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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has said he’s “very open” to opting his state into the Trump-backed federal scholarship tax credit program. But he may wait until after the midterm elections to make his official decision.
In an October gubernatorial debate appearance, Shapiro said while other governors have “shut the door on it,” he’s not one of them. He said his administration is “continuing to digest” the recently released rules governing the program.
“I think prudence here makes the most sense,” Shapiro said. “We’re looking at it carefully, and in the next few weeks, we’ll make our announcement.”
Advocates in support of the program are optimistic his debate answer signals he’ll follow New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lead. Governors have until January 1, 2027 to opt in to the program. Currently 31 states, most led by Republicans, have done so. Among Shapiro’s fellow Democratic governors, only Hochul and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis have voluntarily signed on. Democratic governors who have not yet announced their decisions are under increasing pressure from both sides. During a webinar put on earlier this month by tax-credit advocates, former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said school choice supporters should use Hochul as an “example” to push Shapiro and others to opt in.
“I do think the governor will opt in,” Keisha Jordan, president and CEO of the Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia, told Chalkbeat at an Invest in Education advocacy event on Thursday. “We just need it to happen soon because scholarship organizations have to prepare.”
Democratic State Sen. Anthony Wiliams, who represents Philadelphia, is among those in Shapiro’s own party pressuring the governor to sign on. Program supporters say it could raise billions in new money for schools — definitely for private schools and potentially for public schools too.
Advocates for the program also argue that the state should opt in because otherwise Pennsylvania residents could still claim the credit, but that money would then instead flow to other states.
“If we do not do this, the program will still exist,” Williams said Thursday. “Folks who can write a check will write a check, and those resources will leave Pennsylvania.”
The program’s critics warn that opting in could have devastating consequences for Pennsylvania students and could clash with the income eligibility limits imposed by the state’s existing tax credit programs.
A coalition of 17 civic and education advocacy organizations sent a letter to Shapiro this month urging him to reject the program. The letter argued the program would “fuel discrimination against students,” direct tax dollars towards private intermediary scholarship organizations, and allow the commonwealth little authority to prevent groups from misusing the funds.
“The regulations confirm what we already knew: Trump’s school vouchers will benefit wealthy families, support private school discrimination, and leave Pennsylvania’s public schools behind,” said Susan Spicka, executive director of Education Voters of PA, in a statement. “These regulations remove any doubt that Governor Shapiro must reject Trump’s federal voucher program.”
A spokesperson for Shapiro directed Chalkbeat to the governor’s debate answer in response to a request for comment on Thursday. Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is running against Shapiro, said during the debate that if elected, she would opt Pennsylvania in “on day one.”
Shapiro’s record on similar programs offers little clarity on where he’ll land. He has vocally supported state-backed voucher programs in the past but has also vetoed them. He has boosted funding for Pennsylvania’s existing tax credit scholarship programs but has also allocated millions more to public schools.
Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.