Who would Pa. vouchers save from failing schools? Philly students could be eligible regardless of the school they attend.
The state defines “low-achieving schools” as within the bottom 15% statewide on standardized test scores. Among the 138 Philadelphia schools that appearWhile Philadelphia has some of the state’s lowest-performing schools, it also has some of its highest-ranked — like Masterman and Central — along with other selective high schools. Under the bill, even students attending those schools — or a well-performing Philadelphia elementary school, for instance — could qualify for a voucher.
The language regarding the bottom 15% of schools comes from an existing Pennsylvania program that provides tax credits to businesses for contributing to private-school scholarships. To be eligible for theIt’s not clear how that requirement is implemented. Pennsylvania Department of Education spokesperson Casey Smith said that “since school districts set the boundaries for each school building, this would be more of a local decision.
About 55% of Philadelphia’s 200,000 public-school students live in households earning 185% or less of the federal poverty limit — the income threshold for free and reduced-price lunches. So with the entire district within geographic boundaries for the voucher program, at least 110,000 Philadelphia students would be eligible based on income levels — likely significantly more when households earning up to 250% of the federal poverty limit are included.
Critics note that under the proposed bill, students who receive a voucher one year could continue to receive it in subsequent years, even if they move or their family income increases. Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a right-leaning think tank, acknowledged that studies showing negative academic results for kids using private school vouchers were “absolutely” an argument against the programs.