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Top News Education

A room for Scranton High School’s STEMM program, photographed April, 2025.

Extra money offered this Pa. school district a lifeline. Whether more is coming is an open question.

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

Scranton School District’s new state funding helped it compete with the cyber charters that are burdening its budget, bring back extracurriculars, and invest in STEM.

Related Stories

Costly cyber charter tuition is consuming tens of millions of new state dollars for poor Pa. schools
Extra funding for 100s of Pa. districts in question. See if yours could be affected.
The poorest schools in Pa. got an extra $500M last year. Is more money on the way?
Budget sends $500M more to Pa.’s poorest schools, falling short of what some say is needed

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Desks are arranged in a classroom at an elementary school in Nesquehoning, Pa., March 11, 2021.

Costly cyber charter tuition is consuming tens of millions of new state dollars for poor Pa. schools

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

When underfunded Pa. school districts got extra money last year, dozens put it toward charter school burdens that one district called "ridiculous."

Cody Balmer is escorted from court after his preliminary arraignment on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa.

Why the law that forces people to get mental health help didn’t stop the Shapiro arson attack

by Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA

The Capitol

Supporters of legalizing cannabis for adult-use rally outside the state Capitol in Harrisburg on June 27, 2023.

Democrats send ‘dead-on-arrival’ marijuana legalization bill to Pa. Senate

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

The bill would create state stores where cannabis is sold to Pennsylvania adults, a legally untested model that Republicans oppose.

A sign that reads Senate inside the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg.

Bill to ban transgender athletes in girls' sports passes Pa. Senate, but unlikely to reach governor

by Associated Press

Investigations

School administrators struggled to use an unfamiliar system riddled with problems as thousands of students waited for money they were counting on to pay for college.

Glitches, unproven tech in Pa.’s new financial aid system exacerbated delays for thousands of students

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

School administrators struggled to use an unfamiliar system riddled with problems as thousands of students waited for money they were counting on to pay for college.

Sometimes people who spent time in foster care discover their Social Security benefits were taken only after they apply for benefits later as adults.

Foster care agencies in Pa. took millions owed to kids in their care, often keeping them in the dark

by Julie Christie and Steve Volk / Resolve Philly for Spotlight PA

Impact

The Pennsylvania Capitol at night.

Emails between Pa. lawmakers and lobbyists will remain hidden from the public after court ruling

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Advocates called the ruling a missed opportunity to create more transparency around the state legislature and multimillion-dollar lobbying industry.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Debra Bogen faced questions about her department's oversight of medical marijuana doctors, during a February 2025 state Senate budget hearing.

Medical marijuana oversight bill advances after Spotlight PA investigations reveal doctor concerns

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

Good News from Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania House floor inside the Capitol building in Harrisburg.

Hidden talents of Pennsylvania lawmakers: a New Yorker writer, an MMA fighter, and alligator rescues

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania lawmakers have hobbies too, and sometimes surprising hidden talents.

Meet a Mayor: The ‘star’ at the edge of Allegheny National Forest

by Asha Prihar of Spotlight PA

Kane Mayor Brandy Schimp says rural areas can get a bad reputation as boring or “barren land,” but it’s “really quite opposite.”

PA Local Heroes: Meet the social worker and pastor helping people through ‘all of the human stuff’

by Asha Prihar of Spotlight PA

Mandy Mastros, pastor at the Moravian Center of Lancaster, wears many hats in her hometown’s community, from adult day center chaplain to advocacy board advisor.

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State College Bureau

Old Main on Penn State’s University Park campus

How Penn State trustees plan to vote on campus closures could run afoul of transparency law

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

The Penn State Board of Trustees plans to gather in a virtual-only meeting in May to decide the fate of 12 commonwealth campuses. University President Neeli Bendapudi will propose which of the campuses to close.

An illustration of the seven candidates for State College school board

Pa. primary election 2025: A complete guide to the candidates for State College school board

by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College

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