In a 21-4 vote, HB 1330 was voted out of the House Education Committee. HB 1330 would increase Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) for businesses that contribute to organizations that give scholarships to students to attend the school of their choice, from $75 million to $100 million in FY2011-2012 and from $100 million to $200 million in FY2012-2013. Click here to read the bill, which is headed to the Appropriations Committee next.
While this is encouraging news for school choice, which gives families the opportunity to choose the best school for their children, it only represents one small part of a much broader effort to pass school choice legislation in Pennsylvania this session. Senate Bill 1, which was voted out of the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this month, includes not only an expansion of EITC funding, but also Opportunity Scholarship Grants, or vouchers, to low-income students to pay tuition at the school of their choice. Learn more about school choice here.