According to information from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, the state Senate Education Committee is ready to vote on House Bill 2169, which will create a new voucher system.

Under this system, taxpayer dollars would be taken from public schools and allotted to non-public schools, which are not accountable to state standards. For many, the only accountability is parent satisfaction and, according to the 2022 Pennsylvania State Education Report, “mandatory charter school tuition payments were a top source of budget pressure” and “66% of parents with children in a district rated their districts as having done a good job” navigating the pandemic while providing education.

Also, there is no income limit on these mandates, so any family regardless of income can use them. Public schools are mandated to serve all students and should be made stronger. Public dollars belong to public schools.

Marlene Lang, Rixford