District
W e s t S h o r e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t Special Edition 2011
School Vouchers in Pennsylvania
This special edition of District News has been developed to provide a review of a current proposal
designed to significantly alter the way Pennsylvania nonpublic schools receive their funding.
In Pennsylvania, parents are required to provide
an education for their children. Parents have the
choice of educating their children at home, paying
tuition at a nonpublic (or parochial) school of their
choosing, or sending their children, at no personal
expense, to the school district in which they reside.
As a means to change the way nonpublic schools
receive their funding, current and past proposals
have attempted to fund nonpublic schools with tax
dollars. Pennsylvania has declined past efforts
to use state tax money for these nonpublic (or
parochial) schools.
Recent School Voucher History
In 1995, a comprehensive reform plan supported
by the Ridge administration contained a school
voucher program designed to provide state
tax dollars for nonpublic schools. The voucher
program failed to become law.
In 1998, the legislature again considered passing
a school voucher program, but did not do so.
As recently as June 2010, Senate Bill 1405
attempted to provide funds for low income
students to attend nonpublic schools using
state tax dollars. This bill was assigned to the
PA Senate Education Committee, but did
not have enough support to reach the full
Senate.
Current School Voucher Proposal
On January 11, 2011, Senators Anthony
H. Williams (D-Philadelphia) and
Jeffrey E. Piccola (R-Dauphin and
York) announced their intent to introduce
News
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1. If enacted, the plan
would provide students from low income families
with vouchers to attend public, private, or church
supported schools of their choice. The funding
for these vouchers would be taken from the state
subsidy of each student’s home school district.
This bill has not been approved and is subject to
change. If approved as drafted, the regulations
will be phased in over a three year period. During
the first year, only low-income students currently
attending the persistently lowest-achieving
schools would be eligible for participation in
this program. WSSD has not been identified
as having any schools on this list. Even though
WSSD would have no students participating
in this voucher program, the bill (if enacted)
would require WSSD to provide notice of this
program to all District families through regular
mail.
During the second year of implementation, all low
income students who live within the attendance
boundaries of the lowest-achieving schools would
be eligible for this program. While WSSD does
not anticipate any of our schools being identified
as lowest-achieving, an additional mailing to all
District families would still be required.
WSSD 2010-2011
Budgeted Revenue
State Sources - 29.3%
Federal Sources - 1.3%
Local Sources - 69.3%
 During the third year of implementation, all low income students,
regardless of which school district they live in, would be eligible
West Shore School District for this program. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of WSSD’s 2010-
2011 budget is derived from state sources. Twenty percent (20%)
Mission Statement of our current students qualify for the free lunch program. The
The West Shore School District is loss of these students would not reduce necessary expenditures
committed to providing all students with by nearly the amount of lost subsidy. This loss of funds would
a quality education to prepare them to be need to be made up by increased taxes or cuts to the educational
responsible and successful citizens.
program for those students who remain.
Board of School Directors
M. Todd Ambrose, President WSSD maintains good relationships with the nonpublic
Anthony J. Tezik, Ed.D., Vice President schools (many of which are sponsored by churches of various
Ronald L. Candioto, Jr. denominations) in our region through collaboration on various
Denise N. Grover topics such as remedial programs for students who are not
Brian K. Guistwhite meeting academic expectations, students learning English as a
Frank J. Kambic Second Language, and preparing for crisis situations that require
Shelley K. Keebaugh a regional response (i.e. Three Mile Island disaster planning).
Gayle M. Russell These efforts are often funded through federal initiatives that
Sue G. Smith increase funds for students in our community.
Administration
The proposal from Senators Williams and Piccola is different
Jemry L. Small, Ed.D.
than these federal programs. Rather than dividing supplemental
Superintendent
funds for students, this proposal looks to reallocate funds which
David M. Zuilkoski, Ed.D. our local community has historically used to provide for the
Assistant Superintendent education of our children. In many cases, money that was taken
from the public school will be used by schools providing religious
The West Shore School District shall not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, or disability, in accordance instruction to their students.
with Title VI-VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Act
Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation of the Handicapped
Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, in its educational
and vocational programs and in its recruitment and employment practices.
WSSD provides this information to you, so that you are aware of
Inquiries concerning the application of Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504,
the ADA and the implementing regulations may be referred to the Director of
what has been proposed in Pennsylvania’s Senate and have an
Human Resources, 507 Fishing Creek Road, P. O. Box 803, New Cumberland, idea of how it may impact our school community. WSSD will
PA 17070-0803, telephone (717) 938-9577.
continue to share updates through District publications, online
postings, and school newsletters. WSSD is committed to providing
all students with a quality education to prepare them to be

 Share Your
Th o u g h t s
responsible and successful citizens. We will continue to support
our students as the state legislature debates these topics.

If you have a concern, question,

suggestion, or solution, please References used to develop this issue of District News
share them with me. Pennsylvania School Boards Association. (2011, January 21). “What’s the History?”
School Leader News, 8 (Special Edition). 2-5.
Jemry L. Small, Ed.D. Pennsylvania School Boards Association. (2011, January 21). “What’s Being Proposed?”
School Leader News, 8 (Special Edition). 6-10.
Superintendent of Schools
West Shore School District Pennsylvania School Boards Association. (2011, February 3). Senate Bill 1 The
Opportunity Scholarship & Education Improvement Tax Credit Act [pdf document].
507 Fishing Creek Road Retrieved from http://www.psba.org/issues-advocacy/issues-research/vouchers/
P.O. Box 803 SB_1-conference-call-2-3-20.pdf
New Cumberland, PA 17070 The General Assembly of Pennsylvania. (2010, June 15). Senate Bill No. 1405 Session
of 2010. Retrieved from http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.
e-mail cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2009&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=1405&p
n=2070
jsmall@wssd.k12.pa.us
Williams and Piccola Unveil School Choice Plan. (2011, January 11). In Pennsylvania
phone Senate Republican News. Retrieved from http://www.pasenategop.com/news/2011/
0111/piccola-011111.htm
717-938-9577