White Announces Funding Increases for Educational Scholarship Programs
HARRISBURG—Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) announced that two of the state’s most successful programs to boost educational choice and opportunity for students will receive increased funding in legislation signed into law by the governor.
“These programs empower families with the ability to navigate and select educational options that align with their values and goals for their children's academic success,” White said. “By giving students scholarships to attend a private school of their choosing, we promote healthy competition among schools and encourage them to improve the quality of education to attract students.”
House Bill 301 increases funding for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program by $130 million to a total of $470 million, while the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program increases by $20 million to a total of $85 million.
The programs provide tax credits for contributions from businesses to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations, pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations and opportunity scholarship organizations. The contributions are used to support scholarships and other educational programming for Pennsylvania students.
House Bill 301, along with Senate Bill 843, are state budget-related bills that, among other things, provide for the distribution of funding to public libraries, career and technical schools, and more. Both measures have been signed into law.
“We know the one-size-fits-all school system is leaving too many students behind,” White said.
“We know one year of learning loss can translate into thousands of dollars in lost lifetime earnings. We know two out of three Pennsylvanians support alternatives for students enrolled in the worst performing schools. We know we need education options for parents and students now.”
Representative Martina White
170th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: David Foster
267.207.0207
dfoster@pahousegop.com
RepWhite.com / Facebook.com/RepMartinaWhite