Mar. 16, 2023
YORK – Rep. Joe D’Orsie (R-Manchester) hosted the House Republican Policy Committee at the Christian School of York for a hearing on educational opportunities on Thursday. Hearing from subject experts, parents and students, the committee took in valuable testimony that, if acknowledged, can fix our broken education system in Pennsylvania.
“School choice is popular, it’s non-partisan and, since we’ve been able to see other states experiment with it, we can now see firsthand that it’s also effective,” D’Orsie said. “If there ever was something both parties could get behind, in tandem, it’s providing parents with options for their kids’ education,” he added.
“The sad reality is that school choice in America is largely exercised through real estate transactions. This means choice is not an option for families who can’t afford to pick up and move to a better district. These families shouldn’t have to move to achieve school choice. They need high-quality school options right in their own neighborhoods,” noted Aaron Anderson, CEO of Logos Academy in York, in his testimony to the committee.
Members of the committee toured Logos ahead of the hearing to witness first-hand the positive impact school choice has had on students, particularly those in York City.
During the hearing, led by House Republican Policy Chair Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), Martin Leuken, director of fiscal policy and analysis with Ed Choice, dispelled myths that private school students siphon money from public schools and harm those students.
“In Pennsylvania, 3% of K-12 students who receive public funding participate in the tax-credit scholarship programs and receive 0.4% of public funding for K-12,” Leuken said. “The average cost per student for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program is 10% of the average per-student cost for Pennsylvania’s public school system. The average cost per student for the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program is 16% of the average per-student cost for Pennsylvania’s public school system. That’s like an 84% to 90% markdown for students who would otherwise enroll in the public school system.”
Committee members also heard from parents of students, as well as students, who attended non-traditional public schools to learn more about their experiences.
“As a father, I want every student in Pennsylvania to get placed in the best position to succeed,” Kail said. “By providing families opportunities to decide the best educational setting for their children, our students will be prepared to take on all future challenges within the workplace.”
Representative Joe D’Orsie
47th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepJoeD.com