| ALL THREE BRANCHES IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
In a huge step toward delivering a quality, 21st century education to every child in the Commonwealth, the Shapiro Administration and influential legislators reported that PA’s public schools are being shortchanged…by a lot.
Wow – what a victory for kids!
Yesterday the Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) told lawmakers to fill a $5.4 billion education funding shortfall within the next seven years.
Children and teens in southeastern PA would get a $1.8 billion boost which is desperately needed for books and computers, reading specialists and math tutors, and music, arts, and sports. Students would finally have the basics they need to succeed and the skills to contribute to a lifetime of success.
Kudos to the Commission for not shying away from naming a dollar amount or a time line – members stepped up with a real plan that will have a really big impact. Now the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch are now all on the same public page when it comes to addressing the unfair way we fund public education.
Like Governor Shapiro and many members of the Commission, Children First believed the BEFC was the place for the state to begin to respond to the Commonwealth Court’s school funding ruling in the historic school funding lawsuit. This adopted report is a clear demonstration that the Administration and House and Senate Democrats are taking the court decision very seriously because they prepared a detailed proposal to cure the constitutional infringement of the current school funding system.
And, Republicans on the BEFC did not refute the need to fill the adequacy gaps which is a strong indication that they too see that a solution to the gaping disparity in school funding resources across the state must be found. They also outlined 28 essential practices that contribute to educational quality that ought to be in place in every school once fully funded. They did that hard work providing a concrete guide for the research-tested elements of quality schools and education.
Governor Shapiro praised the report, saying it’s “a reflection of that work and of the consensus across Pennsylvania, and among leaders in both parties, that there is a real path forward to deliver a comprehensive solution on K-12 education in Pennsylvania.”
He is just weeks away from releasing his FY25 budget plan and we fully expect him to continue championing the public education investments included in this report.
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