Catholic education across Pennsylvania faces a serious threat, and the Diocese of Allentown is calling on the faithful to take action.
House Bill 2632, recently introduced in the Pennsylvania State Legislature, would cut back and ultimately eliminate the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program — a tax-credit scholarship initiative that has helped thousands of families afford a Catholic education for their children. During the past school year, 4,248 students in our Diocese – representing 49% of all students enrolled – received EITC funding so that their families could afford to send them to Catholic school.
According to the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC), HB 2632 seeks to end the EITC program and recreate it in a way that would cut $102 million in funding while establishing a series of bureaucratic administrative procedures. The result, the PCC warns, would be devastating: needy students could see their education interrupted, and some Catholic schools could be forced to close.
For years, EITC has been a lifeline for working families. Pennsylvanians in every county have used these scholarships — averaging around $3,000 per student — to give their children an education in an environment best suited to their needs. This critical support is now at risk.
How You Can Help
The most important thing you can do — and it takes only a couple of minutes — is to contact your state legislators and ask them to oppose HB 2632.
The PCC has made this simple through its Voter Voice tool, which provides a pre-written message you can send to your State Representative and State Senator with just a few clicks.
Take action now through the PCC Voter Voice tool.
This matter is time-sensitive. Please act today, share this message with family and friends, and keep the children and families who depend on Catholic education in your prayers.
The Diocese of Allentown joins the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and our fellow dioceses across the Commonwealth in opposing HB 2632 and working to keep a Catholic education within reach for every family who desires one.
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