Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, who will seek reelection this year, has announced considerable education funding increases in his upcoming budget. "Education is the largest single item in my budget," Corbett said Tuesday. "The increase I propose would bring direct state support of public education to $10.1 billion, more than 40 percent of state spending."
Tag: School Funding
Is it too hard to fund new school construction ?
Rep. Kathy Haigh, D-Shelton, Washington, has introduced a bill to reduce the constitutional requirement that 60 percent of the voters must approve a bond in school district elections. She wants to shrink that to a simple majority. Haigh said: "I think our kids should be in as nice a building as we are sitting in right here" (in the House's office and hearing rooms building in Olympia).
FCC to boost fund for broadband in schools
The Federal Communications Commission plans to double a fund dedicated to bringing broadband Internet connections to schools and libraries, bolstering a White House push to wire all U.S. schools with faster speeds.
The plan to be announced Wednesday by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is to increase to $2 billion from $1 billion the portion of the E-Rate program for broadband grants. The FCC said the two-year increase in broadband grants will not come from an increase in rates charged to wireless and phone customers. lls include a line-item charge for the federal Universal Service Fund, which includes the $2.4 billion annual E-Rate program.
