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)Frfr-.{} PA 18901 Doylestown, Bucks Gounty Tel: 215-348-2940 Lntermediate Unit 705 N. Shady Retreat Rd. )frfr-.{} PA 18901 Doylestown, Bucks Gounty Tel: 215-348-2940 lntermediate Unit www.BuckslU.org Joint Letter from Bucks County Superintendents to Bucks Gounty Legislators (PA House of Representatives) Opposing House Bill 1800 As the Chief School Administrators of the Bucks County lntermediate Unit and the thirteen public school districts in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, we are writing to you to express our collective and strong opposition to House Bill 1800 a school voucher program for students in the Harrisburg School District. The legislation sets a precedent for expansion to at least thirteen other school districts and sets the stage for the eventual rollout of an expensive statewide voucher prog ram. We understand that the House Education Committee is scheduled to take up this bill as early as Monday, November 18, 2019. Furthermore, once that bill is reported out of the House Education Committee, it is expected to be pushed out to the House floor. As our representatives in Harrisburg, we are writing to you to ask that you oppose this legislation. We have several reasons for our collective opposition which are as follows: Vouchers are taxpayer-funded government subsidies for nonpublic schools: . Vouchers divert attention, commitment and dollars from public schools to pay private school tuition for a few students, including many who already are in private school. Taxpayers simply cannot afford to fund both public and private school systems. Vouchers do nothing to improve the education of all students: . Creating a separate education system does nothing to address inadequacies or issues with the existing public-school system. There are no guarantees vouchers will help or even prioritize children from low- income families. Vouchers take funds from already underfunded neighborhood public schools to benefit private schools. They divert scarce resources from public schools that serve all students to pay for private schools for a few. There is no accountability for results: . Nonpublic schools are not held to the same accountability and transparency requirements as public schools, including testing and data collection. They do not have to meet ESSA and IDEA standards and they are not required to accept all students. Taxpayers should not be forced to pay for nonpublic schools that are not accountable for student performance, serving students with disabilities, or how money is spent. An Educational Seruice Agency Bucks Gounty lntermediate Unit Vouchers are for the wealthy: . While vouchers are described as an option to help students in poverty or enrolled in low-performing schools, the reality is that many students using vouchers are from higher-wealth families and were never enrolled in public schools. Under House Bill 1800, there are no income limits for families to receive the vouchers. Vouchers benefit families who can afford to send their children to private schools or whose children are already enrolled in private schools. Vouchers do not help economically disadvantaged families when the amount does not cover the full amount of private school tuition and expenses. Vouchers leave behind many students, including those with special needs: . Vouchers leave behind many disadvantaged students as nonpublic schools do not have to accept them nor provide the special services they may need. Students with disabilities enrolled in nonpublic schools do not have the same right to special education and services as students enrolled in public schools. Additionally, parents are not entitled to the same procedural safeguards. House Bill 1800 sets the stage for expansion to a statewide voucher program in which we adamantly oppose. Please reject House Bill 1800 and the diversion of public funds to nonpublic schools. We appreciate both your time and attention to this matter and thank you for all that you do to advocate for the public school students in Pennsylvania. Sincerely, ,iltilx^ Mark Hoffman, Ed.D. Executive Director, Bucks County lntermediate Unit An Educational Seruice Agency 2 Bucks Gounty lntermediate Unit Bucks Countv School District Superintendents a*L Samuel Lee, Superintendent r ph , Superintendent Bensa School District Neshaminyu4 School District Dr. Rose Minniti, Superintendent Dr. Charles Lentz, Superintendent Bristol Borough School District New Hope-Solebury School District \.\gi0rmlL C;nl.'iolr,ql Dr. Melanie Gehrens, Superintendent Dr. Bridget nell, Superintendent Bristol Township School District Palisades School District 2,/ /t--z Dr. David E Baughz5f&rintendent Dr. David Bolton, Superintendent Ce nnial School Dist;ict ( Pennridge School District Kv& J , Superintendent Dr. Willi5nffi retzula, Superintendent Central Bucks School District Pennsbury School Distri Dr. Robert Fraser, Superintendent Dr. William E. Harner Superintendent Council Rock School District Quakertown Community School District h Harris, Superintendent School District of Borough of Morrisville An Educational Seruice Agency 3 .
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