Senator Dawn Keefer (R-31) has raised concerns about a bill in the Pennsylvania State Senate that she says could negatively impact school choice and impose new challenges for cyber charter school students and their families.
“Senate Bill 315 represents nothing short of a devastating blow to school choice in our commonwealth,” Keefer said. “At a time when families are seeking alternatives to failing traditional schools, this legislation doubles down on a broken system, punishing innovative options like cyber charter schools while rewarding inefficiency and underperformance.”
The proposed legislation would increase funding by $50 million for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), which supports low-income families. However, it also proposes a $175 million reduction in funding for public cyber charter schools serving approximately 65,000 students. This follows an earlier cut of $200 million last year. The bill would further allow additional deductions from tuition allocations that follow students to their chosen cyber charters.
Keefer noted that the bill introduces new administrative requirements for cyber charters under the banner of accountability. She contrasted this with traditional public schools, which she said hold more than $13 billion in reserves and are set to receive nearly $1 billion more in funding without similar accountability measures.
Additionally, the budget proposal includes $120 million for mental health services within public schools. Keefer argued that schools may not have the capacity or resources to provide these services effectively, especially as counties responsible for such support remain flat-funded.
“Schools cannot be all things to all people,” Keefer stated. “They lack the capacity, resources and liability to take on every role, and by forcing them into these positions, we are setting them up to fail. We must refocus on education and rely on community experts for additional services.”
Keefer emphasized her support for school choice as vital for giving families educational options tailored to student needs.
