Baltimore, MD - May - 9 - As the nonpublic school coalitions grow in their effectiveness and influence in states across the country, activities beyond school choice rallies and legislative action are taking place. The group most notable for unifying the nonpublic school communities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the PA chapter of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). The broad coalition of nonpublic schools represented by the committee members covers over 80% of all nonpublic schools in the state. 

Following the successful models in Minnesota and Arizona, PA-CAPE launched an initiative to assemble a list of the top educators among the nonpublic schools in the state. Following specific criteria, a panel of judges was enlisted to narrow down the list of nominees to two in each of six categories. The finalists were invited to Harrisburg with their families and friends to join in a special awards luncheon together with the PA-CAPE leadership committee, as well as numerous state officials and members of the PA legislature. The event coincided with the annual "birthday party" of the EITC (Education Improvement Tax Credit) Program, now in its 13th year, which gathered hundreds of nonpublic school children from around the Commonwealth.

At the awards luncheon, I was honored with delivering the invocation. Click here  to listen.


PA-CAPE leadership committee members pose with the winners and runners-up at  the Inaugural Nonpublic School Educator Recognition Awards Ceremony

Notable among the 6 award recipients was Mrs. Besie Katz, Principal of the Politz Hebrew Academy in Philadelphia. She was awarded the Primary Education Administrator Recognition Award.

In addition to the events, the PA-CAPE committee members engaged in meetings with several legislators and key staff members advocating in support of several issues of importance to the state's nonpublic schools.