Fair funding provides better opportunities for every student
School directors ask lawmakers about concerns, issues
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus October 28, 2026 | 12:26 PM
SCRANTON, Oct. 28 – Fairly funding schools has been a priority for House Democrats even before the Commonwealth Court ruled the state’s public school funding system unconstitutional in 2023. House Democrats have continued to pursue targeted funding to overcome years of inadequate financial support, but funding questions remain.
“We’ve wanted to do the right thing for our schools for a long time, and unfortunately it took a lawsuit to get us there,” said Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, who represents portions of Lackawanna County and serves as the Vice Chair of the Northeast Delegation. “We have been able to deliver historic education funding, but our budget negotiations with the Senate remain contentious every year because we are trying to backfill years of inadequate funding.”
The House Majority Policy Committee and state lawmakers participated in a roundtable with school directors and administrators at Scranton School District, hearing directly from school administrators about current questions facing schools — including funding.
“The difference between what our public schools need to spend and what they actually receive for critical needs – like special education and cyber-charter costs – is a massive hurdle,” said Rep. Kyle Donahue, who represents portions of Lackawanna County. “By continuing to work to fix these structural funding gaps, we can relieve some of the pressure on local taxpayers while providing our students the comprehensive support they deserve.”
Months after the Commonwealth Court ruling on school funding in 2023, the House Democratic leadership team crisscrossed the state to advocate for fair funding of public schools, making stops in Philadelphia, Berks, Centre and Allegheny counties.
“Fairly funding our schools is an investment in the future of our community,” state Rep. Jim Haddock said, who represents portions of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. “We’ve pushed to hold cyber-charter schools accountable and enact the same rules for all schools across the board. Providing all children with a pathway to a successful life has always been the goal of fairly funding our public schools. We can’t eliminate all the issues facing teachers and school administrators, but we can deliver vital funding that can change lives for the better.”
Lawmakers discussed cyber-charter funding, special education, healthcare costs for employees and academic achievement.
“For many students, their school is their safe place, where teachers and staff provide a family-like atmosphere,” said state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, who serves as the House Majority Policy Committee chairman and represents portions of Erie County. “The need to provide schools with the resources they need to close gaps can’t be overstated. We want to provide every student in the state the opportunity to succeed – and that shouldn’t rely on if they live in the most affluent neighborhoods or school districts.”
Information about this hearing and other House Majority Policy Committee hearings can be found at pahouse.com/policy. Photos to be used for publication can be found on the day of the hearing at Facebook.com/PADemPolicy.