‘Vast disparities’: State College school board voices support for PA fair funding lawsuit

A trial against that could change the way Pennsylvania funds its public schools is underway in Harrisburg, and the State College Area School District Board of Directors voiced support Monday for its plaintiffs and education funding reform.

Approved unanimously, the resolution “urges the Pennsylvania General Assembly to provide a fair, adequate, and predictable funding system that enables all children to meet state academic standards and does not discriminate against low-wealth school districts.”

The trial, which started in November and resumed Jan. 7 after a break for the holidays, was filed by six school districts who argue that the state has failed to provide fair and equitable funding for the public education system.

State College joins 15 other school districts — the first in Centre County — in passing a resolution in support of the fair funding lawsuit.

“This case sheds light on the imbalance between local and state funding of schools in Pennsylvania,” the board wrote.

Pennsylvania contributes a 38% share of education funding to public schools, ranking 45th out of the 50 states in its percentage of education funding. In the State College Area School District, local tax dollars account for 79% of funding.

“For districts with relatively low total assessed value compared to the number of students, even high millage rates and increasing taxation may provide inadequate and falling revenue for the district,” the board wrote. “This funding approach creates vast disparities between high-wealth and low-wealth districts, leading to one of the widest funding gaps in the country.”

The lawsuit seeks to have the court rule the current school funding system unconstitutional.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, one of the defendants, said in a November statement that the Legislature has “met our constitutional mandate to provide a thorough and efficient system of public education.”

Also during Monday’s meeting, discussion continued regarding the 2022-2023 academic calendar. The original proposed calendar shown to the board at the Dec. 20 meeting would start school on Aug. 22, coinciding with the Grange Fair. The board tabled the vote at the December meeting and asked the district to create a new calendar proposal.

The board will vote on the new calendar proposal at its next meeting, Feb. 7.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 5:06 PM.