Governor Tom Wolf announced his 2021-22 budget proposal yesterday. The plan calls for $1.5 billion more dollars for education. Most of his proposed increase in funding would flow through the fair funding formula enacted five years ago. $1.35 billion of his proposal would be distributed as part of the basic education subsidy, which allows schools to use the money for primary operations.

The proposal would bring the total distributed through the basic education subsidy to $8.1 billion. This would provide a significant increase to schools. However, it’s important to remember this is only Wolf’s proposal.

To pay for this large increase in education funding as well as other proposed initiatives, Wolf is proposing an increase in the personal income tax. That increase would not impact all taxpayers based on the proposal. Some tax payers would end up paying less taxes while the highest earners would pay more. Wolf is also calling for other income generators in the budget, however the personal income tax increase would bring in the most money.

Opposition to the budget has already begun. Tax increases are unpopular – even if a portion of the population won’t actually pay more taxes. And, there is a provision in the Pennsylvania Constitution that does not allow unequal tax rates. Budget hearings will begin soon to discuss Wolf’s most ambitious proposal yet.

In December 2020, as part of COVID-19 financial relief, Congress allocated more funds schools can use to address issues related to the pandemic – specifically learning loss. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Round II (ESSER II) can be used for a wide variety of activities.

You can find your school district or charter school’s preliminary allocation on PDE’s website.

We suggest you begin conversations now with your administrators on ways to use some of the ESSER II funds for your music programs. You may also want to inquire about the allocation of the first round of ESSER funds in case there is unallocated funds in your district or charter school.

Here is a list of possible ways you can use the ESSER finds. Keep in mind the goal of these funds is to address learning loss during the pandemic.

• Paying for remediation in music education – in school or after school programming
• A learning “camp” to address learning loss
• Purchase of software that assists with in person, hybrid, or remote learning and assessment
• Facility repairs and improvements including proper ventilation
• Instrument sanitizing supplies
• PPE for music classes – masks, bell covers, etc
• Purchase or rental of instruments for students that are financially unable to obtain them
• Purchase or rental of instruments that were typically shared by students but more are needed to avoid sharing
• Professional development for music educators related to in-person learning in a safe way

Materials needed to set up a classroom with a physical distance between students (sheet music, music stands, media cart, etc.)

• Voluntary activities sponsored or approved by a school entity’s governing body or administration are suspended, however these extracurricular activities may be held virtually. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at or participation in activities such musical ensembles, school plays, student council, clubs and school dances.

On Friday May 29, 2020, Governor Wolf signed into law a budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year that begins July 1^st.  A large piece of the budget is short-term and funds government operations through November.  That was done for a variety of reasons but mainly because the state won’t fully know what deficit will be in place as income has slowed with the state allowing taxes that would normally have been due April 15^th to be due July 15^th.

Most noteworthy to PMEA members is that the budget does fund K-12 and higher education for the entire 2020-21 school year.  This is a major victory for schools as it provides school guidance on the amount of funding they will receive from the state before their local budgets are due on June 30^th.  Education funding in the budget is level funded at the 2019-20 budget year levels.  This is another major victory and one of PMEA’s legislative asks.  With the current state of the economy, the commitment from the state to education is extremely noteworthy.  Other states are already calling to cut billions of dollars from the education budgets.  For Pennsylvania to maintain education funding in current times is extraordinary.

This does not mean our advocacy work is over.  School districts will still have to make tough decisions as they determine local tax revenues and how that relates to their state and federal funding, and their reserve funds.  It is important that you monitor your school district’s budget situation over the next month.

On June 8^th, during PMEA’s Virtual Advocacy Day, we will ask you to join us in thanking members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly for putting education first and providing predictability and funding to school districts as we enter the 2020-21 budget and school years.

Here are some other important budget highlights:

As part of the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (EESER) has been established providing over $13 billion to schools.  The ESSER allocates funds to states which are then allocated to school districts.  The funding can be used for any program that are already allowable under guidelines of other federal education programs.

School districts and charter schools in Pennsylvania can now apply for this funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. NOW is the time for you to talk to your administrators about ESSER funding and how you can use the funding for your music program.

Here are some questions to think about so you can ask for ESSER funding.

• Are all of my music students receiving equitable access to instruction?
• Are there plans for equitable instruction in the future?
• What additional equipment does my program need to ensure music instruction?
• What cleaning protocols are necessary to ensure the safety of music students? Do instruments need to be sent out for repair? Do you need to purchase extra reeds or mouthpieces for students?

As we have talked about when it came to ESSA, Title IV funding, you can do a needs assessment of your program to ensure you are asking for the correct use of funding.  What needs does your program have NOW to ensure students have and will continue to have access to music education?

Once you’ve determined those needs, have a conversation with your administrators AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and ask that you receive some of the ESSER funding.  Applications are now open for school districts and charter schools so time is critical to communication with your administrators so they can include music education in their use of funding.

View proposed allocations to school districts and charter schools on PDE’s website.

If you have any questions, contact us at advocacy@pmea.net and we’ll do our best to assist.

The Pennsylvania Constitution requires the state to pass a budget by June 30^th each year.  This year, the budget came in just under the wire and was signed into law in time to start the new fiscal year. The $34 billion budget is a nearly 4 percent increase from last year’s $32.7 billion budget with no increases in sales or income tax rates.

Here are some of the key highlights of the budget as they relate to education:

• This budget provides $160 million more for basic education for a total of $6.2 billion.
• $50 million more is allocated for special education.
• Early intervention programs will see a $15 million increase.
• An additional $7 million is provided for career and technical schools and $3 million more is allocated for related equipment grants.
• $60 million for school security grants.
• The four state-related universities, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and community colleges will see a 2 percent increase for a total of $1.3 billion.

PMEA had advocated for an increase of $225 million in the state’s basic education subsidy.  While the budget did not meet that target, we are thankful to the General Assembly for a $160 million increase.  That money will be distributed to school districts to be used in their local budgets and can be used to support music and arts programs.

Governor Wolf proposed a reduction in funding for the school safety program while PMEA advocacted for it to reamin at last year’s funding level.  The final budget does not reduce that amount and keeps it at last year’s funding level of $60 million.  Not only is that money useful for school safety initiatives, it allows school districts to use other monetary resources from the local, state, and federal level for other education expenses that they would have otherwise used for school safety.

PMEA also advocated for at least a $7 million-dollar increase to the State System of Higher Education schools to support the work they are doing to educate Pennsylvania’s future music educators.  The General Assembly exceeded that amount and provided over $9 million to the State System schools.  PMEA will continue to work with our members at State System schools to advocate for their programs.