William Penn SD Lawsuit for Fair State Funding Goes to Trial Nov. 12

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William Penn School District and Penn Wood High activities.
Image via William Penn School District Facebook Page.

A trial for a lawsuit filed seven years ago by six school districts, including William Penn School District, is set to start Nov. 12, writes Maggie Mancini for Philly Voice.

The lawsuit alleges the state has not provided enough funding for students to receive an adequate and equitable education guaranteed by the state constitution.

Inadequate funding places an unfair burden on students from low-income districts and creates a disparity in who has access to quality education, the lawsuit alleges.

The school districts are being represented by two nonprofit education advocacy groups and O’Melveny, a national litigation firm.

The districts want a redesigned public school funding plan that doesn’t rely so heavily on property taxes.

Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the United States for per-pupil spending in 2016-17, according to a 2020 Education Law Center report.

Most funding came from property tax revenue, with only 38.6% coming from the state in 2017-18.

That’s led to a $4,800 per pupil funding gap between the poor and wealthy districts, according to a report from Penn State education professor Matthew Kelly.

In William Penn School District, the average student was shortchanged $4,836, according to the report.

Read more at Philly Voice about William Penn School District’s lawsuit trial over underfunded schools.

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This video provides background on the circumstances that led to the fair funding lawsuit.

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