UNION TOWNSHIP, PA – Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27) and Senator Lisa Baker (R-20) welcomed Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe to Northwest Area School District today for a productive roundtable discussion focused on the unique challenges and funding needs of rural schools in Pennsylvania.
The event brought together superintendents, school board members, teachers, and other education stakeholders to discuss how the state can better support rural school districts through more equitable funding models, workforce support, shared services and the concerns of cyber charter schools’ effect on local schools. Participants also took part in a tour of the Northwest Area campus, highlighting facility needs and creative resource strategies.
Senator Culver, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, called the event an important opportunity to bring Harrisburg closer to the realities rural educators face every day.
“Our rural schools are often at the heart of the community—they’re not just places of learning, they’re gathering spaces, employers, and a source of local pride,” Culver said. “Today’s discussion gave school leaders the chance to speak directly with the Department of Education and with legislators about what’s working, what isn’t, and how we can ensure that students in every part of the commonwealth have access to a high-quality education. I’m grateful to Dr. Rowe for making the trip and listening closely.”
Senator Baker is inviting people to share their views here on her website.
“The difficulties facing our small and rural school districts have been building and compounding for many years,” Baker said. “While the new education funding formula is a major advance overall, there are more than a few districts where the benefits have been limited. Our schools appreciated the opportunity to give state officials a closer look at the challenges and discuss additional reforms needed to provide an acceptable level of quality education and boost student performance. Our communities depend on strong public schools as contributors to ensuring economic growth in the years to come.”
Topics discussed included long-standing concerns about basic education funding, the rising cost of special education and transportation, and teacher recruitment and retention in rural areas.
For more information on Senator Culver’s work in education and support for rural communities, visit www.SenatorCulver.com.
Contact:
Sam Clepper
717-787-8928