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Pennsylvania State Legislators passed 50.8 billion State Budget

Dear Coalition4Justice Family,


I am pleased to inform you that our legislators have passed a 50.8 billion State budget. $565 million dollars is directed in inadequate funds for school districts that have been historically underfunded, delivering Pennsylvania’s constitutional obligation to equitably and fully fund our school districts. This is a huge win for our poorer public school system.


Thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to organize, call legislators, advocate in Harrisburg for equitable education funding, and host community town halls. Your voices made a real difference. Every child deserves a quality education, no matter where they live. We are grateful for the attempt to truly eliminate the unconstitutional funding gap. But while we celebrate this historic victory, the state still has not fully addressed other urgent issues affecting families, including the childcare crisis facing millions of working families. The budget also does not raise Pennsylvania’s poverty-level minimum wage, even as inflation and the cost of living continue to rise. The budget failed to address paid family and medical leave, reforms to the juvenile justice system, and lead poisoning testing.



Children in classroom. Credit: Wix Stock image
Children in classroom. Credit: Wix Stock image

Below are some highlights of the:


Early Childhood Education

  • Child care recruitment and retention bonus funding, approximately at least $540 per early childhood educator

  • Pre-K Counts $3.75m increase

  • Head Start $1.043m increase

  • Child Care Assistance $1m increase

  • Child Care Services is level funded

  • Preschool Early Intervention $41m increase

  • Infant/Toddler Early Intervention $5.2m reduction

  • Nurse Family Partnership $86,0000 reduction

  • Community-Based Family Centers level funded


K12 Education

  • $565m increase for adequacy funds and tax equity

  • $50m increase for basic education fund (BEF)

  • $50m increase for special education fund (SEF)

  • $10m increase for career technical education (CTE)

  • School code: Mandatory 30 mins of recess for K-5th students

  • School code: No agreement on cellphone bans in schools


Other notable budget items

  • Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) decrease $2.2m

  • Mental Health Services $41m increase including:

  • 988 Network - $10m increase

    • Walk-in Crisis Stabilization Centers - $5m increase

    • Criminal Justice Diversion & Discharge Program - $7.5m increase

    • Community Hospital Integration Projects Program (CHIPP) - $3.2m increase


The Pa 2026-27 budget is an indication that Harrisburg still has work to do to ensure that all Pennsylvania families live with dignity. We, at Coalition4Justice, and our allies must continue to advocate for just and equitable funding and policies that impact children and Pennsylvania working families. We invite you to join us in the struggle.

 




Dr. Bernadine Ahonkhai

Coalition4Justice Founder & CEO

905 N. Bethlehem Pike, #754

Spring House, PA 19477

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