Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro Scraps $100 Million Private School Voucher Program for Low-Income Kids

Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference to announce the reopening of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia on June 23, 2023. (Joe Lamberti/AP Photo)

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has ditched plans to pursue a $100 million private school voucher program in the state’s annual spending plan amid a deadlock between Republican and Democratic leaders.

Mr. Shapiro announced the decision to pull the program to pay for tuition at private and religious schools—known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success scholarship program—in a July 5 statement.

His announcement came shortly after Democrats and Republicans approved the state’s budget for 2023–2024 in a 117–86 vote.

The Democratic governor said the new $45 billion spending bill, known as HB 611, still delivers on his “commonsense proposals to solve the most pressing issues Pennsylvanians face” despite not including the voucher plan.

According to his office, the newly-passed budget includes more than $567 million in spending for Basic Education Funding (BEF), marking the largest BEF increase in history, and $100 million for underfunded schools.

The budget also includes $125 million in school safety and environmental improvement grants, $50 million in special education funding and another nearly $50 million in free school breakfasts, among other things.

However, leaders on both sides of the aisle could not agree on the private school vouchers program, which would have funded private school scholarships for students in low-achieving public school districts.

School Voucher Program Explained

Under the plan, eligible “low achieving” students would have received between $2,500 and $15,000 per year in state-funded vouchers to cover the costs of tuition, tutoring, and educational expenses at nonpublic schools. The vouchers would be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and have an income cap of less than 250 percent of federal poverty guidelines.

Democrats, teachers unions, and school boards opposed the program, fearing it would have high cost implications and take away funding from non-private schools.

They also noted that similar programs already exist for low-income students, including the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs.

Mr. Shapiro and other advocates had argued the program would grant parents the opportunity to provide their children with a better education. and the Republican-led state Senate approved the program just last week.

In his announcement on Wednesday, Mr. Shapiro said he had ultimately scrapped the full $100 million appropriation for the program because the House and Senate “will not reach consensus at this time.”

Republicans Condemn Veto

“A budget is a statement of our priorities – and with new investments in students, teachers, seniors, moms, families, farmers, workers, cops, emergency responders, business owners, and more, this is a budget for all Pennsylvanians,” said Mr. Shapiro in the statement.

“Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation with a full-time, divided legislature – meaning nothing gets done unless it can make it through our Republican-led Senate and our Democratic-led House. I’m proud that this budget – one that makes historic investments in public education, public safety, workforce development, agriculture, and economic development – passed both the House and Senate,” the governor said.

The Democrat said he plans to sign the new budget package soon.

Mr. Shapiro’s announcement drew backlash from some Republican leaders in the state, who said they had negotiated with the governor on the voucher program “in good faith.”

“Today, Governor Shapiro has decided to betray the good faith agreement we reached, leaving tens of thousands of children across Pennsylvania in failing schools,” Senate Republicans said in a statement.

“It is a shame the governor does not have enough respect and standing within his own party to follow through with his promise,” the leaders continued. “Strong leadership requires the ability to bring people together, but instead we are met with Gov. Shapiro’s failure to deliver his commitment to empower parents and give children access to educational opportunities.”

Elsewhere, state Rep. Seth Grove, the top Republican on the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee, criticized the decision on Wednesday.

“I have never, ever in my life seen a governor get a major win that he has been fighting for and then veto it,” Mr. Grove told reporters. “It is historic in its stupidity.”

“Hopefully the governor will reconsider his positions,” Mr. Grove added.