The start of a new school year is always invigorating. It's a time of fresh starts, fresh slates, optimism and happy expectations not only for students and their families but also for teachers and staff.
We have much to look forward to as we welcome our students back. As always, we are excited about the year ahead and the expectations it brings. But this year, it's important to reflect not only on where we're going, but also on where we've been; how far we've come, and the important role you as a community have played in our success.
The challenges we faced as a school district are well known by now. We shouted them from the rooftops and in the halls of the State Capitol to all who would listen. We had only recently recovered from a fiscal crisis where, at one point, we were unable to make payroll for months to come, we threatened to close schools, and the district eventually ended up on the state's “financial watch” list. Several of our schools were in utter disrepair, with millions of dollars worth of deferred maintenance. Our curriculum was outdated, and student supports needed significant investment.
We have tackled all of these challenges under the shadow of a totally inadequate state funding formula that continues to disproportionately treat the state’s most needy children.
Thanks to a concerted, community-led lobbying effort with lawmakers, Erie Public Schools secured an additional $14 million in ongoing funding from the state in 2018. Since then, we have used that money, pandemic relief funds, and Level Up funding provided to our most underfunded districts to improve all aspects of our district's operations.
Guided by a district-wide strategic plan and detailed facilities plan, we invested millions of dollars to ensure our schools had warm, safe and dry places for our students to grow and learn and for our faculty and staff to work. We purchased the first new curriculum in 20 years. We overhauled our student support systems, added mental health therapists and case managers to our schools, enhanced safety measures across the district, and launched summer and after-school programs.
The returns on this investment are real and powerful. Every school is seeing consistent implementation of the new curriculum and building-level supports. For the first time, we are beginning to see improvements in academic achievement across the board for our students. It's a source of pride for us to witness.
We are here today with a stronger, more functional school district, and we owe it all to our community, to past and present school board members who take our mission seriously, and to the support of our local legislators, including Senator Dan Laughlin, Representative Bob Melski, Representative Pat Harkins, and the entire Democratic delegation. We also owe a great deal to our community partners, especially the United Way of Erie County. The United Way's Community Schools model, which seeks to eliminate all non-academic barriers to student learning, is currently in place at all of our elementary and middle schools and will be in place at Erie High School this fall. This model has been truly transformative, and we hope to see the same at Erie High School.
Above all, I want to thank our incredibly dedicated administrators, teachers, and staff who not only embraced these changes but led them through. Without them, we would not be where we are now, fully focused on our shared mission and looking forward with confidence.
Now the focus must be on sustaining successes and continually improving. For years, district leaders, educators, and state and local lawmakers have been pushing hard for a more fair and equitable funding formula that would allow districts like Erie to compete on a level playing field. Under Governor Josh Shapiro's leadership, we are making progress. This year's state budget includes an $18.8 million increase for Erie Public Schools. This funding will help address key priorities for the year ahead, including reducing taxes, improving teacher recruitment and retention through more competitive salaries in partnership with the Erie Education Association, and implementing the classroom supports that teachers need and deserve.
These additional funds are much needed and very welcome, but as Governor Shapiro knows, this is just the beginning. We need your ongoing support and assistance to continue to close the gaps, maintain the progress, and deliver on our promise to help each student find their personal path to success. Please continue to use your voice as an advocate for our families, students, and staff. Know that your efforts to date have contributed to our hard-won successes.
As we begin a new year, the message I want to convey on behalf of the entire Erie Public Schools community is simple: Thank you.
Brian Polito is superintendent of the Erie School District.