Special State Budget Edition

• Shapiro proposes state budget with historic basic and higher ed investments
• Basic education funding
• Basic Education Funding Commission calls for billions to fix unconstitutional school funding system
• “Higher education blueprint”
• PSEA members attend budget address as Shapiro’s guests

Kicking off discussions about the FY 2024-25 state budget, Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled his proposed budget today during a joint session of the General Assembly.

Shapiro’s proposed budget includes bold plans for both basic and higher education, but he also called for lawmakers to find a way to authorize taxpayer-funded scholarships to private and religious schools – an idea that PSEA continues to strongly oppose.

The governor’s budget proposal is the first step in the state budget process and the beginning of months-long negotiations with lawmakers. The deadline for passage of the final budget is June 30. Watch this space for updates or go to www.psea.org/schoolfunding

Shapiro’s basic education plan proposes to increase basic education funding by nearly $1.1 billion.

“This is a solid beginning in a multiyear process, and we’re very pleased that this is one of Gov. Shapiro’s top priorities,” said PSEA President Aaron Chapin. “We absolutely must make these critical investments in our public schools, students, educators, and support staff, and we can’t allow anything to distract us from doing it.”

Key basic education funding in the FY 2024-25 proposed budget

Funding increase for new student teacher stipend program

The governor also proposed a $5 million increase to a new student teacher stipend program that will help student teachers make ends meet during their 12 weeks of student teaching. This would bring the total investment in student teacher stipends to $25 million at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester. It is positive that Gov. Shapiro included this increase in his proposed budget, but PSEA’s estimates suggest this is far below what Pennsylvania needs to fully fund stipends for every prospective educator.

“We appreciate the governor’s commitment to investing in stipend programs for student teachers so that they can make ends meet while they are student teaching for 12 weeks.” Chapin said. “This is a priority for PSEA, and this increase will remove a significant barrier to becoming an educator and ease staff shortages in the years ahead.”

Taxpayer-funded scholarships for private and religious schools

During his budget address, Shapiro also called on lawmakers to find a way to pass taxpayer-funded scholarships for private and religious schools, a move that PSEA continues to strongly oppose. In June and July 2023, PSEA successfully led the charge to defeat a $100 million private and religious school scholarships plan.

“The Basic Education Funding Commission has said that Pennsylvania needs to provide public schools with an additional $9.5 billion over seven years to make our public education system constitutional,” Chapin said. “Policymakers shouldn’t even think about funding scholarships for private and religious schools. We have no time for that kind of unnecessary, political distraction.”

Some of Shapiro’s basic education funding plan is based on a report that Pennsylvania’s Basic Education Funding Commission issued on Jan. 11. The majority report called for an additional $9.5 billion for public schools over the next seven years, including $5.1 billion for adequacy, $955 million to school districts that have disproportionately high taxes, and another $200 million a year over seven years for all school districts through the updated and improved basic education funding formula to keep up with rising costs.

The commission’s report comes about a year after a Commonwealth Court judge found that inequities in Pennsylvania’s public school funding system violate the state constitution.

“Pennsylvania’s students have waited decades for policymakers to take bold action to address school funding equity,” PSEA Vice President Jeff Ney said. “The Commonwealth Court decision requires policymakers to take this action, and PSEA stands ready to support their work to ensure that Pennsylvania’s school funding system meets constitutional muster.”

The Basic Education Funding Commission’s majority report recommends that the state provide the following increases in basic education over the next seven years:

• $5.1 billion in adequacy payments;
• $955 million to school districts that have disproportionately high taxes;
• A commitment of $1.4 billion ($200 million a year) to be distributed to school districts through the funding formula; and
• $2.1 billion over seven years for school facilities ($300 million a year).

Shapiro also outlined a “higher education blueprint” that would combine State System of Higher Education universities and community colleges in a unified governance system with the goal of improving coordination and reducing costs for students. PSEA will be reviewing this proposal closely to make sure it protects the rights of our higher education members and increases access for students.

Ultimately, Shapiro’s proposal would ensure that students from families making up to the median family income would ultimately pay no more than $1,000 per semester at state system universities or community colleges.

“This is a good starting point for conversations about how we can make a college education more affordable and accessible to Pennsylvania’s students,” PSEA Treasurer Rachael West said. “PSEA looks forward to learning more about this plan and working with all the stakeholders involved.”

The “higher education blueprint” includes:

• Unified governance system for state system universities and community colleges.
• Ultimately capping tuition at $1,000 per semester for students from families making at or below the median family income.
• State System of Higher Education and community college funding increase of $125 million.

(left to right) Allyson Morcom, Aaron Chapin, Adam Oldham, Jeff Ney, and Rachael West outide the state Capitol before Gov. Shapiro’s budget address.

PSEA President Aaron Chapin, Abington Heights social studies teacher Allyson Morcom, and Big Spring high school counselor Adam Oldham attended the budget address as Gov. Shapiro’s guests, sitting with other Pennsylvanians who are impacted by the governor’s budget.

“It is really important to me that we involve PSEA members who are teaching and serving students every day in the processes that impact their work and their lives,” Chapin said. “I was very proud to have Allyson and Adam witness this.”

“It’s an exciting day because the state budget comes at a really important time when there’s been a decision by the Supreme Court that there’s inequitable funding, and we’re looking forward to hearing that that money will be invested into our public schools. As a public school teacher, there’s nothing more important than the day that we hear that our schools are going to be fairly funded.”

– Allyson Morcom - High School Social Studies teacher, Abington Heights EA

“I’m most excited to hear what Gov. Shapiro has to say about supporting student mental health in schools. Our students have received additional funding for school support over the last couple of years, and I’m excited to see how some of that funding becomes part of the sustainable solution to the basic education funding process and the resolution to the unconstitutional school funding system we currently have.

“This week is National School Counseling Week, and to be able to come and represent not just PSEA but all school counselors across the state during the celebration is a big deal.”

– Adam Oldham - High School Counselor, Big Spring EA