PA Family Council Applauds Gov. Corbett’s School Choice Initiative

Oct 12, 2011 | 0 comments


Press Release 10-12-11

PA Family Council Applauds Gov. Corbett’s School Choice Initiative

(Harrisburg, October 12, 2011) Pennsylvania Family Council, the advocacy arm of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, applauds Gov. Tom Corbett’s initiative to expand school choice and provide stronger accountability to public education.

“We are grateful that Gov. Corbett and legislative leaders are recognizing the irreplaceable role of the parents in improving education,” said Michael Geer, President of the Pennsylvania Family Council. “Enabling more parents to choose the school where their children attend will do more to improve performance and bring accountability than any other factor,” added Geer.

Features of the initiative include:

  • EITC Expansion. Growing the Education Improvement Tax Credit, a very effective and popular program, will further advance educational options for low and middle income families throughout Pennsylvania. “It’s a great program, worthy of expansion,” said Michael Geer.
  • Opportunity Scholarships. The establishment of Opportunity Scholarships will finally give parents hope and a choice where schools are not only failing, but oftentimes, downright dangerous.
  • Charter School Reforms. Pennsylvania has long been a leader in charter schools, and the new proposals will help keep us in that leadership position.
  • Better Teacher Evaluation. Parents have long known that there are some public school teachers that are astoundingly good and effective, and others that simply don’t teach well. We applaud Gov. Corbett’s call to establish a system that recognizes that reality, and to replace the current one that rates top-flight and poor-performing teachers as equivalent.


Pennsylvania Family Council is committed to expanding educational options for Pennsylvania’s families and children, and we anticipate working in concert with Gov. Corbett and school-choice leaders in the House and Senate in advancing the cause of parental choice in education now and in the years to come.