What’s the problem?

Pennsylvania ranks 45th in the nation for state share of school funding. The commonwealth provides just 38% of K-12 funding; nationally, the norm is close to 50%.

When the state doesn’t pay its share, it puts enormous pressure on communities to fund their schools through property taxes.

Wealthy communities with robust local tax bases can raise enough funding to provide student with the resources they need in their schools, even with relatively low tax rates for home and business owners. Meanwhile, communities that lack a healthy tax base have among the highest property tax rates in the commonwealth and are still unable to raise enough local dollars to fund their schools.

What does this mean for students?

Thousands of students attend schools that lack the resources needed to ensure that they can succeed.

Pennsylvania has one of the most inequitable school funding systems in America.

The wealthiest school districts spend, on average, $4,800 more per student than the poorest, and that
gap has grown steadily wider.

What Students Need

Every student deserves robust course choices, class sizes that allow teachers to provide them with the help they need, enough school counselors and nurses to provide mental and physical health services, and a safe, healthy learning environment so they can thrive and succeed in school today and live productive, fulfilling lives after graduation.

Ensuring that all students have access to a high-quality education is an investment in our students’ learning today and in our state’s prosperity tomorrow.

How You Can Help

Join the movement to support the funding Pennsylvania’s public schools need and deserve. Sign up to receive emails from Education Voters of PA, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

We’ll give you the tools to speak up for the education students deserve and a better future for all of our children.