Senate Policy Committee Holds Hearing in Chester County on Funding for Growing School Districts

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WEST GROVE – The Senate Policy Committee held a public hearing last week at the Avon Grove Intermediate School in Chester County to hear testimony about the impact of population growth on our school districts.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9) participated in the hearing, which was held to gather input on the state's basic education funding formula and its impact on growing school districts.

“From 1990 to 2005, Pennsylvania’s total population grew by less than 1 percent,” said Sen. Pileggi. “During that same time, the population of Chester County grew by 22 percent and the population of southern Chester County grew by 50 percent. We must find a way to better address the pressure that kind of dramatic population growth puts on school districts.”

Testifying at the hearing were:

• Dr. Augustus J. Massaro, superintendent of the Avon Grove School District;
• James A. Asciutto, business manager of the Avon Grove School District;
• Lynn Klingensmith, member of the Avon Grove School Board;
• William S. LaCoff, president of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and member of the Owen J. Roberts School Board;
• Dr. Joseph J. O’Brien, executive director of the Chester County Intermediate Unit;
• David Ward, assistant executive director of the Chester County Planning Commission; and
• Jim Buckheit, executive director of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.

"The hearing included some truly compelling testimony,” said Sen. Pileggi. “We will use the information to help make better decisions about how to allocate Pennsylvania’s school funding to give our students the best possible education.”