Studying Pennsylvania’s Court-Ordered School Finance Reform

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 4:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: School Resource Disparities, Philanthropic Giving, and Policies to Support School Funding Equity (Table 12)

Abstract

Last year, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court that the state’s funding system “violated [the state constitution] because of a failure to provide all students with access to a comprehensive, effective, and contemporary system of public education that will give them a meaningful opportunity to succeed.” The General Assembly is charged with transforming what is widely considered one of the most inequitable funding policies in the country to provide more funding to low-wealth districts, which both educate more economically disadvantaged students and bear higher tax burdens. This study examines this process through analyzing textual data from social and traditional media, court documents, and transcripts from public hearings; conducting interviews with policymakers and community stakeholders; and closely following negotiations during the 2024-25 legislative session.

Authors

• Nell Williams, EdFund

• Joshua Bleiberg, University of Pittsburgh

• Ai Shao, University of Pittsburgh