Pennsylvania fell six places to 36th in the Heritage Foundation's Education Freedom Report Card, as The Center Square first reported. The ranking places the commonwealth in the bottom third of states.

The conservative think tank's annual index scores states across five categories. Pennsylvania declined in three: education choice, teacher freedom and transparency.

The state's category rankings tell the story. It finished 26th in education choice, 32nd in transparency, 35th in return on investment (ROI), 37th in teacher freedom and 48th in civic education, according to the report.

Spending and results

The Heritage Foundation report said Pennsylvania spends the ninth-most per pupil nationally at $20,615 annually, adjusted for cost of living. Yet the state ranks 17th in combined fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Unfunded teacher pension liabilities equivalent to 6.3% of the state's gross domestic product also weighed on the ROI ranking.

The report combines data from multiple years, including 2020–2021 school spending, 2024 NAEP results and more recent information on education choice and teacher certification.

State Rep. Barbara Gleim, R-Carlisle, who chairs the House Education Committee's Basic Education Subcommittee, told The Center Square that Pennsylvania deserves its ranking. She said education spending rose from roughly $12 billion to $18 billion since 2017–2018 while reading scores declined. She also pointed to a 5% rise in statewide education staffing over the past decade despite a 2% decline in student enrollment.

Central Bucks budget context

Central Bucks School District has faced its own budget pressures. The school board approved a $460.4 million budget in May with a 5.7% property tax increase to close a $19.4 million deficit, according to WFMZ. That marked the third consecutive year the district raised taxes above 5%. A property assessed at $635,000 saw a $334 annual increase.

The district has raised taxes for six consecutive years. It had no increases from 2015–2016 through 2020–2021, WFMZ reported.

Central Bucks ranked 38th statewide in standardized test scores compiled from three years of PSSA and Keystone Exam results, according to BucksCo.Today. Researchers from Dartmouth College, Harvard University and Stanford University found Central Bucks rising faster than similar districts in reading scores, WHYY reported.

Statewide, English language arts proficiency fell from 53.9% to 49.9% in 2024–2025. Math proficiency edged up from 40.2% to 41.7%, according to the Heritage Foundation report.

Teacher certification and civic education

The report cited certification requirements, limited alternative pathways and restrictions on license reciprocity as barriers to entering teaching in Pennsylvania.

"It has been brought up multiple times in hearings, and it doesn't seem like they're willing to listen to any options to make it easier," Gleim told The Center Square about the certification process.

She said an electrician with 25 years of experience could still need roughly 58 additional credit hours at personal expense to qualify for a vocational teaching certificate.

Pennsylvania finished 48th in civic education for the second consecutive year. High school students must take a civics exam but are not required to pass it to graduate, the report noted.

The Heritage Foundation recommended expanding school choice programs, adopting K-12 education savings accounts and easing charter school restrictions. The foundation is a conservative policy organization, and its recommendations reflect that perspective.

The Central Bucks School Board's next scheduled meeting is Nov. 19.