The Weight of Funding Gaps
The Pennsylvania General Assembly and Gov. Josh Shapiro enacted a research-based method to determine school funding “adequacy targets” for each of the state’s 499 school districts. Using this model, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) calculated adequacy gaps in 364 districts—where current funding falls short of what is needed—and identified a statewide shortfall of $4.8 billion. Of that, $4.5 billion is the state’s responsibility.
A National Problem with a Unique Twist
Research for Action (RFA) recently analyzed this data in a new study, State of Inequity. The findings are stark. Districts were divided into five groups based on the size of their per-pupil adequacy gaps. The map below illustrates how funding gaps are spread across the Commonwealth.
| Group | Funding Gap | Student Need |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | $0 – $1,000 | Low |
| Group 2 | $1,001 – $2,000 | Medium |
| Group 3 | $2,001 – $3,000 | High |
| Group 4 | $3,001 – $4,000 | Very High |
| Group 5 | $4,001 – $5,000+ | Extremely High |
Consequences of Inequity
The five groups were then assessed on 16 indicators related to student need, educational opportunity, and student outcomes. Consistently, compared to districts with no funding gaps, those with the largest gaps on average:
* Served students with greater needs. * Offered fewer educational opportunities. * Saw worse student outcomes.
- Students in districts with the largest gaps have lower proficiency rates in English, math, and science.
- They have lower graduation rates and higher dropout rates, even when compared to students with economic disadvantage or receiving special education.
- These districts also have higher percentages of inexperienced educators and lower average salaries.
- Furthermore, they have fewer fully certified teachers and less support staff per student.
A Tale of Two Districts
Consider Upper Darby and Radnor Township—two Delaware County districts separated by less than 10 miles. In Upper Darby, 74% of students are economically disadvantaged and 16% are English learners. In Radnor, those numbers are just 14% and 4%, respectively. Research and logic agree: more student need should mean more funding. But in Pennsylvania, funding often defies common sense.
Disparate Funding
Upper Darby receives about $18,000 per student annually and faces an adequacy gap of more than $5,000 per student. Meanwhile, Radnor receives over $31,000 per student and has no gap. This disparity has real consequences. Radnor can hire 16 more teachers per 1,000 students and pays them nearly $23,000 more in average salaries than Upper Darby.
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