June 18, 2015 – Kathy Boccella, The Philadelphia Inquirer – A state commission Thursday called for a sweeping overhaul of Pennsylvania’s funding formula for education aid that would take into greater account factors such as poverty and numbers of non-English-speaking students, in an effort to close the nation’s biggest spending gap between richer and poorer districts.
Gov. Wolf
Op-Ed: Our public schools are in crisis – and students are paying the price
June 8, 2015 – PennLive Op-Ed by Ian Noah Gavigan and Deborah Gordon Klehr – Our state’s public schools are in crisis and students are paying the price. Continue reading
School-funding suit headed for highest Pa. court
May 20, 2015 – Kristen A. Graham, The Philadelphia Inquirer – Contending that Pennsylvania’s method of school funding is broken, lawyers representing a group of parents, school districts, and statewide associations are taking their case to the state’s high court, they said in court papers filed Wednesday.
Suit challenging school funding headed to top Pa. court
April 21, 2015 – by Kristen A. Graham and Martha Woodall, Philadelphia Inquirer – A lawsuit contending that Pennsylvania’s system of school funding is broken will move to the state’s top court, attorneys vowed Tuesday after a lower court dismissed the case brought by school districts, parents, and advocates. Continue reading
Opinion: Education is more than ‘keeping the doors open’
March 25, 2015 – by Sue Ann Rybak, Chestnut Hill Local – If you ask any parent with a child in the Philadelphia School District whether they think Pennsylvania’s current system of funding education is fair, I doubt that many would agree.
PA Districts Sue State Over Inequitable School Funding
March 18th, 2015 – National Opportunity to Learn Campaign – While Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and the state legislature argue over his proposed budget increase for education, some districts and parents are taking another route to fight for increased funding for their schools: the courts.
Attorneys for districts, parents ask judges to hear education funding case
March 12, 2015 – by Laura Benshoff and Dale Mezzacappa, Philadelphia Public School Notebook – Judges must order Pennsylvania’s governor and legislature to guarantee the constitutional right of every student to a “thorough and efficient” education, attorneys told a Commonwealth Court panel Wednesday. Continue reading
School funding lawsuit is ‘like Groundhog Day’ movie, state officials say
March 11, 2015 – by Kara Newhouse, LancasterOnline – As long as public schools are open and running, the state Legislature is meeting its constitutional obligation, argued legal representatives for state officials on Wednesday. Continue reading
School funding lawsuit hinges on whether court will hear it
March 11, 2015 – by Jan Murphy, Patriot News – Saying just turning on the lights and keeping the school doors open falls short of the Legislature’s constitutional obligation of providing a “thorough and efficient” education, education advocates argued that is why the court needs to intervene. Continue reading
School Funding Suit Against State Advances Despite Promises From Wolf
March 11, 2015 – by Joel Mathis, Philadelphia Magazine – It’s time for Pennsylvania’s courts to force the state legislature to properly fund state schools, attorneys representing a coalition of money-hungry school districts argued today before the Commonwealth Court at Harrisburg. Continue reading
School-funding system ‘broken,’ Pa. judges hear
March 11, 2015 – by Kristen Graham, Philadelphia Inquirer – Pennsylvania’s system of education funding is broken, and the courts must force lawmakers to make it right, attorneys for school districts, parents, and organizations that have sued the commonwealth told a panel of judges here Wednesday.
ELC Supports Governor’s Proposal to Restore School Funding Cuts
March 4, 2015 – The Education Law Center supports Governor Wolf’s proposal to restore $400 million in state funding to local school districts. The proposal directs critical resources to schools unable to meet the needs of students.
York City School District questions await Wolf team
Jan. 18, 2015 – By Angie Mason, York Daily Record – With the appointment of a York City School District receiver put on hold, many are now looking at how Gov.-elect Tom Wolf could intervene when he takes office next week.
School districts, parents, activists sue Pennsylvania over school funding
Nov. 11, 2014 – Kristen Graham, Philadelphia Inquirer – Alleging that Pennsylvania’s education-funding system is “irrational and inequitable,” a group of parents, school districts, and organizations on Monday sued the commonwealth, saying it had failed to provide all students with an appropriate education.
Three NEPA schools challenge funding
Nov. 11, 2014 – By Robert Swift, Scranton Times-Tribune – A Wilkes-Barre mother joined school districts and advocacy groups Monday in a lawsuit calling for an end to sharp inequities in funding for public education throughout Pennsylvania.
Lawsuit: School Funding in Pennsylvania is Unconstitutional
Nov. 10, 2014 – By Patrick Kerkstra, Philadelphia Magazine – Seventeen years ago, the city and School District of Philadelphia filed suit against Pennsylvania, accusing it of failing to provide sufficient education funding in violation of the state Constitution, which obligates the state legislature to “provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education.”