Montgomery County Schools Face Changing Economic Landscape
(PHILADELPHIA) Thursday, October 31st, 2013 – Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman Josh Shapiro joined Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) to release the findings of a new PCCY report, The Bottom Line is Children: Public Education in Montgomery County.
The report finds that Montgomery County has the highest graduation rate in southeastern Pennsylvania. But it also notes that approximately 15,700 of its students are not reading or doing math at grade level.
The report also found:
- Only 52% of children in the county have option to attend full day kindergarten
- There is a $142,000 per classroom spending gap between the highest and lowest spending districts
- 83% of districts have raised property taxes at least once in the last 3 years Montgomery County School Districts need an additional $34 million in state funding to have adequate resources to support the needs of every student
- Poverty is rising in every school district, the number of children from low-income families increased by nearly 50% in the last four years.
“Montgomery County has some of the best school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania,” said Donna Cooper, Executive Director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth. “But as districts face more challenges and need to meet high standards, more state investment is needed to protect and preserve the great reputation of these districts.”
PCCY recommends
- The option of full day kindergarten for every child
- Increase resources to close academic achievement gaps within every district
- Focus special attention in boosting academic performance in Montgomery County’s districts that struggle the most, including Norristown and Pottstown
- County leaders build a county-wide coalition to focus on boosting the state’s investment in every district
Montgomery County’s strong economic and job growth is expected to last through the end of this decade according to the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board. But to meet employer demand for skilled employees, the challenges to public education must be addressed.
“Investing in early childhood education and seeing that commitment through to high school is critical to ensuring that our county remains strong and vibrant,” Shapiro said. “By investing in education we increase the prospects for a lifetime of success for our children, grow our local economy, reduce crime and improve our quality of life. To aid in this process, we need a new funding formula that drives out the dollars in a more equitable manner.”
PCCY’s Bottom Line Report, Public Education in Montgomery County, is the first in a four-part series looking at issues affecting children in each of Philadelphia’s suburban counties. Upcoming reports will focus on child health, hunger, and early childhood education.
The full report “The Bottom Line is Children: Education in Montgomery County” can be viewed online at https://www.childrenfirstpa.org/report/bottom-line-is-children-public-education-in-montgomery-county/.
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Founded in 1980, Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY, www.childrenfirstpa.org) is dedicated to improving the lives and life chances of children in the Delaware Valley. Through thoughtful and informed advocacy, community education, targeted service projects and budget