SCRANTON, PA — Governor Josh Shapiro visited Neil Armstrong Elementary School on Wednesday to highlight state investments in public education alongside Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe.
The administration’s 2026–27 state budget delivers a $678 million one-year increase in overall education funding, contributing to a total increase of more than $3 billion—or nearly 35%—since Governor Shapiro took office. State officials emphasized that the current funding formula is designed to prioritize adequacy and tax equity, directing critical state resources to historically underfunded school districts.
For the Scranton School District, state funding has increased by 63.5% under the current administration, bringing this year’s state allocation to $123.4 million. Local school officials noted that the influx of funds has allowed the district to restore vital academic and support services that had previously been cut during past financial crises.
In recent years, the district has restored elementary library programs and hired a district-wide librarian, brought back middle school arts programming, and hired eight new elementary STEM teachers. Scranton has also added dedicated school counselors for grades five through eight and expanded its special education infrastructure, opening 26 new autism support classrooms over the past three years to bring its total to 58 full autism support classrooms and 21 emotional support classrooms.
