Basic Education Funding Commission 2024 Report
2023-24 Basic Education Funding Commission Report – Overview by Co-Chair Mike Sturla
2023-24 Basic Education Funding Commission Report – Overview by Co-Chair Kristin Phillips-Hill
After 13 statewide public heaings, the Basic Education Funding Commission is proud to present it’s report featuring 8 key recommendations:
What is the Basic Education Funding Commission
The official 2023 BEF Commission website can be found here.
The Commission is a bipartisan group of state officials who are tasked with making recommendations about how to improve our system of funding public education.
The work of this Commission is an important part of addressing the Commonwealth Court decision in William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education et al. In that case, Judge Jubelirer found that the General Assembly has failed to meet our constitutional duty to provide a “thorough and efficient system of public education” by both underfunding and unfairly funding public schools across Pennsylvania.
In order to fulfill our constitutional obligation, Pennsylvania public schools must have both adequate and equitable resources – like smaller class sizes, up-to-date textbooks, and safe school buildings – so that every child has a meaningful opportunity to succeed academically, socially, and civically.
History
The original BEF Commission was established in June of 2014. Its recommendations led to the enactment of the current Basic Education Funding Formula in 2015. You can download a copy of the last Commission’s full report, watch its hearings, and learn more about the 2014 Commission on their website.
The Commission was scheduled to reconvene five years later in 2020, but was postponed with a new due date of November 30, 2023 for its next report.
Current Commission Membership
The BEF Commission is made of 15 members— 4 Education Committee chairs, plus 2 additional legislators each from the four General Assembly Caucuses (House Democrats, House Republicans, Senate Republicans, and Senate Democrats), plus 3 members of the Administration.
| BEFC Membership (15 members – 3 from each caucus and 3 from the administration) | |
| May 2023 Commission | |
| Education Chairs * | |
| House Democrat | Rep. Pete Schweyer |
| House Republican | Rep. Jesse Topper |
| Senate Republican | Sen. David Argall |
| Senate Democrat | Sen. Lindsey Williams |
| At-Large (appointed by Speaker and Pro-Tempore in consultation with Caucus leaders) | |
| House Democrat | Rep. Mike Sturla (Co-Chair) |
| House Democrat | Rep. Mary Isaacson |
| House Republican | Rep. Jason Ortitay |
| House Republican | Rep. Ryan Warner |
| Senate Democrat | Sen. Vincent Hughes |
| Senate Democrat | Sen. Nick Miller |
| Senate Republican | Sen. Kristin Philips-Hill (Co-Chair) |
| Senate Republican | Sen. Greg Rothman |
| Administration | |
| PDE Secretary * | Dr. Khalid Mumin (designee Marcus Delgado) |
| PDE Deputy Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education * |
Jeffrey Fuller (designee Angela Fitterer) |
| Gov. appointee from within administration | Natalie Krug (Budget Office) |
| * denotes a designee may serve | |
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearings
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
News
Senators Hughes and Miller Say Basic Education Funding Commission Report is “Just a Start”
January 15, 2024 − Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton), two Senate members of the Basic Education Funding Commission, issued a statement following the release and affirmative vote on the Commission’s report that...
Sen. Nick Miller, Rep. Schweyer Comment on Basic Education Funding Commission’s Approved Report
January 12, 2024 − As part of the Basic Education Funding Commission, Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) and Rep. Peter Schweyer (D-Lehigh), who serves as chair of the House of Representatives Education Committee, voted yesterday in favor of a report that...
Senator Kearney Applauds Basic Education Funding Commission’s Vote to Approve 2024 Funding Report
DELAWARE COUNTY, PA – January 12, 2024 – On January 11, the Basic Education Funding Commission held a hearing and voted 8-7 to approve the 2024 Basic Education Funding Report. Below, you can find Senator Tim Kearney’s (D-Delaware) statement following the outcome of...
Sen. Lindsey Williams Releases Statement Following BEFC Vote Today
Harrisburg, Pa. − January 11, 2024 − Senator Lindsey M. Williams released this statement today, following her vote on the Basic Education Funding Commission Report. A full copy of the report, Senator Williams’ remarks, and all Commission hearings and materials...
Advocates who won Pa. education lawsuit call for a $2 billion ‘down payment’ on fair funding
Advocates who fought for and won a historic court ruling declaring Pennsylvania’s education funding system unconstitutional said Thursday that they’re ready to go back to court if state lawmakers and Gov. Josh Shapiro fail to make a significant down payment on a...
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Pennsylvania commission on public school funding holds hearing at Pittsburgh’s Westinghouse Academy
PITTSBURGH — A bipartisan commission is trying to improve the system of funding public education in Pennsylvania. The Basic Education Funding Commission held a hearing Wednesday at Westinghouse Academy in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood. State Sen. Lindsey...
Sen. Lindsey Williams Hosts Pittsburgh Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Pittsburgh, Pa. − October 11, 2023 − Senator Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny), Minority Chair of the Senate Education Committee, hosted the Basic Education Funding Commission for their Pittsburgh hearing, the first in the series of state-wide hearings to be held in...
Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing
Documents
2023-24 Basic Education Funding Commission Report – Overview by Co-Chair Mike Sturla
2023-24 Basic Education Funding Commission Report – Overview by Co-Chair Kristin Phillips-Hill