Pottstown Area
Education Advocacy
The Foundation partners with area residents and organizations to promote equitable education—setting individuals and communities up for success.
The Case for Fair Funding
On February 7, 2023, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania's school funding system is unconstitutional. The fundamental right to education is one that is being denied to children in low-wealth districts.
In Pennsylvania, kids who need the most get the least. Pennsylvania ranks very last among all 50 states when it comes to providing additional funding to school districts in poverty. PA is the only state that does not increase funding as student populations grow year after year.
There is a fundamental link between education quality and life expectancy, healthy lifestyle, and occupation. A strong educational background helps determine employment opportunities and income possibilities. It increases the likelihood of healthy outcomes for individuals and communities.
Communities across Pennsylvania deserve an equitable funding model to be totally implemented in order to level the playing field for our children.
Working Towards Racial Equity In Education
More racially diverse districts in Pennsylvania almost always get less than their fair share.
The whiter the district, the more likely it is to receive more than its fair share of state funding. The more diverse the district, the more likely it is to receive less than its fair share of state funding.
For communities of color, the lack of education funding causes real social harm. Educational attainment is closely linked to health outcomes and economic achievement. Creating a truly fair funding formula makes our communities stronger and benefits us all.
The graph to the right shows the inequity in funding for each school district across the state of Pennsylvania for the 2019-2020 school year.
Resources for Change
For more information on the current inequities in education funding across the state, download our fair funding fact sheet.
Students in Pottstown School District are among those shortchanged by the current funding formula. Read more about the impacts of underfunding in the Pottstown School District Case Study.
Grassroots efforts across Pennsylvania are bringing individuals together to call for change. Find more resources and become part of the fair funding movement through the following organizations: