Philly Voice: Pennsylvania’s School Funding Could Be Revamped By Civil Trial That Begins Next Week

Six school districts sued state lawmakers in 2014 for “severe underfunding” of the public school system in the state of Pennsylvania and the case is set to go to trial on November 12. The suit alleges that the state failed to “ensure all students receive an adequate and equitable education” and claims that there has been a unfair burden placed on low-income districts that has created disparity in access to quality education. In a 2020 report issued by the Education Law Center, only 38.6% of education funding came from the state while nearly 55% came from local sources. A Kelly’s report noted that Pennsylvania schools are underfunded by US$4.6 billion and that multiple districts are underfunded by more than US$4,000 per student. O’Melveny & Myers LLP, the Education Law Center, and the Public Interest Law Center represent the school districts and seek to “revamp” the current public school funding plan.

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