The Republican Party of Pennsylvania said in a May 29 post on X that Pennsylvania schools should focus on student achievement as education spending rises.
“Pennsylvania taxpayers pour billions into the education system while too many students cannot read at grade level,” the party said. The post said Pennsylvania students deserve schools focused on achievement.
The party’s statement addressed education spending and reading proficiency in Pennsylvania while criticizing what it described as a status quo protected by the Shapiro administration.
Delaware Valley Journal reported that Pennsylvania education spending from federal, state, and local sources reached $38.6 billion in 2023-24. The report said state education spending reached $16.8 billion, while 2024 assessment results showed about half of Pennsylvania fourth and eighth graders were not reading proficiently at grade level.
The Commonwealth Foundation said National Assessment of Educational Progress results showed 69 percent of Pennsylvania eighth-grade students could not read at grade level. The organization also said Pennsylvania spends more than $22,000 per public school student, ranking seventh among states.
The Republican Party of Pennsylvania was founded in 1854 and serves as the state affiliate of the national Republican Party. The party says it supports parents’ rights, educational opportunities, and school choice.
