Education is never a side issue
Sharon Sedlar | September 16, 2026
We’ve heard from many people in and around Harrisburg that K-12 education is not the top priority right now. The focus may be on data centers, AI, and elections. But for parents, education is never a side issue.
Even when education is not leading the headlines, it is still shaping family decisions every day. Parents are thinking about school choices, safety, learning needs, and whether their child has access to the environment where they can thrive.
For parents, education is part of daily life. It shows up in work schedules, family routines, the start of a new school year, the forgotten permission slip, grocery shopping for lunches, extracurricular activities, and the constant question of whether their child is getting what they need.
We cannot assume that options like brick-and-mortar charter schools, cyber charter schools, or EITC scholarship programs for private schools are safe simply because other issues are getting more attention. Damaging legislation was proposed last year under that same assumption, and these conversations can move quickly when families are not paying attention.
We liken advocacy to the many ways parents help at school. Not everyone volunteers every time, and not every parent helps in the same way. Some help with dances, assemblies, fundraisers, or bake sales when their time and interest allow. Advocacy works the same way. It could be making a phone call, joining a 15-minute Zoom with a legislator, taking a trip to Harrisburg, attending a virtual meeting, reading an article, signing up for our newsletter, or joining our PaFEC Empowerment Alliance for Kids.
As parents, we are always fighting for our children. PaFEC is here to help families stay informed, speak up when it matters, and find the education setting that best meets their child’s needs. The PaFEC Empowerment Alliance for Kids is one simple way to stay connected, add your voice, and stand with other families who believe every child deserves access to the education option that helps them thrive. Please join us.
Join PaFEC Empowerment Alliance for Kids
