Corbett education nominee approved
First Posted:
PETER JACKSON Associated Press
HARRISBURG — Hours before Gov. was expected to advocate deep spending cuts throughout state government, the man he has nominated to be Pennsylvania’s education secretary reminded a Senate panel Monday that bigger isn’t always better.
At his confirmation hearing before the Education Committee, Ronald Tomalis questioned the methodology of a legislatively mandated 2007 study that concluded the state’s share of public school funding was inadequate.
Democratic former Gov. Ed Rendell, who left office in January, used those findings to help justify billions of dollars in increased education spending.
"I’m not one who believes in the idea that money equals quality," Tomalis told Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery, one of the committee members who peppered the nominee with wide-ranging questions during an hour-long hearing. "It seems that there is always a reason to spend more money on public education."
The committee unanimously endorsed Tomalis, an education policy veteran with experience in state and federal government.
Tomalis, who is serving as acting secretary pending Senate confirmation of his appointment, hinted the new Republican administration will seek to slow the implementation of Keystone Exams, the new high school graduation competency tests. They are currently slated to be fully in place statewide by the 2016-17 school year.
So far, the governor has revealed little about what he will propose in his first budget speech to the Legislature.
The current budget totals $28 billion, but billions in federal stimulus funds and transfers of other state funds are not expected to be available in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Corbett, the former state attorney general, promised in his election campaign that he would not increase state taxes or fees.
In addition to expected spending cuts, Corbett has sent out signals about other fiscal policies, including support for the privatization of the now state-controlled sale of wine and liquor.
