(HARRISBURG, PA – July 22, 2010) Jonathan Cortez came to City Center Academy as a “troubled student.” He hated school and was always picking fights with other students in his class. Then he transferred to City Center Academy (CCA), a private school in Philadelphia. The school is an educational lifeboat for Jonathan. He’s currently a junior and is excelling in this environment.
”One of the great things about CCA is that it’s like family. There’s a connection between the faculty and the students,” says Cortez. “Before, I felt neglected by my teachers, but at CCA, my teachers give me options and I can really talk to them.”
The Cortez 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 success stories of several families who have chosen different school choice options.
Jonathan is able to attend the school of his parents’ choice because of an EITC scholarship that he receives from Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). ACSI is an organization that is approved by DCED to distribute scholarships to families 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 ASCI. 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 bipartisan program is 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 Jonathan, will receive scholarships to attend the school that works for them.
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 Pennsylvania’s grassroots coalition for school choice. For more information on the REACH Alliance & Foundation, visit www.paschoolchoice.org.
What is City Center Academy? Training the mind and disciplining the heart to transform the City. For more information, visit citycenteracademy.org.
# # #
