Quinn Works to Release Funding for School Textbooks
HARRISBURG – Continuing her work to overcome the budget impasse that has gripped Harrisburg and the Commonwealth for nearly four months, Rep. Marguerite Quinn (R-Bucks) today convened a legislative roundtable at the Capitol focused on education funding. Specifically, Quinn and her colleagues addressed the textbook shortage students in nonpublic schools are currently experiencing.
Nonpublic schools borrow their textbooks from the Commonwealth. Because the state has not paid textbook publishers, nonpublic schoolchildren have gone without many books since the beginning of school year.
Sandy and Anthony Matos of Doylestown, Quinn constituents, traveled to the Capitol today with their daughters, Emily and Abigale, in search of answers. The Matos children are enrolled at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Doylestown. They’ve been without textbooks since early September, relying on photocopies made by their teachers to complete homework assignments.
“The Matos family was disappointed the Governor would not meet with them or return their daily calls, so I pulled together a group of lawmakers to meet with them, including House Appropriations Chairman Bill Adolph and House Education Committee Chairman Stan Saylor,” said Quinn. “We explained the great lengths we’ve gone to in the House to release these and other education dollars, as well as funding for critical health and human services programs.”
Quinn continued, “We first passed an on-time, balanced budget in June, and the Governor vetoed it in its entirety, even though he agreed with us on funding for most issues. We then attempted a veto override in August, but that fell short of the two-thirds support necessary. Last month, we passed an emergency funding bill that would have permitted specific line items, including school textbooks, to be financed. That was met with another gubernatorial veto. Now, we’re working again on individual line-item bills to push these and other dollars out.”
Quinn noted that even if a budget agreement were reached today, it could take another 60 days before children receive textbooks. This is due to how books are distributed. Instead of printing editions in advance, textbook publishers generally wait until orders are received before sending books to press. It could be next semester before nonpublic school children receive textbooks.
“We’ve asked the Governor to at least allow schools to place textbook orders now to cut back on any delay, but he’s refused,” said Quinn. “He’s also refused to allow the Treasury to release dollars to textbook companies, even though tax dollars are still being collected. We’ve even asked if the state would issue an IOU to textbook publishers, knowing that a final budget eventually will be enacted. Again, the Governor said ‘no.’ His actions are disturbing, especially considering that he states education is among his top priorities.”
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Representative Marguerite Quinn
143rd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ryan Travis, 717.260.6335,
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