Community Meeting on School Budget Cuts

The public is invited to a meeting at 5:30 this evening at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Building on the South Side: 10 South 19th Street. Pittsburgh School Superintendent Linda Lane will present information about necessary budget cuts, and community members will have a chance to express their priorities.

Carey Harris, Executive Director of A+ Schools, which is hosting the meeting, says Dr. Lane has already had to make difficult decisions because of state budget cuts, which will require further cuts of $100 million a year. Harris says the general fund budget now is about $540 million a year, or $20,000 per student--one of the highest-spending districts in Pennsylvania. A $100 million cut would reduce the average to $16,000 per student, which is still high in the state, so, depending on where cuts are made, Harris believes the district can continue to deliver a quality education.

Harris expects Dr. Lane to present an analysis of where the spending in Pittsburgh exceeds state averages and where cuts might be made without jeopardizing the quality of education. The decisions to be made are probably for the 2011-2012 school year, which the board will be voting on in December.

There will be refreshments to get people through the dinner hour, and child care is provided.