Pennsylvania’s New K-12 Budget: Key Reforms

Pennsylvania’s 2025-2026 budget introduces significant changes for K-12 education, focusing on increasing oversight for cyber charter schools, adjusting the state’s funding adequacy formula, and addressing a critical teacher shortage. These reforms, shaped by recent legal rulings and public advocacy, aim to enhance educational outcomes and financial accountability, offering valuable insights for school systems nationwide.

Context for Change

The impetus for Pennsylvania’s budget changes stems from a Commonwealth Court ruling declaring the state’s public school funding system unconstitutionally inequitable. This, coupled with growing scrutiny over the spending practices and educational efficacy of cyber charter schools, has driven lawmakers to implement substantial reforms designed to create a more “thorough and efficient” public education system.

Cyber Charter Funding and Oversight Revamp

Cyber charter schools, which are privately operated but publicly funded, have faced intense scrutiny. The new budget introduces policies to increase accountability and provide financial relief to traditional public school districts.

Financial Adjustments and Savings

Previously, public school districts bore the full tuition cost for students attending cyber charters. Now, districts can deduct a greater amount from these payments, projected to save public schools approximately $178 million statewide. While public education advocates welcome this as a positive move, cyber charter administrators have expressed concerns, warning of potential closures or adverse effects on their students.

Enhanced Accountability Measures

Beyond financial tweaks, the budget institutes several policies aimed at improving oversight and student welfare:

• **Truancy Restrictions:** Public school students with high truancy rates will generally be barred from transferring to cyber charters, unless mandated by a judge.
• **Webcam Attendance:** Students must be visibly present on webcam during synchronous (real-time) instruction to be marked as attending.
• **Wellness Checks:** Cyber charters are now required to conduct mandatory weekly wellness checks on students, and teachers must undergo training to recognize signs of child abuse. These measures follow tragic incidents, including the death of one cyber charter student due to abuse, which led to a wrongful death lawsuit against her school.
• **Residency Disputes:** Districts now have an easier process to dispute tuition payments for students who are no longer residents.

These reforms aim to ensure students are learning and taxpayers’ money is spent effectively, as stated by House Education Chair Peter Schweyer.

Tweaking the Adequacy Funding Formula

The budget significantly bolsters the state’s adequacy formula, a system designed last year to distribute funds to under-resourced districts based on factors like poverty levels and the number of English as a second language learners.

Increased Funding and Minimum Distribution

More than $500 million in additional funds will be distributed through this formula, aligning with a planned nine-year increase to reach $4.5 billion. A notable change is the institution of a $50,000 minimum distribution for all 500 school districts. This ensures that even districts that might not have qualified for additional aid under the formula will receive this minimum, benefiting over 130 districts this year. This move has been lauded by organizations like the Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center as a “step forward” toward a “fully and fairly funded public education system.”

Addressing the Teacher Shortage Crisis

Pennsylvania, like many states, faces a significant teacher shortage. The new budget includes policies to recruit and retain educators.

New Pathways to Certification

• **Student Teacher Stipends:** Funding for student teacher stipends has been increased, allowing the state to pay aspiring teachers for their time in classrooms, a long-sought goal by the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
• **Re-certification Flexibility:** Districts can now hire teachers with lapsed certifications and support them through the re-certification process, easing the return of experienced educators to the classroom.
• **Experience-Based Certificates:** A new “experience-based teaching certificate” will fast-track certification for professionals (e.g., a chemist) transitioning into teaching fields related to their expertise, giving them five years to complete practicum requirements while teaching.

Other Key Educational Initiatives

The budget also includes provisions for literacy, infrastructure, and college access:

• **Literacy Education:** Mandatory evidence-based literacy education for teachers of young children, along with three annual reading screenings for K-3 students. Parents will be notified of deficiencies, and schools must report progress to the Department of Education.
• **School Facilities and Safety:** $125 million is allocated for school facility repairs, including at least $25 million for the Solar for Schools program. An additional $100 million is earmarked for school safety and mental health grants.
• **College Readiness:** Graduating students will now be required to enroll in FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), with an opt-out option, to encourage more students to apply for college.

Key Budget Changes at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the main goals of the new Pennsylvania K-12 budget?
  The budget aims to increase oversight for cyber charter schools, enhance equitable funding for all public schools, and address the state’s teacher shortage through various recruitment and retention initiatives.
• How will cyber charter schools be affected financially?
  Public school districts will now be able to deduct a greater amount from the tuition they pay to cyber charters, leading to an estimated $178 million in savings for traditional public schools.
• Does the budget provide more money for all school districts?
  Yes, all 500 public school districts will receive at least an additional $50,000 through the updated adequacy formula, with over $500 million in new funds distributed overall.
• What steps are being taken to combat the teacher shortage?
  The budget includes increased funding for student teacher stipends, policies to help teachers with lapsed certifications return to the classroom, and new experience-based teaching certificates to bring professionals into teaching.
• Are there new requirements for student literacy?
  Yes, teachers working with young children must use evidence-based literacy education, and K-3 students will be screened for reading ability three times a year, with parents notified of any deficiencies.

This Pennsylvania budget reflects a concerted effort to tackle complex educational challenges head-on, offering a comprehensive package of reforms that prioritizes student well-being, financial fairness, and a robust teaching workforce.

Pennsylvania K twelve Funding Oversight Revamp