In the summer of 2012, the Pennsylvania Legislature passed a new regulation that allows eligible students to obtain a scholarship to attend a participating public or private school through the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) Program. To be eligible to apply for the OSTC program, a child's neighborhood school must be designated in the bottom 15% of schools statewide.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) students attending or living in the attendance area of the following Pittsburgh Public Schools for the 2020-2021 school year can apply for the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit. If your child lives within the attendance area of one of the following schools, please call 412-529-3952. 
 

K-5/K-8 Schools

• Pittsburgh Arlington PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Faison K-5
• Pittsburgh King PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Langley K-8
• Pittsburgh Manchester K-8
• Pittsburgh Mifflin K-8
• Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Morrow PreK-8
• Pittsburgh Roosevelt PreK-5
• Pittsburgh Springhill K-5
• Pittsburgh Weil PreK-5

6-8 Schools

• Pittsburgh Allegheny 6-8
• Pittsburgh Classical 6-8
• Pittsburgh Schiller 6-8
• Pittsburgh South Hills 6-8
• Pittsburgh Sterrett 6-8

6-12/High Schools

• Pittsburgh Brashear High School
• Pittsburgh Milliones 6-12
• Pittsburgh Perry High School
• Pittsburgh Obama 6-12
• Pittsburgh Westinghouse 6-12

Online Schools

• Pittsburgh Online Academy 4-12
   

The PDE designates schools in the bottom 15% of the state by combining the math and reading Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) proficiency scores from the previous school year.

Please note, the PASA/ PSSA and or Keystone exam only reflects the score on a single state exam and does not provide a comprehensive picture of our schools. At the Pittsburgh Public Schools, we believe success is more than what can just be measured by a single test. Schools are complex places that must be understood through multiple lenses, including how a school advances a student’s academic growth from year to year. To learn more about your child's school, please visit http://www.discoverpps.org.

 

What Does This Mean for Your Child?

Your child is eligible to obtain a scholarship to attend a participating public or nonpublic school through the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (OSTC) for the 2020-21 school year.  Your child may qualify for a scholarship even if he or she did not attend the eligible school for the 2019/2020 school year or if he or she is planning to attend another school within the Pittsburgh Public Schools, a private, parochial, or charter school in 2020/2021.

How do I know if my child qualifies for the OSTC program?

Eligible students are defined as those school-age children living in the attendance boundary of a low-achieving school as of the first day of classes.

Where Can I Find More Information?

School Districts have been directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to have parents and families visit their website (www.education.state.pa.us) for more information.

How do I apply for the OSTC program?

To apply, parents/guardians must contact and enroll their student in a participating public or nonpublic school through an approved Opportunity Scholarship Organization. The list of opportunity scholarship organizations is available on Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) website, http://dced.pa.gov/opportunity-scholarship-tax-credit-program-faq/

Please note, each OSO has a different application process. Families should work through the approved OSO, not the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development or Pittsburgh Public Schools to participate in this program. Some OSO’s may require a copy of this letter as a part of their process. Please retain this letter for your files.