Representative Peter Schweyer, a Democrat from Lehigh County, serves as the Chair for the state’s Basic Education Funding Commission.
In a statement, he discussed the report the group approved, saying it makes the choice clear for educating the students of Pennsylvania – “we need to go big.”
The bipartisan group of state officials are tasked with recommending ways to improve the state’s system of funding public education. They say their new report will drastically change the way that children are educated statewide. The plan focuses on four basic values:
- Accountability for taxpayers and families
- Making sure all students receive adequate educational opportunities
- Providing underfunded students with equitable resources
- Creating a state funding system that’s stable and predictable
Representative Schweyer explained that the report was a result of months of cooperation with students, families, teachers, superintendents, and education experts.
Schweyer also emphasized that while the plan calls for a significant increase in funding for school districts, that monetary increase has a purpose. It helps fulfill “the obligation in the Pennsylvania Constitution for all children to receive a quality education.”
Additional funding will be put toward investments in underfunded districts or districts that are growing too quickly to keep up with demand. Additionally, scientifically proven strategies and new and updated school buildings will be paid for.
The higher state funding could mean a cut in a billion dollars of property taxes.
Recent pushes for increased school funding come after a lawsuit was finalized last year finding the Pennsylvania school funding system to be unconstitutional.
