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Basic Education Funding Commission

Thank you for your interest in the Basic Education Funding Commission and for visiting the Commission’s website.

The Basic Education Funding Commission recommended on June 18, 2015 that the General Assembly adopt a new formula for distributing state funding for basic education to Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts.

The 15-member group, created through Act 51 of 2014 (sponsored as House Bill 1738 by Representative Bernie O’Neill), held 15 hearings over 11 months and heard from more than 110 individuals including superintendents, school board presidents, business leaders, nonprofit organizations and parents before making their recommendations.

The Commission determined that allocation of basic education funding needs to allow for accountability, transparency and predictability. The main objective of the new funding formula is to fairly distribute state resources according to various student and school district factors. The new formula takes into account relative wealth, local tax effort, geographic price differences, enrollment levels, local support as well as other factors.

While the Basic Education Funding Commission came to a unanimous conclusion on the formula needed to provide a fair distribution of state education dollars, the recommendations of the Commission will not go into effect without legislation approved by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor.

This website will be updated periodically as new information is available.

Sincerely,

Senator Pat Browne & Representative Mike Vereb
Co-Chairs of the Basic Education Funding Commission

News Releases

Jun

2015

June 19, 2015

Basic Education Funding Commission Report is Online

The Basic Education Funding Commission full report released yesterday to the General Assembly and the public is now online, according to a statement from the members of the Commission. [Read More]

Jun

2015

June 18, 2015

Basic Education Funding Commission Releases Recommendations and Report

The Basic Education Funding Commission recommended today (June 18th) that the General Assembly adopt a new formula for distributing state funding for basic education to Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts, according to a statement from the members of the Commission. Basic Education Funding Commission - Final Report [Read More]

Aug

2014

August 19, 2014

BASIC EDUCATION FUNDING COMMISSION TO HOLD FIRST HEARING

The Basic Education Funding Commission will hold its first hearing on the current funding of education and the formula used to distribute state funding to Pennsylvania school districts. [Read More]

Jul

2014

July 24, 2014

BASIC EDUCATION FUNDING COMMISSION ORGANIZES AND BEGINS WORK

The Basic Education Funding Commission held its inaugural and organizational meeting today (July 24) and is now ready to begin its work developing an adequate and fair system for distributing state money to local school districts, according to Senator Pat Browne (R-Lehigh) and Representative Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery). [Read More]

Jul

2014

July 23, 2014