The Pennsylvania Constitution (Article 3, Section 14) establishes that “The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth." In February 2023, in its ruling on William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Dept. of Education, et al., the Commonwealth Court found that the General Assembly had failed to do just that.
The Court was persuaded by the plaintiffs’ arguments that the Pennsylvania Constitution grants a “right to education” and that equitable funding was essential to the delivery of that right. Yet, the Court deferred on the question of remedy, instead delegating the design and delivery of that remedy back to the General Assembly.
Nearly a year since the Commonwealth Court’s historic decision, and a decade since the initial filing of William Penn School District v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, what can the journey to this moment tell us about the future of education funding across the Commonwealth and, right here, in Philadelphia? How is the General Assembly responding to this decision? What are the challenges in defining and implementing the remedy called for by the Court? And, what, if any, role will the legal community and courts continue to play in ensuring “a thorough and efficient system of public education?”
Join PEF's Education First Compact monthly speaker series on January 18 to hear from panelists:
- Michael Churchill, Of Counsel, The Public Interest Law Center
- Deborah Gordon Klehr, Executive Director, Education Law Center
- Jared Solomon, State Representative, 202nd District, Former Member of PA House Education Committee
- Farah Jimenez (MODERATOR), President and CEO, Philadelphia Education Fund