HARRISBURG, Pa. -- While Texas and Florida have been hit by natural disasters, education advocates say a man-made disaster in the form of a budget crisis is about to make landfall in Pennsylvania.
The state House of Representatives still has not acted on a bill to fund the state budget. On Tuesday, state Treasurer Joe Torsella announced that the treasury will be empty by Friday and, if the budget hasn't been finalized, he will not authorize loans to meet state obligations.
Dolores McCracken, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said that would hit the state's public schools hard.
"If the House doesn't act soon, our schools could miss $1 billion in state funding payments in September and October,” McCracken said.
The Republican majority in the House is deeply divided over how to raise the money needed to pay for the budget it passed in June.
School funding in Pennsylvania is heavily dependent on local property taxes. And, as McCracken pointed out, that means the poorest school districts would feel the most immediate impact.
"Because they don't have a taxpayer base that they get earlier on in the year like some of our wealthier school districts, we have districts that will actually worry about whether or not they can make payroll,” she said.
The budget bill that passed earlier this year does include some increases in state funding for education. But McCracken said the increases really only replace money that had been cut from state funding for education in previous budgets.
"Without a revenue package, we stand to lose the billion dollars that we have restored over the last 2 1/2 years," McCracken said.
Without additional revenue, and with limited discretionary funds available, the state may be forced to make $2.2 billion in cuts to the approved budget.
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President Donald Trump's executive order dismantling diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs has led to the defunding of Kutztown University's NASA program for STEM students.
Kutztown was one of only eight schools nationwide selected last fall for NASA's Here to Observe program.
Kutztown Professor of Physical Sciences Erin Kraal, PhD, said they were told their program violated DEI rules.
But she said the program follows the law and is open to all students, especially those who face challenges and might not normally have such opportunities.
"What I want to emphasize is that our program was focused on providing opportunities to our Kutztown students," said Kraal, "and that the NASA H2O program let us do that in a way where financial need would not be a barrier."
She said they received a five-year, $375,000 NASA grant that would have reached about 70 first-year Kutztown students. The program started in the fall but was canceled after only three months.
Kraal - who is also the faculty director for the Center for Engaged Learning - said about 60% of the first group of students are freshmen majoring in fields such as physics, engineering, astronomy, computer science, and chemistry.
She added that they had only about $1,500 in allowable expenses, and that neither she nor the other faculty members will be paid for their work.
"Our students were supposed to receive a stipend because they were participating in something beyond their normal classwork," said Kraal. "The stipends were not awarded through NASA, so we were terminated in March, and we have appealed that. However, we've received no information about that appeal."
She pointed out that Kutztown University stepped in along with the provost and president to provide some transition funding to help with emergency expenses.
However, a planned trip to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference had to be canceled.
Despite these setbacks, students are still connecting with NASA mentors and learning about Mars, mission design, ethics, and storytelling.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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Jude Bruno, president-elect of the Florida Parent Teacher Association, is leading a charge against two controversial education bills which would reshape the state's school system, even as Republican lawmakers tout the measures as expanding parental choice.
The legislative battle comes in what is supposed to be the session's final week, with high stakes for public school funding and governance. His organization opposes House Bill 123, which would permit municipal charter schools to bypass local district oversight, arguing it creates unequal standards for taxpayer-funded institutions.
"We are not against charter schools but we are against mechanisms and rules that would circumvent the governance of our local public schools and our communities," Bruno explained.
The bill's companion, Senate Bill 140, which passed the Senate 30-7 last week, would allow traditional public schools to convert to charter schools with approval from 50% of parents, while explicitly excluding teachers and staff from the voting process. Supporters argued the measures empower families, particularly in underserved communities.
The PTA is raising concerns about proposed budget reductions, which could affect mental health services for students and funding for advanced academic programs. Bruno stressed the growing need for student support services.
"Even coming off the pandemic, we realize how important it is that we address the social and emotional needs of our students," Bruno emphasized. "That can only be effectively done by having licensed practitioners in that field be in our schools."
The PTA's legislative priorities come amid a broader debate over education funding that has pitted parent groups against lawmakers supporting school choice initiatives.
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Tennessee educators are expressing concern over President Donald Trump's push to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and return control to the states.
The Tennessee Department of Education serves more than 1 million students in 147 districts.
Tanya Coats, president of the Tennessee Education Association, said states already oversee most aspects of public education. She argued the plan risks key student services and could lead to defunding and privatizing public schools, resulting in larger class sizes, less individual attention and fewer resources for students with disabilities.
"Since there's only less than 30 days for most schools in the state of Tennessee to be in service, that it would cut our after-school programs come the next year," Coats pointed out. "And particularly our summer programs that augment this in school learning and skill building."
She noted educators would lose access to programs helping low-income students and those with disabilities go to college.
Gov. Bill Lee supports keeping education control in Tennessee's hands. In his State of the State address, he announced an additional $580 million for public education, including more funding for the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement formula and another teacher pay raise.
Coats argued if the Department of Education is dismantled, vulnerable students could lose essential academic resources, civil rights protections and life skills, putting their futures at risk. Federal programs like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act have transformed lives, ensuring crucial support for students with disabilities.
"When we think about if it's transferred to another department, it will likely cause chaos," Coats emphasized. "Chaos for those students with special needs and their families. But students and their families who currently have these Individualized Education Program and students with special needs will adversely be the most impacted by this change."
According to National Education Association, more than $308 million is allocated for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding in Tennessee.
Coats urged legislators, the governor and local communities to recognize the risks of unequal access to vital educational services. She stressed it is crucial every child, regardless of their ZIP Code, receives the support they need.
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