Pa. election 2026: Where Garrity, Shapiro stand on public school funding, vouchers, and other education issues

October 11, 2026 - 21:56

The debate over how to pay for public schools and whether to expand private school vouchers has become one of the sharpest dividing lines in Pennsylvania's 2026 race for governor. The two leading candidates, Josh Garrity and Josh Shapiro, have staked out positions that reflect a broader national fight over the future of education spending.

Garrity has called for a major increase in state funding for public schools, arguing that years of underinvestment have left too many districts reliant on property taxes. He wants the state to shoulder a larger share of the cost and has criticized voucher programs as a drain on money that should stay in public classrooms.

Shapiro has taken a different approach. He supports boosting public school funding while also leaving the door open to limited voucher expansion, framing the issue as a matter of giving parents more choices without abandoning public education. That position has drawn praise from some moderates and criticism from teachers unions, which argue that vouchers siphon resources from the schools that serve most students.

The stakes are high. Pennsylvania's school funding system has been the subject of years of litigation and debate, and the next governor will shape how billions of dollars flow to classrooms across the state. Voters will decide which vision they trust.