Pennsylvania Legislature Passes Student-Focused Budget Investing in K-3 Literacy, Student Success 

“Pennsylvania lawmakers have taken an important step toward ensuring every student has the foundational reading skills to succeed. This budget and related improvements in policy demonstrate a bipartisan commitment to educational excellence, with initial investments in K-3 literacy, a focus on outcomes in higher education, financial assistance for aspiring teachers and expanded educational choice. 

“We are grateful to literacy champions Reps. Jason Ortitay and Justin Fleming and Sens. Devlin Robinson and Vincent Hughes for working across the aisle to advance a critical policy that will improve student achievement, and to Gov. Josh Shapiro, Senate President Kim Ward and Leader Joe Pittman, Speaker McClinton and Minority Leader Jesse Topper and others in legislative leadership for their work on this budget agreement.” 

About the Budget 

The approved Pennsylvania budget and related omnibus School Code bill make the following key investments in education: 

• Invests $10 million in literacy to strengthen reading instruction statewide. 

• Requires adoption of high-quality instructional materials, mandates universal early literacy screening in grades K-3 and ensures all teachers complete professional development in the science of reading by the 2027–2028 school year. 

• Establishes a performance-based funding model for state universities with workforce-driven metrics informed by analyses of post-graduation employment and earnings. 

• Provides $57.5 million over the next two fiscal years to fund the Grow PA scholarship program, expanding opportunities for Pennsylvania students to pursue in-demand careers. 

• Allocates $30 million for student teacher stipends to help reduce the financial barriers for aspiring educators and strengthen the teacher pipeline. 

• Provides schools with $100 million in dedicated mental health grants that can be used to reduce distracted learning and use of devices in schools. 

• Expands educational opportunity with a $50 million increase to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, providing more scholarships for students attending economically disadvantaged schools.