“Draining the School-to-Prison Pipeline” is a monthly publication addressing issues of community school reintegration, sharing practical recommendations to support returning students, tracking relevant public policy and legislation, and addressing racial and other inequities in Pennsylvania’s educational system.
Pennsylvania’s School Funding Trial: The “Need to Know”
The trial over school funding for Pennsylvania students is set to begin on November 12, 2021 in Commonwealth Court. The plaintiffs in this suit — six school districts, four parents, and two statewide organizations — contend that Pennsylvania’s current system of school funding violates the Pennsylvania Constitution and denies some students the opportunity to receive an adequate education. The suit names as defendants the Governor, legislative leaders, the Secretary of Education, and the State Board of Education.
The lawsuit asks the court to find Pennsylvania’s current funding structure unconstitutional for two reasons. First, the current system does not meet the General Assembly’s constitutional obligation to “provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education.” As a result of an irrational method of school funding, some school districts across the Commonwealth cannot provide their students with the fundamental elements of a quality education, such as sufficient numbers of qualified teachers and staff, appropriate class sizes, suitable facilities, and up-to-date text books and technology.
Second, the plaintiffs argue that Pennsylvania’s current system of school funding is inequitable: it widens resource disparities and discriminates against students living in districts with low wealth, in violation of the equal protection provisions in the Pennsylvania Constitution. If the plaintiffs’ case is successful, the General Assembly would be compelled to allocate more funds to low- wealth school districts, ultimately minimizing disparities in test scores and graduation rates that are rooted in resource inequities.
The case is William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al. The plaintiffs are represented by the Education Law Center, the Public Interest Law Center, and O’Melveny.
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