The Pennsylvania House Education Committee passed a bill that will restrict school choice programs across the state. The bill, passed by House Democrats on Monday, would restrict the Education Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC). It would also reduce scholarship opportunities for more than 40,000 low-income students attending economically disadvantaged schools.
BREAKING: Pennsylvania House passed a bill attacking school choice.
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 23, 2026
The vote was 105–97.
All Democrats voted to attack school choice.
It now goes to the Senate. pic.twitter.com/lGulpKlz0P
Yesterday, House Democrats voted to dismantle one of the most successful school choice programs in the country.
— PA House Republicans 🇺🇸 (@PAHouseGOP) June 23, 2026
Before the vote, Republican Leader Jesse Topper asked Democrats to look at what the EITC program has achieved and to understand what happens if they take it away. pic.twitter.com/4YgyEIfKjk
The programs act as tax credits allowing students, particularly from low-income communities, to attend schools that meet their needs. The bill would cut funding for scholarships by $102 million over two years, affecting 100,000 students who currently depend on the credits.
President & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, Andrew Lewis, responded to the legislation in the following statement:
With this vote, the Democrat-controlled House have declared their intention to gut educational choice for families.
It’s disheartening to see House Democrats, led by Gov. Josh Shapiro, cater to anti-school-choice special interests, rather than the needs of Pennsylvania students across the state.
Families shouldn’t spend their summer wondering if their child’s educational future will disappear before the next school year begins. Gov. Shapiro and House Democrats have created mass chaos with their cruel legislation.
We anticipate the state Senate will reject these devastating reductions and protect
scholarship programs, which have provided life-changing opportunities for more than one million Pennsylvania students, but families need more educational options.To deliver them, however, Gov. Shapiro must get off the fence on educational opportunities like the federal scholarship opt-in.
According to the American Federation for Children, school choice has broad support across all demographics, with polling showing that 71 percent of respondents support school choice, and 70 percent support an expansion of its scholarship programs in PA.
If passed, the EITC and OSTC would be eliminated in 2027 and replaced by a consolidated program with new regulations, making it harder for children to access.
School choice is a fundamental component of educational freedom and should be protected in every state. Senators in PA must shut down this legislation immediately and ensure children are given the right to school choice.