Pennsylvania currently has the highest student loan debt load per person of any state in the nation. Hoping to alleviate some of that potential debt, the Treasury Department has kicked-off The Keystone Scholars Program.

“We are reaching a crisis point as we see Pennsylvanian graduates, on average, with the highest amount of student loan debt – higher than anywhere else in the nation – with more than $35,000 on their backs,” Treasurer Joe Torsella stated.

Rep. Judy Ward (R-Blair) sat down with The PLS Reporter to talk about her bill that would establish education savings accounts for families with students with special needs or gifted children.  

Treasurer Joe Torsella announced Monday that Pennsylvania is launching the Keystone Scholars program. 

This program's purpose is to help encourage Pennsylvania families to plan for their children's higher education, and, to help start them off, it will give children a $100 grant at birth. 

This program will start in six counties--Delaware, Elk, Indiana, Luzerne, Mifflin, and Westmoreland--and will be provided to all children born or adopted in 2018 and 2019.