Real Families. Real Scholarships. Real Change.

After more than a decade in Pennsylvania's scholarship world, I have learned that there is a consistent pattern to the school choice discussion. The names change. The town changes. The essential parts of the story do not. A mother working two jobs. A bright kid who is quietly miserable at the school he was assigned to. A school a few miles away that would fit him, would challenge him, would finally let him breathe. But there is a tuition number that lands like a door closing. That family is not a statistic to me. I regularly hear their stories, and see the genuine need presented. And for twenty-five years, the one thing that has changed the equation for these families has been a scholarship, funded by someone in their own community who decided a local kid was worth it. The Education Freedom Tax Credit is about to put that same power to effect change in the lives of those who need it most, into the hands of every taxpayer in Pennsylvania. But first, why the stories matter more than the policy ever will. Data Opens the Door. Stories Walk Through It. I can show you the polling, where roughly three-quarters of parents support this credit. I can show you the court rulings and the state-by-state momentum. The numbers are on our side, and I have written about all of it in previous articles. That being said, I have never once watched a legislator change a vote because of a chart. They change a vote when a mother describes, in her own words, what a scholarship meant for her child. Beyond that, I have met donors who skim through every white paper, or impact statement, yet will write a check without hesitation when they meet the student(s) whom they can personally help by contributing. In many cases, the data earns you the meeting. But it is the story that people carry with them when they walk out of the room. What This Looks Like in Here in Pennsylvania Here is what should get every Pennsylvania family's attention. Once Pennsylvania opts into the EFTC, a taxpayer in your own zip code, someone who was going to send $1,700 to the IRS anyway, can redirect that money to a local scholarship fund instead. A student down the street gets a real shot at the school, or support services, that fits their unique needs. We already know the demand is there. For twenty-five years, Pennsylvania's EITC and OSTC programs have hit the same wall: more families need scholarships than there are credits to fund them. The EFTC is different because it is permanent and uncapped. There is no national waiting list. The only real limit is how many neighbors decide to participate. The Programs Families Rely On Are Not Guaranteed If you think this fight is only about the future, look at Harrisburg right now. Pennsylvania's EITC has been argued over since it was created in 2001, and this month the state House passed legislation, billed as an accountability measure, that supporters of the EITC warn would weaken it: fewer scholarships, tighter eligibility, and less reason for donors to give. The lesson is simple. The scholarship your child receives, and that our communities have grown to rely on, are not a permanent fixture. It is a policy, and policies can get expanded or rolled back depending on who shows up and who shares their stories. That is the case for advocacy in one sentence. The good news is that families are not waiting. Across the country, parents and students are already showing up at statehouses and telling their stories. The families who have benefited from these programs are the most important voices we have for protecting them, and when they stay silent, the only voices left in the room are the ones trying to shutter these programs. Start Collecting the Stories Now If you lead a school, here is my one ask. Please, please, do not wait until January 2027 to find the families with a story worth telling. Start now. The parent whose child finally found the right fit. The graduate who could never have walked your halls, or successfully graduated, without help. Those stories are the most important tool that we have, and they take time to gather, prepare, and to tell well. At FundEDU, we are provided free resources so the families who want to shape what is coming have the tools to do it. After all, the families we are building this for should be the ones telling the story. If you have a story to share, or want to help a family before the EFTC arrives, start with our EFTC Advocacy Kit. It is where families and schools can add their voice to bringing this opportunity home to Pennsylvania, and to other states that are still deciding. By Jeff Wilson, Founder & Owner, FundEDU LLC June 2026