Education
2025 State of Education Spending in Pennsylvania
Overview The national trends impacting education in Pennsylvania in 2025 include an impending fiscal cliff, under-enrolled schools, and population decline, all of which lead to school closures…
Read More: 2025 State of Education Spending in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania’s future is in the hands of the next generation. Parents and students—not activist agendas—should drive the Commonwealth’s education policy. While policymakers have been entrusted with ensuring the next generation receives a quality education, parents should be empowered to choose the quality education that meets their unique child’s needs. Charter schools and tax credit scholarships are integral pieces of school choice, but more reforms are needed to make school choice a reality for all Pennsylvania students.
Education
Commonwealth Foundation Files Amicus Brief in Education Funding Lawsuit
January 19, 2022, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Commonwealth Foundation has filed an amicus brief in an ongoing lawsuit over how Pennsylvania funds public schools. The brief argues, contrary to the plaintiffs’ depiction,…
Press Release
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Op-Ed: School Choice Is the Fix for Pennsylvania’s Broken Education System
Pennsylvania’s public education system is broken, according to a lawyer in the historic education-funding lawsuit currently underway in the state’s Commonwealth Court.
Commentary
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Jennifer Stefano discussing Democrats’ expensive childcare plans on Fox Business
Commonwealth Foundation's Executive Vice President Jennifer Stefano discusses the Democrats' wrong-headed and pricey childcare policies on Fox Business.
Media
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Op-Ed: Taxpayers Take School Board to Court for Trying to Silence Parents’ Criticism
The education bill is moving forward in Pennsylvania as a recent poll from Real Clear Opinion Research found that a strong majority of independents, Democrats, and Republicans say they support…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Taxpayers Take School Board to Court for Trying to Silence Parents’ CriticismEducation
Concentrating Resources on Failing Systems Instead of Students
The 2021-22 budget has the largest state education funding increase in Pennsylvania history despite public schools receiving over $6.2 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds. The funding increase includes a…
Fact Sheet
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School Funding Myth Busters
In the face of uncertainly due to COVID in 2020, state lawmakers flat-funded education for the 2020–21 school year. Districts also received about $6 billion in additional funding via three…
Fact Sheet
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Pennsylvania Public Schools? Pandemic Profits
Since the early months of the pandemic, Pennsylvania school district bureaucrats and lobbyists have demanded additional funding, ostensibly to cover increased costs. A February Commonwealth Foundation report tracked the…
Media
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Excellence in Education for All Act Summary
What is the Excellence in Education for All Act? The Excellence in Education for All Act (Senate Bill 1) is an exciting bill that seeks to ensure more Pennsylvania…
Fact Sheet
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Understanding Education Opportunity Accounts (EOAs)
Education Opportunity Accounts (EOAs) are publicly funded accounts that provide families with direct access to educational resources.
Commentary
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Are Pa. Public Schools Underfunded?
Pennsylvania spends more per student than the vast majority of states. Education spending has significantly increased over the past decade. Scroll down to see how much funding your district receives…
Fact Sheet
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The Truth About Education Spending in Pennsylvania
Ben Franklin once said, “in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” If he lived in Pennsylvania today, he might have an addition to his list: claims of…
Backgrounder
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Op-Ed: Pandemic Demonstrates the Value of Catholic Education
It’s tough to compete with “free” – even if your product is in high demand. That’s a lesson Catholic schools know well. In the past year, this point has been…
Commentary
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Op-Ed: Pennsylvania’s Catholic Schools Face Uncertainty in the Pandemic Era
In a shutdown-induced economic downturn, however, many can’t afford private school tuition, and the donations that kept Catholic schools afloat are dropping off. About 150 Catholic schools nationwide have closed permanently…
Commentary
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Scholarships would help Erie students during pandemic
It’s time to form the same public-private partnerships in education. Fortunately, an innovative proposal in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly would enable students to get the help they need.
Commentary
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Global Education Report Confirms Pa. Parents’ Experiences
COVID-related disruptions in education could mean a $14 trillion hit to the U.S. economy in the long term. Helping kids get the individualized help they need—through Back on Track scholarship accounts—could…
Commentary
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Ways to Ease Substitute Teacher Shortages?
Now more than ever, we need flexible policies to ensure schools have enough substitute teachers. We trust school leaders to keep kids safe and manage large budgets. Shouldn’t we trust them to…
Commentary
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Unleashing Educational Opportunity
Applying cautious estimates, this study finds that the two private school choice programs in Pennsylvania are expected to provide billions in long-run economic benefits from higher lifetime earnings, fewer high…
Report
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Pa. has $1 billion in CARES aid left. Where should it go?
As the pandemic slows, it’s time to step back and reevaluate Pennsylvania’s remaining needs for coronavirus relief. How can our state government ensure that the citizens and businesses who most…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pa. has $1 billion in CARES aid left. Where should it go?Education
The Race to Rebuild: How Pa. Can Bounce Back After COVID-19
Pennsylvanians are facing some of the biggest challenges of their lifetimes. It is time for lawmakers to launch a race to rebuild Pennsylvania using the following policy solutions.
Report
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No Cyber School?
Many parents are considering a cyber charter school for the first time to help ensure their kids have access to a continuous education in a time of uncertainty. Unfortunately, due…
Commentary
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Just Enrolled in Cyber School? Here’s What to Expect Next
Thousands of new families have enrolled in one of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools over the summer as school districts continue to wrestle with re-opening in the fall. If you’re one…
Commentary
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