The Spring 2011 edition of the Viewpoint newletter includes a Catholic’s guide to school choice and other information about the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference’s (PCC) legislative agenda. Not a Viewpoint subscriber? Sign up to receive a free subscription by sending your name an

“Hurry up and wait.” That is the sentiment of school choice supporters in Pennsylvania who are disappointed that the state legislature left for its summer recess on June 30 without passing school vouchers. Yet they are still hoping that legislators will soon respond to their pleas.

The REACH Alliance issues a statement today regarding the status of school choice legislation in Pennsylvania. “With the passage of the state budget, time has run out for school vouchers this session. While we are understandably disappointed that a school voucher bill did not pass, we

For the first time in nine years, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the state budget before the June 30 constitutional deadline. The $27.15 billion spending plan holds the line on taxes and represents a 4 percent cut in spending over last year. Governor Tom Corbett signed the b

Headlines across the state this morning suggest that a deal could be in the works to pass school choice before the General Assembly breaks for the summer. Time is of the essence. A big push is needed to convince legislators that they should act now! Legislators need to hear from their

Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senators Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin) and Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia), has been the subject of the school choice debate for many months. Titled the Opportunity Scholarship and Educational Improvement Tax Credit Act, the bill proposes an increase in fun

The Diocese of Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and the REACH Alliance hosted a news conference about school choice at Resurrection Catholic School in Lancaster, PA. The PCC is part of a coalition of concerned groups who support school choice legislation to increase th

This is part 5 of our 5-part series on commonly asked school choice questions. Read part 1, part 2 , part 3 and part 4 here. 5. Won’t school choice cost the state a lot of money in a time when the budget is already being cut? With school choice, parents have more options. Most will re

This is part 4 of our 5-part series on commonly asked school choice questions. Read part 1, part 2 and part 3 here. 4. If Catholic schools accept voucher students, will they be able to maintain their Catholic identity? Will they have different admissions standards? Nothing in SB 1 lim

This is part 3 of our 5-part series on commonly asked school choice questions. Read part one and part two here (links). 3. Is there any benefit to school choice for those of us who do not have school-aged children? Providing a quality education for our children is the most critical in