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
Mann-Made Global Warming?
Climategate was born in late November 2009 with the release of more than a thousand emails and other documents from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia…
Commentary
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New Head Start Study Shows No Long-Term Effects of Preschool
A study on students in Head Start released yesterday by the US Department of Health and Human Services shows no long-term academic improvement from the program. In fact, the…
Media
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Climategate & Penn State
Just days after news broke about what has been dubbed "Climategate," Penn State University (PSU) announced that it would investigate the conduct of Michael Mann, a professor in PSU's Department…
Fact Sheet
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PA’s “Race to the Top” Plan Upsets Cyber Schools and PSEA
The Pennsylvania Department of Education’s “Race to the Top” plan – attempting to get about $400 million from federal taxpayers via the “stimulus” – has drawn a number of critics.
Media
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Following Our Bad Example: The Tuition Tax Idea Spreads
The consideration of a tuition tax is appealing to populations beyond Pennsylvania as cities look to prop up budgets. Leave it to California to be the first to jump on…
Media
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Revamp Charter School Laws To Increase School Choice
Pennsylvania came in 11th among 40 states in the annual ranking of state charter school laws by the Center for Education Reform. While the Commonwealth has been better in…
Media
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New Higher Ed Proposals are More of the Same Failed Policies
Gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato has proposed a series of higher education policies aimed at increasing the amount of college grads by 6% in 4 years and improving affordability. All…
Media
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Higher Taxes and Tuition Coming for PA College Students
The Tribune Review reports Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is continuing to threaten a tax on tuition, attempting to use a jedi mind trick to persuade universities to cough up…
Media
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The ABC’s of School Choice
The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, a renowned advocate for school choice programs, recently published their 2009-10 edition of “The ABC’s of School Choice” in which they highlight…
Media
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Costing-Out the Price of Education
Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield, Director of Policy Research, Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives to the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee December 8, 2009 Thank you, Sen. Piccola and…
Testimony
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State Report on PA’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit
The Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee put out a preliminary report on the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) a few months ago, but the report has been sitting…
Media
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Penn State Professor Feeling the (Metaphorical) Heat
Following the Commonwealth Foundation’s call for a legislative inquiry into use of tax dollars to stifle, rather than foster, scientific inquiry in the case of Penn State professor Michael…
Media
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Pittsburgh Tuition Tax Podcast
Elizabeth Bryan and I discuss the proposed tuition tax in Pittsburgh in a podcast. Joining us for part of the conversation is Aaron Gross, a student…
Media
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Penn State to Launch Inquiry in “Climategate”
Penn State University is going to “look into” the emails from and about university professor Michael Mann, which indicate, among other things,…
Media
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Taxing Tuition: The Future of Higher Education?
With Pittsburgh on the brink of bankruptcy thanks to its continual out-of-control spending, Mayor Ravenstahl and his allies on City Council have hatched a new scheme to collect more money…
Commentary
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Teacher Merit Pay May Come to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh City Schools may soon finalize their second huge grant. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is granting the system $40 million over 6 and half years to improve…
Media
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Taxing Students For Past Mistakes
Pittsburgh’s financial problems are such that it gave rise to the Intergovermental Cooperation Authority(ICA) – formed by none other than, perennially in-deficit Governor, Ed Rendell. The ICA was put…
Media
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CF Facts Irk Governor Rendell
Normally I don’t respond to allegations of untrue research, but I feel compelled to do so because it is the Governor of Pennsylvania. I am not sure what the…
Media
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Privatizing School Bus Drivers
In last Tuesday’s race for Central Dauphin school board candidates clashed over the privatization of the district’s busing. The pro-privatization candidate- Chris Judd narrowly won, but that hasn’t silenced the…
Media
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Privatizing State Universities
In wake of a state budget crisis and a temporary infusion of stimulus funds, Colorado State University is considering a partial privatization of the public university. By 2011, it will…
Media
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Despite Recession, Pennsylvania College Costs Increase
On Tuesday, the College Board released their annual report on tuition and financial aid. Despite a national recession, college tuition is still rising at an alarming pace. On average,…
Media
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