Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called on state lawmakers Tuesday to support his estimated $48.3 billion budget plan for the year.
“Now is the time to invest some of that $14 billion surplus squirreled away here in Harrisburg,” said Shapiro.
Shapiro unveils education plan with $1.1B in new funding; changes to higher education
That plan included a $1.1 million increase to public schools with a large portion of that going to the state’s poorer districts and populations.
And with Erie having one of the poorest zip codes in the U.S., that funding can help
“What we need to do is we need to make sure that every school district is able to put every student on a level playing field. It shouldn’t matter what your zip code is, what your school is, but whether or not you get that education that will prepare you for a successful future,” said Christopher Lilienthal, assistant director of communications at PSEA.
Shapiro said he also wants to address mental health needs in schools, along with helping public schools hire and retain good teachers.