Pennsylvania Sen. Judy Ward introduced Senate Bill 733 in June to create a Keystone Scholarship Program for Exceptional Students to provide scholarships for students in kindergarten through grade 12 with special needs, including those designated as gifted.
Editor’s note: This article appeared Tuesday on The Center Square.
A Pennsylvania state senator is proposing a new school-choice program for students who live in the commonwealth’s poorest-performing public school districts.
Sen. Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg, penned a memorandum to her colleague, soliciting co-sponsors for legislation to create new Lifeline Scholarships for students struggling in the commonwealth’s lowest-achieving school districts.
“Under this legislation, parents with children in grades 1-12 who reside within the attendance area of a district school in the bottom 15% of performance metrics based on state testing would be eligible to receive a scholarship,” Ward wrote Monday. “This scholarship will offset costs associated with choosing an alternative academic setting that meets their child’s individual learning needs.”
The Lifeline Scholarships would allow parents to use state funds for qualified expenses that would include tuition at alternative schools, textbooks, curriculum, tutoring or services for students with special needs.
“The accounts would be administered by the Pennsylvania Treasurer, much like the existing Pennsylvania 529 Plan that allows parents to save for college,” according to the memo.
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