PA FREEDOM CAUCUS UNVEILS BILL FOR UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE
Harrisburg, PA- The Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus is prioritizing students and families by establishing the Student Freedom Account Program, which would allow students and their parents to choose a school that best suits them, no matter their zip code.
PAFC member Representative Joe D’Orsie (R-York) circulated the memorandum this Wednesday, which has the overwhelming support of all members of the PA Freedom Caucus. “Every year, hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania students are trapped in public schools that fail to meet their educational needs. The only obstacle that blocks their freedom to choose a more fitting school is legislative access to this potentially life-altering choice”, said D’Orsie.
The memo continues, “These cases range from catastrophic (a bottom performing school with very low proficiency rates) to cases of preference, where a student might prefer to attend a more specialized school to hone a real-life skill/craft. Both cases, and everywhere in between, deserve the freedom to choose and the freedom to excel.”
The PA Freedom Caucus has worked diligently on this issue, which they see as one of the most important issues facing the future of the Commonwealth. Particularly after the failure of the General Assembly to pass Lifeline Scholarships (PASS), the time has never been better for an educational plan that favors students and families, not self-serving systems.
States across the country including Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Arizona, & Florida have embraced educational choice programs with very positive results. It’s incumbent upon us as Pennsylvanians to follow suit and clear a way for the best education possible for our students.
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Sounds great, as an abstract concept. In practice, I hope this school choice plan achieves the desired outcome. The devil is in the details, as they say.
For far too long, Pennsylvania students have come in near the bottom of all nations in reading, math, science, history, English composition and technology. Most of our high school graduates in this state can't read, write or count money. But they sure know the leftist democrat propaganda that schools have indoctrinated them with. It's terrible.
This is not good for small school districts who depend on their students to stay in the district. Who would provide transportation to these other schools for the children who want to attend somewhere other than where they live. The school district also cannot afford to stay in the business of education if their attendance drops. This would mean a number of schools would no longer be able to keep afloat. Charter Schools make a huge hole in district with fewer students along with the large districts whom have many students enrolled and this is costing the taxpayer every day a student enrolls in Cyber Charter or Brick and mortar Charter. I don't think this would be a benefit to the taxpayer with the amount of school taxes that are needed now.