House passes bill to make significant changes to PA’s education funding system

Rep. Peter G. Schweyer    June 10, 2024 | 6:11 PM

HARRISBURG, June 10 – Pennsylvania House Education Committee Majority Chairman, Peter Schweyer, today issued the following statement on the House passage of legislation to significantly improve the school funding system:

“Today, my colleagues in the House, in a bipartisan manner, passed a monumental bill that will change the way we fund education in Pennsylvania. A fair and equal education for every Pennsylvania child has been a top priority for me since I first became a legislator, and it has been my most important goal since becoming Chairman of the House Education Committee last year.

“I am a very proud parent of two students in the Allentown School District. My oldest daughter attends William Allen High School and my youngest is just wrapping up her 7th grade year at South Mountain Middle School. I know we have some amazing teachers giving their all to educate our children in ASD, but what I also know is that we are not spending nearly as much money on those students.

“Just outside of Allentown is the East Penn School District in Emmaus. That district is doing some incredible work. I had a chance to tour the high school and the students are offered classes on architecture and engineering, with state of the art tools. Nothing in this legislation would take away any of the funding for East Penn students to have these opportunities. What the bill does is ensure that students in districts like Allentown can be offered those same opportunities.

“This goes beyond just the Lehigh Valley; it would apply to schools all across Pennsylvania. Kids in Easton should have the same things kids in Saucon Valley have. Kids in Philadelphia should have the same opportunities as students in Lower Merion. Kids in Harrisburg, York, Scranton, Reading, Bethlehem should absolutely have the same opportunities as suburban school kids.

“What this bill does is reverse generational underfunding of school districts that goes back decades, and it invests in those children and those school districts that need it the most. I am proud to stand with every colleague in the legislature, both Democrat and Republican who supports this bill.

“This is the most important policy work I have ever done here in Harrisburg and I am so unbelievably proud that we are this close to the finish line and getting this to the Governor’s desk.”

Schweyer added the legislation would provide the following:

The East Penn School District would receive $1.35 million in adequacy supplement funding in the 2024/25 school year, with a total 7-year supplement of $9.4 million. The Salisbury Township School District would receive a total tax equity supplement of $2.2 million over 7 years.

Allentown 2024/25 increases:

  • $29.4 million for chronically underfunded schools
  • $4.2 million in cyber charter savings
  • $6.9 million increase to Basic Education Funding
  • $917,275 increase to Special Education Funding
  • Total 1 year increase: $41.5 million 

Statewide 2024/25 Increases:

  • $735 million for chronically underfunded schools.
  • $455 million in cyber charter savings.
  • $200 million so every school district receives an increase.
  • $137 million in property tax relief. 

Statewide 7-Year Totals:

  • $5.1 billion for chronically underfunded schools.
  • $3.2 billion in cyber charter savings.
  • $1.4 billion through the fair funding formula for all public schools.
  • $956 million in property tax relief.