HARRISBURG (AP) – A commission reviewing how PA distributes money to public schools has approved a report that suggests the state is under-funding its districts by more than $5 billion. Thursday’s vote on the report by the Basic Education Funding Commission was backed by Democrats and members of Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration. Republicans and one Democrat on the commission opposed it. The result was an 8 to 7 vote. A key recommendation in the report says the state should begin immediately to close a school funding gap of more than $5 billion and phase in the increases over seven years. A separate Republican report was defeated on party lines. The Republican report said districts should define the instructional changes needed to boost student achievement and did not put a dollar figure on how much more should be spent on K-12 education. You can read the approved report by clicking on the banner below.
