On Feb. 8, Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled his proposed 2022-23 state budget. In his last budget address as governor, he proposed an ambitious $1.97 billion increase in K-12 education programs.
These funding increases will help address the educator shortage by giving school districts the funding they need to increase starting salaries, attract more teachers to the profession, and hire more school psychologists, social workers, counselors, and nurses.
Gov. Wolf’s proposal is the first step in the state budget process. Here’s a rundown of key funding increases in his plan:
- 2 billion for K-12 basic education funding
- $300 million for Level Up funding for the state’s 100 most underfunded school districts
- $200 million for special education funding
- $60 million for Pre-K Counts
- $10 million for the Head Start Supplemental Program; and
- $200 million for the Nellie Bly Scholarship for students attending Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education schools.
