Curt Schroder Offers Universal School Voucher Bill

State Rep. Curt Schroder has also outlined two school choice bills he plans to introduce in the Pennsylvania House in the very near future. One is targeted to students in failing schools, the second for all school students. The cosponsorship memo is below.

Here are the basic details:

Opportunity Scholarships

  • Opportunity scholarships would be made available for students in low-achieving schools in the first year of the program in both bills. In the universal voucher proposal, the program would be expanded state wide in the second year.
  • There would be no cap on income limits for students.
  • The scholarship amount would be $5,000 for all students (limited to actual tuition charged).

Educational Improvement Tax Credit

  • The Educational Improvement Tax Credit, which for 10 years has given business tax credits for donations to scholarship organization and organizations working in public schools would be increased.
  • The total cap on tax credits would increase to $100 million for fiscal year 2011-12, and increase to $200 million in FY 2012-13.
  • Family income limits for scholarship eligibility would also increase.
  • This is identical to HB 1330, which passed the House of Representatives 190-7 in May, 2011.

 

Schroder School Choice Cosponsor Memo