Schools in Limbo as PA Budget Talks Drag

Local districts reluctant to talk, but $2 billion in education funding remains stuck

By Leslie Savisky
The Tube City Almanac
September 11, 2025
Posted in: State & Region

With additional reporting from Tube City Almanac Editor Jason Togyer

State Rep. John Inglis (third from left) and state Sen. Nick Pisciottano (fourth from left) met with teachers and students at South Allegheny High School during a tour in February. (Submitted photo)

Pennsylvania’s budget was due on June 30 — over 10 weeks ago. But for the fourth year in a row, the state General Assembly and the governor have come to a stalemate.

While Gov. Josh Shapiro and legislators are still working to reach an agreement on spending, public schools are missing millions in payments.

According to Spotlight PA, the stalemate has caused a delay of more than $2 billion in education funding.

“We have allowed partisan fighting to get in the way of achieving a budget that works for all Pennsylvanians, and without consequences to missing the deadline, we will continue to see missed deadlines that hurt the many people and organizations that depend on the state for funding,” State Rep. John Inglis, Democrat of West Mifflin, told Tube City Almanac.

Besides payments due to public schools, the delay passing the budget also affects human service programs, libraries, mental health assistance, child abuse investigations and senior care, as well as county government agencies, other nonprofit organizations and public transportation.

Shapiro presented his budget on Feb. 4, calling for a $51.5 billion spending plan — an 8 percent increase over the previous year — and giving both the Democratic-led House and Republican-led Senate nearly five months to agree on a budget.

The bulk of the new spending in Shapiro’s proposal  — about $2 billion — was directed toward human services. Under Shapiro’s plan, a block grant program for public schools also would have received an additional $526 million and basic education funding would have increased by $75 million.

The increased education funding would have addressed a 2023 court ruling that said the state has been chronically underfunding public schools — particularly in poor communities that struggle to raise money through property taxes — in violation of the state constitution.

Following the ruling, a state commission concluded that 348 school districts across Pennsylvania had been underfunded for years, with estimated shortfalls totalling $2.3 million in Duquesne, $4.8 million in East Allegheny and $23.2 million in McKeesport Area.

For 2025-26, Shapiro’s budget would have provided those districts with installment payments aimed at correcting the shortfalls. According to Spotlight PA, Duquesne City schools would have received $247,086; East Allegheny, $524,405; and McKeesport Area, $2,530,442.

The Shapiro administration later cut its budget proposal to $49.9 billion. The House voted to pass Shapiro’s amended budget bill on July 14 by a 105-97 vote.

But state Senate Republicans have called Shapiro’s plans “unrealistic” and said that his administration relied on “overly optimistic” projections of revenue in order to present a balanced budget.

On Aug. 12, the state Senate passed its own $47.6 billion budget by a 27-22 vote, which eliminated new spending proposed by Shapiro and paid for existing spending, in part, by shifting money away from a public transit trust fund.

In a release, State Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, Republican of Westmoreland County, called the Senate’s plan “a responsible short-term budget that immediately releases funding for schools, nursing homes and human services” while using funds from existing revenue sources to avoid raising taxes or fees.

“Pennsylvania is at a critical crossroads financially,” Ward said. “Senate Republicans have put forward a solution that protects taxpayers, and Gov. Shapiro and House Democrats still have not answered what taxes they are willing to raise on Pennsylvanians.”

Inglis, however, places the blame for the budget impasse squarely on the state senate majority.

"The holdup with the state budget is caused by Senate Republicans not doing enough for Pennsylvanians in their proposals,” he said. “We have a budget, among many other bills, that we have sent over to them from the House. These bills aim to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians, but have only been gutted or completely shut down with no compromise.”

Inglis added, “This is all in the face of federal cuts that will no doubt impact millions. The time for political theater is over, and we need real action that delivers for the people — now.”

In the meantime, with the school year well underway, some educators around the state have said their districts are dipping into reserve funds, while other districts have borrowed the money.

Mon-Yough area school districts, however, seem reluctant to talk about the impact the lack of a budget is having.

Neither McKeesport Area nor East Allegheny school districts returned messages seeking comment. The Pennsylvania School Board Association also did not respond to requests for comment.

“At the moment, we’re not interested in talking about state budget impasse effects,” said Jeremy Tepper, communications specialist for Duquesne City and Gateway school districts.

Matthew Harris, superintendent for Penn-Trafford School District, said his district is not currently feeling an impact. “At this point the budget impasse is not affecting district operations and is unlikely to have an impact unless it stretches into the new year,” he said.

In recent days, several Pennsylvania lawmakers have hinted that a budget compromise is coming sooner, rather than later, though reports out of Harrisburg have not included details.

Inglis, who is currently in his first term as a state legislator, would like to see consequences for both the House and Senate in the future if a budget isn’t passed on time. “I believe that the House and Senate should remain in Harrisburg indefinitely after June 30 each year, if a budget isn’t passed,” he said.

Leslie Savisky is a freelance writer and award-winning author from Penn Twp. Find out more at https://linktr.ee/lesliesavisky. Jason Togyer is volunteer editor of Tube City Almanac and executive director of Tube City Community Media.

Originally published September 11, 2025.

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