Shapiro Just Ran Out of Excuses on New Scholarships for PA Kids

Time is running out.

Pennsylvania is quickly falling behind the rest of the nation for the opportunity to generate millions, if not billions, of dollars in scholarships for Pennsylvania kids. And it will only cost Gov. Josh Shapiro’s signature.

Beginning in 2027, the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC) allows individuals to donate up to $1,700 and married couples up to $3,400 a year to a certified scholarship-granting organization and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. Students awarded these scholarships can use the money to pay for a litany of education-related expenses: tuition, tutoring, special education services, books, supplies, after-school enrichment programs, etc.

Instead, it creates another funding source that provides students with the educational services they need. That could mean tuition at a private school. It could mean tutoring for a public-school student struggling in math. It could mean educational therapy or specialized services for a student with disabilities. It could even mean enrichment opportunities for students who remain in public schools.

This program casts a wide net. Current projections estimate that 1.8 million Pennsylvania students—most of whom attend public schools—will be eligible for the scholarship. That’s about 90 percent of the state’s K–12 population.

The point is giving families more resources and more options without asking Pennsylvania taxpayers to foot the bill. States don’t spend a dime to participate. And since all funds are voluntarily donated, taxpayers won’t foot the bill.

To participate, Pennsylvania needs a simple opt-in signed by Governor Shapiro. Thirty-one states, including ones led by Democratic governors, have either already opted in or publicly announced their intention to participate. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he would be “crazy not to,” calling his decision a “no-brainer.” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, another Democrat, just opted in, saying the program “has the potential to bring millions of additional dollars to New York students and families without taking a single dollar from public schools or our state or local budgets.”

 Andrew Lewis is president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation.