PA Academic Gains

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
June 24, 2008 
Department of Education
 
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
CONTACT: Michael Race (717) 783-9802
NATIONAL REPORT SHOWS PENNSYLVANIA MAKING MARKED ACADEMIC GAINS
Education Secretary Zahorchak Says Momentum Can Continue Under Governor Rendell’s Six-Year School Funding Plan
HARRISBURG – A new national study shows the progress Pennsylvania is making in preparing its students for success in the global economy. Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak said it underscores the need to build on those achievements.
Pennsylvania students are making long-term gains in reading and math while the achievement gap between low-income and minority students is narrowing, according to the report, released today, by the Center on Education Policy.
“The findings of this national study further confirms that Pennsylvania’s targeted education investments are paying dividends, and we need to continue that momentum to ensure that every Pennsylvania child receives a first-class education,” Zahorchak said. “The Governor has outlined a long-term vision for education that will help ensure every Pennsylvania student is prepared for success, no matter where they live.
“While our academic achievements are gratifying, we cannot produce the next generation of leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs unless we continue to build our successes – and that means ensuring every child receives a quality education regardless of his or her family income or Zip code,” he said.
Governor Edward Rendell has proposed a $2.6 billion, six-year plan to move toward adequate school funding as determined in the General Assembly’s landmark Costing-Out Report, which provided the first-ever Pennsylvania specific funding targets for each school district. The report, released last year, calculated the additional resources that are needed in each school district for students to succeed.
The Center on Education Policy report examined state test score trends from 2002 through 2007. It found Pennsylvania’s students made moderate-to-large gains in reading in middle and high school grades and moderate-to-large gains in math among elementary and middle school students. There were no declines in any grades or subject areas measured by CEP.
The report also noted achievement gaps between Pennsylvania’s African-American and white students narrowed in reading and math for all grade levels analyzed. Similarly, the achievement gap for low-income students also narrowed in reading and math for all grade levels.
The Center on Education Policy report echoes the findings of a national report card released earlier this year that found Pennsylvania was one of only nine states that made progress in elementary school reading and math from 2003 to 2007.
“We have made great strides, but we cannot afford to ease up,” Zahorchak said. “Too many of our students are still not where they need to be to succeed beyond high school.”
Zahorchak said children who are not yet reaching proficiency are often the most expensive to educate, making adequate funding for all children in all schools a critical part of Pennsylvania’s overall efforts to ensure every child receives a quality education.
Governor Rendell’s six-year plan to increase the state’s basic education investment by $2.6 billion would use a three-step, annual formula:
1. Calculate the adequacy target for every school district. Governor Rendell’s proposal starts with the formula recommended by the General Assembly’s Costing-Out Report for determining an adequate level of regular education school funding in each school district.
2. Calculate the state share of each school district’s adequacy gap. Once each school district’s adequacy target is determined, it is compared to the district’s actual spending. The difference is the district’s adequacy gap. Governor Rendell’s proposal phases in each school district’s state investment towards adequate funding over six years. The level of state funding is determined by adjusting each school district’s total gap to reflect the level of local wealth and the district’s existing tax burden.
3. Ensure that new resources increase educational services for students. The Governor’s proposal ensures that taxpayers will have confidence that these significant new resources are being used for the most effective strategies for boosting student achievement. Any school district that receives a basic education funding increase that is more than the Act 1 inflation index (4.4 percent for 2008-09) is required to spend the portion of its increase above the index for proven school improvement strategies, including:
* More time and support for students to learn;
* Smaller classes;
* Pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten;
* A strong curriculum and teacher training; and
* Effective teachers, principals and superintendents. 
To view the CEP report, visit http://www.cep-dc.org. To learn more about Pennsylvania’s education initiatives and the governor’s proposal for education funding, visit http://www.pde.state.pa.us.
 
category:education