HERSHEY, Pa. – On Tuesday, March 12, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin served as the keystone speaker at the PDE Data Summit in Hershey.
“When we make critical decisions and create meaningful public policy around education, it is imperative that we have access to comprehensive, reliable data,” said Secretary Khalid N. Mumin. “Data can inform how we view the state of public education, can show us areas of improvement and identify barriers to services, can highlight our successes, and can ultimately create a world of opportunities for our schools, students, and communities.”
The 2024-25 budget works to ensure all Pennsylvania children have the opportunity to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed, by investing in our public schools, teachers, facilities, and more.
This year’s proposal includes a nearly $1.1 billion increase in basic education funding–the largest in Pennsylvania history. The 2024-25 budget proposal also includes $300 million for school environmental repairs, $100 million for mental health supports in schools, a $50 million increase for special education funding, a $50 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements, and $30 million to build and support the educator workforce.
Data plays a critical role in determining policy and budgetary priorities in any given year, and this year specifically informed a number of key initiatives. For example, a 20% increase in universal free breakfast participation indicated a need to continue the program, and Governor Josh Shapiro has requested an additional $16.7 million to ensure our kids have access to a free breakfast at school.
Additionally, the governor’s blueprint for higher education was rooted in data that supports the need for a new governance structure and increased investments in the higher education sector. Pennsylvania ranks 49th in the nation for investment in higher education and 48th in affordability, Pennsylvanians carry an average student debt load of $40,000, and our Commonwealth has a talent gap of 61,000 open jobs that we don’t have enough workers to fill in the past year alone.
The PDE Data Summit convenes educators and school leaders to learn, connect, ask questions, and discuss education data with school staff and leaders from across the state. Keynote speakers and breakout sessions offer information, resources, and tools on a wide variety of topics, from reporting school data, improving data quality, and making data-based decisions, to data governance, school improvement, cybersecurity, social and emotional learning, and more.
Attendees at the three-day conference, themed “A World of Opportunities: See Where Data Can Take You”, experience impactful professional learning opportunities, gain technical skills, and leave with a better understanding of their data and how it can be used to support and benefit the school communities they serve.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, visit the Department of Education website.
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