On July 12, 2026, Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law the 2026-27 PA budget. See below for some of the education-related highlights:

✅ A $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.

✅ A $58 million increase in Basic Education Funding.

✅ A $55 million increase in Special Education Funding.

✅ A requirement that schools provide 30 minutes of daily recess for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, through the School Code. 

✅ $10 million through the performance-based funding formula to Penn State, the University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University, $500,000 for University College at Temple University, and $1.1 million for Lincoln University, the nation’s first college-degree-granting HBCU. 

✅ A $5.9 million increase for the Pennsylvania State Grant program through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) to maintain maximum awards.

✅ A $10 million increase for CTE programs, for $193 million in total annual workforce development funding – a 60 percent increase compared to when Governor Shapiro took office.

✅ Additional funding to expand the Student Teacher Stipend Program includes a $10 million increase that allows aspiring teachers to earn income while completing their full-time classroom training.

✅ $10 million in dedicated state funding for the 988 crisis hotline.

✅ $5 million for mental health walk-in centers to provide timely and accessible options for Pennsylvanians who need support outside of regular business hours.

✅ A $658,000 investment to enhance ChildLine staffing and provide more training to all workers — which will allow caseworkers more time and resources to effectively triage calls before referring them to the counties or appropriate agency.

The budget leaves the Commonwealth with a healthy surplus of approximately $8 billion by the end of the 2026-27 fiscal year.

The Governor’s remarks as prepared for the 2026-27 budget signing ceremony can be found here.

On July 9, 2026, the PA State Board of Education (Board) held its 392nd meeting at the PDE building in Harrisburg and via Zoom. The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Karen Farmer White.

Committee reports began with Hon. Carol Aichele reporting on behalf of the Special and Gifted Ed. Committee. She reported that on July 8th the committee met with PDE Bureau of Special Ed. Director Dr. Carole Clancy to address a stakeholder inquiry regarding why, since federal regulations extend such services for children ages 3 to 9 years and states are allowed to adopt their own regulations, PA does not extend developmental delay regulations to cover children ages 3 to 9 years. Currently, PA regulations cover children aged 3 to 6 years with developmental delays only. Most states cover children with developmental delays only from ages 3 to 9. PA first grade entry regulations allow for children to be enrolled if they are 5 years 7 months of age before September 1. As a result, prior to the pandemic PA could not count children with developmental delays only in its December 1 counts to the federal government, which affected opportunities to acquire federal funding. Although adjustments were made during the pandemic that would allow a count of developmental delay students only, the Board was asked to look at adjusting PA regulations to allow such moving forward. As a result the committee decided to recommend the Board consider polling stakeholders to collect opinions on extending the policy to match federal regulations and allow for services to developmental delay only children aged from 3 to 9 years.

Dr. Lee Williams then reported on behalf of the Academic Standards/Chapter 4 Committee. She stated that the Health & Phys. Ed. and Arts Standards subcommittee has provided suggested revisions and will hold two public hearings — August 8, 2026 in Western PA and September 10 in Southeastern PA. It was recommended by the Board that a third hearing be held in Northern PA on a date to be determined.

PA Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe reported from Washington, DC where the past two teachers of the year (PA teachers who were so recognized for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, which is an unprecedented feat) were presenters at a national conference. She expressed pride in the teachers and our state for such prestigious recognition. Dr. Rowe also reported that the PA state budget has yet to be passed by the General Assembly and the June 30th deadline for passage has come and gone. It was also reported that the PSSA Standard setting process for PSAA Science and Keystone Biology testing. Testing is scheduled to begin in August 2027 and Chair Farmer White has requested test cut score recommendations be provided to the Board on August 24, 2026 for review prior to the September Board meeting.

Discussion occurred regarding the need to transition 22 Pa. Code responsibilities from the PA State Board of Ed. to the PCCD in accordance with changes made by the General Assembly. Discussion also occurred regarding the Commonwealth University application to discontinue its Clearfield Campus following the 2026-27 school year.

The Board then heard the Annual report by the Professional Standards and Ethics Commission. According to the report: six meetings were held in 2025-26; there were 133 public disciplinary actions taken as opposed to 131 last year; six private disciplinary actions were held. Of the disciplinary actions, 86 were crimes according to the PA School Code with 34 involving sexual misconduct or improper relations. As requested, the commission will look for any trends related to those with emergency certifications who appear before the commission.

The meeting concluded with the passage of three action items. All three action items were unanimously approved. The first included an item to approve the final omit of 22 Pa. Code Chapter 10 (Safe Schools) to be placed in reserve pursuant to the transition from the State Board of Ed. to the PCCD. The second action item was to approve the discontinuance of the Commonwealth University’s Clearfield Campus at the conclusion of the 2026-27 school year. The third action item was the approval of the 2027 meeting calendar.  

On July 8, 2026, Governor Josh Shapiro announced 28 appointments to the newly established Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities. The Commission’s purpose is to recommend policy changes across the disabilities spectrum, engage with federal/state/local agencies, communicate Administration initiatives to the public, and compile information on programs, funding, and additional supports to create an inclusive resource for individuals with disabilities and their family members across Pennsylvania.

The Commission was established by Governor Shapiro through Executive Order 2026-02 in April, at the signing ceremony of three EOs to expand protections for Pennsylvanians with disabilities and autism. Commissioners represent Pennsylvanians with intellectual, physical, or developmental disabilities, hearing or vision impairment, and autism — they will serve a two-year term.

For more on the advisory commission and to view the appointees, click here.