Why Are Kids Falling Behind in PA?

Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania.

By most measures, Pennsylvania has invested more in public education than ever. However, despite increased spending, academic achievement has flattened, leaving many in the education policy world scratching their heads as the state budget deadline looms.

Here is a number every Pennsylvania taxpayer should know: $23,807. That is what Pennsylvania now spends, on average, to educate a single public school student for one year. The commonwealth now ranks tenth in the nation and spends about $4,000 above the national average.

This is part of a longer trend in Pennsylvania education spending. Over the last decade, state taxpayer support for public education has surged by 68%. The 2024–25 budget delivered the second-largest single-year increase in state history—more than $1.3 billion, or an 8% bump, in one stroke. Currently, the total bill for K–12 education exceeds $17.7 billion in state funds alone, with Gov. Josh Shapiro proposing to add another $923 million on top of that.

Read more at RealClearPennsylvania.