Pennsylvania Governor Corbett Joins Lawmakers, Community and Religious Leaders at Education Rally in Delaware County

DREXEL HILL, Pa., Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today joined state lawmakers, county officials and community religious leaders at an education rally at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Drexel Hill.

The rally was to celebrate the new Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program, which provides scholarships to low- and middle-income students who live within the boundaries of a low-achieving school to attend a participating school of their choice. Businesses that provide funds for scholarships receive tax credits in return.

"It shouldn't matter if your parents are rich or poor; each student needs access to an education that works best for them. In many cases the best school is a public school; but sometimes a student needs something different. Maybe his or her school isn't a good match. Maybe this student or his family has a different idea about how they want their child to learn," Corbett said.

"That's what the education improvement tax credit is about. It gives young people and their families a way out of a school that doesn't meet their needs,'' Corbett said. "This program is a win-win for the taxpayers, but more importantly it's a win for young people who would otherwise lose out in life.''

In addition to the governor, other invited guests included Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia; the Rev. Terrence Griffith, Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity; and Maury Litwack, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

For more information, visit www.pa.gov.

Media contact:  Janet  Kelley, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor