Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and that starts with providing our schools with the resources they need to help every student thrive. That’s why I was proud to vote in favor of this year’s state budget, which continues our commitment to investing in public education and supporting students at every stage of their learning.
This budget marks another year of increased funding for Pennsylvania’s public schools, with a statewide investment of $670 million. These investments help ensure schools have the resources to provide a quality education while directing additional support to the communities that have been underfunded for far too long.
The budget includes a $565 million increase in adequacy funding, along with additional investments in basic and special education, giving schools greater capacity to meet students’ needs and helping every child reach their full potential.
Just as importantly, we’re investing in students’ well-being. A quality education that is funded properly means more than reading, writing and math. It also means making sure students are learning in safe, healthy and supportive environments, not only helping kids, but ensuring that families feel safe when they send their kids to school every day.
This budget invests $121 million in school safety and mental health grants to help schools prevent tragedies before they happen. It also strengthens protections for students by addressing bullying and cyberbullying, improving social media literacy, putting safeguards in place against the misuse of artificial intelligence, involving parents sooner when bullying does occur, and ensuring students attending cyber charter schools receive the same protections as their peers in traditional public schools.
The budget also promotes student health by ensuring elementary school students have time for recess, allowing school districts to use existing funding to support later school times, and protecting students’ privacy by keeping BMI calculations confidential.
We’re also taking important steps to improve school safety by evaluating school buildings across the commonwealth, helping identify needed improvements, and ensuring first responders have access to school floor plans in the event of an emergency.
Our investment in students continues beyond graduation. This budget provides additional support for Pennsylvania’s state and state-related colleges and universities and continues funding the popular Student Teacher Stipend Program, helping future educators complete the training they need to enter the classroom.
When we invest in education, we invest in our communities, our economy and the next generation of Pennsylvanians. I was proud to support a budget that prioritizes our students and helps build a stronger future for families across our district and throughout the commonwealth.