Advocacy & Legislation

See also Current Legislation and Analyses

The Public Benefits of Pennsylvania's Non-Public Schools - PDF download

PAIS Advocacy

PAIS, the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, maintains communication with members of the Pennsylvania legislature and State Board of Private Academic Schools concerning matters of interest or concern to Pennsylvania independent schools. On key issues, the Association provides state officials the “independent school viewpoint” and promotes PAIS member interests.

PAIS on occasion files an amicus brief, a friend of the court statement, during legal proceedings affecting member schools. As an example, PAIS submitted an amicus brief supporting The Hill School’s status as a purely charitable, and thus tax-exempt, institution as a single-gender school. The outcome of this appeal will set precedent on single-gender schools’ exemption from property taxes in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

NAIS Advocacy

NAIS, the National Association of Independent Schools, maintains web pages entitled Our National Voice at http://www.nais.org/government/index.cfm?ItemNumber=146050&sn.ItemNumber=142518 regarding NAIS advocacy activities in the following areas:

• Government Relations Alerts
• Legal
• Discrimination: Race
• Public Communications
• Public Filings/Letters
• Amicus Briefs
• Federal Agency Filings
• Public Policy Positions
• School Choice

PAIS Abstracts of Current Legislation

PAIS retains Tive Lobbying to keep member schools abreast of Current Legislation of interest to independent schools.