Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has ditched plans to pursue a $100 million private school voucher program in the state’s annual spending plan amid a deadlock between Republican and Democratic leaders.
Mr. Shapiro announced the decision to pull the program to pay for tuition at private and religious schools—known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success scholarship program—in a July 5 statement.
His announcement came shortly after Democrats and Republicans approved the state’s budget for 2023–2024 in a 117–86 vote.
The Democratic governor said the new $45 billion spending bill, known as HB 611, still delivers on his “commonsense proposals to solve the most pressing issues Pennsylvanians face” despite not including the voucher plan….