The new basic education funding formula recently signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf, includes a $12 million annual increase for the Chester Upland School District, writes Alex Rose for the Daily Times.

The formula, contained in the new Act 35, was unanimously approved by the Basic Education Funding Commission last year. It takes into account district-based factors such as income levels and tax efforts, as well as other factors, including the number of students attending charter schools, poverty level, and learning English as a second language.

“While Pennsylvania is no longer one of the only states without a fair funding formula, our commonwealth’s schools remain the most inequitable in the nation,” said Wolf. “The formula only works if we begin to give school districts additional funding to restore the unfairness in our school funding distribution.”

The new formula was met with resounding approval from the non-profit advocacy group Education Voters of Pennsylvania, but it is asking lawmakers to assign an additional $400 million in the coming fiscal year toward basic education.

Pennsylvania Department of Education spokesperson Nicole Reigelman said that the department has been partnering with Chester Upland, but added that while the district has made progress in reducing its current budget shortfall, there is still work to do.

Read more about the new formula in the Daily Times by clicking here.