Teach PA Hosts Event to Tackle Tuition Crisis in Nonpublic Schools

BY
19 Jan 2018

BALA CYNWYD, PA – January 18, 2018: Teach Advocacy Network, a nonpartisan organization advocating for government funding in nonpublic schools, held an event last night at Lower Merion Synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, PA, as part of its “Tackling the Tuition Crisis” speaking tour. The event was organized by Teach PA – the Pennsylvania division of the network, to discuss government funding as a solution to soaring tuition costs.

Pennsylvania nonpublic school students, many of them low-income, were allotted over $250 million last year in scholarship credits, security funding, and instructional resources. In light of these and other legislative accomplishments, Teach Advocacy Network Executive Director Maury Litwack spoke at the event and cited the importance of community engagement and grassroots activism to continue the network’s momentum.

“This is a movement tackling the single-largest issue threatening our community. We want decision-makers to hear about the couple who can’t have as many kids as they want because they can’t afford the cost of education, or the person who took the job they didn’t want to send their kid to the school of their choosing. We are tremendously excited by legislative victories countering this problem in Pennsylvania and beyond, but the community simply cannot afford to remain on the sidelines if they want to be heard on this issue,” Litwack said. “That’s why this speaking tour is taking place.”

The event marked the fifteenth stop and eighth city of the speaking tour, with attendance in Lower Merion Synagogue continuing to trend upward since the first stop of the tour. Litwack was joined at the event by tax attorney Joshua Weinberger, who advised the audience on nuances of the new tax code, 529 accounts, and the tax-credit program known as EITC. A lively Q and A took place following remarks by both speakers.

“In this forum we have a healthy platform to discuss something that not many people have the luxury ignoring, and people are excited to know that there is a grassroots movement making real progress on the issue,” said Teach PA Executive Director Arielle Frankston-Morris. “Whether you’re agreeing or debating, we want you to join the conversation.”

ABOUT TEACH PA:  Teach PA is part of the Teach Advocacy Network, a nonpartisan organization advocating for equitable funding in nonpublic schools. In collaboration with coalition partners, grassroots activists and community leaders, Teach PA successfully advocated for $254 million last year in aid for scholarships, security funding, textbooks, instructional equipment, and materials in nonpublic schools.
The Teach Advocacy Network operates in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and California, covering 186,000 children. Teach Advocacy Network is a project of the Orthodox Union.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Matt Matilsky
Communications Director, Teach Advocacy Network
732-266-2398