Imagine a future where the power to shape your child’s education is firmly in your hands. Imagine a commonwealth where the power to chart the best course for your child is the norm, not the exception, and competition within the education policy space sparks innovation and improves students’ outcomes. This is what could be—but for this to actualize, Harrisburg must reject top-down control and standardized approaches to K-12 education.
Pennsylvania currently ranks 8th in the United States for highest public education spending per pupil, which, in 2021, was $21,000 per pupil. While taxpayers continue to fund one of the most egregiously broken systems in the commonwealth, parents and students are left without the ability to make choices that are best for them. The Heritage Foundation’s Education Freedom Report Card ranks Pennsylvania at #30 in the nation—and, most notably, #42 in the nation for return on investment. According to public opinion research conducted by EdChoice, only 30% of parents believe that the commonwealth’s K-12 education system is headed in the right direction.
With approval numbers as drastically low as 30% and taxpayer-funded investments as high as $21,000 per pupil, Harrisburg must take swift action to reform our education system. Fortunately, states across the nation have laid a blueprint for what good looks like.
In 2021, the West Virginia legislature took bold action to pass what the Federalist described as “the nation’s broadest school choice law.” Coined the Hope Scholarship Accounts, this program allows for students to apply for (or, if entering the Kindergarten system, to be immediately eligible for) $4,600 that can be applied to costs associated with homeschooling or private school. At the time of Governor Jim Justice’s signing of this legislation into law, AFP-WV State Director Jason Huffman said, “Our state now stands as a model for the entire nation when it comes to innovation and the future of K-12 education.” Hope Scholarship accounts were bold, transformative, and effective—instead of incremental change over time, West Virginia parents and students fought for big legislation that would set the blueprint for the rest of the country.
Following suit this year, the Florida legislature passed House Bill 1, or the Family Empowerment Scholarship, which further reformed the state’s school choice options. Governor Ron DeSantis swiftly signed this legislation into law on March 27th. Through this legislation, Florida families and students are no longer held back by financial eligibility requirements or enrollment caps. Additionally, HB 1 cuts back red tape in the industry by waiving general education requirements for top instructors after three years and expanding the temporary teaching certificate length. The Florida legislature took cues from other states’ progress in the education reform space and let competition drive progress. AFP-FL State Director Skylar Zander issued a statement prior to the bill’s passage: “While Florida has long led the nation on the path toward educational freedom, other states have recently taken aim at one-upping us.” Harrisburg would be smart to take the same approach and allow competition and progress in states such as Florida, West Virginia, Ohio, Arizona, and North Carolina to drive progress right here in the Keystone State.
This week, Harrisburg has taken action to swing for the fences, so to speak, with the introduction of House Bill 1904. Sponsored by Rep. D’Orsie of York County, the Student Freedom Account Act would allow Pennsylvania parents to allocate taxpayer funds in manner that best fits the needs of their unique child. Rep. D’Orsie cites progress in neighboring states such as Ohio and West Virginia as a motivator for Harrisburg to pass a universal school choice option for students. In a recent piece for the Delaware Valley Journal, D’Orsie writes, “Educational excellence is within reach for Pennsylvania kids. We just need to think and act outside the proverbial box.”
Americans for Prosperity agrees. It’s time we think “big” as opposed to settling for incremental change. While Harrisburg has faced political stalemate at every turn this year, our activists commend the Representatives that continue to promote bold and transformative ideas that will truly improve the educational outcomes of all students—not just a select few. If we settle for incremental change, we leave the potential of tens of thousands of students on the table.
Join our movement for more at Americans for Prosperity Pennsylvania. Check out our website at afphq.org to fight back against the status quo and create an alternative where universal school choice is available to every student in every corner of this commonwealth.
This is Emily Greene, Deputy State Director with Americans for Prosperity-PA.