Legislators Want Alt-Ed School Funding Restored

Mercer County legislators filing bills to help specialized charter schools

Recognizing the key role that specialized charter schools play in Pennsylvania's alternative education system, two Mercer County state legislators are drafting legislation that would restore essential state funding to support those schools.

State Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) and state Representative Michele Brooks (R-17) are preparing legislation that clarifies that charter schools that provide alternative education services as their primary mission are eligible for alternative education grant funds.

"These charter schools have received this funding since Fiscal Year 1999-2000, but the Department of Education recently determined under the current statutes, they are not eligible for that money and should not have received these funds in the first place," Senator Robbins said. "The truth is these programs are very successful and deserve to receive this support and that's something that we are working to rectify."

"Keystone works collectively with school districts to deliver proven and successful accomplishments," said Representative Brooks. "The specialized services provided, assist our public schools and provide a service to our communities."

In particular, the Keystone Education Center stands to lose a tremendous amount of support if the Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth funding is cut for the 2007-08 school year.

Keystone CEO Mike Gentile informed the state legislators that state funding from the program was reduced from $271,890 in the 2006-07 school year to $6,642 for the current school year, a cut of $265,428.

With an enrollment of about 275 at-risk students, Keystone provides alternative educational programs for young people from more than 30 school districts throughout western Pennsylvania. It is one of 10 charter schools sharing $3.9 million in alternative education funding from the state since 1999.

Senator Robbins will introduce the bill in the Senate and Representative Brooks will be the prime sponsor of companion legislation in the House.

Contact:

Michael Hengst
(717) 787-1322