Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33)
Pennsylvania’s public education system is failing far too many of our children. Despite record-high spending and continuous promises of reform, our students’ academic performance is declining, parents have little say in their children’s education and bureaucratic inefficiencies continue to waste resources. Why should a child’s future be determined by their zip code? Why should parents be forced to accept underperforming schools when better options exist?
The answer is simple: they shouldn’t. That is why I am introducing the Educational Freedom for Families Act, a bold step toward ensuring that every Pennsylvania student has access to a high-quality education, no matter where they live or how much their family earns.
With this legislation, we will give families the power of choice, encourage schools to innovate and improve, and most importantly, assure that every child can succeed in an education system that serves their needs, not a bureaucratic agenda.
The facts are clear: Pennsylvania’s public schools are failing. Despite record-breaking funding levels, student achievement in Pennsylvania continues to decline. Parents see it every day: Their children are struggling with basic math and reading, yet public school districts keep demanding more money without delivering better results.
Despite Pennsylvania taxpayers paying $21,985 per student annually, only 27% of eighth-grade students are proficient in math. Just 55% are proficient in reading. The Philadelphia School District spends more than $25,000 per student per year, yet it has some of the lowest literacy and graduation rates in the state.
The solution to these problems is the Educational Freedom for Families Act. My comprehensive, student-first solution empowers parents, encourages school improvement and guarantees that every child has access to the best possible education.
It would establish Education Savings Accounts to give parents access to state education dollars for private school tuition, tutoring, homeschooling resources or specialized education programs. The bill would expand school vouchers to enable children trapped in failing public schools to transfer to better performing institutions using state-funded scholarships.
It would also increase charter school options; strengthen cyber school options; expand Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs; and offer financial resources and legal protections to homeschooling families. The bill would introduce loan forgiveness and performance-based bonuses for teachers who demonstrate measurable improvements in student outcomes.
This plan is not about taking money away from public schools. It’s about ensuring that education funding follows the student, not the system.
The data proves school choice works. The evidence is overwhelming: when parents have the power to choose their child’s school, student performance improves across the board.
A Harvard study found that minority students in school choice programs had significantly higher college enrollment rates than those stuck in failing public schools. States with school choice programs, such as Florida and Arizona, have seen graduation rates rise and student performance steadily improve.
Despite a 42% increase in total public school revenue since 2014, student achievement has not significantly improved. However, when public schools face competition from alternative education options, they are forced to improve or risk losing students.
Charter and private school students score 10-15% higher on standardized tests compared to traditional public school students.
For too long, Pennsylvania families have been denied the right to choose the best education for their children. They’ve been forced to accept failing schools, rising taxes and a system that protects bureaucracy instead of students.
With the Educational Freedom for Families Act, we can finally give every student a chance to succeed – regardless of income, background or neighborhood.
Let’s make education about kids, not systems. No child should be trapped in a failing school just because of where they live.
Sen. Doug Mastriano represents the 33rd Senatorial District, covering all of Adams and Franklin counties.