HARRISBURG – Philadelphia County Rep. Martina White and Rep. Clint Owlett of Tioga & Bradford Counties have reintroduced legislation creating the Lifeline Scholarship. House Bill 1489 would establish the Lifeline Scholarship to provide K-12 students and qualified families with the resources they need to pursue educational alternatives. It would affect families who either have a household income below 350% of the federal poverty guidelines or who reside in the attendance areas of the state’s lowest-performing schools. Eligible families would receive scholarships to cover qualified educational expenses, including tuition, textbooks and curriculum materials; specialized services for students with special needs; and tutoring or other supplemental education-related resources. The lawmakers noted recent statewide test scores. According to the 2024 PA System of School Assessment, 72% of eighth grade students in public schools are not proficient in math and 48% are not proficient in language arts. In the bottom 15% of public schools, only 7% of high school students and 10% of elementary students are proficient in math. In 18 of these schools, not a single student is proficient in either reading or math. The program would be run through the PA Treasury with an initial funding of $350 million. The funding does not divert any money away from funding for basic education in PA. The measure is awaiting referral to a House committee for consideration.
REP. CLINT OWLETT
REP. MARTINA WHITE