The Public Interest Center of Philadelphia analyzed Governor Corbett’s budget cuts. It should be no surprise to learn that the cuts fall most heavily on the neediest children, the children who are low-income and children of color. Their communities are not Governor Corbett’s political base. Even so, most public schools across the state have suffered because of the cuts.

The report found:

“In 2011 Governor Tom Corbett cut $1 billion in public school funding. As a result of these cuts 70 percent of school districts have increased class sizes, 44 percent slashed extracurricular activities and 35 percent eliminated tutoring programs. He has maintained this cut for the past two budgets and now proposes to increase public school funding by a mere $90 million. This still leaves a massive funding gap that 75 percent of public schools must account for by continuing to lay off teachers and staff this coming year. Because of this gap, Philadelphia school district is $300 million short of the budget needed to maintain its current minimal programs, forcing it to lay off 3,800 persons and strip its schools of all except mandated teachers and a principal; allowing no counselors, aides, or even a secretary to answer the phone.”