM WOLF RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR AGAINST REPUBLICAN TOM CORBETT FIGHTING FOR STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS Tom Wolf knows that to rebuild our middle class and strengthen Pennsylvanias economy, we must provide every child with a world-class education that equips them with the skills to succeed in the 21st century. To do this, the commonwealth needs a leader who will ensure that every school is held to the same high standards, is funded appropriately, and graduates students with the skills needed to go on to college or enter the workforce. Tom Wolf is a major supporter of our states public education system, and he knows that Pennsylvania is home to some of the best public schools in the country. His two daughters attended York County public schools, where they developed a strong academic foundation that prepared them to go on to top-notch colleges and build successful careers. But he also knows that there is still a lot of work to be done. Pennsylvania needs a leader who will work tirelessly to make sure that every child, regardless of his or her zip code, receives the best possible education. As governor, Tom Wolf will restore Governor Corbetts $1 billion in cuts to education, implement a fair funding formula, and institute reforms to help local school districts innovate and improve student performance. This is because he believes that we have not only a constitutional obligation to provide for a thorough and efficient public education system but also a moral obligation to ensure that our youngest residents receive an education that will allow them to reach their full potential. Tom also believes Pennsylvania should extend the notion of basic education to include universal pre-K, because too much of the battle for educational achievement is lost before our children enter kindergarten. As governor, Tom Wolf will fight everyday to build a strong public education system so that we can keep, create, and attract good jobs right here in Pennsylvania. INSTITUTING A FAIR FUNDING FORMULA The key to good jobs and a secure middle class is a strong public education system. But for Pennsylvania to get to a place where every school is doing an exemplary job of educating students, the State needs to increase its share of funding, with the ultimate goal of covering 50 percent of the costs. By increasing funding, we can help alleviate the tax burden on local property owners, and ensure that students have access to the tools and resources needed to succeed in school. But we need to make sure that these additional funds are spent in the most efficient, effective, and transparent manner possible. Thats why, as governor, Tom Wolf will institute a funding formula. He will start with a costing out study to determine the true costs of a high-quality education. In addition to a nationally competitive base rate, the funding formula will tie additional funds to district size, poverty levels, local tax efforts, and student makeup. This formula will: •Lead to increases in state funding, which will help alleviate the tax burden on property owners; •Ensure that state funds are distributed in an equitable, transparent, and predictable manner so that school district leaders have the ability to plan for the long term; and •Incentivize school districts to develop innovative programs that improve student achievement. In addition to creating a fair funding formula to guide the distribution of state funds to traditional public schools, Tom Wolf will also implement fair funding formulas for brick-and-mortar and cyber charter schools. Tom Wolf knows that we all have a stake in the quality of the education our children receive because its the key to good jobs and a secure middle class. And he will fight everyday to build a world-class public education system so that we can keep, create, and attract good jobs right here in Pennsylvania. wolfforpa/sections/issues/education?utm_source=aw&utm_campaign=aw_debate&gclid=CJ2vk7nkysECFahr7AodU1EA_g
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 17:19:56 +0000
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