Sen. Williams introduces voucher bill
by Brad Gibson on Jul 26 2010
State Senator Anthony Williams introduced a voucher bill. Here, he speaks at a 2008 campaign event for President Obama.
State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia) has continued his advocacy for school vouchers in Pennsylvania by introducing the Opportunity Scholarship Act. Senate Bill 1405, introduced last month, would require the Department of Education to create an opportunity scholarship program for low-income students in districts with at least one chronically failing school.
The bill so far has three Republican cosponsors, Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, Sen. Donald White, and Sen. Mike Folmer.
Since the legislation promises scholarships to all low-income students in districts with any failing school, rather than only to those assigned to low-performing schools, it would trigger vouchers all across Philadelphia and many other districts.
The bill defines a school as chronically failing when “more than 40% of students scored in the basic or below basic range in both reading and writing and mathematics subject areas in the two prior school years” or if “more than 65% of students scored in the basic or below basic range in either reading and writing or mathematics subject areas in the two prior school years.”
Scholarship funds would come from a combination of state and district per-pupil aid. Students would be eligible for these scholarships if they come from a household that earns no more than 2.5 times the federal poverty level.
The total scholarship amount would depend on the local municipality's annual per-pupil school funding amount as well as the child's household income. The bill asserts that this total would be enough to allow low-income students to attend a non-public school tuition-free. It is unclear whether scholarships would cover the costs of tuition at pricey private schools.
The act has been endorsed by two conservative groups, the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania as well as the Commonwealth Foundation, who argue that that it would rescue children from failing schools.
However, similar acts in other states have been criticized for taking money out of public schools and forcing taxpayers to fund private schools that cannot accommodate most of the children who would be eligible to opt out.
A vote on the bill by the Senate Education Committee is still pending.
The Pennsylvania legislature three times voted down school vouchers plans promoted by then-Gov. Tom Ridge between 1995 and 1999.
Comments (8)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/26/2010 - 18:58.
STOP diverting traditional public school money for this stuff. Use the money to support our current traditional schools----Every child has a right to a free and appropriate public school education!!! Vote Willams out!!!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 07:34.
Williams "owes" his gubernatorial financial backers a "debt" - I assume this was part of a deal to get their millions. This bill be underwrite private education. I assume it will initially underwrite students in religious based schools since most are cheaper than "independent" schools. Private schools, including religious, already get state funding (reading specialists, busing, Title 1, etc.). Williams apparently wants to destroy public school systems.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 12:44.
Tony is the charter's boy. They own him and he hops when they say "jump". If he really wants to convince us that charters are the way to go why doesn't he leave politics and become a teacher at the charter named after his dad. With only a 30% of the students on level they could use a whole lot of improvement in their academic achievements. Right now his charter is a fine example of how the charter myth is failing Philadelphia children.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 14:52.
This bill isn't about charters - which are far more regulated than any private school. This is a bill to give more taxpayers money to private / religious schools than they already receive.
Submitted by Teacher (K.R. Luebbert) (not verified) on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 16:28.
You are right, but vouchers are another way to give public money to private individuals and foundations to run things without abiding by the same rules (such as who will be admitted) that regular public schools are bound by.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 15:33.
This man has clearly forgotten his roots! What a disappointment! Bring on the next politician, this one is too deep into others pockets now. What about doing the right thing by ALL children? What about helping failing schools?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/27/2010 - 17:32.
LAME. And all these politicians cozying up to Williams and taking pics with him and posting them up everywhere - don't count on getting re-elected.
Submitted by Merit pay and school choice winning formula for kids (not verified) on Mon, 10/18/2010 - 13:55.
Williams has the guts and courage to put the education of children in failing schools first and foremost. Williams wisely has the guts to stand up to the teacher-union mafias who continue to advocate for keeping unqualified and bad teachers in protected jobs rather than understand that kids and their education come first. Merit pay, school choice is the only way to get kids trapped in failing schools with horrible teachers and administrators out of there! Why should poor kids have to be stuck in expensive, failing schools with incompetent teachers? Sounds like racism to me.
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