by Christin Brown | Abril 23, 2020 | News Releases
Las Becas de Continuidad de la Equidad Educativa pueden utilizarse para adquirir material informático, como ordenadores portátiles, tabletas y puntos de acceso a Internet, así como lecciones y material didáctico en papel.
Filadelfia, PA - Senador del Estado Christine Tartaglione (D-Filadelfia) anuncia que el Departamento de Educación de Pensilvania ha concedido $ 128,450 en subvenciones a las escuelas dentro del 2 º Distrito del Senado, así como $ 500,000 directamente al Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia para la compra de computadoras y otros materiales de instrucción.
Las Becas de Equidad para la Continuidad de la Educación (CEEG, por sus siglas en inglés) están diseñadas para ayudar a proporcionar acceso e inclusión para todos los estudiantes, cerrando la brecha para los estudiantes que están limitados en su capacidad de participar en la continuidad de la educación. Los nuevos premios son aplicables para el presente curso académico 2019-2020.
"Aplaudo al Departamento de Educación y a la Administración Wolf por reconocer la urgente necesidad de estos recursos en nuestras escuelas a la luz de la catástrofe del COVID-19", declaró el senador Tartaglione. "Las escuelas de ladrillo y mortero están cerradas para mitigar la amenaza para la salud pública del coronavirus, pero el aprendizaje de los estudiantes debe continuar. Debemos a nuestros hijos proporcionarles los recursos que necesitan para aprender y prepararse para su futuro."
El Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia recibió 500.000 dólares. Otros beneficiarios de subvenciones en el 2º Distrito del Senado fueron Mastery Charter-Smedley Campus (36.500 $), John B. Stetson Charter (43.950 $), Antonia Pantoja Community Charter (40.000 $) y Northwood Academy Charter (8.000 $).
La financiación del CEEG puede utilizarse para adquirir equipos informáticos, como ordenadores portátiles, tabletas y puntos de acceso a Internet, así como otros materiales didácticos, como lecciones en papel y material didáctico. Las escuelas con los porcentajes más altos de alumnos sin acceso a los recursos tuvieron prioridad a la hora de recibir estas subvenciones.
Para obtener más información sobre el programa de subvenciones y los recursos COVID-19 para los centros escolares, visite el sitio web del Departamento de Educación en education.pa.gov.
# # #
Si desea más información sobre este tema, póngase en contacto con William Kenny en el 215-533-0440 o en William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | Junio 22, 2018 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, PA, Junio 22, 2018 – State Sen. Christine Tartaglione applauded today’s early passage of a Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget that includes new investments in workforce development, education, health care and social justice. The Senate voted, 47-2, in support of the budget (HB 2121) previously passed by the Pennsylvania House. The budget now awaits Gov. Tom Wolf’s signature.
“This budget is an example of the great things we can accomplish when we work together in a bi-partisan way to create programs that benefit all Pennsylvanians,” Tartaglione said. “As minority chairman of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, I am especially proud of the workforce development initiatives, such as expanded apprenticeships and partnerships that involve labor organizations, vocational training facilities and the business community. These measures will help more young people find good careers that pay family-sustaining wages and benefits and will help the Commonwealth identify and satisfy its changing workforce needs.”
The approved budget includes a $30 million increase in the allocation for career and technical education through the PA SMART initiative. It also includes a new $7 million apprenticeship training program and a $3 million increase to industry partnerships, both through PA SMART, as well as a $3 million increase for combatting the Spotted Lanternfly infestation that threatens our agriculture industry.
Also today, the Senate unanimously approved the creation of the Keystone Scholars Grant Program through the passage of the omnibus Fiscal Code bill (HB 1929). The Keystone Scholars Grant Program will apply to every child born in Pennsylvania on or after Jan. 1, 2019. Upon receiving notice of a child’s birth, the Treasury Department will set aside $100 in a separate account that will be available to the child once they reach age 18 and enroll in a qualifying institution of higher education or a vocational or technical school. The student would be able to collect the $100, as well as investment earnings attributed to the account.
“This Keystone Scholars Grant Program makes an important statement about our commitment to improving education opportunities for future generations of Pennsylvanians,” Tartaglione said. “As each child grows, this funding will grow and will provide them with another incentive to pursue post-secondary education or job training.”
During a busy day at the Capitol, Senator Tartaglione also joined members of the Philadelphia delegations in both the Senate and House, as well as other leaders in the General Assembly, to announce the House’s passage of a $60 million school and community anti-violence package. The legislation originated in the Senate as SB 1142 and sets aside $7.5 million for community anti-violence programs. In addition, municipalities, institutions of higher education, community-based organizations and other entities will be able to apply for funds to support anti-violence initiatives.
The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will administer the grants through a School Safety and Security Committee. The objective is to reduce violence in schools by addressing it at the community level.
“This level of funding is unprecedented,” Tartaglione said. “Hopefully, this will become a watershed moment in our Commonwealth’s fight against violence in our schools and communities, particularly gun violence. I hope what we’ve accomplished today will usher in a new era of cooperation in the General Assembly on this critical issue.”
# # #
Si desea más información sobre este tema, póngase en contacto con William Kenny en el 215-533-0440 o por correo electrónico en William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | Octubre 28, 2015 | News Releases
Harrisburg – Octubre 28, 2015 – At the request of state Sen. Vince Hughes (D-Phila.), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a hearing on the devastating impact that the state’s 120-day budget impasse is having on schools across the state.
“While many of the budget dispute points remain unresolved, what is clear is that the consequences of this impasse are far-reaching,” said Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton), who chairs the committee. “This hearing gives lawmakers a sense of how schools are handling the funding shortfall, and what problems they’ll face if this stalemate continues to drag on.”
Hughes added, “A growing number of schools have been cornered into borrowing money and taking out credit lines just to keep their doors open. Hopefully, this hearing’s focus on this worsening statewide financial crisis will encourage greater urgency, cooperation and compromise in the ongoing budget negotiations.”
During the hearing, state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale testified that at least 27 school districts have taken out loans totaling more than $431 million. He projected that interest payments will total $30 million if the stalemate reaches mid-Noviembre.
Those who testified decried how the impasse has harmed students, depleted reserves and how taxpayers will be needlessly saddled with paying the interest on the growing number of loans and credit lines that schools are obtaining to keep their doors open.
Erie Public Schools Superintendent Jay Badams lamented that his district will need to borrow $30 million just to get through Enero.
“That’s $114,000 in wasted interest money that could have been used for so many badly needed educational expenses,” Badams said.
Dr. Joseph Roy, who serves as superintendent of the Bethlehem Area School District in Northampton County, added that “choices at the state level continue to hammer school districts.” He said the diversion of funds to charter and cyber schools and a “punitive” approach to public education has blown up school expenditures.
Dr. Rula Skezas, who serves as superintendent of the McKeesport Area School District in Allegheny County, noted that even if the district receives its proposed funding it would still fall short of what it received during the 2011 school year. She said McKeesport has taken out a $5 million line of credit to make it to Diciembre. She said the district has already eliminated 110 staff positions to try and make ends meet.
Hughes, who serves as Democratic chair of the Appropriations Committee, said public, charter and private schools are already reeling from years of being underfunded. He noted that the Philadelphia School District has already borrowed $275 million during the impasse. Fran Burns, who serves as chief operating officer for the School District of Philadelphia, testified that the district has struggled to contend with a “structural deficit.”
Lamenting the impact on local working families who fund schools through property taxes, Boscola pointed toward an educational survey conducted earlier this year showing that nearly 75 percent of districts were planning to impose property tax hikes, 30 percent were planning on making additional program cuts, and 41 percent were making more staff cuts. She said the state has withheld approximately $3 billion in school funds since the budget impasse began in Julio.
Joining Boscola and Hughes at the Capitol committee hearing were Senators John Blake (D-Lackawanna), Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny), Andrew Dinniman (D-Montgomery), Christine Tartaglione (D-Phila.) and Sean Wiley (D-Erie),
Those testifying included:
- The Honorable Eugene DePasquale
Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Fran Burns
Chief Operating Officer, School District of Philadelphia
- Joseph Gorham
Superintendent of Schools, Carbondale Area School District
- Dr. Joseph Roy
Superintendent of Schools, Bethlehem Area School District
- Dr. Jay D. Badams
Superintendent, Erie Public Schools
- Dr. Rula S. Skezas
Superintendent, McKeesport Area School District
- Marjorie Neff
Chair, School Reform Commission
- Anthony Pirrello
CEO, Montessori Regional Charter School of Erie, and Vice President of Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools
- Matt Przywara
Member, PASBO
Chief Financial and Operations Officer, School District of Lancaster
- Bill LaCoff
President, Pennsylvania School Boards Association
- Susan Gobreski
Education Voters of Pennsylvania
- Dr. Pearl English
School Nurse, School District of Philadelphia
# # #
by Christin Brown | Junio 30, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Junio 30, 2015 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today voted against the Republican state budget proposal for 2015-2016, saying it falls far short of the needed investments in education, workers and taxpayers.
“Many people believed we were heading in a new and better direction when the voters elected Tom Wolf to replace Tom Corbett,” Tartaglione said, “but the nightmare Corbett budget strategies continue.
“Voters overwhelmingly said they want someone who better understands the need to invest in our children and their education, to increase the minimum wage for people working in poverty, and to finally adopt an impactful property tax reform bill.
“Instead, we received a steamrolled Republican budget that looks too much like the past Corbett budgets, and all of Pennsylvania should shiver thinking about how this will continue to hold us back,” the senator said.
“I’ve heard Republican lawmakers say they, too, were granted a mandate because they increased their majorities in the House and Senate during the Noviembre election, but let me remind them that they merely enjoyed the fruits of their partisan redistricting efforts.
“This sham budget is not what Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians want or need,” Tartaglione said.
The Philly Democrat said the budget proposal heading to Gov. Wolf should include a significant natural gas extraction tax, a minimum wage increase to $10.10 an hour, liquor modernization (not a sell-off), less dependence on one-time budget tricks, and the restoration of the basic education funds that were siphoned away from school teachers and students for the past four years.
“Gov. Wolf has promised a veto, and I am waiting to see that happen,” Tartaglione said. “Once it does happen, House and Senate Democrats – who were blocked from contributing to this budget bill – will make sure a better job is done to be more equitable to Philadelphians and everyone in the commonwealth.”
###
Follow Sen. Christine Tartaglione on Facebook, Twitter and her website.
by Christin Brown | Junio 29, 2012 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Junio 29, 2012 – Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today released the following statement on the final 2012-13 budget:
“I commend the thousands of Pennsylvanians who took the time to come to Harrisburg over the past five months for their persistence and determination in moving this budget from where it started in Febrero to what was passed today.
I also want to thank some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for recognizing the governor’s proposal for what it was and understanding its potential impact on our most vulnerable citizens.
[hdvideo id=7 ]
Despite the efforts of citizens and the understanding of my colleagues, this budget fails the test put forth a half century ago by the writer Pearl S. Buck who said we ‘must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.
This budget, along with changes in the welfare code, allows our seniors to fear being deserted by the government they supported throughout their lives.
This budget takes its pain and payment from working families, minimum-wage workers, the nameless, the frail and the seniors who are struggling to live at home.
[hdvideo id=8 ]
This budget makes its promises and payments to the powerful, the privileged and the faceless corporations that live in mailboxes in Wilmington, Delaware.
Even as we claim to have no more money to spend, we are paying for those mailboxes in Delaware.
Our students are paying. Our homeowners are paying. Our college graduates are paying.
This budget lets the previous generation, and the next generation, pay the price for the politics of this generation.”
