Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper announced that the Performance-Based Funding Council has unanimously adopted a report and recommendations to create a performance-based funding model for new funding for Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University. The council, chaired by Topper, was established in January 2025 and held hearings in Harrisburg and at each of the universities involved.
“I want to thank the members of the Performance-Based Funding Council, as well as those who provided input into the process of developing this report and associated recommendations,” said Topper. “This report and recommendations provide a path toward additional accountability for three of the largest schools receiving state support while ensuring a sustainable way of measuring performance and related funding going into the future.”
The council’s report includes several key recommendations:
– Make the council permanent to oversee the performance-based funding model.
– Apply the performance-based model for new funds beginning in fiscal year 2026-27, use existing funds as a base allocation, and provide institutional advancement funding in fiscal year 2025-26.
– Determine a performance allocation for each university based on a fixed amount and each university’s share of the total weighted student count. This count includes undergraduate enrollments, progression at 60 credits, Pell-eligible students, students from low-matriculating high schools, community college transfers, and high-priority occupation degrees awarded.
– Evaluate each university’s performance-based allocation by assessing four-year graduation rates, six-year graduation rates, six-year Pell-eligible graduation rates, high-priority occupation degrees awarded; incentivize college affordability; reward improvement.
Following adoption of this report, legislation will be drafted based on these recommendations for consideration by the General Assembly.
Media Contact: Jason Gottesman 717-512-0620 jgottesman@pahousegop.com
