{"id":108990,"date":"2026-02-09T11:27:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T11:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/108990\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T11:27:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T11:27:12","slug":"berks-school-districts-see-funding-increases-in-governors-2026-27-budget-proposal-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/108990\/","title":{"rendered":"Berks school districts see funding increases in governor’s 2026-27 budget proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Make it four for four for Gov. Josh Shapiro.<\/p>\n

In each of the Democrat\u2019s first three years in office, Shapiro has called for significant boosts in state funding for public education \u2014 asking for billion-dollar increases each time.<\/p>\n

And when he gave his annual budget address to the state Legislature last week, he called for a hike for the fourth straight year.<\/p>\n

\"GovernorGovernor Josh Shapiro delivers his 2026-27 budget address on Tuesday that includes significant boosts in state funding for public education. (Commonwealth Media Services)<\/p>\n

The governor has called on the Legislature to continue to tackle closing a funding gap in the state where schools in poor areas have far fewer resources than those in wealthy areas.<\/p>\n

That has occurred through an adequacy funding formula, which directs new state funding to districts most in need. The money, provided through Ready to Learn Block Grants, is a response to a 2023 Commonwealth Court decision that declared the state\u2019s funding system is inadequate, inequitable and unconstitutional.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Shapiro called for a $565 million increase in that funding.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve invested a record amount of money in public education, and created a brand-new formula that drives that money out to the schools that need it most,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we pledged to keep doing it until we meet our obligation set forth in Article 3, Section 14 of our state Constitution, which guarantees every Pennsylvanian access to a \u2018thorough and efficient system of public education.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Shapiro is also calling for increases to two other streams of state funding to school districts, though not nearly at the same level. He is asking that basic education funding \u2014 the main stream of state support for schools \u2014 be increased by $50 million, and a $50 million increase for special education funding.<\/p>\n

Berks impact<\/p>\n

The governor\u2019s proposal would bring an additional $41 million in funding to Berks County schools \u2014 more than half of which would go to the Reading School District.<\/p>\n

The bulk of the new funding would come through Ready to Learn Block Grants, which Shapiro is calling to go up by just over $35.4 million in Berks.<\/p>\n

Basic education funding would increase by just over $2.7 million, while special education would get a nearly $2.9 million boost.<\/p>\n

\"ProposedProposed state education funding for Berks County schools.<\/p>\n

Reading would see a total of just over $28.7 million in state funding. Most of that \u2014 about $25.6 million \u2014 would be in Ready to Learn Block Grant increases.<\/p>\n

In total, the governor\u2019s budget calls for more than $322 million in state funding for Reading.<\/p>\n

Other Berks schools would see more modest funding increases. Four districts would each get more than a million dollars in increased Ready to Learn Block Grant funding.<\/p>\n

Muhlenberg would receive a $7.4 million increase; Wilson would see a $1.9 million increase; Gov. Mifflin would see a $1.6 million increase; and Boyertown would see a $1.4 million increase.<\/p>\n

Berks reactions<\/p>\n

Local education leaders expressed gratitude for Shapiro\u2019s support.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe applaud the efforts Gov. Shapiro and his administration have made in meeting the state\u2019s obligation to educate our children,\u201d Antietam Superintendent Dr. Timothy Matlack said. \u201cThe recent investments have resulted in grant support for replacing our flooded middle-senior high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dr.Dr. Timothy Matlack<\/p>\n

Matlack said equity funding also has helped his district address other issues such as replacing older math and literacy resources.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe governor\u2019s call to continue closing the gaps in funding for districts like Antietam is a welcome one,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile money alone does not solve problems, a lack of adequate funding absolutely creates problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matlack recognized Shapiro for his calls to invest in special education and career and technology education.<\/p>\n

He said he hopes the Legislature supports Shapiro\u2019s education funding plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hope is that the difficult work of reconciling the proposal is a top priority and that, for the sake of everyone across the commonwealth, we have a final budget by July that allows schools to adequately plan to meet the needs of the children we serve,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Daniel Boone Superintendent Thomas Voelker said the budget proposal continue to prove Shapiro\u2019s support of education.<\/p>\n

\u201cGov. Shapiro has been working with legislators to develop a new funding formula aimed at increasing support for quality public education,\u201d he said. \u201cHis latest budget proposal continues to demonstrate commitment, both in words and financial backing, to Pennsylvania\u2019s public schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ThomasThomas Voelker
\nDaniel Boone School District<\/p>\n

Voelker added that while state funding isn\u2019t the only source of revenue for school districts, it is an important one.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important to remember that school districts receive funding from a combination of local, state and federal sources,\u201d he said. \u201cIn Berks County, almost all districts rely heavily on local funds, and we are acutely aware of how any tax increase impacts our communities. Additional state funding helps alleviate this burden, bringing us closer to closing our budget deficit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Voelker stressed that the governor\u2019s proposal isn\u2019t a done deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are still differing perspectives on how the state will generate revenue to support these expenditures, which could present obstacles to implementing the proposed budget,\u201d he said. \u201cWe remain hopeful for collaborative solutions despite these challenges, understanding how complex these discussions are for all stakeholders.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the proposed state funding offers much-needed relief, identifying sustainable revenue sources is essential for long-term progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamburg Superintendent Dr. Christopher Beissel said that while his district doesn\u2019t see big boosts in funding in the governor\u2019s proposal, he supports Shapiro\u2019s efforts to bolster education.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.Dr. Christopher Beissel
\nHamburg schools superintendent<\/p>\n

\u201cHamburg Area School District is not expecting significant increases in our basic education and special education funding based on the proposed budget, but we appreciate present levels of funding being maintained,\u201d he said. \u201cAdditionally, we are hopeful that there is further consideration for cyber charter tuition reform that will ultimately save both the district and our taxpayers money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Jill Hackman, executive director of the Berks County Intermediate Unit, said she is encouraged by the budget\u2019s attention to early childhood education.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.Dr. Jill Hackman (COURTESY OF BERKS COUNTY INTERMEDIATE UNIT)<\/p>\n

The proposal includes a $10 million increase for child care recruitment and retention; a $7.5 million increase for Pre-K Counts; and a $2 million increase for Head Start.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe proposed funding reflects the essential role education plays in fostering opportunity, stability and community well-being,\u201d she said. \u201cAs the budget advances through the legislative process, we recognize the importance of thoughtful review, dialogue and careful consideration of fiscal sustainability. These discussions are essential to ensuring that education investments are both effective and enduring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hackman said the BCIU remains committed to supporting policies and funding decisions that advance access and long-term success for students and communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we are hopeful the final budget will reflect a shared commitment to the future of Berks County and the commonwealth,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Make it four for four for Gov. Josh Shapiro. In each of the Democrat\u2019s first three years in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":108982,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[349,227,182,139,28,128,130,129,706],"class_list":{"0":"post-108990","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-reading","8":"tag-berks-county","9":"tag-education","10":"tag-local-news","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-pennsylvania","13":"tag-reading-city","14":"tag-reading-city-headlines","15":"tag-reading-city-news","16":"tag-top-stories-reg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108990"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108990\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}