By RODNEY L. SHERMAN
Clarion News editor
It’s only a proposal and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has yet to reveal its proposed spending plan.
That is usually followed by weeks of negotiations and partisan bickering before a budget is reached sometimes before or on the June 30 state constitutionally-mandated deadline and sometimes after that deadline.
But the governor’s numbers are a starting point as local school district administrators and school boards begin their budget planning.
School district also must submit their 2020-21 budgets on or before June 30 and often must do so without confirmed state-funding levels in place.
Wolf’s proposed budget includes $36,652,408 for Clarion County school districts.
That figure includes $30,797,584 in basic education subsidies; $4,741,926 in special education funding; $1,083,385 in “Ready to Learn” block grant funding; and $29,513 in vocational education funding.
Over all, those totals are $445,421 more than last year — $365,185 more in basic education funding and $80,236 more in special education funding.
While the proposed funding is an increase for the county as a whole, the increases vary and in the case of Clarion Area School District, the proposed budget actually cuts funding.
Under Wolf’s proposed budget, Clarion Area would see it basic education funding cut by $91,567.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the funding spectrum, Union School District would see a $186,912 increase in basic education funding.
A closer look at the funding proposal for Clarion County school districts:
A-C Valley
Enrollment (2018-19): 691. Proposed basic education funding: $6,016,391, a $75,062 increase. Proposed special education funding: $697,731, a $7,896 increase. “Ready to Learn” block grant: $151,489 (unchanged). Total proposed state funding: $6,894,867, an $82,958 increase.
Clarion Area
Clarion-Limestone
Enrollment (2018-19): 837. Proposed basic education funding: $5,279,996 a $15,218 increase. Proposed special education funding: $717,831, a $14,038 increase. “Ready to Learn” block grant: $158,575 (unchanged). Vocational education: $29,513. Total proposed state funding: $6,185,915 a $29,256 increase.
Keystone
Enrollment (2018-19): 934. Proposed basic education funding: $7,207,768 an $80,764 increase. Proposed special education funding: $810,923, a $13,229 increase. “Ready to Learn” block grant: $194,891 (unchanged). Total proposed state funding: $8,213,582 a $93,993 increase.
North Clarion
Enrollment (2018-19): 631. Proposed basic education funding: $3,560,538 a $62,574 increase. Proposed special education funding: $408,039, a $5,049 increase. “Ready to Learn” block grant: $91,295 (unchanged). Total proposed state funding: $4,059,872, a $67,623 increase.
Redbank Valley
Enrollment (2018-19): 1,094. Proposed basic education funding: $8,775,052, a $34,945 increase. Proposed special education funding: $936,653, a $13,761 increase. “Ready to Learn” block grant: $229,939 (unchanged). Total proposed state funding: $9,941,644, a $48,706 increase.
Union
Enrollment (2018-19): 553. Proposed basic education funding: $5,974,230, a $186,912 increase. Proposed special education funding: $627,557, a $12,858 increase. “Ready to Learn” block grant: $157,782 (unchanged). Total proposed state funding: $6,759,569, a $199,770 increase.
State-level info
Wolf’s proposed 2020-2021 fiscal year budget includes $6,857,471,000 in the Basic Education Funding appropriation.
This amount is a $100,000,000 increase (1.6 percent) over the 2019-2020 formula portion of the appropriation.
In addition, as required by the Pennsylvania Public School Code, the 2020-2021 appropriation includes $502,392,000 for the School Employees’ Social Security portion of the appropriation, which must be used for School Employees’ Social Security payments to school districts.
This amount is a $14,633,000 increase (3 percent) over the 2019-2020 Social Security portion of the appropriation.
New dollars after the 2014-2015 fiscal year, totaling approximately $798,667,194, will be distributed based on the formula recommended by the Basic Education Funding Commission and enacted by the General Assembly in Act 35 of 2016.
Wolf’s proposed 2020-2021 fiscal year budget includes $1,211,815,000 for the Special Education appropriation.
This amount is a $25,000,000 increase (2.1 percent) over the 2019-2020 fiscal year appropriation.
For the Special Education Funding component, new dollars after the 2013-2014 fiscal year, totaling approximately $172,975,000 will be distributed based on categories of support for students with disabilities.