East Penn Board of School Directors President Charles Ballard called for the state to increase funding for public education at the House Democratic Policy Committee hearing 2 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 27 in Bethlehem City Hall's Town Hall, 10 East Church St., Bethlehem.

Ballard, an assistant regional director for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said adequate basic and special education funding must be a priority in the 2013-2014 state budget. In his 20 minute testimony to the committee, Ballard also stressed the reduction or elimination of unfunded mandates.

Ballard said, typical of Pennsylvania school districts, East Penn School District has had to adjust policies and pay to accommodate state funding cuts. He said pay freezes, cut backs on plans to reduce aging technology and decisions not to fill positions of retired employees have all stemmed from the reduction of funds. He also said staff development, textbook purchases and infrastructure components have been reduced to balance each year's budget.

According to Ballard, there are three major concerns he has regarding state funding and mandates.

Ballard said his first concern revolves around the district's pension payment, which he said has been continually rising.

"The governor's claimed $90 million increase to the basic education funding subsidy would mean that Lehigh County school districts would on the surface see $2.5 million (approximately $306,000 for a district the size of East Penn) more in overall funding," Ballard said. "However, this increase is offset by a $2.1 million increase for the upcoming 2013-2014 fiscal year in our district's pension payment, of which only half is paid for by the Commonwealth, leaving us nearly $1 million to make up from local taxpayers."

Ballard said the mandatory funding of charter schools also creates fiscal problems for Pennsylvania's school districts. He said the costs are rising and East Penn taxpayers will need to contribute approximately $500,000 more this year than they did a year ago.

Special education funding was also highlighted as a primary concern during Ballard's testimony. He said even if funding continues at the exact same rate, it is a financial loss for districts because the cost of special education continues to rise.

"In East Penn, our district's special education costs have gone from $5 million a year in the 2001-2002 school year to over $13 million in 2009-2010," Ballard said. "Due to unfunded mandates required by federal and state special education laws, the majority of the bill for special education services is a burden placed on local property taxpayers. Without adequate resources being provided by the state and federal government, some local boards of education may have no other choice than to escalate property taxes."

Ballard pointed out there are at least 23 mandates on schools regarding special education ranging from specially designed instruction and homebound services to educational training for both teachers and parents.

"In all fairness to my taxpayers, I could not testify here without also telling you that the constant stream of unfunded mandates has to stop," Ballard said. "Whether it is transporting children to nonpublic schools and charter students to locations within 10 miles outside the school district's boundary or expecting school districts to file unnecessary reports such as their athletic expenditures with PDE, it is sent to the school districts to handle with no funds being made available to pay for the costs of implementation.

"If it is important enough for you to mandate that we do it, it should be important enough to mandate that you pay for it."

Ballard said districts can not continue raising taxes to fund "brainstorms" by the state legislature. He said local taxpayers are frustrated with the "antiquated property tax system" designed to fund public education and every effort should be taken to allow funding for state mandated programs to come from the state coffers.

"Without meaningful solutions, school districts will continue to cut valuable educational programs and yet still have to turn to their local taxpayers to shoulder additional financial burdens," Ballard said.