Resources for COVID-19 Response
For more information about AFT and AFT Pennsylvania's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Statement on Governor Wolf’s Announcement of Charter School Reforms
Plymouth Meeting, PA, Tuesday, August 13, 2019 – Arthur Steinberg, President of AFT Pennsylvania, issued the following statement on behalf of the more than 36,000 members of the Commonwealth’s statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers on Tuesday:
“We are very encouraged by Governor Wolf’s announcement today that he will back legislation to address commonsense charter school reforms in Pennsylvania, including transparency requirements, a cap on cyber charter enrollment and a moratorium on new cyber charter schools.
Gov. Wolf announces millions in funding to fix environmental hazards in Philly schools
"Standing in the library of an Overbrook elementary school, Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday announced the state would spend $4.3 million to help remove lead paint from Philadelphia public schools.
Including the millions the state paid last year to complete such projects, that means Pennsylvania has allocated almost $12 million to fixing environmental hazards in the Philadelphia School District.
Bill raising teachers' salaries stalled
A push to raise the state's minimum teacher salary has become a bipartisan effort, but it appears to not be enough to ensure a key piece of Gov. Tom Wolf's budget proposal will make it into the final version of the spending document.
York CTE support staff wins 5-year deal
York Vocational Technical Support Staff has ratified a five-year contract that provides for annual raises, increased longevity pay and a small deductible increase in the 2020-21 school year.
Scranton teachers fight for fair fundiing
After years of declining state funding, waste and corruption, the Scranton School District has been made a "recovery district" by the state. With a recovery plan due in May, there's talk of closing schools in the financially struggling, impoverished district. But members of the Scranton Federation of Teachers have joined with community leaders to demand adequate and fair funding. Read more and sign a petition here.
Pittsburgh grapples with food insecurity
Food insecurity is the state of being unable to obtain a sufficient amount of healthy food on the daily basis. Nationally, 12.9 percent of the population are food insecure. In Pennsylvania 12.5 percent of the population fits the category, but in the City of Pittsburgh an alarming 21 percent of residents are food insecure.