Senator Doug Mastriano has introduced the Educational Freedom for Families Act in Harrisburg, aiming to improve educational opportunities for students across Pennsylvania. The legislation seeks to provide families with more choices and encourage schools to innovate, as stated by Mastriano: “With this legislation, we will give families the power of choice, encourage schools to innovate and improve, and most importantly, assure that every child can succeed in an education system that serves their needs, not a bureaucratic agenda.”
The bill comes in response to concerning statistics about student proficiency in Pennsylvania. Despite significant spending per student, only 27% of eighth graders are proficient in math and 55% in reading. In Philadelphia specifically, expenditures exceed $25,000 per student annually but result in some of the lowest literacy and graduation rates statewide.
Mastriano criticized the current educational system’s inefficacy: “The current system is failing our children, yet bureaucrats and special interest groups fight to keep them trapped in failing schools. This is unacceptable. More funding has not solved these problems, and it never will until parents are given real choices.”
The proposed act includes measures such as establishing Education Savings Accounts for parents to access state education funds for various educational purposes like private school tuition or homeschooling resources. It also proposes expanding school vouchers for students in underperforming public schools to attend better-performing institutions using state-funded scholarships.
Additional components of the bill include increasing charter school options, strengthening cyber school alternatives, expanding STEM programs, and offering financial resources along with legal protections for homeschooling families. Furthermore, it suggests loan forgiveness and performance-based bonuses for teachers who achieve measurable improvements in student outcomes.
Mastriano emphasized the need for change: “For too long, Pennsylvania families have been denied the right to choose the best education for their children. They’ve been forced to accept failing schools, rising taxes and a system that protects bureaucracy instead of students.” He believes that this act could provide every student with a chance to succeed regardless of their background or neighborhood.
For further information on this legislative proposal contact Don Beishl at 717-787-6701.
