1Urging the Governor to develop a comprehensive legislative plan
2to improve basic education in the public schools of this
3Commonwealth and to establish an advisory commission to study
4and make specific recommendations for components of the plan.

5WHEREAS, The public schools of this Commonwealth are valued
6assets that have provided a quality education to countless
7public school students since their inception; and

8WHEREAS, School districts in this Commonwealth have recently
9experienced significant budget shortfalls over the previous
10fiscal years due to the combination of severe cuts in State
11funding and the reduced revenue from local school taxes
12resulting from the economic downturn; and

13WHEREAS, As a result of the severe budget constraints, school
14districts have reluctantly been faced with the necessity of
15reducing or eliminating components of their educational
16programs, such as kindergarten, libraries and the arts and
17furloughing experienced professional educators to balance their
18budgets; and

1WHEREAS, The structure of State and local funding for school
2districts needs to be reviewed and revised as needed to address
3equitable funding; and

4WHEREAS, The elimination of components of their educational
5programs and the necessary furloughs of experienced professional
6educators raise questions regarding which educational programs
7and what professional educator-to-student ratios are needed to
8provide the level of education needed for students to succeed in
9the current global economy; and

10WHEREAS, Several school districts are experiencing deficits
11that have placed them in severe financial distress; therefore be
12it

13RESOLVED, That the Senate respectfully urge the Governor to
14develop a thoughtful and cohesive, comprehensive legislative
15plan to improve the education of students in the public schools
16of this Commonwealth; and be it further

17RESOLVED, That the Senate respectfully urge the Governor, in
18order to develop the comprehensive legislative plan for public
19education, to establish an advisory commission with a sufficient
20number of advisory commission members consisting of parents,
21teachers, school administrators, business leaders, higher
22education leaders and legislators representing a balanced cross
23section of the citizens of this Commonwealth to study and
24provide specific recommendations for the components of the plan,
25including the following issues:

26(1) what sources of State and local funding for basic
27education are the best sources of revenue for reliability and
28equity;

29(2) what educational programs and professional educator-
30to-student ratios are needed for student success in the

1current global economy and how they should be evaluated for
2impact;

3(3) what is the future role of the Department of
4Education in addressing financially distressed school
5districts; and

6(4) suggestions for revisions to the Public School Code
7of 1949 and recommendations for shared services and school
8district consolidation options;

9and be it further

10RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
11the Governor.