Education

$35 Million Worth of New Charter Seats?

  • James Paul
  • February 5, 2015

Philadelphia School Partnership (PSP)—a nonprofit that invests in a variety of schools across the city—is offering $35 million to the School District of Philadelphia to fund over 11,000 seats…

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Education

Teachers Denied the Right to Represent Themselves

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • February 5, 2015

Last week the Bethlehem Area School District approved a new labor contract that will force all teachers—even those who do not want the union’s services—to pay the organization hundreds of…

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Taxes & Economy

Audio: Wolf’s Campaign Rhetoric Meets Governing Reality

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • January 30, 2015

Governor Wolf has made some bold promises on his campaign trail, but very soon the campaign rhetoric will meet governing reality. CF’s President and CEO Matt Brouillette recently discussed…

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Health Care

Breaking Out of the Fortress & Into the Frontier

  • James Paul
  • January 30, 2015

What is the ultimate goal of health care reform? Is it to provide all Americans with insurance cards? Or is it to enhance access to quality care at more affordable…

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Public Union Democracy

Mary’s Law is Introduced

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 28, 2015

Paycheck protection legislation, known as “Mary’s Law,” was officially introduced in the state House of Representatives as HB 238. With the backing of 39 co-sponsors, Mary’s Law seeks to…

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Education

The State of School Choice in Pennsylvania

  • James Paul
  • January 27, 2015

In many respects, Pennsylvania is a pioneer of school choice. With 173 charter schools—14 of which are cyber charters—and two scholarship tax credit programs, the commonwealth is the envy of…

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Education

Podcast: A Local-Only Teachers Union?

  • January 27, 2015

Michigan teacher Jim Perialas has an unusual story. In 2012 his school, Roscommon Area School District, became the first in decades to decertify (or leave) the state-wide Michigan Education Association…

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A Local-Only Union: A Teacher Tells How to Leave the NEA

  • January 27, 2015

This post first appeared on the Commonwealth Foundation’s PolicyBlog. Michigan teacher Jim Perialas has an unusual story. In 2012 his school, Roscommon Area School District, became the first in…

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Government Accountability

Will Gov. Wolf Stay True to “Openness” in Government?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 26, 2015

Gov. Tom Wolf’s first week in office included several moves to paint a picture of ethics and transparency in state government. First Wolf issued executive orders banning executive staff from…

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