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 Student Debt Threat
It shouldn’t be a debt sentence to get a college education. Yet in 2010, Americans’ student loan debt surpassed even that of credit card debt. In a testimony before…
Media
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A Christmas Wish List for Pennsylvania
“No more lives torn apart, and wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts.” You might recognize those words from the ubiquitous-around-the-holidays song, “Grown-Up Christmas List.” Grown up? Sure.
Commentary
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Embracing Innovation in State Government
Conventional governing is hampering Pennsylvania’s progress. Growing state budgets combined with one-time revenue transfers and targeted tax hikes are delaying the structural reforms essential to improving the quality…
Fact Sheet
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School Choice: Helping One Student at a Time
As a recent graduate from PA Leadership Charter School (PALCS), I’m familiar with school choice. In fact, for the past five years, I have joined my Student Government on an…
Media
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Will Lower Standards Help Pa. School Performance?
Pennsylvania’s primary tool for grading schools—the School Performance Profile (SPP)—is being overhauled. The current SPP is not particularly straightforward, but it’s based mainly on test scores and academic…
Media
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Magnum, P.I. Comes to Bethlehem
Bethlehem School District employs private investigators to track down students with fraudulent home addresses. According to The Morning Call, DBM Investigations and Consulting has identified 35 students…
Media
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Hits and Misses from the 2015-16 Legislative Session
That's a wrap. The 2015-16 legislative session is officially in the history books. Despite a $650 million tax hike, Pennsylvanians have a lot to celebrate from the past two years.
Media
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Details Emerge on Philly Union Negotiations
Intrepid reporter Kristen Graham of the Philadelphia Inquirer unearthed several details from contract negotiations between the school district of Philadelphia and the local teachers’ union, the Philadelphia Federation of…
Media
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Can a Dwight Schrute Save Scranton?
Dwight K. Schrute is an employee at Dunder Mifflin—a fictional Scranton paper company featured in NBC’s The Office. And he just may be the key to overcoming the city’s very…
Media
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Children Benefit From School Choice, And So Do You
The moral argument for school choice is irrefutable: Every child deserves access to a first-rate education. Families should not be limited by the supply of public schools within artificially-drawn district…
Media
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Ghosts in the Education Machine
If Pennsylvania students miss three days of school without an excuse, the law says they must be reported. But across the commonwealth, certain teachers have been absent for years—without consequences…
Commentary
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APSCUF Threatens Faculty
This morning, APSCUF, the union representing 5,000 faculty at the State System of Higher Education schools, went on strike. As we pointed out a few weeks ago, one…
Media
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House Speaker Seeks Boost for Vital Scholarship Programs
Pennsylvania’s private school scholarship programs account for less than 2 percent of the $11 billion in state funds allocated for public schools. Yet it is impossible to overstate the…
Media
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Testimony: Role of Charter Schools in Education
Testimony
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Are These 8 Pa. School Districts Piling Up Tax Dollars Like Lower Merion?
Are These 8 Pa. School Districts Piling Up Tax Dollars Like Lower Merion? Districts Stock Massive Reserve Funds While Seeking Tax Hikes October 12, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—A Montgomery County…
Press Release
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Is Your District Hiking Taxes While Piling Up Large Reserves?
In June, CF published a searchable database showing fund balance data for each of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts as of 2015. Given the recent…
Media
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How Does Pennsylvania Stack up in School Revenue?
The National Center for Education Statistics recently released 2013-14 figures on revenues and expenditures for U.S. public schools. How does Pennsylvania stack up when it comes to funding? On a…
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Pennsylvania’s Economy is Struggling
Americans finally got a raise! That's the gist of recent headlines hailing significant economic growth in 2015, but in Pennsylvania the economy is still struggling. From 1991 to 2015,…
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Flawed Arguments Drive School Funding Suit
As I pointed out earlier this week, Pennsylvania public school spending is at an all-time high. In fact, the state's per student spending is significantly above the national average. James’ analysis…
Media
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Podcast: Why Charter Schools – and School Choice – Matter
In Pennsylvania, 130,000 kids attend public charter schools—about 5 percent of the state’s schoolchildren. For many of these kids and parents, charter schools are a lifeline to a safer, better…
Media
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Thorough and Efficient System of Public Education
“The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the…
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