Friday Feature: Pennsylvania Families for Education Choice

Colleen Hroncich

As a mom with six daughters, Sharon Sedlar saw firsthand that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to education. “At first, my children attended a private elementary school, then we later switched to our district school,” she says. “My older daughters graduated from our district school and greatly benefited from it. But my youngest had a traumatic experience in second grade there, which took her from being a bright, happy child who loved school to one who begged to stay home. I tried working with the school for months but eventually had to remove her and enroll her in a cyber school. It’s made a world of difference for her.”

Seeing how her own children benefited from having educational options—and realizing many families didn’t know these options existed—inspired Sharon to create Pennsylvania Families for Education Choice. “I didn’t want other children to be trapped in a school that wasn’t working for them the way my daughter was for nearly an entire school year,” she explains. “I wanted to make sure families knew what their current options were. And I wanted to help expand education choice in Pennsylvania.”

Sharon is clear that she embraces all education models and just wants to ensure all children have access to an education that works for them. The PaFEC site has resources that describe how the public school system works and the education options available in Pennsylvania. It explains how to apply for the state’s private school choice programs, the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit.

Through the group’s website, social media platforms, and school choice fairs, Sharon has reached thousands of parents. She coaches parents to help them become advocates for their children at school and with lawmakers. Having experienced the difficulty of navigating the special education process for her daughters, Sharon often attends individualized education plan meetings with parents who are trying to get services for their children with special needs.

“I have assisted countless parents understand their education options and make choices for their children. As part of that, I’ve heard hundreds of heartbreaking and inspiring stories,” she says. “Parents are fighting to make sure their children receive a quality education. But sometimes these fights take years—or, worse, are never really resolved. This can have devastating results for the children involved.” Sharon hopes her efforts to ensure families have access to a variety of educational options will help them avoid having to battle their local district.

Over time, Sharon has added new resources to PaFEC’s offerings. There’s an educator services directory to help families find private schools, homeschool support, and more. Regional parent volunteers—of which I am one—are spread throughout the state to give parents a local support person. There’s even an “Edupreneur Center” to help parents and teachers who want to start a microschool or other unconventional learning option. 

PaFEC has been a true family affair for the Sedlars. Sharon’s daughters created the website, learned how to use bulk email programs to distribute her newsletter, helped her with social media, and have supported the organization in myriad ways since she founded it in 2021. And the whole clan pitches in when she hosts school choice fairs and other events. They’ll be out in full force this weekend for the Pennsylvania Families for Education Choice K‑12 Education Freedom Showcase in Pittsburgh.

While founding a statewide nonprofit to support education has been a lot of work, Sharon says the rewards have been priceless. “Parents and other caregivers often send me photos of the children who have been helped by our efforts,” she says. “Seeing their joyful faces and knowing they’re finally in an educational environment that works for them makes it all worthwhile.”

What started as one mom’s effort to support her own children has blossomed into an organization that serves as a resource for all Pennsylvania students. Sharon is amazed by this unexpected journey she’s been on in the last three years. “What we do today will hopefully help to shape and improve education for generations to come,” she says.