Governor and Abington native Josh Shapiro stopped at Pottstown High School as part of a tour across Eastern PA to build support for public education funding, writes Evan Brandt for the Pottstown Mercury.
Pottstown has benefited significantly from state aid over the past two years. Graduation is up 10%, and scores are up in math, English, and sciences thanks to a $10 million funding boost.
“This is what progress looks like when we fund our schools fairly and equitably,” Shapiro said when addressing school.
Pottstown’s gains are notable, but uncertainty looms as the school board just passed a $92.8 million budget. The budget includes a 5.8% tax hike citing concerns about the future of state funding.
Shapiro toured Pottstown’s Career and Technical Education program. Pennsylvania recently invested $22,000 into the automotive program, giving students hands-on experience.
Speaking of hands-on experience, Shapiro paused to play a game of basketball with the students and jokingly attempted to start a rumor about his dunking ability.
Before his exit, Shapiro reaffirmed his commitment to the town. “Pottstown is an example of one of the districts that has been chronically under-funded,” he said before promising to double down on his efforts to secure a budget.
Read more about Josh Shapiro’s visit to Pottstown High School in the Pottstown Mercury.
