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

19

2015

June 19, 2015

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

18

2015

June 18, 2015

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

19

2014

August 19, 2014

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

24

2014

July 24, 2014

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

23

2014

July 23, 2014

The Basic Education Funding Commission will hold its inaugural and organizational meeting.   [Read More]

Public Hearings

Apr

27

2015

April 27, 2015

Opening remarks by Co-chairs – Senator Browne and Representative Vereb 10:05-10:35 AM The Honorable Bill Peduto Mayor, Pittsburgh Witness: Bill Peduto, Mayor 10:35–11:05 AM Ira Weiss, Solicitor; and Ron Joseph, Chief Operating Officer Pittsburgh School District Pittsburgh School District 11:05-11:35 AM Harold Grant, Parliamentarian/Staff Rep. Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers 11:35-12:05 AM Carey Harris, Executive Director A+ SCHOOLS 12:05-12:35 PM Cristine Wagner-Deitch, IU 27 Director of Curriculum Services and Gifted Liaison 12:35 PM Public Comment&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&speed=0&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&buttons.like=0&” width=”100%” frameborder=”0″ allow=”fullscreen; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen style=”position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;”>

Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing – April 27, 2015   [Read More]

Mar

11

2015

March 11, 2015

Open Remarks Co-Chairs Senator Pat Browne, Representative Mike Vereb, Senator Rob Teplitz Representative Mark Longietti and Secretary of the Budget, Randy Albright 10:05 a.m. Jennifer Smallwood, Board President James Thompson, Board Vice President Harrisburg School Board Ford Thompson, Board President Central Dauphin School Board Charles Thiemann, Board President West Perry School Board 10:50 a.m. Tim Shrom Business Manager, Solanco School District Dr. Thomas Newcome Superintendent, Octorara Area School District 11:30 a.m. Dr. John Kurelja Superintendent, Warrior Run School District Dr. Mark DiRocco Superintendent, Lewisburg Area School District Mr. W. Charles Young Superintendent, Troy Area School District 12:10 p.m. Joan Duvall-Flynn NAACP – PA Carol Metzler Coalition Against Human Trafficking William Farmer Child Trauma Therapist/Member Trauma Informed Education Coalition 12: 40 p.m. Tracey DePasquale Associate Director, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pa. Attachment Lori Gallagher, LPC, Gallagher Counseling Kristy Robinson, MSW, Program Training and Development, Laurel Life Services Bill Hodge, Associate Superintendent, Chambersburg Area School District 1:10 p.m. Public Comment Lisa Lightner&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&speed=0&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&buttons.like=0&” width=”100%” frameborder=”0″ allow=”fullscreen; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen style=”position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;”>

Basic Education Funding Commission – March 12, 2015   [Read More]

Feb

04

2015

February 04, 2015


Open Remarks – Co-Chairs Senator Pat Browne and Representative Mike Vereb 10:05 a.m. Dr. Lee Burket Director, Bureau of Career and Technical Education, PA Department of Education 11:05 a.m. PA Association of Career and Technical Administrators (PACTA) Jackie Cullen, Executive Director Walter Slauch, Vice President and Administrative Director, Central Montco Technical High School Thomas Allen, President and Administrative Director, Eastern Center for Arts and Technology 12:05 p.m. David Warren Executive Director, Lancaster County Career &title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&speed=0&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&buttons.like=0&” width=”100%” frameborder=”0″ allow=”fullscreen; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen style=”position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;”>

Basic Education Funding Commission – February 5, 2015   [Read More]

Jan

29

2015

January 29, 2015

Basic Education Funding Commission Public Hearing – January 29, 2015   [Read More]

Dec

10

2014

December 10, 2014


Open Remarks Co-Chairs Senator Pat Browne and Representative Mike Vereb 10:05 a.m. Pedro A. Rivera Superintendent, School District of Lancaster Matt Przywara Chief Financial Officer, School District of Lancaster John Nodecker Superintendent, Manheim Township School District 11:05 a.m. Joan Benso Attachment President &title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&speed=0&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&buttons.like=0&” width=”100%” frameborder=”0″ allow=”fullscreen; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen style=”position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;”>

Basic Education Funding Commission – December 10, 2014   [Read More]

Dec

04

2014

December 04, 2014


Open Remarks Co-Chairs Senator Pat Browne and Representative Mike Vereb 10:05 a.m. Nate Benefield, Vice President of Policy Analysis of the Commonwealth Foundation 11:05 a.m. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association 12:05 p.m. Mr. John Bell, Superintendent of Delaware Valley School District Ms. Carole Geary, Superintendent of Pleasant Valley School District Mrs. Sharon Laverdure, Superintendent of East Stroudsburg Area School District Meg Dilger, President of School Board of Pocono Mountain School District Dr. John A. Toleno, Superintendent of Stroudsburg Area School District&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&speed=0&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&buttons.like=0&” width=”100%” frameborder=”0″ allow=”fullscreen; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen style=”position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;”>

Basic Education Funding Commission – December 4, 2014   [Read More]