Dillsburg, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe and Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen highlighted the impact the Shapiro Administration’s investment in free period products is having on students and schools while helping to restock the Northern York County School District’s Bear Necessities Resource.
Governor Josh Shapiro secured the first-ever investment in the 2024-25 budget to provide free period products for all Pennsylvania schools. Between that initial historic investment and funding in the 2025-26 budget, the Shapiro Administration has invested $6 million so far to help ensure that girls can focus on their schoolwork and remain in the classroom.
“When students don’t have access to menstrual hygiene products, it can become a barrier to attending school, staying in class, and fully participating in learning,” said Dr. Rowe. “These investments help to ensure that students don’t have to make that choice. By removing these barriers, more students can stay in class and learn.”
View photos from the event online.
Free period product funding is being distributed to more than 750 Pennsylvania school districts, intermediate units, career and technical centers, and brick-and-mortar charter schools throughout the Commonwealth.
Studies show that one in four students nationally have struggled to afford period products, and a staggering 23% have missed class entirely because they didn't have the hygiene products they need.
The Northern York County School District’s Bear Necessities Resource provides students and their families free, short-term support for those experiencing hardship by offering essential items like food, clothing, and hygiene products. By removing barriers related to necessities, students can focus on their education – serving as a temporary bridge to help families through unexpected situations or seasonal needs.
“Bear Necessities represents the very best of what it means to be part of the Northern York County School District community. This program not only removes barriers for our students and families by ensuring access to basic needs, but it also creates meaningful, real-world learning opportunities for our students,” said school district Superintendent Dr. Matthew Meakin “Through initiatives like this, we are able to support the whole child while empowering students to develop essential life skills. Bear Necessities is a powerful example of ‘Northern helping Northern,’ and we are proud to share this work with Secretaries Rowe and Bogen as a model of how schools can positively impact both students and the broader community.”
The Governor’s 2026-27 proposed budget invests another $3 million to continue offering free period products to students, bringing the Administration’s total investment over three years to $9 million.
“No student should be forced to choose between her education and her basic health, yet period poverty remains a critical barrier to academic success,” said Dr. Bogen. “Supplying free period products across Pennsylvania schools protects the health and future of more than 650,000 girls. This program is a decisive step toward hygiene equity, removing the obstacles that keep students from the classroom and ensuring they have the resources to thrive.”
Under the Governor's leadership, Pennsylvania has increased funding for public education by almost $3 billion in just three years. This includes nearly $2 billion more for Basic Education Funding and dollars driven out to the schools that need them most through the Ready to Learn Block Grant, $190 million more for Special Education, and $52 million more for higher education. Additionally, Governor Shapiro has increased career and technical education (CTE) funding by $65 million – a nearly 50% increase since he took office.
The Governor’s 2026–27 budget proposal builds on these successes by increasing opportunity for students, supporting safe learning environments, and continuing to reform the way school districts pay cyber charter schools. Under the Governor’s plan, Basic Education Funding increases by $50 million, totaling $8.31 billion, while Special Education Funding grows by $50 million, totaling $1.58 billion to support students with disabilities and special needs. Funding supports after-school programs, full-day pre-K and kindergarten, evidence-based reading instruction, school libraries, social and health services, and professional development for educators.
The budget also continues funding universal free breakfast, school infrastructure repairs, and school safety and mental health supports. Over 800 schools have expanded mental health services, and more than 200 counselors have been hired since the Shapiro Administration began.