HARRISBURG – Reps. Martina White, R-Philadelphia, and Clint Owlett, R-Tioga/Bradford, reintroduced the Lifeline Scholarship bill.

“Every student learns differently, and they shouldn’t be punished for that because of where they live or because their parents don’t have the means to find something better,” Owlett said. “Our kids and their families deserve to have a choice. Choice brings competition, and where there is competition, there is growth and improvement, and ultimately the consumer – in this case, the student – wins.”

“Harrisburg has for too long failed these families by being complacent; it is not dissimilar to how schools have failed their children time and again,” White said. “We need to come together and do the hard work necessary to ensure all students have access to high-quality education regardless of where they live in Pennsylvania.”

The lawmakers noted recent statewide test scores highlight the importance of offering more educational options for students. According to the 2024 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), 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.

House Bill 1489 would establish the Lifeline Scholarship to provide students (in kindergarten through grade 12) and qualified families with the resources they need to pursue high-quality 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 school tuition, required textbooks and curriculum materials; specialized services for students with special needs; and tutoring or other supplemental education-related resources to help scholarship recipients achieve grade-level expectations.

Under the bill, the initial amount of the scholarships would range from $2,500 for students in half-day kindergarten to $5,000 for students in full-day kindergarten through grade eight. Scholarships would increase to $10,000 for students in grades nine through 12. Scholarships for students with special needs, regardless of grade level, would be $15,000.

The program would be run through the Pennsylvania Treasury, and the bill provides initial funding of $350 million. White and Owlett emphasized the funding represents “a new investment in education” and does not divert any money away from funding for basic education in the commonwealth.

“This is a far more important and laudable goal than the governor’s current focus on legalizing recreational marijuana,” the lawmakers continued. “Let’s prioritize policies that will help our kids succeed rather than put them at greater risk.”