Free, accessible period products in schools remove obstacles and create equity, Scranton School District and state leaders said Thursday.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen visited West Scranton High school to highlight the state program that supplies free period products to schools. With another $3 million in the 2026-27 state budget, Gov. Josh Shapiro has now secured $9 million for free period products over three consecutive years.
“Period products are school supplies, period,” Bogen said. “No student in the commonwealth should have to choose between her dignity and her education. Barriers in accessing basic hygiene products impact students' attendance rates and overall experience in the classroom. Studies show that 1 in 4 students struggle to afford products, with some of them missing class entirely because they didn't have what they needed.”
Creating equity
Every woman can remember a moment when she unexpectedly starts her menstrual cycle and is unprepared, Superintendent Erin Keating said.
“It's a very, very uncomfortable feeling at that moment, and it's impossible to describe unless you've gone through it,” she said. “Imagine that every month is that same struggle. That every month you have to worry about missing work or missing school or missing a class or having to leave early because something as basic as a menstrual product is not available to you.”
Almost 80% of students in the district are considered economically disadvantaged, and some families struggle to purchase period products, Keating said.
“We become the place that can make sure that we have what you need in that moment by ensuring that menstrual products are available to all of our students,” she said. “This initiative, to me, is about equity. It's about compassion, and it's about common sense. It tells every young woman in the school that she matters, that her health matters, and that her education matters.”
'Greater dignity'
Boxes of pads and tampons sit inside the nurse’s office at West, ready to be opened and distributed before school starts later this month. The district will receive nearly $17,000 to pay for the items this school year. A list of all districts and their allocations is available here.
In Scranton, school nurses place products where students can access them easily and discreetly, said Carol Rothenberger, the district’s chief nurse.
“What may seem like a small resource can make a meaningful difference in a student's day,” she said. “It means fewer interruptions to learning, less stress for families, greater dignity for our students and a better opportunity to succeed.”
