- Gov. Josh Shapiro has plans to address and improve Pennsylvania's higher education system, which is known for its affordability and unfavorable rankings.
- Pennsylvania ranks low in higher education aid, student loans, and college tuition, spending less per capita than most states.
- The proposed budget aims to provide significant aid to state universities, community colleges and their students.
Gov. Josh Shapiro will next month propose measures to improve Pennsylvania's higher education system, which is among the worst in the nation, his administration announced Friday.
The administration did not provide many details, saying the Democratic governor would provide more details in his Feb. 6 budget speech.
By every measure, Pennsylvania ranks last among states in terms of levels of higher education aid, amount of student debt, and college affordability. According to the Shapiro administration, Pennsylvania spends less per capita on higher education aid than any other state except New Hampshire.
Pennsylvania ready to allow longer school days and shorter weeks
Spending on higher education this year is about $2 billion, about the same as 15 years ago.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is interviewed at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on December 20, 2023. Mr. Shapiro will propose steps to fix Pennsylvania's higher education system, which is among the worst in the nation in terms of tuition costs. The government announced this on Friday. (AP Photo/Daniel Shanken)
In his budget proposal, Shapiro will propose “significant” aid to state universities, community colleges and their students, the administration said.
The government said the 14 state universities and 15 independent community colleges should be combined under a governance system that improves collaboration between schools and limits competition and duplication between them.
Shapiro then wants to lower tuition and fees to more than $1,000 per semester for Pennsylvania students who attend state universities and whose household income is below the state median of about $70,000.
Democratic-backed report claims Pennsylvania owes districts $5 billion in education funds
The administration could not immediately say how much money it would need to do so, or where that amount of aid would place Pennsylvania in state rankings.
Eventually, the administration said, the state will develop an aid formula that rewards higher education institutions based on factors such as increased enrollment and graduation rates.
Schools will receive incentives to recruit and support students to earn degrees and certifications in growth fields or fields with workforce shortages, the administration said.
The idea grew out of a working group of universities and presidents assembled by the Shapiro administration last year.
