Scranton, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe, teachers, students, and local leaders visited Scranton School District’s Neil Armstrong Elementary School in Lackawanna County to highlight how the 2026-27 budget signed by the Governor is delivering $678 million in additional funding for Pennsylvania students – building on three years of historic progress to give every student the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.
This year’s budget continues the Shapiro Administration’s work to ensure every student, in every community, has access to a high-quality public education. Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, Pennsylvania has increased funding for our schools by more than $3 billion – or nearly 35 percent – since the Governor took office, for a total of $11.85 billion invested into Pennsylvania’s students this year.
“Test scores and graduation rates are going up, attendance is improving, students have expanded access to career and technical education, and more teachers are in our classrooms as a result of my Administration’s historic investments in education over the last three years,” said Governor Shapiro. “I believe creating opportunity starts in our classrooms and we’ve been focused on delivering real resources for students, parents, and teachers. We're making a real difference and we’re going to keep building on that progress to ensure every Pennsylvania student has the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.”
This 2026-27 budget builds on the progress the Shapiro Administration has made over the past three years, providing an overall increase in education funding for a total of more than $678 million, including a $565 million increase through the bipartisan adequacy and tax equity formula, a $58 million increase for Basic Education Funding, and a $55 million increase for Special Education Funding. It also continues funding for school infrastructure improvements, universal free breakfast, and mental health in schools.
“When a student walks through the doors of a Pennsylvania school ready to learn, they should know that they are entering a place where they are safe, supported, and will have their basic needs met – like a free breakfast every day,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe. “Governor Shapiro’s historic investments in education are giving schools the resources to make that promise real, with more Pennsylvania certified professionals and the academic resources students need to succeed in the classroom and in life.”
The Scranton School District will receive $123.4 million in state funding this year, a 63.5 percent increase compared to the amount the school received when Governor Shapiro took office. In that time, graduation rates have risen more than three percent across the district, and at Neil Armstrong, students scoring advanced or proficient on Pennsylvania System of School Assessments (PSSA) increased by 1.8 percent for English Language Arts and by 2.1 percent for Math.
“Continued funding for education shows the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to investing in public education because when schools have the necessary funds, we can provide essential opportunities for our students and staff. With the funding we have received in the past three years, we have been able to invest in mental and behavioral health supports, expand our center-based program for students with autism, and rebuild our related arts schedule for our middle school students,” said Superintendent Dr. Erin Keating, Scranton School District. “As a historically underfunded district, the funding we received has made a monumental impact and has already opened doors to make teaching and learning more robust in the Scranton school district and we look forward to a future where zip code does not determine a child's educational offerings.”
The Shapiro Administration has also awarded the Scranton School District $1.3 million through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s School Safety & Mental Health Grant Program to hire social workers and strengthen school security; $1 million through the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program to implement safety upgrades at the West Scranton High School and South Scranton Intermediate School; and $140,000 through PAsmart to expand students’ access to high-quality career pathways in advanced manufacturing, construction, digital technology, and energy.
“Through efforts from the Governor, our state representatives, and our state senator, we’ve been getting funds to invest in a lot of really wonderful things, like restoring our libraries,” said Tom Borthwick, President, Scranton School Board. “We are deeply thankful for the support we’ve been given to help us grow and invest in a way that helps our kids.”
As a result of these continued investments, the Scranton School District has expanded Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programming in Kindergarten through fourth grade, brought back middle school arts programs, and added 26 new autism support classrooms and five new emotional support classrooms throughout their schools.
Shapiro Administration’s Historic Investments in Pennsylvania Students
Governor Shapiro’s historic investments give every Pennsylvania student the freedom to chart their own course — ensuring schools have the resources they need to help students succeed and families have access to affordable early learning opportunities.
The investments in this year’s budget build on this foundation, including:
$565 million increase through the bipartisan adequacy and tax equity formula for a total of $1.9 billion driven out to the schools that need them most.
$58 million increase to Basic Education Funding, for a total of $8.32 billion.
$55 million increase to Special Education Funding, for a total of $1.58 billion to support students with disabilities and special needs.
Maintains $125 million for school infrastructure improvements to create safe, healthy learning environments — including $25 million for the Solar for Schools program to lower energy costs and promote sustainability.
Provides more than $100 million in mental health and school safety funding for K–12 schools, ensuring every student has access to the resources and support they need to thrive, continuing the Shapiro Administration’s strong commitment to expanding access to mental health care and support across the Commonwealth.
Continued Funding for Universal Free Breakfast and Free Menstrual Hygiene Products for Students: This budget continues funding for a key priority of Governor Shapiro – universal free breakfast for all 1.7 million students. It also includes $3 million to ensure students have access to menstrual hygiene products at no cost.
Supporting Student Well-Being Through Daily Recess: This budget establishes 30 minutes of daily recess for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, ensuring students have dedicated time each school day for movement, social interaction, and stress management so they return to the classroom refreshed and ready to learn. Because the Governor knows recess is not just an extra, it is a fundamental part of children’s growth — teaching skills like collaboration, conflict resolution, and self-regulation that are just as essential as math, science, and reading.
Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, graduation rates across the Commonwealth have risen for three years in a row, more new teachers are being certified, and Consumer Affairs has ranked Pennsylvania as one of the top states for a quality public education in the country.
“Every child in Pennsylvania deserves a great education, regardless of their ZIP code or the wealth of their community,” said Senator Marty Flynn, PA’s 22nd Senate District. “Our Constitution makes clear that public education is a responsibility of the Commonwealth, and we have an obligation to make sure that education is equitable for every student. Governor Shapiro has made public education a priority from day one, and here in Scranton, we are seeing what that commitment means firsthand. These investments are putting more resources into our schools and helping students get the support they need to succeed. I am proud to stand with the Governor as we continue building a stronger, more equitable public education system across Pennsylvania.”
“We’re seeing firsthand what happens when we make a real commitment to investing in our public schools,” said Representative Kyle Donahue, PA’s 113th House District. “This additional funding is doing more than filling budget gaps. It’s helping districts restore programs that were cut, expand opportunities for students and provide the supports our kids need to succeed. For too long, Pennsylvania failed to meet its constitutional responsibility to adequately fund public education. We’re finally beginning to correct that, and students and families here in Scranton are seeing the difference.”
“Our public schools had been underfunded for a long time, but today, we're seeing the concrete results of our work and investments over the past couple years,” said Representative Bridget Kosierowski, PA’s 114th House District. “It's a pleasure to work with this Administration to get things done — and these investments are so important, because there is nothing better than taking care of these little students before they go out into the world.”
Governor Shapiro’s visit today reinforced a clear message — we must keep going to ensure every student has the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.
Read more about Governor Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget, view the Governor’s remarks as prepared here, or watch the Governor’s delivered remarks here.