Education funding gap persists

Kids don’t choose to be poor. They’re born poor, which too often becomes a life sentence.

Helping kids climb out of poverty is a responsibility we all share, because we all reap the economic and social benefits. In short, less poverty means spending less on social services for the poor, not to mention the cost crime imposes on taxpayers.

But spending less at the back end means spending more at the front end — on schools heavily populated with children from low-income families. And by spending more, we mean spending education money more equitably.

Pennsylvania has the widest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts in the country. That’s because school districts in this state rely on local property taxes to a greater degree than any other state, thanks largely to the state’s stingy 30 percent contribution to education.

The additional revenue in wealthy districts pays for greater opportunities for students: better materials and resources, more advanced classes, an array of extracurricular activities. This enables more students to obtain college acceptance and, ultimately, a rewarding career. No poverty for them.

State lawmakers addressed this disparity by agreeing to a new funding formula that takes into consideration student population and poverty level. But they blunted the impact of their good work by leaving the state’s so-called “hold harmless” clause on the books. The clause was a political agreement that bought support for funding reform by guaranteeing that a district cannot receive less funding from one year to the next. Only funds above that baseline are subject to the new formula, which means it could take decades for the formula to bring about equity.

Clearly, the clause should be repealed. And legislation to eliminate property taxes in exchange for higher state income and sales taxes could be a significant equalizer. It also would help if poorer districts merged with their more well-off neighbors, a transition requiring some state incentives. All three issues demand lawmakers’ attention.