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
Wolf to Chester Families: “There is No Escape”
Tom Wolf’s record on public education is well documented. The governor is hostile to schools of choice, cozy to union interests, and wedded to…
Media
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Pension Reform to Protect my Kids
I chose teaching because I enjoy interacting with students and helping them learn. My science classes show students that certain actions yield predictable results. With this in mind, I am…
Media
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Discouraging Signs in York City
The consequences of Gov. Tom Wolf’s lock-step fealty to public sector union interests are being felt across the state and particularly in York City—where one of Wolf’s…
Media
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Union Politicking Shows Need for Mary’s Law
Political mailers supporting candidates are par for the course during elections—unless those mailers are sent by government unions and funded with members’ dues. Then, they’re illegal. But that didn’t stop…
Media
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Truth Lacking on ‘Schools That Teach’ Tour
Gov. Wolf’s 'Schools That Teach' public relations tour and statewide ad campaigns supporting him aren’t telling voters the truth about the budget impasse or the governor's tax proposal.
Commentary
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Strange Arguments Against Seniority Reform
An amusing opinion article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette takes aim at pending legislation that would protect high-performing teachers and change incentives in persistently failing schools. Authors Adam…
Media
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Lawsuit Inspires Teacher to Speak Out
Over the weekend, Adam Brandolph of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review penned an excellent story on James Williams, a Mercer County science teacher standing up for his rights against the Pennsylvania…
Media
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America Works (On Misleading the Public)
America Works USA, an affiliate of the union-funded Democratic Governors Association, recently launched an ad campaign in support of Gov. Wolf’s effort to raise taxes on middle-…
Media
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When Desperation Sets In
This is what desperation looks like. Gov. Tom Wolf recently visited Downingtown Area School District and claimed the no-tax-increase budget he recently vetoed “includes only $8 million…
Media
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Fixated on Tax Increases
At the end of last month, Gov. Wolf vetoed the Republicans’ budget, criticizing it for failing to meet his lofty goals of closing the structural deficit, increasing education funding…
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The Illustrated Pennsylvania State Budget
There’s a lot of misinformation being thrown around about the Pennsylvania state budget and education spending. While folk are entitled to their own opinions, they aren’t entitled to their own…
Media
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Ink Running Dry on Wolf?s Veto Pen
Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto pen may be running out of ink. In the span of one week, Pennsylvania’s “different kind of governor” vetoed a no-tax-hike budget, liquor privatization,…
Media
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Gov. Wolf, Don’t Raises Taxes on Working People
My letter to the editor in the Pocono Record tackles some of the myths about educations spending and Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed tax increase—and why, after the House of Represented rejected…
Media
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House Votes to Protect Excellent Teachers
Seniority-based teacher furloughs may soon become a relic of the past for Pennsylvania public schools. On Tuesday evening, the state House approved Rep. Stephen Bloom’s HB 805—the Protecting…
Media
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Devil in the Details for New Funding Formula
Much of the reaction to the Basic Education Funding Commission’s final report has been positive—and…
Media
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Government Union Puts Politics Ahead of Teachers
One government union is putting its political preferences and self-interest above the interests of public school teachers. Now, teachers are fighting back. Jane Ladley, who recently retired from teaching after…
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Education Commission Proposes Smarter, Student-Based Spending
Education Commission Proposes Smarter,Student-Based Spending Commission Tailors Funding to Student Need, Rejects Broken Status-Quo Good afternoon, The Commonwealth Foundation has long advocated for an education funding formula…
Press Release
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Audio: A New Solution for Underperforming Public Schools
A piece of legislation recently passed the Senate Education Committee that would provide a new solution for underperforming public schools. CF’s James Paul spoke with WSBA’s Gary Sutton about…
Media
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School Districts Overwhelmed by Pension Costs
Pennsylvania’s public sector pension crisis is undeniable. Consider the burden it places on local school districts, whose pension contributions increased from $1.4 billion in 2012-13 to $1.9…
Media
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District Reserve Funds Continue to Rise
Contrary to claims about budget cuts to public education, Pennsylvania school districts continue to accumulate large reserve funds, up to $4.1 billion in 2013-14. This amounts to more than 15 percent…
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Examining State Aid for Public Schools
State revenue to school districts reached an all-time high in 2013-14, at $9.7 billion. In part 2 of our week-long series on education finance in the commonwealth, take a look at…
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