HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) \u2014 Pennsylvania’s public schools will once again see a funding boost in the 2026 budget.<\/p>\n
The $50.8 billion budget includes an additional $565 in adequacy funding, continuing efforts to rectify a funding system declared unconstitutional following a lawsuit by Pennsylvania’s poorest schools.<\/p>\n
It also includes another $58 million in basic education funding, $50 million in special education funding, and $154 in career and technical education funding.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Pa. adopts $50.8B budget that sends more money to poorest schools, skips difficult policy questions\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n “These investments advance Pennsylvania’s constitutional obligation to adequately fund public\u00a0education\u00a0while strengthening early learning, career readiness, student well-being, and safe learning environments,” Senator Nick Miller (D-Lehigh\/Northampton) said. “Every child deserves access to a high-quality\u00a0education, regardless of their ZIP code.”<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania School Boards Association lauded the increases.<\/p>\n “This budget builds on the significant investments made last year and continues Pennsylvania’s progress toward providing school districts with the resources they need to support students, strengthen educational programs, and prepare for another successful year,” PSBA CEO Nathan Mains said.<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania State Education Association also commended the investments.<\/p>\n “This state budget\u00a0reflects a\u00a0remarkable commitment to K-12 public\u00a0education\u00a0in Pennsylvania and reminds us how important it is to elect pro-public\u00a0education\u00a0leaders,” PSEA President Aaron Chapin said. “The budget continues a multiyear plan to improve school funding adequacy and equity, helping more students in more communities reach their full potential. It also invests more in the Student Teacher Support Program, ensuring that nearly every student teacher eligible for a stipend will receive one in the coming school year.”<\/p>\n The budget, PSEA says, includes an additional $10 Million for student teacher stipends, up to a total of $40 million in funding.<\/p>\n The Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center, which were at the forefront of the 2023 funding lawsuit<\/a>, said the budget is a step forward but there is more ground to cover.<\/p>\n Get the latest Pennsylvania politics and election news with abc27 newsletters<\/a>!<\/p>\n “Our schools remain billions of dollars short of the funding the General Assembly identified as needed. And until every child \u2014 wherever they live \u2014 has access to a well-funded public school, Pennsylvania’s constitutional obligation remains unmet,” Deborah Gordon Klehr, executive director of the Education Law Center, said.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n