Education
The High Cost of Pa. K–12 Education Failures
Key Points The cost and risk of failure in our K–12 system is high. Low academic achievement is a predictor of lower lifetime incomes and higher costs for taxpayers. On…
Read More: The High Cost of Pa. K–12 Education FailuresPennsylvania’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
SAT Scores Slip While Spending Soars
Pennsylvania education spending is at at all-time high and ranks near the top in dollars spent per student among the states. But all of that extra spending isn’t helping kids…
Media
Read More: SAT Scores Slip While Spending SoarsEducation
Playing the Education Lottery
Last month, families from across Pennsylvania waited anxiously to hear if they had finally won the lottery. But these hopeful parents weren’t looking to win the MegaMillions—they were hoping for…
Commentary
Read More: Playing the Education LotteryEducation
Time for Paycheck Protection in Pa
The government liquor monopoly, the pension time bomb, and Philadelphia’s public school crisis—what do they have in common? Each of these public policy disasters was supported by government unions. What’s…
Commentary
Read More: Time for Paycheck Protection in PaEducation
Charter School Reform
Good morning, my name is Nathan Benefield; I am the vice president of policy analysis for the Commonwealth Foundation. I wish to thank Auditor General DePasquale for the opportunity to…
Testimony
Read More: Charter School ReformEducation
The $1 Billion Lie Exposed
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) took out full-page, color ads in several major state newspapers last week proclaiming Gov. Corbett “closed neighborhood schools” and laid off teachers in Philadelphia…
Media
Read More: The $1 Billion Lie ExposedEducation
A Public School Funding SOS
The governor has proposed $10.1 billion for public schools, slightly higher than last year, which was then a record high. So what’s all the fuss about cuts? At the same…
Commentary
Read More: A Public School Funding SOSEducation
The Berlin Wall of Philadelphia’s Public Schools
Students in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh had their hopes dashed last week when they lost out on the chance to land one of the few vacant openings in charter schools. In…
Media
Read More: The Berlin Wall of Philadelphia’s Public SchoolsEducation
Myth: PA Spends Less on Education
There are many myths circulating about how much Pennsylvania spends on public education. One such myth is that the state government used to provide 50 percent of all revenue for…
Media
Read More: Myth: PA Spends Less on EducationEducation
7 Little-Known Facts on Pennsylvania Public School Spending
For years, teachers unions in Pennsylvania have claimed the governor cut $1 billion from schools. But the real story is more complicated. A huge influx of federal stimulus funding expired,…
Media
Read More: 7 Little-Known Facts on Pennsylvania Public School SpendingEducation
Pennsylvania Still Not Making the Grade
The bipartisan education reform group, StudentsFirst, released its annual State Policy Report Card grading each state’s education policies and demonstrating the need for more student-centered reforms. How did Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Still Not Making the GradeEducation
Win for Transparency in Public School Spending
How would you like to know what’s in a teachers’ contract before your school district passes it—and locks in spending—for four years? And how would you like to track how…
Media
Read More: Win for Transparency in Public School SpendingEducation
Philly Experiment Shows Charter School Promise
Philadelphia schools have long battled declining student achievement, sky-rocketing violence, and unsustainable spending levels. Yet, several turn-around schools have managed to overcome this bleak educational trajectory and should…
Media
Read More: Philly Experiment Shows Charter School PromiseEducation
Paycheck Protection Benefits Teachers and Taxpayers
Pennsylvania’s AFL-CIO union boss Rick Bloomingdale is absolutely right that there is a “war on workers” here in Pennsylvania—he should know, because he is waging it. His recent opinion piece…
Commentary
Read More: Paycheck Protection Benefits Teachers and TaxpayersEducation
PODCAST: StudentsFirst on Education Reform
Part two of our conversation with Ashley DeMauro, PA state director for StudentsFirst, features an in-depth discussion of seniority reform, teacher evaluations, school transparency, and charter school reform.
Media
Read More: PODCAST: StudentsFirst on Education ReformEducation
Philly Schools Spending Crisis Set to Grow
$3.1 billion is a lot to spend for violent and failing schools. A Pennsylvania Independent report by Maura Pennington examines the School District of Philadelphia’s new budget and highlights…
Media
Read More: Philly Schools Spending Crisis Set to GrowEducation
Union Dues Exploit Teachers, Taxpayers
What if I told you that regardless of your political beliefs, several hundred dollars will be deducted from your paycheck each year to support politicians whose views you may not…
Commentary
Read More: Union Dues Exploit Teachers, TaxpayersEducation
Keeping Teachers in the Classroom
Given our still-sputtering economy, Americans have grown used to their public schools facing tight budgets. This fiscal squeeze has drawn out a hidden crisis in public education: How do we…
Commentary
Read More: Keeping Teachers in the ClassroomEducation
VIDEO: Charter Schools Threatened by Punitive Rules
With a waiting list 30,000 students long, you’d think Philadelphia would be working to expand the reach of charter schools. Sadly, Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission is seeking just the opposite, …
Media
Read More: VIDEO: Charter Schools Threatened by Punitive RulesEducation
Top 5 Articles of 2013
Yesterday, we gave you the 5 most popular blog posts of 2013. Today, we are highlighting the 5 most read articles of 2013 on our website. 1) The (Growing)…
Media
Read More: Top 5 Articles of 2013Education
Top 5 Blog Posts of 2013
As 2013 winds to a close, we thought we’d run down the top stories of the past year. Here are Commonwealth Foundation’s top 5 blog posts, as chosen by you…
Media
Read More: Top 5 Blog Posts of 2013Education
PODCAST: StudentsFirst & Performance Profiles
In our latest podcast, Ashley DeMauro, PA state director for StudentsFirst, discusses Pennsylvania’s recently implemented school performance profiles. What do they measure? How can parents learn about their…
Media
Read More: PODCAST: StudentsFirst & Performance Profiles