HARRISBURG -- With pressure from Gov. Tom Corbett mounting, lawmakers face a decision on whether to pass some kind of legislation on school vouchers before the Legislature recesses on Thursday.

Political experts and some legislators say there may not be enough time -- or support -- for a vote by then.

"If I had to wager ... it's not going to happen before recess," said Christopher Borick, political science professor at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

Despite Corbett's public and private urging, there was no apparent movement on the issue this week, and supporters had a hard time getting a definitive answer from House leadership on whether the issue will come up for a vote by Thursday's deadline for passing a state budget.

Under current proposals, taxpayer money would be used to provide vouchers to help parents send their children to private or parochial schools. The proposals vary on the duration of funding, number of eligible school districts and how many families would qualify.

Teachers unions and other organizations contend vouchers would hurt public education by draining diminishing resources, while supporters argue they would provide an alternative for children in the worst-performing school districts.

Rep. Jim Christiana, author of a bill labeled by Corbett's spokesman as "a viable compromise," said he thinks the Legislature will pass some sort of education policy bill -- such as charter school reform or an expansion to a program that provides scholarships to low-income students -- next week.

Christiana, R-Beaver County, said he hopes vouchers can be part of an education package that he believes will "absolutely" pass by month's end.

Ana Puig, co-chair of the grassroots Tea Party organization Kitchen Table Patriots, said there was no reason to delay passage of a voucher bill and said waiting would only give unions "ample time to go after our legislators."

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