Grace Montessori School (GMS), a nonprofit school and childcare center serving children ages 12 months to 12 years, received $17,000 in Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) funds slated for the 2023-2024 school year. Commonwealth Charitable Management provided $15,000, made possible through donations from Coterra Energy and Peoples Security Bank & Trust, and Bridge Educational Foundation provided $2,000 donated by JL Mann Consulting.
“We are immensely grateful for the support provided through the EITC program for the 2023-2024 school year,” said GMS Director Radhika Hoshing. “This investment in education not only strengthens our commitment to Montessori principles but also underscores our shared belief in the power of quality education to shape the future. With this funding, we will continue nurturing young minds, fostering independence, and creating a vibrant learning community where each child can flourish. Together, we are not only transforming the lives of individual students but also building a brighter future for our community and beyond.”
The funds will be utilized through GMS’s Closing the Achievement Gap program. The program seeks to accomplish one of Grace Montessori’s founding goals: to help low-income children escape poverty by providing high-quality education. The scholarships assist families needing financial aid to achieve school readiness and a foundation for their child’s lifelong learning. During the 2022-2023 school year, 39 students received scholarships and reduced tuition, amounting to $137,000. This year, GMS expects to serve approximately 40 scholarship students.
The EITC program provides educational tax credits for businesses in the Commonwealth to support public, private, and preschool programs. It was signed into law by Governor Tom Ridge in 2001, connecting employers with students for over two decades to improve educational opportunities for low-income families.
The EITC funds come at the heels of a combined donation of $3,500 from Walmart and Sam’s Club, and will further support GMS’s mission to lessen the differences in educational success between its students due to poverty, English language proficiency, disability, race, or ethnicity.
Anyone interested in supporting the GMS Closing the Achievement Gap Program through EITC credits to be provided by your business or employer should contact the school at gschool@gracemontessori.org or 610-435-4060.
For more information about Grace Montessori School, visit gracemontessori.org.
