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House Dems Call on Corbett to Earmark More Money for Schools

With three weeks to go until the governor presents his state budget proposal, House Democrats are urging him to earmark more money for education.

It’s been an annual request since Gov. Tom Corbett’s first budget was signed into law three years ago, when Republicans made deep cuts to public education.

Corbett’s administration insists the cuts are a direct result of the disappearance of federal stimulus funds used under former Gov. Ed Rendell.

Democrats are also urging a return to a formula for distributing school funding.

Philadelphia Rep. James Roebuck, ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee, said Pennsylvania is among three states that doesn’t use such an education funding formula.

"We urge Governor Corbett to make a course correction in this year’s budget and really make our children the priority that they should be," Roebuck said

A House Republican has also proposed to develop a new school funding formula.

A funding formula crafted under Rendell hasn’t been used since 2011.

Schools advocates say the result is school districts receive more money based on how powerful their legislators are.