Dave Mccormick spent back-to-school day in Harrisburg promoting a school choice proposal at the Silver Academy, the area’s only Jewish day school. The visit centered on the Educational Choice for Children Act, a federal program signed by Donald Trump as part of his “Big, Beautiful Bill. ” School leaders say the plan could help the academy keep serving any student who wants to attend.
School choice push in Harrisburg
Dave Mccormick framed the proposal as a way to expand options for families and bring more resources into private education. He said the goal is to give families the freedom to choose the right school for their children.
“I’m not opposed to teachers. I’m not even opposed to teachers’ unions, ” McCormick said. “I’m just trying to bring resources and competition. Those are the two things — more money and competition. I think if we do that, we’re going to serve our kids well. ”
The program would allow donations to organizations that provide scholarships for private schools to be converted into tax credits. States must opt into the program by Jan. 1 each year, and McCormick said he hopes Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro will choose to take that step.
What Silver Academy leaders want
Gila Ogle, the Silver Academy’s head of school, said the academy relies heavily on the statewide Educational Improvement Tax Credit and that the federal version would be a major boost. She said the support would help the school attract and keep more students.
“We say ‘yes’ first, and then we find the money. So, it is a huge burden on us to be able to find those dollars. EITC makes it much more straightforward, and the federal tax credit as well would be a huge boost to what we can do, ” Ogle said.
Dave Mccormick’s visit came as the academy seeks to preserve access while keeping its funding model steady. The school’s leaders made clear they see the proposal as a practical tool, not a political slogan, because of the strain of raising money to support enrollment.
State questions remain
The Shapiro administration said it is waiting for federal guidance on how the program would work., the administration said it wants answers on which students would be eligible and how the federal initiative would interact with existing programs.
Opponents of the program argue it would redirect resources away from public schools and leave lower-income and rural students with fewer private school choices. That criticism remains part of the debate as states decide whether to opt in each year.
For now, Dave Mccormick is pressing Pennsylvania to move ahead, while state officials weigh the details and the broader impact. The next major step will hinge on whether the governor agrees to participate and whether federal guidance clarifies how the Educational Choice for Children Act would operate in practice.
