STUDENTS’ FUTURE BUILT ON CHOICE
Jones’ Choice to Attend a School Builds a Future
(HARRISBURG, PA – June 28, 2010) Gail Jones believed that the norm for the public school system her son was attending was for children to come home with pages ripped from homework books and an inability to grasp material. Fortunately, she learned there were other options for her son, Richard, who is now a sophomore at Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School and an honor roll student.
“Richard has been given the tools he needs to pursue his dream – to be an FBI agent,” says Gail Jones, Richard’s mother. “His grades were inadequate and he was beginning to fail as a person. He now maintains stellar grades and believes in himself.”
The Jones family is one of five families from across Pennsylvania taking part in the REACH Foundation’s Visions of Choice campaign sponsored by Sovereign Bank. The goal of the campaign is to show parents, legislators and the general public what exactly is meant by the term “school choice” in Pennsylvania. The campaign strives to put a face on the school choice movement by telling the success stories of several families who have chosen different school choice options.
Richard is able to attend the school of his mom’s choice. BAEO is an organization that is approved to distribute scholarships using EITC dollars. Through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program, businesses can direct up to 90% of their tax dollars to state-approved organizations, like Philadelphia BAEO. Instead of sending their tax dollars to Harrisburg, the EITC allows businesses to invest in education and ensure the success of Pennsylvania’s future leaders.
Pennsylvania’s EITC Program is well-known throughout the country and is regarded as a national model. The bi-partisan program is continuously thought of as the most successful private-public partnership in the Commonwealth. Since 2001, over 4,000 businesses have qualified for the EITC, donating $460 million for scholarships to over 200,000 kids and funding thousands of public education initiatives. This year, REACH estimates that 40,000 kids, including Richard, will receive scholarships to attend the school that works for them. Because of budget cuts last year, an estimated 6,000 scholarships were lost. Additional budget cuts this year could further reduce the number of available scholarships.
By definition, school choice means allowing every parent to send their child to the school that best fits their child’s educational needs, regardless of income or zip code. In Pennsylvania, school choice options include charter schools, private schools, homeschooling, or other public schools as well as the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC).
What is the REACH Foundation? Founded in 1991, REACH is the Pennsylvania’s grassroots coalition for school choice. For more information on the REACH Alliance & Foundation, visit www.paschoolchoice.org.
Who is BAEO? Philadelphia BAEO’s mission is to actively support parental choice to empower families and increase quality educational options for Black children. BAEO EDUCATES parents about educational options available to them in Philadelphia; ENGAGES parents in all aspects of their child’s educational process, and to EMPOWERS parents to make informed choices about the education of their children. For more, visit www.baeo.org.
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