A judge declared Pennsylvania’s school funding system unconstitutional Tuesday, a historic decision that could transform the way the state funds public education.
The lawsuit filed by multiple school districts, parents, and advocacy groups in 2014 argues the state’s funding of K-12 education is inadequate to the point that it violates the state’s constitution.
In her decision, Commonwealth Court Judge Renée Cohn Jubelirer, a Republican, agreed.
“Students who reside in school districts with low property values and incomes are deprived of the same opportunities and resources as students who reside in school districts with high property values and incomes,” Jubelirer wrote.
“As a result of these disparities, petitioners and students attending low-wealth districts are being deprived of equal protection of law.”
Pennsylvania has some of the greatest spending gaps in the country between districts.
The state provides only about a third of public school funding, potentially underfunding schools by as much as $4.6 billion, by one assessment. The majority of a district’s funding comes from local property taxes, which can vary widely based on the wealth of a community.
“Today’s decision declaring Pennsylvania’s school funding system unconstitutional is a historic victory for Pennsylvania’s public school children,” the Education Law Center and the Public Interest Law Center, who represent the petitioners, said in a joint written statement.
“It will change the future for millions of families, so that children are no longer denied the education they deserve.”
This story will be updated.
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