POWER supports the plaintiffs in the PA School Funding Lawsuit (William Penn SD, NAACP PA, et al. v. Pa. Dept. of Education et al.) The trial is scheduled to begin in Commonwealth Court on October 12, 2021.
The Public Interest Law Center and the Education Law Center filed suit on behalf of six school districts, a group of parents, the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS) and the NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference. The suit is against legislative leaders, state education officials, and the Governor. The suit is asking for a court order that will force the legislature to comply with the state constitution and ensure all students receive access to a high-quality public education.
Pennsylvania’s constitution states that the General Assembly must “provide a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth.” Instead, the state has adopted an irrational and inequitable system of funding public education that does not provide the resources students need to meet state standards and discriminates against students based on where they live and the wealth of their local communities.
To learn more about the lawsuit:
Public Interest Law Center: https://www.pubintlaw.org/
Education Law Center: https://www.elc-pa.org
ELC and PILC PowerPoint: https://bit.ly/3iD3lVt
PA Schools Work: www.PASchoolsWork.org.
