In an ironically labeled “modest proposal” distributed Jan. 11, Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy detailed a handful of suggestions that would solve many problems in Harrisburg for school districts and the commonwealth - if there were anyone willing to listen.

Lost in the fog of partisan political war is the fact that a series of modest budgetary and policy proposals are doable and could significantly benefit and strengthen public schools in the commonwealth if our elected state leaders would choose to enact them.

Public policy reflects choices by legislators about what we value and how we distribute scarce resources, generally in the form of money. Our political leaders can choose to correct public policy that has been decidedly damaging to public education. Our political leaders can choose to implement a number of modest policy proposals that demonstrate a belief in the value of public education, invest in our schools and shift away from the detrimental public policy of the recent past.

Each of the following proposals have been discussed and considered in Harrisburg, none have been enacted by our political leaders. The estimated financial benefit to the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) for each of the proposals is noted:

Proposal #1 - Pass the budget framework for 2015-16 agreed to by the governor, House Republican leaders, Senate Republican leaders and passed by the Senate as Senate Bill 1073 in early December. Impact: + $2.7 million to BASD

Proposal #2 - Implement the funding revisions recommended by the Special Education Funding Commission so that charter schools are no longer overpaid by school districts for special education costs. Impact: + $1 million to BASD.

Proposal #3 - Implement the revised cyber charter funding formula proposed by Governor Wolf in his initial budget to correct the egregious overpayments districts are mandated to make to cyber charter schools. Impact: + $270,000 to BASD

Proposal #4 - Reinstate the charter tuition reimbursement to districts that was part of the original funding plan for charter schools and eliminated in Governor Corbett’s first budget. Impact: + $5 million to BASD

Proposal #5 - Reduce the PSERS rate collar to 2.5% as proposed in Senate Bill 1082. Impact: + $2 million to BASD

The grand total of additional state financial support to BASD if these modest proposals were enacted is roughly $11 million! This increase in state support for BASD would significantly reduce the pressure on local property taxes that is currently created by the legislature’s prior policy decisions.

Good public policy benefits BASD students and local property taxpayers!”