Why school choice matters: One mother’s journey

As the Pennsylvania Senate considers legislation that could change the educational future for thousands of students, I can’t help but reflect on my own family’s journey. The recently introduced Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS), also known as Lifeline Scholarships or Senate Bill 10, would provide scholarships to help students in the state’s lowest-performing public schools access better educational options.

For families like mine, this kind of support is more than welcome. It’s life-changing.

I am a proud mother of two children who attend private school in Northeast Philadelphia. My local public schools couldn’t provide the level of safety, academic rigor, or individualized attention that best matched my children’s needs, so I needed to find other options. Scholarship funding gave me the freedom to select an environment where my kids could thrive, and programs like PASS can offer that same freedom to families who need it most.

When choosing schools for my children, I prioritized three essentials: safety, small class sizes, and academic challenge. Like many young learners, my children thrive when engaged. I firmly believe that not every school is the right fit for every child, and parents should have real options that align with their children’s learning styles and needs.

At the beginning of our school search, my husband was working full time while I stayed home with our children. Living on a single income made the idea of private school feel impossible, until we discovered the Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP). It made private education possible for us through financial assistance.

Still, like many families, we feel the pressure of rising tuition costs amid inflation in other basic needs like housing, food, and healthcare.

That’s why PASS (which would offer up to $15,000 in scholarships for eligible students) could be transformative. It helps level the playing field and ensures families aren’t forced to choose between financial stability and their children’s education.

One of the most significant differences we’ve experienced in our children’s private school education is the smaller class size. Teachers have more capacity to tailor instruction and support the needs of individual students. In overcrowded classrooms, it’s easy for a child to fall behind unnoticed. In smaller settings, it’s not just about test scores; it’s about being seen, known, and supported.

We’ve also built strong relationships with teachers who communicate directly and frequently with us. That connection has helped create a meaningful partnership between school and home, where my children are nurtured both academically and emotionally.

Our children genuinely enjoy going to school. They are not just learning; they’re exploring their interests and passions. My son is thriving in art and martial arts, and my daughter is excelling in music and gymnastics. I want to protect their love of learning, and I’m grateful their school helps foster that joy every day.

I know firsthand that a private school education isn’t right, or possible, for every family.

But I also know some children are not well served by their assigned public school. In those cases, school choice can be critical.

According to the 2024 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, only 7% of high school students and 10% of elementary students in the lowest-performing commonwealth schools are proficient in math. In 18 schools across the state, not a single student is proficient in reading or math. As a parent, that’s terrifying. But more importantly, it’s unacceptable.

We must do more than simply acknowledge these numbers; we must act. And for many families, that action starts with access to alternatives.

There’s an African proverb that continues to guide my thinking as a mother: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Education is personal, but should never be a solo journey. It takes partnerships between schools, families, nonprofits, and, yes, elected leaders.

That’s why I support not only CSFP, but also legislation like PASS. These are more than scholarship programs; they are equalizers. They are tools to help every child, regardless of background, access a quality education and a bright future.

School choice has changed the trajectory of my children’s lives. I want other families, especially those living in zip codes where the local school is underperforming, to have that same opportunity. With support from programs like CSFP and potentially PASS, families across Pennsylvania could have real choices and real chances.

As the General Assembly considers this legislation, I urge lawmakers to put children first. Invest in their potential. Empower their parents. Fund their futures. Our kids deserve nothing less.

Shante Woodlin is a resident of Northeast Philadelphia and works as a school counselor. She is a wife and the mother of two, which are her favorite jobs.