Harrisburg, PA, February 3, 2026—Today, Governor Josh Shapiro proposed a 2026-27 state budget that includes a third installment of over $500 million to continue closing the state’s $3.7 billion adequacy gap.
“In response to the Commonwealth Court’s ruling that Pennsylvania schools are unconstitutionally funded, Governor Shapiro has met the moment with true leadership and commitment,” said Laura Boyce, Pennsylvania Executive Director of Teach Plus. “We know that the first two investments of adequacy funding are already yielding returns, as public school districts and charter schools use these funds to recruit and retain well-prepared teachers, expand pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programming, lower class sizes, and hire support staff like guidance counselors, social workers, and reading specialists. By staying the course with continued investments until the full adequacy gap is closed, the governor is making good on his commitment to fully fund our public schools and bring real opportunity to kids in Pennsylvania. We will be fighting alongside him to ensure these commitments are passed into law in this year’s budget.”
Governor Shapiro also proposed a $5 million increase to the student teacher stipend program, bringing the total proposed investment to $35 million. Teach Plus PA teachers and staff have been a critical voice advocating for the stipend program, which helps address Pennsylvania’s teacher shortage crisis by helping aspiring educators cover living and educational expenses during their unpaid student teaching semester.
“During my unpaid student teaching, I would leave my student teaching site at 4 PM and work from 5 PM to midnight three days a week,” said Jasmine Thompson, a Teach Plus PA Senior Policy Fellow who teaches at Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh. “A $10,000 stipend would have allowed me to pay my bills, fill my gas tank, pitch in for groceries at my mom’s house, and focus on my students during my student teaching. I’m glad that the next generation of educators will have access to the student teacher stipend program, and hope it is fully funded so all student teachers can benefit.”
Teach Plus PA early childhood educators applauded the governor’s proposed expansion of the new Child Care Recruitment and Retention program, which provides $450 bonuses to child care workers, while continuing to call for greater investments to support the workforce behind the workforce.
“All young learners deserve an educator with whom they can connect and see themselves,” said Kyle Bender, a Teach Plus PA Senior Policy Fellow who teaches at Tiny Tots Child Development Center in Rochester. “But without adequate compensation, too many child care centers are understaffed, leaving children without teachers and parents without childcare. By continuing to invest in the child care workforce, we can set children up for success and strengthen our economy at the same time.”
One missed opportunity in this year’s budget proposal is dedicated new funding to advance the science of reading.
“In Cumberland County alone, where I teach, one in three third graders cannot read proficiently,” said Megan King, a Teach Plus PA Senior Policy Fellow who teaches in Mechanicsburg Area School District. “Our state has begun to tackle this literacy crisis, acknowledging that students need structured literacy instruction. But schools will need additional financial support to implement these new mandates, purchase new materials, and train teachers.”
Teach Plus PA, along with the PA Literacy Coalition, is calling for $50 million in this year’s budget to fund implementation of Act 47 of 2025, which requires all Pennsylvania schools to adopt evidence-based reading curricula, implement universal screening of students, and train teachers in the science of reading beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
As the General Assembly works to pass a budget by June 30, Teach Plus teachers and staff look forward to mobilizing students, teachers, families, and community members across the commonwealth to ensure that essential investments for students are included in the final budget. We look forward to working with Governor Shapiro and legislative leaders to make the constitutional promise a reality for all Pennsylvania’s students.
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. https://www.teachplus.org/pa
