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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	August 13, 2013 09:13 AM
From:	Senator Judith L. Schwank
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	Advisory commission to develop a comprehensive legislative plan for public education

In the near future I will be re-introducing a Senate resolution urging the Governor to develop a comprehensive legislative plan to improve basic education in the public schools of the Commonwealth and to establish an advisory commission to study and make specific recommendations for components of the plan. In order to develop the comprehensive legislative plan for public education, the advisory commission should be established with a sufficient number of members consisting of parents, teachers, school administrators, business leaders, higher education leaders, and legislators representing a balanced cross-section of the citizens of the Commonwealth. The advisory commission will provide specific recommendations for the components of the plan including the following issues: (1) what sources of state and local funding for basic education are the best sources of revenue for reliability and equity; (2) what educational programs and professional educator-to-student ratios are needed for student success in the current global economy and how they should be evaluated for impact; (3) what is the future role in addressing financially distressed school districts; and (4) suggestions for revisions to the Public School Code of 1949 and recommendations for shared services and school district consolidation options. Co-sponsors in the prior session (SR 333) included Senators Costa, Hughes, Wozniak, Fontana, Ward, Ferlo, Yudichak, Stack, Blake, Washington and Leach.

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