Why school vouchers are a (really!) bad idea for PA.

Dear Brian, We are gearing up for a big fight in Harrisburg to keep Governor Josh Shapiro and state lawmakers from expanding school vouchers in the 2024-2025 state budget. The proposed PASS/ESA private school voucher proposals would give tax dollars directly to families whose children attend private schools and would be the first step toward a…

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UPDATE: House Dems vote down DeVos voucher bill in the Rules Committee

UPDATE: Today, the Senate moved their “PASS Scholarship” DeVos voucher bill to the House Rules Committee, where it was SOUNDLY REJECTED in a party-line vote of 18-15. House Democrats have stood firm in their support of public education and their unequivocal opposition to a new school voucher program in the commonwealth that would funnel precious education dollars…

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THIS is the school voucher conversation we need in Harrisburg

From our friends at Education Voters of Pennsylvania   Since 2001, Pennsylvania has spent more than $2 billion on school vouchers for private and religious schools through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) voucher programs. By any standards, $2 billion is a lot of money. One would imagine that…

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Take Action on HB 2169

From Education Voters of Pennsylvania, Every few years, a few people in the legislature try to bring back the idea of vouchers, which give public dollars to pay tuition for private/religious schools. HB 2169 is the latest attempt to establish an education voucher program in the Commonwealth. It was voted out of the House Education…

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House Bill 2169 – Lifeline Scholarship Program

More about this proposed bill and why we must urge all members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to vote “no” on House Bill 2169, which would create a tuition voucher program for students costing taxpayers and the schools that need resources the most almost $170 million. Read the full statement from Concerned Education Stakeholders…

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Join for a quick update on Harrisburg’s plans for public education

From Education Voters of PA, don’t miss out on this opportunity today. Over the next month, PA lawmakers and Governor Wolf will be negotiating a budget that is supposed to be signed into law by June 30th. What happens over the next month could have a profound impact on Pennsylvania’s educational landscape. And lawmakers appear to…

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ALERT: Tell PA lawmakers—Choose public schools, not DeVos vouchers

Dear BASD Proud Parents, From our friends at Education Voters of PA Pennsylvania lawmakers are preparing to join Betsy DeVos in attempting to exploit the COVID-19 crisis to advance their school privatization agenda. The House Education Committee has announced that on Thursday, October 1st, its members will  vote on House Bill 2696, legislation that would use $500…

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$100 million more for PA’s “secret school tax”

From our friends at Education Voters of PA: The PA House Education Committee passed what appears to be a top education priority for many lawmakers this year: a massive increase in taxpayer-funded school vouchers that benefit wealthy families. These lawmakers are not prioritizing an additional $100 million to help schools meet extensive safety needs. They are…

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Backpack Full of Cash Screening

You Are Invited to A Free Screening presented by BASD Proud Parents and the Bethlehem Area School District MARCH 21, 6:30pm – 8:00pm  NITSCHMANN MIDDLE SCHOOL Discussion to Follow “BACKPACK FULL OF CASH” DOCUMENTARY – Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor, Matt Damon, BACKPACK explores the real cost of privatizing America’s public schools. Before the 2016…

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