Pennsylvania superintendents voice budget, AI, mental health concerns

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Central Intermediate Unit 10 (CIU10) held its third annual roundtable for superintendents to voice their concerns on issues in education.

Superintendents across 12 districts in Clearfield, Centre and Clinton attended the roundtable on Friday, March 1 in Philipsburg. to voice their opinions on current issues in the field to elected officials.

The three main topics were Gov. Shapiro’s $1.1 billion budget plan for education, mental health services for students and flat funding for cyber charter schools. Each sparked a back-and-forth dialogue between legislators and superintendents- something that the Executive Director of CIU10, Francine Endler, looks to achieve with every meeting.

“Much conversation goes on throughout the year, but this is a culmination of that and for big picture issues to be brought to the table to discuss,” Endler said.

A concern on behalf of legislators that applied to every topic of conversation was how all the programs would be funded. Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-District 171) explained that impactful legislation does not happen instantaneously- or without a cost.

“It’s a tough balancing act,” Benninghoff said. “You can have the greatest idea in the world, but at the end of the day, it’s a simple math equation.”

A topic new to this year’s meeting was the effect of artificial intelligence (AI) on education. Superintendents said that AI can lead to kids bullying or impersonating each other, and cheating on exams or papers. Rep. Paul Takac (D-District 82) said that AI is neither good nor bad; it all relies on how educators use it.

“We have to make sure that we humanize the tools so that they’re actually addressing and reflecting our values and the things that we care about,” Takac said.

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Both sides want to sustain the schools that act as vital pieces of their communities.

“Budgets reflect values; schools reflect communities,” Takac said.

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