On Wednesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) visited Isaac Tripp Elementary School in Scranton, PA to announce investments in the state’s K-12 public education system.
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00:00Good morning and welcome. It is an honor to welcome Governor Shapiro to here at Scranton.
00:09I do apologize. We are grateful to have so many distinguished guests here. I'd like to announce them.
00:16Mayor Paige Cognetti.
00:20Scranton School Board Directors Tom Borthwick, Catherine Fox, Shaw McAndrews, Bob Casey, City Council Member Greg Gerald-Shermer, Acting Secretary Carol Rowe, Dr. Keating, and other distinguished guests.
00:49As the School Board President, I would like to thank you all for being here. We are honored that the Governor has chosen Scranton to host this press conference.
00:58As the Board President, I am immensely proud of the accomplishments and strides the district has made over the years.
01:05The accomplishments and strides that we have made would not be possible if not for the increased funding received from the state.
01:13Sitting on this board for the past four years, I can tell you the importance of funding public education for the benefits of students.
01:20When more money is set aside for the public education system, it creates a domino effect.
01:26It allows us to create programs, hire personnel that benefit the children inside and outside the classrooms.
01:34We can improve the existing infrastructure.
01:38When schools are properly funded adequately, administrators and directors alike can make sure that students have the best opportunity to learn and to grow,
01:48and our teachers have the resources they need to facilitate that growth.
01:52Over the past four years, the Scranton School District has been able to instill programs for students, and we have worked with community partners to start and bring back pre-K.
02:02This was also the second year in a row that funding that we have received from the state has allowed the board to not raise property taxes, giving relief to our stakeholders.
02:13It is an honor and a privilege to serve on this board.
02:16Not only am I able to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, but we're also able to provide and bring back programs for our students that will give them the benefits that other people in other districts have.
02:28So at this time, I'd like to take a moment to say thank you to the state for all that they are doing, for the continuous support that we have received,
02:35and we look forward to continue working with the numerous community organizations to help continue to build off of where we are.
02:44Scranton School District is in a much better place now than it was four years ago, and we are deeply grateful for the works and support from the governor and all of our elected officials.
02:54So with that said, I'd like to take a moment to introduce the guest speaker, Governor Shapiro.
03:07Thank you, Ty, and Scranton School District is indeed on the rise.
03:12I saw where it was years ago.
03:14I see where it is today, and it is because of so many people.
03:19And Ty, you've made great contributions together with the other school board members, and I want to say thank you to you and your colleagues.
03:26I got to say, I know I'm a little bit late, because I was hanging out in first grade with Mrs. Z's class.
03:33Mrs. Zaleski, thank you for inviting me in.
03:36We got the chance, remember, to make a law while we were there.
03:40We learned how a bill becomes a law, and we learned that the first bill you sent to my desk, what did I do?
03:47Raise your hand.
03:48What did I do?
03:50Yeah?
03:55Yeah, but the first one you sent to me, did I like it or not?
03:58No.
03:59So what did I do?
04:00It's a V word.
04:02I vetoed it, but we didn't give up.
04:04We kept trying to work together, right?
04:07And in the end, did we make a bill into law?
04:10Yeah.
04:11And what did we say?
04:13One hour of extra recess and 30 minutes of extra homework.
04:17Right?
04:18I tried to do away with the homework, but they thought homework was important.
04:21And remember, I asked, is Bridget here?
04:25When we were doing that.
04:27Well, this is Bridget right here.
04:29Raise your hand.
04:30Okay?
04:31And Bridget is here with Kyle, and Kyle is here with Jimmy.
04:37And the reason I asked, they're waving to you is because they're the ones that write the bills every day.
04:44So remember, you asked me, is this now going to be a law for everybody in Pennsylvania?
04:50And I said, no, no, no, just here at this school.
04:53If you want it to be a law for everybody in Pennsylvania, you've got to go talk to the three of them, because that's what they do every day.
05:01All right?
05:02So I just want to say, Mrs. Z, thanks for welcoming me.
05:05And to our lawmakers here, thank you for the work you do, because the reason why we are here today is because we've been able to come together,
05:13Democrat and Republican alike, and do something really, really historic for public education here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
05:22And they're a huge reason why.
05:24And I wanted today to come back to Scranton to celebrate our achievement and talk a little bit about where we're going to go in the future.
05:31I know we've got great leadership here.
05:33You heard from Ty a moment ago.
05:35I want to thank Dr. Keating, your superintendent.
05:38I want to thank Representative Kosorowski, your local state representative, who does terrific work.
05:45And I want to recognize Dr. Carrie Rowe, the Secretary of Education here in Pennsylvania.
05:50She is absolutely awesome, and she's with us here.
05:54So just about 10 years ago, before Mrs. Z's class was born, right, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cut about a billion dollars out of public education.
06:13And as a result, class sizes got way bigger.
06:16We had to cut back on a number of programs.
06:19There was less art and music and extracurricular activities.
06:23Fewer counselors available in our schools.
06:26And a whole lot more.
06:28It was really unfortunate.
06:30As Pennsylvania was moving in the right direction, we hit a massive speed bump, and we were forced to go backwards.
06:36My predecessor, Governor Wolf, spent eight years working together with these three fine legislators and Senator Flynn and others who represent this community
06:46to try and dig out of that hole where a billion dollars was cut.
06:51And over the course of his eight years as governor, he was able to fill that hole back up.
06:56But we all knew that even as that hole was getting filled back up, that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania schools were being chronically underfunded.
07:06And more than that, we knew that we were not meeting our constitutional obligation to Mrs. Z's schoolchildren and others like them all across Pennsylvania.
07:18It's unique that in our commonwealth, unlike a lot of other states, we have a constitutional provision that requires all students from every zip code
07:29get what's called a thorough and efficient education system.
07:33We knew that that wasn't the standard being met across northeastern Pennsylvania or across this commonwealth.
07:40In fact, I knew that when I served as your attorney general.
07:43It's one of the reasons why I wrote a legal brief saying that we had to fix this system because it was unconstitutional.
07:50I took office two and a half years ago, and I was the only governor in the whole country with a divided legislature.
07:57We had a Senate led by Republicans and a House led by Democrats, which meant for us to get anything done to correct these challenges in our schools,
08:06we needed to find ways to work together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
08:11Just a few weeks into my term, the court of Pennsylvania ruled that we actually had an unconstitutional system,
08:20that we weren't meeting that Article 3 standard for all of our kids.
08:25And instead of hand-wringing, instead of pointing fingers at somebody else,
08:29we all agreed, Democrat and Republican, to get around the table and work to address this crisis in public education that we were facing.
08:39Because we didn't want to go backwards. We didn't want to shortchange these students.
08:44We wanted to be able to invest in them again and make sure that every child of God has an opportunity for success in life.
08:52And so we worked together, and we've made historic investments, and we've addressed the funding crisis that exists in Pennsylvania.
09:02And so today, here in Scranton, at Isaac Tripp Elementary, we are here because this is an example of what is possible
09:11when we both work together and when we meet our constitutional obligation to our children.
09:18When instead of just shifting money around on a balance sheet, we actually make the critical investments that are needed to help our students achieve success.
09:29This wasn't just about writing a check to the school district.
09:32It was about making sure those dollars made it to the districts that needed it most for the things that were so needed.
09:38As a result of our work together, over just the last two years, we've made targeted investments to help solve the problems that exist in our schools.
09:48Now when students show up for school, they get universal free breakfast in our schools.
09:54No child should have to learn on an empty belly.
09:57We launched a new initiative to expand after-school programs so kids have somewhere safe and productive to go before their parents get off from work.
10:07We expanded access to early childhood education and pre-K, something this district knows a lot about.
10:13We've increased funding for special education.
10:17I saw some of the amazing special ed teachers on my walk into the gym here today.
10:22They are doing the Lord's work and those kids are so much better off because of them and we're funding that again at a level that is adequate.
10:31We also know that we need more amazing teachers like those who are in this room here.
10:36And for so many years, the number of teachers has been declining in Pennsylvania.
10:42We're reversing that trend and for the first time in years, it's growing.
10:46And a big reason for that is we came together in a bipartisan manner to pass an historic teacher stipend initiative.
10:54We're now, instead of having to take out a loan just to get your student teaching done,
10:59we actually are providing student teachers with a $10,000 stipend to help make sure they're taken care of while they're taking care of our kids.
11:07That student teacher stipend program is critically important.
11:11We also know a number of school districts needed repairs and upgrades, including right here in this district.
11:18And so we've invested hundreds of millions of dollars into making sure our schools are safe.
11:24They're not leaking on our kids' heads when a rainfall comes.
11:28It's not too hot in the summertime.
11:30So many other changes are coming to the physical infrastructure of our schools because we all came together and invested hundreds of millions of dollars to do that.
11:39I believe that every student should live out their full potential.
11:44For some students, it means going to college.
11:47For other students, it means going into a union apprenticeship program right here in northeastern Pennsylvania.
11:53There should be no wrong path to opportunity and success.
11:58And so for a student in the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th grade who's passionate about being a welder,
12:03we want to show them the opportunity to be a welder and to make a great living doing that.
12:08So we've doubled our investments in STEM and doubled our investments in VOTEC and CTE to ensure that students have pathways to opportunity and success.
12:20We've been successful at those targeted investments.
12:23And for the first time last year, thanks to all of us coming together,
12:27we invested $11 billion of state dollars into public education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
12:35We have never, ever done that before.
12:38Remember before when I told you that we had lost $1 billion 10 years ago?
12:45Well, in just my first two years as governor, working with these great lawmakers,
12:49we have invested $2 billion of new money just for public education.
12:55Remember, a budget isn't just a spreadsheet of a lot of numbers.
12:59A budget is a statement of your priorities and your principles.
13:03Our priorities, our principles are making sure those kids and others like them across Pennsylvania get a fair shot.
13:10But it's also not just about the dollars.
13:13It's about making sure those investments happen in the school districts that need it most.
13:19And this is really, really important.
13:21There's a formula that has dictated for decades how those dollars get driven out.
13:28That formula was set up in a way where the dollars were not going to the districts that were most in need.
13:35So we worked together to create something called an adequacy formula,
13:40where that new dollar, those $2 billion of new money, would go to the districts that needed it most,
13:47including right here in Scranton.
13:49We passed that adequacy formula.
13:52And now 65% of all the new money that gets appropriated gets sent out through that adequacy formula,
13:59which means schools like this are now beginning to get their fair share after so many years of being shortchanged.
14:08Over the past two years, state funding for Scranton has increased by 40%.
14:15In real dollars, that represents a $28.4 million increase from $73 million in 2022
14:24to over $100 million today just for this school district.
14:29When Bridget went to Harrisburg, she said she was going to deliver for you, and that's exactly what she's done.
14:35First grade, please clap for Bridget Kosorowski.
14:38You're going to hear more from Dr. Keating about what those increased investments mean,
14:47but I think there's a lot to be proud of here, the way you've invested those new dollars,
14:52the way you're able to plan for the future now because you know the Commonwealth is going to have your back,
14:57is going to be there with you.
14:59Thanks to our historic investments, you've brought back preschool programs, which are incredibly important.
15:06So Scranton's youngest learners can get off to a great start.
15:10You've repaired and upgraded buildings so that every student from the youngest among us
15:15to the seniors in our high schools are in safe and secure buildings.
15:20You've added school counselors.
15:22I met some of the school counselors who are here in the back.
15:25This has been such a priority of mine since the time I served as your attorney general
15:30and saw firsthand the mental health needs that our students have.
15:35And for the first time ever, we came together and we've put a $200 million fund together
15:41to allow school districts like this to hire mental health professionals to be there for our students.
15:47We need our students to have the supports they need, and these mental health counselors are doing amazing work,
15:54and we need to continue to build that up, not just here but all across Pennsylvania.
15:59You've also been able to bring art and music back to middle school.
16:02I think that stuff's super important.
16:04We've got to make sure kids are getting around in sound education, and that's a big part of it.
16:09You've expanded STEM and you've expanded your technical education,
16:13so when these students here at Isaac Tripp look ahead, they can look ahead to a future of possibility.
16:19I know that here at Isaac Tripp, you've put real effort into increasing attendance.
16:24We know how important that is, including celebrating homerooms with the best attendance.
16:30I know a little something about homerooms.
16:32Drew Pappas, who works for me, used to be a homeroom mom.
16:34I have no idea how the rules allowed that to happen.
16:37We do need to look into that.
16:39But I know that the work these homerooms are doing are really paying off.
16:43Last year, you increased regular attendance by nearly 8%.
16:47Your math PSSA scores are up 7%.
16:50Science PSSA scores are up 10%.
16:53That's huge growth and development, and I know we are hungry for more.
16:58And it's not just here in Scranton that we're seeing this kind of progress.
17:02We talked about mental health before.
17:04778 schools across Pennsylvania have added mental health supports to their school districts as a result of our work.
17:13We talked about breakfast, free breakfast at schools in the morning.
17:17Last school year we served, this school year we served 90 million free breakfasts.
17:22That's 10 million more than the year before.
17:25We know that hunger is a real issue in our communities, and we're addressing it when kids get to school.
17:293,000 students across Pennsylvania today are enrolled in career and technical education courses when there weren't opportunities before.
17:38We're putting more teachers in our classrooms for the first time in a while.
17:42Consumer Affairs Magazine actually just rated us one of the top five states in the entire country for quality public education.
17:50That's a heck of a lot of progress that we've been able to make together.
17:54Now, while we're making progress, I also know we're facing some headwinds, and we've got to be real about that.
18:00At a time where the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Democrats and Republicans are working together to invest in our kids,
18:08the folks in D.C. are trying to take away money from our school districts, trying to make it harder for us to educate our kids.
18:16I've already sued the administration in Washington when they tried to block $200 million from going to Pennsylvania schools.
18:24And by the way, when I sued them, I won.
18:27And I will not be afraid to take on this administration if they undermine our public schools here in Pennsylvania.
18:36We're going to continue to build on the foundation we've laid.
18:40That's why my budget that we're going to be voting on here in the next few weeks directs a new $526 million to the districts that need it most, like Scranton.
18:51We're going to work hard together to get that passed, and we're going to make sure Isaac Tripp gets its fair share of those new dollars.
18:58We also are going to make sure free breakfast continues, more mental health counselors get hired, more school repairs can happen,
19:05our special ed teachers get the supports they need to educate our kids, and much, much more.
19:11Pennsylvania is on the rise again, and it is in large measure due to the fact that we are investing in our schools,
19:19that we are looking at these kids with hope and possibility and helping them fulfill their dreams.
19:26I believe every single young person in Pennsylvania should have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed
19:34and to get that freedom, to get that opportunity, they have to get a great quality public education.
19:40I'm proud of the progress we've made. We have a lot more work to do with partners like these.
19:44I know we're going to continue to deliver for Scranton and to deliver for the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
19:50And when we do, I know we're going to have great people like Dr. Keating there to make sure that those dollars get invested wisely and those kids get looked after.
19:59So it's my pleasure to introduce to all of you Dr. Keating to say a few words.
20:03Thank you all very, very much.
20:10In my job, you make a lot of speeches, but that's the first time I was introduced by a governor, so I'm going to take that moment right now.
20:16Good morning to everyone, to Governor Shapiro, to Acting Secretary Rowe, to Representatives Haddock, Mullins, and Kazaroski,
20:23to all the distinguished guests who are here with us today and the members of our community.
20:27I am beyond proud to stand up here and represent the Scranton School District.
20:32It's really a privilege to have you here in our community today to witness the awesome things that are happening
20:39and the incredible programs that are happening here in our schools.
20:42Scranton is a city that's long steeped in a proud history and a promising future.
20:47And I want you to meet a little bit about our students.
20:49We're about 9,300 students and 80% of them, almost 80% of them, qualify as economically disadvantaged.
20:57Within that, we have a growing population of English learners, and we speak over 60 languages here in the Scranton School District.
21:04We also celebrate the absolute beautiful diversity that enriches our classrooms and our conversations on a daily basis.
21:11These are our children, and they deserve nothing less, as the governor said, than a high-quality, future-focused education
21:21that prepares them for those jobs and those careers that are coming at us in the future.
21:27And that's why every dollar does count for us, so that we can make our students viable and productive members of a 21st century economy.
21:35We are so excited that we are bringing back preschool.
21:39We started with one pilot class this year with a partnership with Ace of NEPA and Head Start.
21:49We're expanding to at least three classes next year and hoping to grow that out even further.
21:55With the help of the PA SMART grant, we're striving to bring more STEM opportunities to all of our students.
22:03And we have a wonderful STEM Academy, but to bring equity to all of our buildings to have those STEM opportunities at every grade level.
22:10We're increasing our dual enrollment opportunities and our career and technical education experience,
22:16because we know that hands-on, real-world learning opens the doors for students so that nobody is left behind.
22:24We've also deeply invested in the well-being of our students, like the governor said.
22:29Thanks to that additional funding, we've been able to hire additional school counselors and licensed social workers
22:36to directly address that mental health crisis to meet the needs of our students so that they can come to school and learn.
22:43These professionals are critical. Without their help and without their day-to-day support, our kids can't be all that they can be.
22:51And when we're looking at all the great things this money has given to us,
22:56I would be remiss if I didn't talk about that middle school, the intermediate schedule,
23:00where we were able to bring back music, art, health and physical education, family and consumer science, and technology education,
23:09because they aren't just extras, they're vital components of a well-rounded education
23:15that create those experiences and interest for kids to grow through high school and beyond.
23:21We're taking very, very seriously our obligation to provide safe and modern learning environments.
23:28Again, with that state support, we've been able to perform extensive environmental remediation across the entire district.
23:36This summer alone, we're going to be installing new fire alarm systems in two of our buildings.
23:42We're upgrading all exterior doors and putting secure vestibules into buildings that don't have them.
23:48We're adding interior cameras throughout all of our buildings to ensure that everybody is safe and secure.
23:55And we're finishing construction on West Grand Intermediate School, where our students here at Isaac Tripp go,
24:02which was an extensive building project, which was funded through the help of state dollars.
24:07And I'm biased, but it's going to be an absolutely incredible building when it's done.
24:12We have a student advisory committee that works with the assistant superintendent.
24:17And one of the students from West Intermediate spoke directly about how impressed he was
24:23because West Intermediate was an open concept school building when they built those in the 60s and 70s with no walls.
24:29So we now were able to put walls up to create a better learning environment.
24:33We were able to add the water bottle filling stations throughout the building.
24:37We were able to do the environmental upgrades, like new lighting in that building,
24:41to make it a welcoming place where kids want to come in and learn and have the ability to learn.
24:46And that's not possible without this additional funding.
24:49These small building upgrades may seem small, but they're a huge difference in the learning of a child.
24:55Governor, personally for me, it's your leadership and the investments of the administration
25:00and the folks on this stage and the focus on public education
25:03that we're starting to see the promise of adequacy in action.
25:08For too long, districts like Scranton have operated under the weight of being historically underfunded,
25:15trying to do more with less and competing with people who had far greater resources.
25:22Your commitment to changing all that and your belief that a child's zip code
25:27should never determine their educational opportunities is not only commendable, but it's transformative.
25:33We're deeply grateful for these resources being directed at districts like ours,
25:38and I want you to know that we have a clear, ambitious plan to make every single dollar count.
25:45Our investments are targeted, our vision is bold, and our commitment is unwavering to our students.
25:52I came back to Scranton about a year ago because I truly believe in this city.
25:56I believe in the staff, I believe in the kids who are here, and I believe in what this place can become.
26:04I want to thank you for believing in us, too, and for the long-term investment
26:09that you continue to make in Pennsylvania's future.
26:12Without it, we can't do all the great things that you've seen today
26:15and the great things that Scranton's going to do in the future.
26:17So thank you very, very much, Governor.
26:23And it is my distinct honor to introduce Representative Bridget Kosorowski.
26:31Good morning, everybody, and thank you to Dr. Keating for that introduction and her kind words.
26:36I do want to call something to everybody's attention here.
26:38I turned to my colleague, Representative Mullins, a moment ago, and I said,
26:41that's kind of cool up there on the school board, on the scoreboard there, number 48,
26:45because we've got our number 48 governor here.
26:48So I don't know who's – I'm going to say maybe Drew Poppish.
26:50I'm not sure. You're a very distinguished alum of this school here.
26:54But I thought that was very cool, so whosoever's idea that was, nice work.
26:59It's a pleasure to be here at Isaac Tripp Elementary School with all of you.
27:04I do represent this district, so it's an honor to be here.
27:07But many of you in this room know that I am also a registered nurse,
27:10and I was a registered nurse here in this area, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, for over 30 years.
27:15Twenty-nine. Thirty sounds awfully long, but that is my previous career.
27:20And I know very well that health and wellness is something that happens before patients show up in a clinic.
27:26It's really important to take care of yourself, and here in this school,
27:30I know that it starts before these kids show up here in our classrooms.
27:34And it's really important, and that's why I'm really proud of what we do here in the state
27:39and with funding that we have to be able to make sure our schools have safe classrooms,
27:44to make sure they have full bellies when they come to school,
27:47and to make sure the mental health of our students are being met.
27:50This is preventative care, and it's something that I am a true believer in,
27:53whether it's health care in the nursing world or what I get to do here in the State House
27:57to take care of these students here at Isaac Tripp.
28:01I'm really very eternally grateful for Governor Shapiro for coming here to Scranton
28:06and continuing to invest in the foundation of our future, which is the public education system.
28:12Under his leadership, and I know it was repeated by the governor, he spoke about this,
28:16but I think it's important to repeat these numbers. It's historic.
28:20Over $11 billion annually in the K-12 education.
28:25$2 billion increase just during his administration alone.
28:28He's delivered free breakfast to over 1.7 million students,
28:32expanded career and technical education,
28:35and helped certify more teachers in the last seven years than ever before,
28:40which we all need teachers. We need nurses, but we also need our teachers.
28:43So I'm eternally grateful for those investments.
28:47But what matters most to me as a nurse is Governor Shapiro has prioritized student mental health.
28:54Over the past two years, his administration has delivered $200 million to our schools,
28:59and that's for that mental health services.
29:01That means more counselors, it means more support,
29:04and it means more healing for students across our commonwealth.
29:07This is what progress looks like, and here in Scranton we are seeing it firsthand.
29:12So I want to thank our governor. I want to thank him for showing up,
29:15I want to thank him for listening, and I want to thank him for delivering.
29:19Let's keep building a future here in Scranton where every child has the care,
29:23the tools, and the opportunity to succeed.
29:25So again, thank you very much, everybody, for being here.
29:27I'm eternally grateful to the governor, our acting secretary of education here,
29:32Dr. Keating, our superintendent, my colleagues.
29:36We can make Scranton just like Dr. Keating said.
29:40We're investing, I see good things in our students,
29:42and I see good things in here, and we are worth it.
29:44So thank you, everybody.
29:47And with that, I get to introduce the governor of Pennsylvania, Governor Shapiro.
29:52Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
29:54I'll take some questions, but I hope it is not lost on folks here
29:59the quality leadership this community has.
30:01Representative Kosorowski, who represents this district,
30:04Senator Flynn, who I know had a scheduling conflict, who represents this district,
30:08and everybody works together in this delegation.
30:12Representative Mullins and Representative Haddock,
30:14everybody works together to make sure this community gets what it needs.
30:19So we have a superintendent and community leaders here in our schools
30:23that can put those dollars out and make the commitment they need our kids.
30:26We've got a great mayor, Mayor Cognetti, congratulations, by the way,
30:30who does important work in our community every day,
30:33working with us in partnership with the state.
30:36There's a lot of good things happening in this community,
30:38and a big reason for that is the quality of leadership that we have here today
30:43and who work for you every single day.
30:45So I want to thank you for that.
30:47That will take a few questions from the media.
30:49Yeah.
30:50I've recently spoken to many superintendents of rural school districts in the northeast,
30:55and they are drawing down fund balances.
30:57These are the districts that don't qualify for that extra advocacy funding.
31:01They are about to cut programs, possibly cut staff,
31:05and they worry that they could end up being in the same situation
31:08as Granton was in about a decade ago.
31:10So what are your plans for those districts?
31:13Well, look, I'm not sure why they're cutting back.
31:16We've increased funding for those schools.
31:19They get their funding through what's known as the Basic Education Funding Formula, or BEF.
31:24It increased over the last two years.
31:26I've served as governor, and it's going to increase again,
31:28if I have anything to say over it, in the budget that I proposed.
31:32We're going to continue to invest in those schools
31:34and make sure they have what they need,
31:36and we're going to level out the imbalance that has existed over decades here
31:41where growing districts, poor meaning economically poor,
31:46certainly not from the standpoint of educational assessments,
31:51but poor districts that had been chronically underfunded
31:54are being tried to be made whole again.
31:57That was the whole thing that the court said
32:00while we were in the midst of an unconstitutional education system.
32:04We were both chronically underfunding,
32:06and the dollars weren't making it to the districts that need it most.
32:10So under my proposal, every single district does better,
32:14and those that have been chronically underfunded do even better
32:17because they deserve more help trying to dig out from the hole that they were in.
32:23Anything else?
32:26You're going to have to speak up.
32:28How do you feel about the progress that you've made here at the school district
32:32with the state's investment, and how do you look to build on that?
32:36Part of the reason I wanted to be here at Isaac Tripp
32:38is to celebrate the progress they've made
32:40and the entire Scranton School District has made.
32:42I think this is an example we can hold up to the rest of the state
32:46as a district that's been underfunded,
32:49and look what happens when they finally begin to get their fair share.
32:53They've got more teachers and smaller class sizes.
32:56They're bringing back things like pre-K.
32:58They're repairing our school buildings.
33:00They're making sure there's more mental health supports for our kids,
33:03more educational opportunities in our classrooms.
33:07This is exactly what we had in mind when we came together,
33:11Democrat and Republican alike,
33:13in order to fund our schools adequately
33:18and to meet our constitutional obligation.
33:21So this is an example I wanted to hold up to the rest of the Commonwealth
33:24about how to get it done.
33:27Your trip to Scranton does come a few days after
33:30former President Joe Biden's recent cancer diagnosis.
33:33Do you have anything you'd like to say?
33:36I just wish, and I've sent wishes along privately to the President,
33:41former President, from myself and Lori, my wife Lori, our First Lady.
33:45I wish him a full and speedy recovery.
33:49He's tough as nails.
33:51He's battled health issues in the past,
33:54and I'm praying that he'll be able to overcome this latest battle.
33:58Anything else?
34:00How do you feel about the progress that you've made so far in the education,
34:03with getting more funding for education?
34:06How do you feel moving forward with the new credit you're going to be taking?
34:11I feel very confident that we're going to be able to come together again,
34:14Democrats and Republicans alike,
34:17to continue meeting our obligation to our school districts.
34:21Last year, when we passed our budget,
34:23we all basically agreed to continue doing it for years to come
34:27in order to be able to get over the hump that we were,
34:31to be able to get over the hurdles that we had,
34:34and to be in a position where we could meet our constitutional obligation to our kids.
34:38I expect Democrats and Republicans to come together
34:41over the course of this next month or so as we work on our state budget,
34:44and continue to invest in districts like this.
34:48I have a question for Dennis Odom as well.
34:51Tell Dennis he's got to show up if he wants to ask another question.
34:55He asks, is it true that when you spoke to President Biden
34:58about his concerns with his health,
35:00that First Lady Jill Biden shut down the conversation?
35:03I never spoke to the President about his health,
35:05so I don't know what Dennis is talking about.
35:08What's your message to voters who are concerned
35:10that you're publicly supporting Biden while having private concerns?
35:14Well, I was very clear with the former President
35:17that I had real concerns about his political standing in Pennsylvania.
35:21I encouraged him to take certain steps to address that,
35:25and I was very open and honest about my concerns about his electability.
35:30All right? Thank you all.
35:32Oh, yeah?
35:34What was it like walking down the hallway
35:36and seeing students who were benefiting from the actions that have been taken?
35:39Man, it was awesome, and it just filled my cup.
35:42To go to Mrs. Z's class first and talk to those amazing first graders,
35:46to see these kids that are thriving
35:49because of the hard work we do.
35:51I mean, when we're in the Capitol,
35:54there's a whole lot of lobbyists and powerful people
35:57who are walking around every day.
35:59You know who's not walking around every day?
36:01Mrs. Z's class.
36:03And so it's on us every day to remember them when we're doing this work.
36:08It's on us every day to remember why we do this.
36:12You know, my job as governor
36:14is to make sure every Pennsylvanian's got a shot.
36:17You want to give people a shot? You want to give them opportunity?
36:20Invest in those school kids
36:22and give them the opportunity to grow and thrive and flourish.
36:26And so for me to then see the fruits of our hard labor, right,
36:31the fights that we've waged in order to deliver for them,
36:34to see the smiles on their faces,
36:36to see the progress that they're making,
36:38man, it is so special.
36:40It's amazing.
36:41I know it's special for Dr. Rowe,
36:43who does this work as our Secretary of Education every day.
36:46We work really hard to make sure these kids get a fair shot, get opportunity.
36:51And so to look them in the eye and see that opportunity come to fruition
36:55is really, really special.
36:56Okay? Thanks, everybody.