PA Leads Nation in Academic Gains

HARRISBURG – Citing a national report that found Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation to make across-the-board academic gains from 2002 through 2008, Governor Edward G. Rendell and actor/education advocate Bill Cosby today joined school leaders from across the state to urge continued state investment in education.

Robert Falk, superintendent of the Otto-Eldred School District, attended today's news conference.

The Governor said a new report from the Center for Education Policy, or CEP, a leading national educational research organization, identified Pennsylvania as the only state to see increases in student achievement in elementary, middle and high school from 2002 to 2008.

“This report confirms that our investments in student achievement are paying off and making us a more competitive state,” Governor Rendell said. “We need to continue to make these investments and build on this success, especially in tough economic times, rather than retreat as some would prefer.”

To recognize the students and educators who made the achievement possible, Governor Rendell and Dr. Cosby took part in a rally in the Capitol Rotunda that featured representatives of many of Pennsylvania’s top-performing school districts. They were joined by Jack Jennings, president and chief executive officer of CEP.

The CEP report, which examined reading and math performance, found Pennsylvania was the only state to:‬‪

• Reduce the percentage of students performing at the lowest achievement ranking;
• Increase the percentage of students who are at least on grade level; and‬‪
• Increase the percentage of students who are at the highest achievement level.‬‪‬‪

In addition, Pennsylvania is one of only eight states with a “moderate to large” increase in the percentage of students performing on grade level in reading and math at the elementary, middle and high school levels.‬‪‬‪

Governor Rendell noted these gains would not have been possible without an historic funding commitment at the state level.

“With proof-positive that our strategies are working, it is deeply troubling that Republicans in the General Assembly want to cut more than a billion dollars in state funding for education from our proposed budget,” the Governor said. “We simply cannot afford to balance the budget on the backs of our students and local property taxpayers.”

Robert Falk, superintendent of McKean County’s Otto-Eldred School District, credited increased state funding for his district’s gains. He said 73 percent of the district’s students are on grade level today in reading and math, compared to just 41 percent of students in 2002.

“It took hard work to make those gains – and it took new state funding,” Superintendent Falk said. “We need the state to continue to live up to its commitment so we can continue to increase student achievement. That is why it’s so important for the Legislature to pass the right budget, one that provides at least a $300 million increase in the basic education subsidy and does not roll back the state commitment.”

For more information on the CEP report, visit www.cep-dc.org. For more information on the governor’s budget proposal, visit www.pa.gov.

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