The Pennsylvania House recently advanced legislation that would strengthen how we support students while ensuring taxpayers can clearly see how their dollars are being used — including for students in Pittsburgh who benefit from these programs.
House Bill 2632 focuses on the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs, which together direct roughly $680 million in tax credits to support scholarships for students attending private and parochial schools. Importantly, this bill does not reduce that funding. Not a single dollar is cut, and students currently receiving scholarships will continue to do so without interruption, while the state gains better tools to evaluate and strengthen the program over time. Every scholarship resource remains in place for the students who rely on it.
The legislation also would expand educational opportunity by allowing scholarship dollars to support early childhood learning programs for children from birth to age 2. Giving our youngest children access to high-quality early learning experiences has been shown to support cognitive, social, and emotional development and helps ensure they enter kindergarten ready to learn and succeed. By extending scholarship eligibility to infants and toddlers, Pennsylvania is investing in families during one of the most important stages of child development and helping to build a stronger foundation for long-term educational success.
While preserving existing scholarship funding and expanding access for our youngest learners, the bill also places a greater emphasis on transparency and measurable outcomes. Families deserve to know how these programs are working in practice: who is being helped, how funds are distributed, and whether the system is delivering meaningful educational opportunities. That commitment to opportunity begins long before a child enters a classroom and continues throughout their educational journey.
House Bill 2632 would ensure oversight by the state auditor general so that the public can have confidence that these programs are working as intended. For Pittsburgh students and families, this means a system that is more transparent, more understandable, and ultimately more responsive to their needs — helping ensure opportunity reaches the students it is meant to serve and that families can access educational options that fit their children’s needs.
With House passage complete, the bill now moves to the state Senate, where it will continue through the legislative process.
That commitment to expanding opportunities for young people does not end in the classroom or with scholarship programs — it also extends into the community spaces that help support learning, growth, and stability in everyday life.
As part of that broader commitment to expanding opportunities for young people, I also had the honor of joining community members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the newly renovated Allegheny YMCA at 600 W. North Ave. After years of hard work and collaboration, the $26 million renovation project stands as a strong example of what is possible when public and private partners invest in community infrastructure that truly serves people.
Through my work as a licensed social worker, I’ve seen how important spaces like this are. The YMCA is more than a building — it is a place where people are met where they are. It is where mentorship happens, where stability is supported, and where individuals and families can find pathways toward health, opportunity, and connection. That kind of presence in a neighborhood cannot be overstated.
I was proud to support this effort, including helping secure $5 million in state funding to move the project forward. Investments like this are not just about bricks and mortar. They are about strengthening the fabric of our communities and ensuring that people have access to spaces that help them grow, recover, and thrive.
As H.B. 2632 moves on to the Senate and projects like the Allegheny YMCA continue to open new doors for residents, the common thread is the same: government works best when it is accountable, focused, and directly responsive to the people it serves.
