The state lawmaker who's sponsoring a proposed voucher-like tax credit aimed at helping students flee from Pennsylvania's worst schools says those schools would benefit as well.
 
Representative Jim Christiana told the House Education Committee on Monday that, unlike conventional vouchers, his bill would allow the students' home schools to keep the tax money earmarked for their education.
 
He says that would increase per-pupil spending and help reduce class sizes. The Beaver County Republican is sponsoring a bill to extend the new credits to businesses that contribute toward scholarships that help youngsters in the lowest-performing schools transfer to private schools or better public schools.
 
Philadelphia Representative James Roebuck, the committee's ranking Democrat, says the bill would cut into state revenue that could be used to help financially struggling public schools.