Pennsylvania has continued investing historic levels of funding in public education, with over a billion dollars in new K-12 funding for the third consecutive year. As lawmakers prepare the 2025-26 budget, they will evaluate investments across all education options, including traditional public schools, cyber charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.
In a recent letter, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman highlighted the benefits of these reforms, emphasizing cost savings and improved oversight. As budget discussions continue, lawmakers may explore further measures such as reviewing reserve funds, refining tuition calculations, and strengthening truancy policies. Senate Republicans remain committed to balancing parental choice with responsible taxpayer investment.
Reforms to cyber charter schools in last year’s budget improved accountability and funding fairness, including $100 million in reimbursements for school districts and special education cost reductions expected to save $190 million annually. Additional transparency measures now require financial disclosures and limit misleading advertising. Earlier this week, Indiana’s school board approved a resolution that requests reforms for cyber charter schools, highlighting the lack of clarity in attendance and billing, the sizeable tax hikes residents within the district need to pay, and the negative academic impacts for students.
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