Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis
HARRISBURG PA – Parents and private schools that intend to use or accept Pennsylvania-provided school choice vouchers – if they ever win Legislative approval and become available – must be prepared to have their children take and pass standardized academic tests, state Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis told the House Education Committee on Wednesday (Aug. 3, 2011), according to The Pennsylvania Independent online news service.
Standardized tests have been demanded by public school advocates in the debate over a proposed voucher program, in which state money could be used by certain families to send their children to private rather than public schools. The Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools opposes such testing; Tomalis said Wednesday it was necessary to hold vouchered students “accountable for their academic performance.”
Tomalis added that Gov. Tom Corbett and his administration would support a program that starts by focusing on students at 144 schools in 23 districts that the state has labeled as “failing.” His testimony was part of a series of hearing the committee is holding to gather more information and comments on the school choice issue.
The Hill School and The Wyndcroft School, both in Pottstown PA; Kimberton Waldorf School in Kimberton, Montgomery School in Chester Springs, and Upland Country Day School in Kennett Square are among association members, its website reports.
- Read a story by reporter Eric Boehm, titled “Tomalis: Testing should be required of voucher students,” published Wednesday by The Independent, here.
Related (to education tuition vouchers):
- School Voucher Users Must Pass Tests, State Suggests
- PA School Voucher Bills Seem To Run Out Of Time
- School Choice Voucher Action Anticipated This Week
- Pottsgrove Board Officially Opposes School Vouchers
- Local Rep. Quigley Favors Tax Credits In School Choice
- PA Senate School Choice Vote Possible Next Week
- Two Unions Break Ranks, Back State School Vouchers
- Idea: Pottsgrove Might Prosper With Own Charter School
- Choice Amendment Would Remove Vouchers’ 3rd Year
- Teacher Unions Say Budgets, Vouchers Top Their Agendas
- Poll Claims Public Opposes Tuition Vouchers
- Senate Education Chair Preps For Voucher, Choice Battle
Photo by The Pensylvania Independent
One Response to “School Voucher Users Must Pass Tests, State Suggests”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] School Voucher Users Must Pass Tests, State Suggests The state’s education secretary said Wednesday that if school choice vouchers ever win Legislative approval, children whose families use them must be prepared to take and pass Pennsylvania’s standardized tests. [...]