Pennsylvania Judge Rules State's Funding of Public Education Violates Students' Constitutional Rights
Pennsylvania Judge Rules Inadequate School Funding Violates Students' Rights
In a historic decision, a Pennsylvania judge has ruled that the state's funding of public education is inadequate and violates students' constitutional rights. This decision will change the future for millions of families and students in lower-wealth districts.
Pennsylvania Judge Rules Inadequate School Funding Violates Students' Rights
February 8, 2023
Pennsylvania Judge Rules State's Funding of Education Inadequate
A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that the state's funding of public education is inadequate and violates students' constitutional rights. Commonwealth Court Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer found that the state has not fulfilled its obligations to the poorest public schools under the state constitution, leading to unequal opportunities and resources for students. The decision has been hailed as a "historic victory for students" by the Public Interest Law Center and the Education Law Center, who helped represent the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
Funding Violates Students' Right to Equal Protection
According to Judge Cohn Jubelirer, students in lower-wealth districts are being deprived of their constitutional right to equal protection of law. She wrote that students in areas with low property values and incomes are "deprived of the same opportunities and resources as students who reside in school districts with high property values and incomes." Lawyers for the school districts presented evidence during the trial that schools are underfunded by $4.6 billion, which does not account for gaps in spending on special education, school buildings, and other facilities.
Governor, Lawmakers, and School Districts to Address Constitutional Violations
Judge Cohn Jubelirer's decision did not direct the Legislature on how much state aid to distribute, or how to distribute it. She left it to the governor, lawmakers, and the school districts that sued to come up with a plan to address the constitutional violations. The case was brought by six districts, several parents, the state conference of the NAACP, and the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools.
Read the whopping 700+ page opinion here