Rob Delany, CEO of Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS), has consistently encouraged the wider business community to support educational opportunities for young people across Pennsylvania. He recently attended the Private Schools Thought Leader Forum and shared ways that leaders could put children first in the state.
Supporting Students’ Educational Needs
Through BLOCS, Delany provides need-based tuition assistance for Pre-K to 12th-grade students with the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. For more than 40 years, BLOCS has provided educational opportunities for students by innovating upon this supportive tax credit program.
“By participating in this state program through BLOCS,” Delany explained, “individuals and businesses receive a 90% tax credit simply by directing their Pennsylvania state tax dollars to support need-based scholarships.”
Taking Advantage of Pennsylvania’s Existing Initiatives
Pennsylvania supports numerous tax credit programs for the education sector, enabling businesses to bolster scholarships and receive significant benefits. As the sole administrator of programs like the Economically Disadvantaged Schools program, BLOCS is a key leader in collaboration.
“We know that collaboration is innovation’s best friend,” Delany stated, “and we are long overdue for innovation in the education sector… It is our collective responsibility to follow through on the promise of this innovation and collaborate with business leaders to help them participate in these programs.”
The Impact of EITC Scholarships Across the State
Delany shared that there are 715 private schools serving low-income students across Pennsylvania and that EITC scholarships are used in schools throughout the state. BLOCS scholarships help these disadvantaged students to meet their educational needs, something especially important in counties with low-achieving public schools.
“The EDS program will fund over 25,000 scholarships across 400 schools in over 40 counties this year alone,” Delany said. “BLOCS’ work impacts individual families and also the larger community as well. According to EdChoice, school choice programs across the country led to increased racial and ethnic diversity in the classroom.”
In Southeastern Pennsylvania, it was found that 42% of EITC scholarship recipients identify as a person of color, as opposed to 27% in the rest of the state. As the area with the highest concentration of EITC scholarship recipients, it is clear that these initiatives are having a beneficial effect on disadvantaged communities in Pennsylvania.
A Chance to Benefit Business and Community
For businesses looking to make a difference, the EITC program is a perfect opportunity to benefit the Pennsylvania community. By collaborating with BLOCS, any individual or business that pays more than $3,000 in state taxes can support those around them.
As Delany put it, “You don’t need to be a financial expert, a tax expert, an education expert, or wealthy. You simply need to care about children’s education and your community.”
Putting Children’s Education First
Through Pennsylvania’s innovative tax programs, CEOs, CFOs, and business leaders are empowered to put children first. These are opportunities to invest in education, support the community, and stay true to business growth.
“We invite you to collaborate with us by contacting us at blocs.org and speaking with a member of our team,” Delany concluded. “Together we can make the strongest investment in our children.”
