PSEA Campaigns Against Plan Proposed By Mastriano

The Pennsylvania State Education Association visited Trinity High School to campaign against a proposed education plan put forth by candidate for governor State Senator Doug Mastriano. In a radio interview in March of this year Mastriano indicated that instead of funding students at $19,000 per student on average, his proposal would be to fund them at approximately $10,000 and eliminate all local property taxes. Aaron Chapin, Vice President of the PSEA says the group has been calling on Mastriano’s campaign to provide details of his plan but none have been sent. He calls the move disastrous for education because no matter what avenue parents would choose, public schools, private schools or cyber education, all programs would be hit with staff and support reductions of roughly 50% and education programs would be equally affected. According to a PSEA study, Mastriano’s proposal would cut state funding by $12.75 billion resulting in over 118,000 public school jobs lost. It would cause a 109% increase in the student teacher ratio.  In the Trinity Area School District, approximately 35% of school funding would be lost amounting to $21.5 million dollars, 262 jobs and an increase in the student teacher ratio of 131%.