Every child in Pennsylvania has the right to a public education that prepares them for college and career.

But our legislative leaders in Harrisburg have created a school funding system where the students who need the most get the least, because of where they live.

It’s wrong. It’s unconstitutional. And now, school districts and parents have taken the state to court.

A four-month trial concluded on March 10, 2022. On February 7, 2023, in a historic victory for students, Commonwealth Court declared that Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional. Now we await action from state officials to implement a remedy, with proposals under consideration as part of the state’s 2024 budget process.

THIS JUST IN: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
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Our remarks on the anniversary of Commonwealth Court's school funding decision

One year ago today, Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional and must be reformed. Now, there is a potentially transformational plan on the table, developed by the Basic Education Funding Commission and affirmed by Governor Josh Shapiro in his Feb. 6 budget address.

Joint Statement from Law Centers On Historic Budget Proposal From Gov. Shapiro
Joint Statement from Law Centers On Historic Budget Proposal From Gov. Shapiro

Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center issued this joint statement in response to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s annual budget address on Feb. 6, 2024.

We commend Gov. Shapiro for today’s historic commitment to address the needs of all Pennsylvania’s school children. Last year Gov. Shapiro promised to develop a plan to bring Pennsylvania’s school funding system into constitutional compliance. Building on the work of the Basic Education Funding Commission, he has kept that promise, and we applaud him for it. Today’s proposal includes every first-year recommendation proposed by the commission.

Basic Education Funding Commission Releases a Proposal that Could Make a Life-Changing Difference for Pennsylvania Students
Basic Education Funding Commission Releases a Proposal that Could Make a Life-Changing Difference for Pennsylvania Students

Today, the Basic Education Funding Commission took the first step towards developing a public school funding system based on what students need statewide—not on local wealth. We applaud the commissioners for taking their constitutional duty seriously, and putting forward and adopting a plan that, if fully implemented, would make a life-changing difference for our students.

Find all our “Daily highlights” posts on our News page. Look through a “table of contents” of past highlights in our Trial at a Glance page.

¡Ahora tenemos una sección en español!
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We now have a Spanish language section on the Fund Our Schools PA website!

Thousands of students and families across Pennsylvania speak Spanish as their primary language. It is essential that they have access to information about the historic lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s school funding system. We are excited to now be able to provide information in Spanish on the case, its history, and answers to frequently asked questions on the Fund Our Schools PA website.

Please visit the “En español” section on our website and share widely.

Fund Our Schools PA is a website and social media campaign maintained by the Education Law Center-PA and the Public Interest Law Center to share information with the public about the Pennsylvania school funding lawsuit. The law centers are representing petitioners in the case.