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
Keep Moving Forward: Philly Students Celebrate Choice
Last week the nation celebrated school choice, with thousands of student-centered events taking place across the United States. On Wednesday, hundreds of yellow-scarved, sign-bearing students from the Philly area…
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Kids Deserve Fair Funding and Choice
On Jan 23, 2019, Rep. Chris Rabb hosted a House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on 100 percent Fair School Funding. Rep. Rabb graciously invited CF to participate. Below are Marc…
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School Choice: Stuck in the Middle (Class)
“I fear we’ve become a school for the haves and the have-nots,” one private school leader in Florida worried. What’s happened to those in between? The wealthy can afford to…
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Michael Scott Wasn’t the Only Bad Manager in Scranton
It’s been five years since the television show The Office ended, and Scranton is making headlines again. No, not because Michael Scott had an insensitive diversity training, nor because Ryan…
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Today’s Opportunities in the Spirit of King
It’s been a shame that we’ve collectively spent so much time this month talking about the wrong King (Rep. Steve King) and views that harken back to our worst…
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Opportunity, Prosperity, and National School Choice Week
Speaking at his inaugural address on Tuesday, Gov. Wolf emphasized the importance of making sure “our children's opportunities are not restricted by his or her ZIP code.” We couldn’t…
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High Parental Satisfaction With Florida Scholarship Program
Maloni Lewis lives with two disabled parents and three older brothers, who are in and out of jail. Her mom, Renee, wanted a better life for her daughter, so…
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Finding a Seat: Philly Kids Need More School Choice
Starting with magnet schools in the 1970s, the Philadelphia School District has had some form of public school choice for decades. The opening of the first charter schools in 1997…
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School Choice Increases School Safety
As children enjoy their holiday break, a safe second semester is at the top of many parents’ wish list. Parents want their kids to get the most out of their…
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Gesu School: Education Choice in Action – Part III
Christmas is a time of giving. For many businesses and individuals across the state, Pennsylvania’s tax credit scholarship opportunities allow them to give so students like Alphonso and Makayla can have…
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Guest Post: A rural charter school embraces its “rural-ness” and finds happiness, too
Note: This commentary was originally published by National School Choice Week. When people think of charter schools, they often think of schools that serve students in densely-populated cities or…
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Gesu School: Education Choice in Action – Part II
He's a former pharmaceutical executive and she's concluding Ph.D. studies in reading literacy and assessment. Bryan Carter and Annette Pickett could choose more lucrative careers. Yet they've devoted their lives…
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Gesu School: Education Choice in Action – Part I
Drive down Schuylkill Expressway, exit 342 past the Philadelphia Zoo, across the Girard Bridge—eventually you’ll arrive in North Philly, home of Gesu School. The surrounding neighborhood has all the…
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Education Spending 2017-18: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
In early 2017, Rep. Dave Reed acknowledged the importance of education spending to everything the General Assembly tackles: We have an amazing opportunity. … We get to…
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School Choice Progress in PA 2017-18
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. This African saying, attributed by some to Desmond Tutu, has been successfully employed by school choice advocates in…
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Teacher shortage? Try competition.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to … tinker with markets. That isn’t the original ending to that sentence, but it is certainly accurate. There…
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Pittsburgh School Choice Fair
When I walked into the Pittsburgh School Choice Fair on Saturday, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I certainly did not anticipate being blown away by the diversity of…
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Education Is a Necessity and We Should Fund It Like It?s One
Note: This commentary was originally published by Education Post. Letting parents choose the school or schooling that best fits their child shouldn't be so controversial. We don’t question the…
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Tax Credit Scholarships: Raise the Limits!
As shown in a recent CF report, Pennsylvania is a state at risk. Violence in schools, while decreasing, still occurs at a significant level. Pennsylvania’s achievement gaps are…
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Fact Sheet: School Funding and Student Outcomes
Conversations about improving education often devolve into who will spend more. This enables some policymakers to offer a one-dimensional solution—funding—to a multi-dimensional issue—education. Key questions are ignored when the only…
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Grandma, What Do You Mean Schools Were Assigned by Zip Code?
My kids can’t imagine a world where nearly any question can’t be answered in mere seconds. Despite growing up without the internet, I can barely imagine it myself. In a…
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