With Pennsylvania’s budget nearly two months late, the state’s largest teachers union accuses state legislators of using students as “bargaining chips.”
The absence of a budget — which means a lack of state money flowing to school districts — has educators considering loans and contemplating what bills to let sit unpaid.
“There's a lot of concern from community members, from teachers, from support staff as to whether or not we're going to have enough money to do all the things that are critically important for our students,” said Michael Soskil, a Wallenpaupack Area teacher and vice president of the northeastern region of the Pennsylvania State Education Association. “We need a budget to be passed as soon as possible.”
A call for action
Soskil and other state union leaders held a press conference outside Lakeland High School last week as teachers inside prepared for a new school year to begin.
On Tuesday, PSEA leaders again called on lawmakers to approve a budget that provides the second installment in the multiyear school funding adequacy plan and to reject a voucher program that would send taxpayer dollars to private and religious schools.
Because of the budget impasse, public schools have missed out on $1.75 billion in expected state payments in July and August, according to PSEA.
Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2025-26 budget proposal included $526 million in adequacy formula funding — payments given to the state's most underfunded schools — and a $75 million increase in basic education funding.
Republican state senators adopted a temporary state budget in August to continue state funding largely at last year's levels, but it was shot down by House Democrats shortly after.
Union leaders critical of vouchers
In Lackawanna County last week, PSEA leaders accused Republican state senators of tying the budget passage to a tuition voucher plan. The union says that in state Sen. Rosemary Brown’s district, which includes Monroe and parts of Lackawanna and Wayne counties, school districts have missed $89.3 million in payments since July 1.
The Republican senator issued a statement following the event.
“I find it hypocritical for a special interest group who has held kids and taxpayers hostage through strikes to make these claims,” she said in the statement. “The reality is, a state budget requires compromise. That’s why the Senate put forward a short-term budget identical to last year so schools and local services can receive funds immediately. At this point, the House needs to act.”
Brown said she supports vouchers only for students from the lowest-performing schools, “because every child deserves opportunity — something teachers who truly value education should support.”
School districts look at options
Without cyber charter school reform and additional state funding, the superintendent of Northwest Area has feared for the future of the small, rural district.
As Superintendent Joseph Long waits for a budget — that he hopes includes support for rural districts — the district is only paying the bills that he feels are most important, he said.
Those bills include salaries, healthcare, local vendors and utilities. The district has stopped paying state pension and cyber charter school bills, Long said. If the impasse continues, the district will look at other options, he said.
At Lakeland, where PSEA held the press conference, the district may need to borrow money to pay bills. The school board last week passed a resolution to secure a tax and revenue anticipation note for $3 million.
“Our reserves are stretched and should this continue, we would certainly be unable to meet our financial obligations,” Superintendent Marc Wyandt said.
