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For Immediate
Release
4/17/07
CONTACT:
David Broderic
(717) 787-2637
Senate Education Committee Votes to
Provide Flexibility for Education Spending
HARRISBURG – Choosing local decision-making over mandatory spending programs,
the Senate Education Committee today voted to fold a number of Governor
Rendell's education spending proposals into the accountability block grant
program, eliminating the need to fund them as stand-alone initiatives.
Committee chairman James J. Rhoades (R-29) offered the initiative as an
amendment to Senate Bill 399, a proposal introduced by minority chairman Raphael
Musto (D-14) to allow school districts to expend block grant funds on foreign
language programs offered to elementary school students.
"Because the budget this year will be so tight, it is clear to me that we can
not fund all of the education initiatives that the Governor has proposed,"
Rhoades said. "But we can give our school districts the option to fund these
programs with whatever state funding is available to them through the
accountability block grant program."
Rhoades' amendment inserted the Classrooms for the Future, Science, Its
Elementary and Project 720 initiatives into the accountability block grant
program as approved spending options. School districts already have the option
to spend block grant funds on full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten
programs.
"School districts are in the best position to make decisions about what works
for their students," Rhoades added. "So, let's give them choices. That is what
the accountability block grant program is all about."According to Rhoades, the
Governor has proposed $216 million in appropriations for full-day kindergarten,
pre-kindergarten, Classrooms for the Future, Science, Its Elementary and Project
720 as part of his FY 2007-2008 proposed budget.
The accountability block grant program was established in 2003 in order to
provide school districts with state funds to finance any of ten approved
initiatives. Since FY 2003-2004, the General Assembly has appropriated $650
million for the program.
"By giving our school districts options, we can promote local flexibility and
fiscal responsibility," Rhoades said. "Working as partners, the General
Assembly and the school districts can promote initiatives that work for our
students, without breaking the bank."
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