A bill to increase Pennsylvania public school funding by billions of dollars passed the State House and is heading to the Senate for a vote.

House Bill 2370 proposes more than $5 billion extra in funding for the next seven years.

Pennsylvania State Education Association President Aaron Chapin said if the bill is signed into law, it would boost school funding and reflect critical elements of the Basic Education Funding Commission's majority report - which PSEA strongly supported when released in January.

"And essentially what it said is that 74% of our school districts, that's 371 districts out of 500, are underfunded at the state level," said Chapin. "And that means that hundreds of thousands of students across Pennsylvania, they're getting shortchanged by their state, and their schools are not getting the resources that more affluent districts have."

House Bill 2370 also reflects the recommendations in Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed fiscal 2024-25 budget, which suggests a $1.1 billion funding increase for Pennsylvania's public schools.

Chapin said the funding from HB 2370 will also help address the teacher shortage in Pennsylvania by allowing schools to offer competitive compensation.

"The bill says that districts may use funding to increase minimum salaries for professional employees to $60,000 a year, and minimum wages for support professionals for at least $20 an hour," said Chapin. "And what that's really going to do is empower school districts to attract more qualified caring adults to the education profession. "

Chapin noted that the bill addresses the Commonwealth Court ruling that found Pennsylvania's public school funding system unconstitutional.

He noted that the Basic Education Funding Commission traveled across the state and gathered input from educators, advocates and experts about the real needs of public schools.

"What that report said is that $9.5 billion in new state dollars need to be invested into our public schools over the next seven years," said Chapin. "And that will help close the gaps from decades and generations of underfunding. House Bill 2370 implements that commission's plan."

Chapin said his organization applauds House leadership's unwavering commitment to ensuring adequate and equitable public education funding.

New Mexico consistently ranks low in childhood educational achievement, but its path to a college degree is being recognized at the highest levels.

President Joe Biden has applauded New Mexico for leading the way in no-cost higher education, along with loan repayment and loan-for-service programs.

Stephanie Rodriguez, the state's secretary of higher education, said a recent "gold star" designation by the Campaign for Free College acknowledges the state's tuition-free Opportunity Scholarship program as one of the most accessible, inclusive and all-encompassing in the country.

"We know that when people are educated beyond high school they have higher wages, they can have family-sustaining careers and they can be successful in whatever endeavor they want to go into," Rodriguez pointed out.

She noted the state's Opportunity Scholarship, Lottery Scholarship, grants and other financial aid programs make it possible for nearly all New Mexicans to pursue higher education without having to worry about tuition and fees. In addition to recent high school graduates, the program is open to returning adult learners, part-time students and immigrants, regardless of their immigration status.

New Mexico is one of the nation's poorest states, with some of the country's lowest K-12 educational outcomes, but lawmakers have significantly increased educational funding in recent years and created the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department.

Rodriguez emphasized since the college scholarship program was introduced in 2022, enrollment has increased every semester.

"We're moving the levers in other areas so that New Mexicans can be successful," Rodriguez observed. "We may not see it right now, but in the future -- because of the investments, because of the policies we put in place -- you're going to see us move up in education overall."

The Lottery Scholarship continues to cover full tuition for around 10,000 students each year. Rodriguez added New Mexico had the second-best enrollment growth of any state last year and remains in the top five this year, with first-time enrollment up 10%.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

Workers who help Washington state classrooms run are calling for higher wages.

Known as classified staff, their jobs include administrative work, transportation and custodial services. Unions representing workers, including the American Federation of Teachers of Washington and Washington Education Association, have launched a wage campaign to increase pay for these workers.

Anitra Wise, a para-educator with the Tacoma School District, helps teachers in the classroom and said her wages simply aren't enough.

"We have to work two and three different jobs just to catch up with the cost of living, including housing, groceries and things that we need to survive," she said.

With Washington state school districts out for summer, classified staff members face another challenge: the suspension of their low wages.

Wise said she's working at summer school this year.

"We have to supplement that income somehow, and I really don't get a summer, because I have to work just to supplement my income," she continued.

Wise added classified staff have many important jobs, including the work she does as a para-educator in the classroom.

"We're the glue that keep it together, do all the small jobs and the big jobs, too. Because without the team of para-educators, the teachers would not be able to teach, and para-educators are teachers also," she said.

School is out for the summer but a lack of learning opportunities can leave kids behind when they head back to school next year.

The organization Save the Children is offering advice on how parents and caregivers can include learning into everyday activities. It is also providing events to help kids in rural areas.

Amee Barlet, Washington state program specialist for Save the Children, said parents are kids' first and most important teachers and they can help children learn in many different situations.

"Cooking, and this is good for all ages, getting kids in the kitchen," Barlet suggested. "When you're doubling a recipe it's a really important way of talking about fractions, adding fractions. They're using measuring cups."

Barlet noted for younger kids, parents can pick a letter and ask kids to find things starting with the letter. She added families can look into their family history, and parents and caregivers can make books more fun by drawing characters from them or acting them out.

Barlet pointed out Washington is one state where Save the Children is holding Make Summer Fair events, which is giving kids in rural areas learning opportunities.

"There's many wonderful things about growing up in a rural community," Barlet explained. "There's lots to offer. But one thing that we know is that rural communities are often underresourced when it comes to providing structured learning activities over the summer, leaving kids kind of at a loss."

Yolanda Minor, early learning specialist for Save the Children, had advice for parents who are looking to incorporate learning into the summer.

"Let them know to make it fun for children," Minor urged. "We want children to foster a love for reading and not think that these engagements are chores or anything."