Exposing the truth about education funding

Originally posted at LancasterOnline

Does more money improve student performance in our public schools? This question is at the heart of many policy debates in Harrisburg and is central to a high-profile lawsuit before the state Commonwealth Court. Its answer is worth billions of dollars to taxpayers and could affect thousands of students’ futures — but some state lawmakers don’t want you to know the answer.

On Jan. 26, the Performance-Based Budget Board buried a report from the state’s nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office. The Independent Fiscal Office had just completed a review of the state Department of Education, in which it assessed how school funding levels impact student outcomes.

Normally, Independent Fiscal Office reports receive widely publicized discussions and debates, which help lawmakers — and voters — make wise decisions. But state Rep. Matt Bradford, the House Democratic Appropriations chairman, led his colleagues in tabling the education report and its findings, relegating it to an obscure government website.

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