in Pennsylvania

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K-12 education in Pennsylvania

Education facts

State superintendent: Noe Ortega

Number of students: 1,763,677

Number of teachers: 123,147

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:14

Number of school districts: 504

Number of schools: 3,127

Graduation rate: 85.5%

Per-pupil spending: $13,864

See also

Pennsylvania Department of Education • List of school districts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Pennsylvania Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of June 2015.

The Pennsylvania public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Pennsylvania had 1,763,677 students enrolled in a total of 3,127 schools in 504 school districts. There were 123,147 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 14 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 344.5 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 294.1 students. On average Pennsylvania spent $13,864 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 10th highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 85.5 percent in 2013.^[1][2][3]

Common Core

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Pennsylvania State Board of Education adopted the standards on July 2, 2010 with full implementation scheduled to take place during the 2013-2014 academic year. However, in 2013, the state approved a revised set of educational standards, including the Pennsylvania Core Standards. The Pennsylvania Core Standards were modeled on the Common Core standards and was the result of a mandate by then-Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R). In 2014 Corbett also issued a statement requesting "continued public review" of Pennsylvania Core Standards.^[4][5][6][7]

Despite these ongoing attempts to revise Common Core standards in Pennsylvania, thousands of Pennsylvania students opted out of Common Core tests in 2015.^[8]

General information

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Pennsylvania compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. When compared to surrounding states, Pennsylvania had the fewest administrators relative to students, with a ratio of 1:345.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Schools by type

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School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: School choice information by state and Number of schools by school type in the U.S.

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Pennsylvania and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.^[9]

In Pennsylvania, there were 3,021 regular schools as of 2013. Charter schools were the second most prevalent school type in the state, with 175 schools classified as such.

Demographics

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Pennsylvania as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.^[10]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Pennsylvania, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 1,232,905, which was about 70 percent of the student population in the state. There were 267,224 black students in the state, amounting to 15.2 percent of the student population.

Enrollments by region type

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.^[11]

A majority of students in Pennsylvania attended suburban schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 71.2 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 28.8 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Academic performance

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Maryland, New York, and Ohio), Pennsylvania had the highest share of eighth grade students who scored at or above proficient in math.^[12]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Pennsylvania and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[12][13][14]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[15]

Pennsylvania schools reported a graduation rate of 85.5 percent, highest among its neighboring states.

In Pennsylvania, more students took the SAT than the ACT, earning an average SAT score of 1480.

Dropout rates

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Pennsylvania was lower than the national average at 2.2 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 2.8 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[16]

Educational choice options

See also: School choice in Pennsylvania

As of June 2015, school choice options in Pennsylvania included charter schools, school choice tax incentive programs, an intra-district open enrollment policy and online learning programs. In addition, about 13.47 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

Developments

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[17]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[18]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Pennsylvania is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures

See also: Pennsylvania state budget and finances

Breakdown of spending by function in fiscal year 2013.
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[19][20]

Pennsylvania spent approximately 14.9 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from local funds. Pennsylvania spent a smaller percent of its total budget on public education than any of its neighboring states in 2013.

Revenue breakdowns

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[20]

In Pennsylvania, the primary source of school system revenue was local funding during fiscal year 2013, at $15.2 billion. With the exception of New York, Pennsylvania spent reported higher public education revenue than any of its neighboring states.

Expenditure breakdowns

See also: Public school system expenditures in the U.S.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[21]

Public education expenditures in Pennsylvania totaled approximately $26.6 billion in fiscal year 2012. With the exception of New York, Pennsylvania spent reported higher public education expenditures than any of its neighboring states.

Personnel salaries

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Pennsylvania, the average salary decreased by 3.8 percent.^[23]

Organizations

State agencies

See also: Pennsylvania Department of Education

The mission statement of the Pennsylvania Department of Education reads:^[24]

The Secretary of Education is the chief administrative official of the state Department of Education. The Secretary of Education is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate. Pedro A. Rivera was appointed to the position in 2015.^[26]

The Pennsylvania State Board of Education is the state's education policymaking body. The board is composed of 21 members, making it the nation's largest such board. Of the board's 21 members, 17 are nominated by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. The remaining four members are members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly (the majority and minority chairs of the House and Senate education committees). The Secretary of Education serves as a non-voting member of the board.^[27]

Unions

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Pennsylvania ranked fourth overall for union power and influence, or "strongest," which was in the first of five tiers.^[28]

Studies and reports

Quality Counts 2014

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Pennsylvania received a score of 82.6, or a B average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. Except for the "chance for success" category, the state's highest score was in "school finance" at 82.0, or a B- average. The lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 74.6, or a C average. Pennsylvania had the lowest score for "standards, assessments and accountability" when compared to neighboring states. The chart below displays the scores of Pennsylvania and its surrounding states.^[29]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

State Budget Solutions education study

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

School districts

See also: School board elections portal

District types

Pennsylvania divides its school districts into five classes: first class, first class A, second class, third class and fourth class. These classes are based on the number of inhabitants in the school district, with the first class containing 1,000,000 inhabitants or more and the fourth class containing less than 5,000 inhabitants.^[30]

School board composition

School board members in Pennsylvania can either be elected or appointed. School board members are appointed if the school district they govern has 250,000 or more inhabitants. Those school boards have 15 members. School board members that govern school districts with less than 250,000 inhabitants are elected and have nine members serving four-year terms. Elections are staggered so that four members are up for re-election one election year and five are up for re-election the next. Elections for school board members can be at-large, by region or by a combination of the two.^[31][30]

Term limits

Pennsylvania does not impose statewide term limits on school boards.^[32]

Elections

See also: Pennsylvania school board elections, 2021

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot

In order to qualify as a school board candidate in Pennsylvania, an individual must:^[31]

• Be a Pennsylvania citizen.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a resident of the school district the candidate seeks to represent for at least one year before the election.
• Not be employed by the school district the candidate seeks to represent.

To get on the ballot, a school board candidate must file a petition signed by qualified voters of the candidate's political party with the county board of election and school board secretary. If a candidate wishes to appear on more than one party's ballot in the primary election, he or she may have a registered member of that party circulate a second petition to collect the signatures. If a candidate does this and wins both primaries, he or she will appear on both party's ballots at the general election.^[31]

Campaign finance

School board candidates in Pennsylvania must submit a statement of financial interest for the previous calendar year to their local school district, the county board of elections and the school board secretary. Incumbent school board members who are not up for election must also file a statement of financial interest with the school district by May 1 each year. Candidates who intend to receive or spend more than $250 for their campaigns must file expense reports by the second Friday before the primary election with the county board of elections. If candidates do not intend to receive or spend more than $250, they must file an affidavit to that effect with their nominating petitions.^[31]

Recent legislation

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Pennsylvania state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Pennsylvania ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Pennsylvania Question 2, School District Debt Limits Amendment (1959)
2. Pennsylvania Question 1, State Higher Education Loans Amendment (1963)

In the news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Pennsylvania education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

• Pennsylvania state budget and finances
• Pennsylvania Department of Education
• List of school districts in Pennsylvania
• School choice in Pennsylvania
• Charter schools in Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania
• Education Policy in the U.S.

Footnotes

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