Officials looking at how to respond to court ruling

The first policy response to the Feb. 7 Commonwealth Court decision requiring reforms to how Pennsylvania funds public education will likely come from Gov. Josh Shapiro.

He’s scheduled to propose his first budget as governor to the Legislature on March 7. As attorney general last year, Shapiro filed a brief supporting the legal action initiated by six school districts.

In the Feb. 7 decision, Commonwealth Court President Judge Renée Cohn Jubelirer ruled the education funding system violates the state Constitution and concluded “students attending low wealth districts are being deprived of equal protection of law.” But she did not direct the Legislature on how to fund schools, and an appeal to the state Supreme Court is possible.

Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg, an attorney on the legal team representing the plaintiff school districts, said he expects Shapiro’s budget proposal “to be a strong start” on devising on a new way to fund schools in Pennsylvania.

The governor’soffice released a statement Thursday on the court ruling.

“Creating real opportunity for our children begins in our schools, and I believe every child in Pennsylvania should have access to a high-quality education and safe learning environment, regardless of their zip code,” Shapiro said. “My Administration is in the process of thoroughly reviewing the Commonwealth Court’s opinion and we are determining next steps.”

Jubelirer presided over a trial that began Nov. 12, 2021, and concluded with witness testimony on Feb. 22, 2022. The judge heard post-trial arguments in court on July 26.