General Information
Why is the PA Department of Education (PDE) providing this document?
PDE has released the first 2025-26 Ready to Learn (RTL) Block Grant application in eGrants. RTL grants assist students enrolled in the Commonwealth's school districts and certain charter schools with attaining or maintaining academic performance targets.
The 2025-2026 Ready to Learn Block Grant appropriation includes three parts: a Foundation amount, an Adequacy amount and a Tax Equity amount. Allocations are being distributed based on the statutory language in School Code, as amended by Act 47 of 2025.
Which LEAs are eligible to receive a 2025-26 RTL allocation?
All school districts and certain charter schools are eligible for 2025-26 RTL allocations. The online spreadsheet (link this) provides details of the LEAs that qualify for each portion of 2025-26 RTL appropriation.
Reporting and Funding Guidelines
Reporting
To log-in to eGrants, go to MyPDESuite.
The application is accessible under Teaching and Learning Support with the heading Ready to Learn in Grants Management/Grant Applications.
The school entity’s RTL plan, as entered in the eGrants application, will include the following:
1. Selection of the strategies for which the grant funds will be used and identification of whether the grant funds will be used to “establish”, “maintain”, or “expand” the programs or activities;
2. A budget amount for each strategy selected in the appropriate column;
3. A brief description of the programs or activities indicating how the grant funds will be used in the selected strategy;
4. A verification that all above requirements have been filled in; and
5. Acknowledgement of the Workers Protection Form.
Use of RTL funding
Foundation and Adequacy Supplement
The statute includes uses relating to proven practices that are acceptable expenditures of RTL funds using the Foundation (school districts, charter schools) and Adequacy Supplement (qualifying school districts) allocations. The PDE website provides a summary of practices and information relating to the eGrants submission process. For the complete language, please see School Code section 2599.6.
Tax Equity Supplement
The statute includes uses relating to tax relief and debt reduction for qualifying school districts. The PDE website provides information relating to eGrants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. School Code language provides for Adequacy and Equity supplements to become part of the RTL Foundation.
Yes. “Math and literacy programs, including coaches, specialists or other education support professionals, within schools to improve math and reading instruction.”
Yes. Prior year allowable uses have not changed.
From enacted legislative uses:
“2. Programs or activities that foster supportive learning environments, including any of the following:
(A) Student services infrastructure as identified in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 12 (relating to students and student services), including adequate staffing and programs facilitated by certified student services professionals.”
22 Pa. Code Chapter 12. Students And Student Services (pacodeandbulletin.gov):
For the Foundation and Adequacy Supplement, each school district’s board policy governs the need for internal school district approval but there is no statutory language that requires prior board approval sent to PDE. However, to receive the Tax Equity Supplement, the statute does require a board resolution that includes the school district’s intent to receive the funds and use for one of the statutorily allowable uses.
Statutory language indicates that “…the local board of school directors must adopt a resolution in conjunction with actions taken in accordance with the adoption and submission requirements under section 311(a) and (d) of the Taxpayer Relief Act, related to the adoption of preliminary budgets that declares the school district's intent to receive and use the available money…”
This language has been determined to be broad enough to mean that a Tax Equity Supplement resolution doesn’t have to be adopted at the exact same time as the Act 1 actions (resolution or preliminary budget) but the timing should be similar. That said, PDE has determined that the resolution should be adopted no later than March 31, 2026.
No, that is not one of the five allowable uses, which are below and online:
(a) Mitigating or preventing an increase in the millage rate of real estate property taxes levied by the school district.
(b) Supplementing the amount calculated by the school district for the homestead and farmstead exclusion under section 342 of the Taxpayer Relief Act.
(c) Establishing, maintaining, or expanding a program provided by the school district that supplements the rebates provided under Chapter 13 of the Taxpayer Relief Act.
(d) Mitigating or replacing the loss of revenue received by the school district resulting from a decision of a court of this Commonwealth within the previous five years relating to an assessment appeal under Article V of the act of May 22, 1933 (P.L.853, No.155), known as The General County Assessment Law.
(e) Reducing debt.
No. School districts should work with their solicitors to develop a resolution that meets the requirements of the statute, 2599.6(g)(3)(iii).
No. The board resolution must be uploaded as part of the eGrants submission process.
No. The eGrants application for the Foundation and Adequacy Supplement will be open on January 5, 2026 and due by February 5, 2026. PDE staff will review and approve the application after submission.
The eGrants application for the Tax Equity Supplement will be open on January 5, 2026 and be due by March 31, 2026. Note that part of the submission requires the board resolution to be uploaded. PDE staff will review and approve the application after submission. The application cannot be approved without the resolution attached.
No. The statutory language related to the Tax Equity Supplement requires the funds received in the current year to be used in the subsequent year.
Receipt of the 2025-26 Tax Equity Supplement should be recorded as Unearned Revenue (0480) when received during 2025-26. Then, for fiscal year 2026-27, the school district should include in its budget the receipt and use the funds in revenue account 7533 and the appropriate expenditure-object account related to the board-approved use(s).
More Information
Questions related to the Ready to Learn Block Grant may be directed to Jim Towse in PDE’s Bureau of School Support at PDE at jtowse@pa.gov.
Questions on the Tax Equity Supplement calculation, payment, or uses or related to Act 1 should be directed to Benjamin Hanft in PDE’s Bureau of Financial Operations at bhanft@pa.gov.
Information on LEA allocations and allowable expenditures can be found on the Ready to Learn Block Grant webpage.