Education
Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
Tens of thousands of kids wait-listed for Pennsylvania’s tax credit scholarship programs could receive scholarships under the new federal program. First-Ever Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program Last July, Congress passed…
Read More: Federal Scholarship Tax CreditPennsylvania’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 educational choice a reality for all Pennsylvania students.
Education
The Top Five Policy Victories of 2025—and a Look Ahead to 2026
Pennsylvania saw no shortage of controversies and political battles in 2025, including a four-month-long budget impasse. But this year also saw lawmakers enact several pro-growth policies—from expanding educational choice to…
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Read More: The Top Five Policy Victories of 2025—and a Look Ahead to 2026Education
Shapiro Should Opt in to New Federal Scholarship Program
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis surprised many when he announced his intentions to opt in to a new federal scholarship program…
Media Hit
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Special Needs Students Need School Choice
Originally published by The Philadelphia Citizen. Shannon Mitchell will never forget the first words from her nonverbal eight-year-old daughter, Brianna. “Hi, mama,” Briana said after getting…
Media Hit
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Public School Districts Leave Special-Needs Students, Families with Few Options
Harrisburg, Pa., December 16, 2025 — Traditional public schools leave students with disabilities on months- or years-long wait lists for compliance with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), according to a new report from the Commonwealth Foundation. If a public school district fails to meet the…
Press Release
Read More: Public School Districts Leave Special-Needs Students, Families with Few OptionsEducation
Pennsylvania Courts Never Ordered More Funding for Public Schools
One of the best-kept secrets in Pennsylvania is the outcome of the 2023 Commonwealth Court ruling on public education funding. Myths and disinformation abound. But few are as pernicious as…
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Shadow School Choice: How Public Education Spending Fails Special Needs Students
Overview Despite year-after-year increases to special education funding, too often, students with special needs are left behind. The U.S. Department of Education guarantees a free appropriate…
Fact Sheet
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As Pennsylvanians Reach for Leftovers, Shapiro Serves Up Pork
While Pennsylvanians dig into their leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner, the state finally delivered a feast of its own, passing a budget after a 135-day impasse. The deal,…
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Read More: As Pennsylvanians Reach for Leftovers, Shapiro Serves Up PorkEducation
Setting the Table (for Students)
Abundance defines Thanksgiving. Everything that makes this holiday special—the celebration of unity, the cultural tradition, the shared history—coalesces over a meal of plenty, with choices for all shapes and sizes…
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Pennsylvania Student Test Scores Are In—and They Don’t Look Great
The 2025 results of Pennsylvania’s annual standardized tests are out, with mediocre results. The Pennsylvania System of Student Assessment (PSSA) tests students in grades 3 through…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Student Test Scores Are In—and They Don’t Look GreatEducation
Despite Shapiro’s Failed Leadership, 2025-26 Budget Secures Key Permitting Wins, Ends Threat of RGGI
Harrisburg, Pa., November 12, 2025 — Despite Gov. Josh Shapiro’s failed leadership and a 135-day stalemate, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a compromise budget for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The Commonwealth Foundation has released…
Press Release
Read More: Despite Shapiro’s Failed Leadership, 2025-26 Budget Secures Key Permitting Wins, Ends Threat of RGGIEducation
What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 State Budget
Summary Four months late, Gov. Josh Shapiro and state lawmakers agreed on a state budget deal. The agreement spends $1.4 billion less than Shapiro’s reckless, extreme proposal, and uses excessive…
Backgrounder
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Josh Shapiro: Least Productive Pennsylvania Governor in at Least 50 Years
Summary Nearly three years in office, a Commonwealth Foundation analysis finds Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first term is the least productive of any Pennsylvania gubernatorial term in at least 50 years.
Fact Sheet
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“Groundbreaking Academic Improvements” in Philly Schools? Hardly!
Originally published by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Imagine a hospital with a 17% survival rate. Would you be willing to listen to the hospital’s CEO brag about…
Media Hit
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Low-Achieving and Violent Public Schools in Pennsylvania
Overview Students attending low-achieving public schools experience violence at nearly twice the rate of students attending higher-achieving schools and are more likely to experience violence involving a weapon.
Fact Sheet
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School Districts Hoarding Millions Claim the State is “Bleeding” Them
As the Pennsylvania budget stalemate approaches its fourth month, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the state’s failure to release education funding is “bleeding” school districts in lost interest income.
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Read More: School Districts Hoarding Millions Claim the State is “Bleeding” ThemEducation
Students Trapped in Violent Schools Need an Escape
Originally published by Broad + Liberty. Violence terrorized students at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh. A student armed with a knife stabbed three other students—two of them…
Media Hit
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Commonwealth Foundation Teams Up with U.S. Sen. McCormick to Promote Educational Choice
The Commonwealth Foundation was, once again, at the center of the ongoing struggle for educational freedom in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation. U.S. Senator Dave McCormick hosted a town-hall event,…
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Philadelphia’s Educational Double Standard
Originally published by The Philadelphia Citizen. The Philadelphia Board of Education has had enough with abysmal academic records—sort of. The school board recently voted not…
Media Hit
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School Districts Claim to be “Underfunded” During Budget Impasse, Despite Massive Reserve Funds
Winston Churchill famously said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Pennsylvania school districts have adopted this approach, using the current state budget impasse as a pretext to raise…
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Read More: School Districts Claim to be “Underfunded” During Budget Impasse, Despite Massive Reserve FundsEducation
Commonwealth Foundation Joins National Coalition to Advance Civics Education
The Commonwealth Foundation has partnered with a broad coalition of organizations and the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen civics education nationwide. On Constitution Day, the U.S. Department of Education—in…
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The Violent Schools Democratic Governors Don’t Want You to Know About
Originally published by the Daily Caller. Democratic governors have recently made headlines by downplaying the violence their constituents face daily. But what’s even more alarming is the amount of school…
Media Hit
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