The state House and Senate had struggled to compromise on a new school voucher program budget that would pay for students who currently attend low-income public schools to get a private education using state funds.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building at the Bans Off Our Bodies rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, October 2, 2021. The rally is part of demonstrations happening across the country defending women’s rights to seek abortions. Photo from: Philadelphia Inquirer.
New School Voucher Program Budget
State House and Senate had an impasse about the new school voucher program budget which had caused a heated debate from the $45 billion state budget.
The new school voucher program budget was supported by Governor Josh Shapiro which aims to pay students to attend private schools using state funds from low-income public schools.
Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers expressed their disapproval of the new school voucher program budget and wants to have the funds diverted to public school use instead.
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Teacher’s Union Vs New School Voucher Program Budget
Nina Esposito-Visgitis, the President of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers said in an interview that the new school voucher program budget will take money away from public education. She had openly shared her disapproval of the new school voucher program budget.
The teachers union said that instead of using the new school voucher program budget to attend private schools, the state can use the funds to improve public schools where 90% of the children go.
Amidst all the issues surrounding the new school voucher program budget, Governor Josh Shapiro plans to line-item veto $100 million appropriation to have the rest of the budget approved by the state.
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