Seeking Balance:
Fairness in Educational Funding
​in Pennsylvania

 
This six-part forum allowed our community to learn more about inequities in educational funding in PA.

Dynamic experts in various dimensions of educational funding lead this forum to inform and spark dialogue in our community, addressing the unfair funding policies that support systemic racism and economic disparities in education in Pennsylvania. 

If you missed a presentation, scroll down! We've posted the videos from each week at the bottom of this page.

Want to know how you can advocate for fair funding in PA? Check out the list of resources below!
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Organized by a coalition of Pottstown area faith communities:
First Baptist Church of Pottstown
Zion's United Church of Christ
First Presbyterian Church
Trinity Reformed Church of Pottstown
​Bethel Community Church
Congregation Hesed Shel Emet​

Resources to advocate for Fair Educational Funding in PA:

​1. Click here for sample emails. Please adapt them to your own particular context. If possible, share a specific personal experience that highlights the problem of inequitable funding. 

2. Click here to if you would like to check to see how much your school might be shortchanged. Find your school district in Column A and the inequity in columns I and J. (The inequity is the difference between what your school district actually receives in Basic Education Funding, PA State Tax Dollars, versus what it would receive if PA’s Fair Funding Formula were used fully.)

3. Click here for a handout with examples from across the state of Inequity in Pennsylvania Public School Funding.

4. Check the Welcome page for information on the rally on June 21st at 12:30pm at the Pottstown Middle School for Fair Funding sponsored by POWER and Pennsylvanians for Fair Funding.

Would you like to see David Mosenkis' presentation from Sunday, February 21st?

Please take a moment to view the recording of his presentation and the community conversation that followed.
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​David Mosenkis of POWER Interfaith discussed how Pennsylvania's public school funding system is among the most inequitable in the country, and how it got that way.

You can view the slides from David's presentation by clicking here.
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Are you looking to review the presentation by Stephen Rodriguez from Sunday, February 28th?
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Please take a moment to view the recording of Mr. Rodriguez's presentation and the community conversation that followed.

Stephen Rodriguez, Superintendent of Schools for the Pottstown School District, discussed the role of taxation in educational funding in Pennsylvania in general and Pottstown in particular.

You can view the slides from his presentation by clicking here.
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Did you miss Dr. Myra Forrest on Sunday, March 7th? 

Please take a moment to view the recording of Dr. Forrest's presentation and the community conversation that followed.

​Dr. Myra Forrest, Education Advocate for the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, spoke about the call to action sent to Pennsylvania legislators to address inequities in educational funding. These inequities were illuminated in a case study of the Pottstown School District.

You can view the slides from her presentation by clicking here.
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Do you have a moment to review the presentation by Laura Johnson on Sunday, March 14th? 
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Please take a moment to view the recording of Ms. Johnson's presentation and the community conversation that followed.

Laura Johnson, Pottstown School District Board of Directors and Co-founder of Pennsylvanians for Fair Funding, discussed how inequitable education funding affects every aspect of our community, from students not receiving the same educational opportunities as their neighbors, to undercutting the economic outlook for families, to depressing community morale. She will also talk about the advocacy efforts of Pennsylvanians for Fair Funding, a statewide grassroots coalition which started here in Pottstown.

You can view the slides from her presentation by clicking here.
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Please take a moment to view the presentation from Sunday, March 28th.

Joe Ciresi, PA State Representative from the 146th District, and Wendi Thomas, PA State Representative from the 178th District, provided insight into the legislative process for educational funding in Pennsylvania.

Watch the video here!

Where do we go from here? Take a moment to watch the video from Sunday, April 11th for more information. Then check the resources at the top of this page!

Maura McInerney, Esq, Legal Director, Education Law Center, Philadelphia, discussed the legal case against the state on behalf of underfunded school districts. 
 
Participants then had the opportunity to pose questions to the panel of Maura McInerney, Laura Johnson (Pennsylvanians for Fair Funding) or Will Fuller (Regional Director of POWER Metro).

Watch to learn what you can do to participate in advancing this justice initiative. 

You can view the slides from her presentation by clicking here.
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