School voucher push stalls, likely halted until fall

HARRISBURG -- A last-minute push to provide students in Pennsylvania's worst schools with a tuition voucher program has likely failed.

Senate Education Chairman Jeffrey Piccola, R-Dauphin County, a leading advocate, said the issue will have to be taken up again in the fall after efforts stalled Wednesday. Lawmakers break for the summer today or Friday.

"Kids trapped in failing schools remain trapped. ... The monopoly system of public education -- good, bad, or indifferent and expensive -- remains in place," he said in a prepared statement.

During the past week, Gov. Tom Corbett pushed for immediate passage of a voucher program. Some lawmakers said they wanted a voucher program in place before school starts in the fall.

Piccola, co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1, a prominent voucher plan, said the Senate made education overhaul proposals to the House during the past week or so, but the House "was unable or unwilling to engage in any meaningful discussions."

A spokesman for House leadership could not be reached.

Proponents say tuition vouchers, funded by tax dollars, would enable more children to attend private and parochial schools. A bill recently proposed by Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver County, would provide vouchers to low-income students in the lowest-performing 5 percent of Pennsylvania's schools. His legislation was identified as a likely compromise by Corbett's spokesman.

Many who oppose the program say vouchers will not provide low-income families with enough money to send their children to different schools.

A spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association said a voucher program would hurt public schools, which are set to lose funding in this year's budget.

House Education Committee Chairman Paul Clymer, R-Bucks County, says he wants to hold public hearings on the issue over the summer and take up voucher legislation again in the fall.

Looking ahead, Piccola said it "is clearly the responsibility of the governor if this remains on his agenda to define the parameters, initiate the process and drive that process to a successful conclusion."