Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, a rising political star, crosses partisan school choice divide

By MARC LEVY
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania’s support has raised Pennsylvania’s profile in the national voucher debate and given advocates optimism that the program will eventually become law. He put his weight behind a $100 million Republican-backed private-school voucher proposal over the summer, before backing off amid opposition by House Democrats. His stance was unusual among governors. In the partisan politics of education funding, the “school choice” movement had long had to concentrate its efforts on states where a Republican governor was an ally. Previously, other Democratic governors who had backed school choice measures had done so in compromise deals with Republican-controlled legislatures. Shapiro has helped put vouchers at the forefront of the state’s political agenda.