Education Funding Symposium This Week in Harrisburg

NEWS RELEASE - Wednesday, September 4, 2002

Harrisburg - A two-day K-12 Education Funding Symposium sponsored by The Education Policy and Leadership Center and several other statewide and regional organizations begins at the Harrisburg-Hershey Marriott on Thursday, September 5 at 10:30 a.m.

The Symposium sessions include a review of the problems with Pennsylvania's current education funding system as well as a discussion about current proposals to reform the system. Participants also will hear from the Deputy State Superintendent of Finance in the Maryland State Department of Education and a staff member from the National Conference of State Legislatures who will discuss activities to reform school finance systems in other states.

Thursday's dinner speaker will be Michael Rebell, the Executive Director of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity in New York State. Rebell is a leading advocate working to change the school finance system in New York and will speak about "Why Money Does Matter."

On Friday afternoon, the campaign managers for gubernatorial candidates Mike Fisher and Ed Rendell will speak.

About 150 participants are expected to attend the Symposium.

The Symposium is sponsored by The Education Policy and Leadership Center and co-sponsored by Good Schools Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania School Reform Network, Pennsylvania PTA, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools, Pennsylvania School Boards Association, Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers, Pennsylvania State Teachers Association, Council for Public Education of Greater Harrisburg, Shippensburg University School Study Council, and the PA Public Education Partnership (includes Lancaster Foundation for Educational Excellence, Mon Valley Education Consortium, Philadelphia Education Fund, and Pittsburgh Council for Public Education).

For additional information contact Ron Cowell, President of The Education Policy and Leadership Center, at 717-260-9900.