‘Doing our part’

As a result, individual school districts are out millions of dollars.

“All of our burden is placed on the local school district,” said John Augustine, director of the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center. He added that technical and vocational education centers like his face a particular peril since they lack taxing power and cannot borrow for operating expenses.

“Both Republicans and Democrats have long supported career and technical education as a cornerstone for Pennsylvania’s economy,” he said. “Now is the time to demonstrate bipartisan leadership, to provide safeguards for our students, our taxpayers and for the commonwealth’s future workforce.”

Robert Kartychak, principal of Hopewell High School in Beaver County, said his district has received $1 million from property tax reduction funds, but that’s only a fraction of the funding it has expected.

“We’re still waiting on $23 million,” he said, adding capital projects and technological upgrades have been deferred and open instructional positions remain unfilled.

In Hollidaysburg, Mike Rawlins, a teacher in the local district, said they are owed nearly $4.9 million.

“This is just unacceptable,” he said. “We’re already feeling the effects of the grants cut for facilities improvement as we have decades old buildings — including our junior high school, which was built in the early 1900s — that are just decaying rapidly. This affects all of our students, all of my students in the classroom every day.”

In Norristown, Superintendent Christopher Dormer said his district is still owed “more than $43 million in new state funding. Those dollars remain out of reach to us here in Norristown.”

That delay has forced the district to defer capital projects, postpone technology upgrades and leave key positions unfilled.

“Our schools are open. Teachers are teaching. Buses are running. Meals are being served. Students are learning,” he said. “We are doing our part. Now we need to partner with our state leaders to help them do their job … This isn’t about politics or process. It’s about Pennsylvania, our children and the right of those children to receive a fully funded and fairly funded public education.”