‘Level Up’ brings more money to Valley schools

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

Six of Pennsylvania’s financially poorest school districts are located in the Mon Valley between Charleroi and McKeesport.

Also nearby are Duquesne, East Allegheny and Woodland Hills, which are part of the “Level Up 100.”

Clairton City, McKeesport Area and South Allegheny school districts in Allegheny County, Charleroi Area and Ringgold school districts in Washington County and Monessen School District in Westmoreland County are all on the Level Up 100 list as well, according to Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration and the Level Up coalition.

As part of the 2021-22 budget agreement, which includes the largest school funding increase in history, lawmakers agreed to target a $100 million equity supplement to the state’s 100 lowest wealth school districts — the Level Up 100.

The measure is based on the Level Up coalition’s proposal, the basis for House Bill 1167, introduced in April by Rep. Michael Schlossberg, D-Allentown.

Level Up begins to close the funding gap between the state’s wealthiest and poorest school districts, helping underserved students in urban, suburban and rural districts struggling with years of underfunding from the state, according to the governor’s office. 

Because each of these districts lacks the wealth from property taxes to meet the needs of students, most have high property tax rates, but without the resources their students need and deserve, the Wolf administration said.

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