Pennsylvania Education Freedom Ranking Drops

The state falls six places in the latest report as families weigh rising school spending against student proficiency rates.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Homeschooling

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a schoolhouse silhouette in deep red, representing the institutional focus of Pennsylvania education policy. — Pennsylvania fell six places to 36th in The Heritage Foundation’s 2026 education freedom ranking, citing policy barriers and performance gaps. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Pennsylvania is now ranked 36th in educational freedom according to a report by The Heritage Foundation, marking a decline of six places from 2025. This ranking considers metrics ranging from state education spending and choice programs to teacher certification requirements.

Why it matters

For Pennsylvania families, the report highlights ongoing shifts in state education policy and student outcomes that influence school funding and curriculum transparency. As officials evaluate investments versus performance, the ranking signals a tightening focus on how local dollars translate into classroom results.

The report highlights that 69% of eighth graders failed to meet the NAEP reading proficiency benchmark, while state education spending grew from $12 billion to $18 billion since 2017-2018. Meanwhile, student enrollment has declined 2% over the past decade despite a 5% increase in total education staffing.

The players

The Heritage Foundation

A conservative think tank that produces policy rankings and advocates for school choice programs and education savings accounts.

The details

The ranking methodology aggregates policy data and financial statistics from the 2020-2021 period alongside 2024 national assessment results. Researchers cited specific barriers to the teaching profession, including stringent certification requirements and limited license reciprocity, as key factors affecting the state's score. The foundation recommends that policymakers prioritize expanding private education choice programs and adopting new education savings accounts to improve the state's standing.

2017-2018: Beginning of the state's education spending increase period.
2020-2021: Period used for primary school spending data collection.
2024: Year for the latest national assessment results.
2024-25: Period recording mathematics and English language arts proficiency rates.
2025: Previous year for the comparative educational freedom ranking.

The Home Front

This ranking arrives as Pennsylvania grapples with balancing a significant increase in education spending against declining student enrollment numbers. It reflects a broader trend of state-level scrutiny regarding the efficiency of public education investments and the push for diversified school options.

Families can review their local district's most recent proficiency rates to see how their community aligns with the statewide figures cited in the report. If you are exploring alternative schooling options, keep the report's recommendations on education savings accounts in mind as you track potential legislative changes.

The takeaway

The report underscores a widening gap between increased state education spending and student performance benchmarks. Families should track upcoming local board discussions regarding curriculum and funding to better understand how these state-level trends impact their local school budget.