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
How Does Your Public School Stack up Against the World?
The George W. Bush Institute has a new “Global Report Card” looking at test scores for each school district in the United States against students around the world…
Media
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Charter School Funding in Pennsylvania
Many school districts and other advocates complain about the charter school funding mechanism, arguing that it "drains funding" from school districts. This charge must be considered in the context of…
Fact Sheet
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The Learning Revolution
Online learning serves a significant and growing number of students, and represents a significant shift in how we educate Pennsylvania's children. In light of the growth of cyber and hybrid…
Report
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Taxpayer-Funded Lobbyists’ Survey Contradicts Real Polls
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association has released a new “survey” claiming that state residents oppose plans to provide vouchers to students. The PSBA’s funding comes from taxpayers through school…
Media
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Lawmakers Can Save Students in Duquesne
Jake Haulk at the Allegheny Institute points out that Duquesne City School District spends almost $20,000 per student every year (state average is about $14,000). But less than…
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Academic Achievement Stagnates
Pennsylvania students are not making much academic progress according to 2011 PSSA test results. The Patriot-News reports small gains were not enough to keep some central Pennsylvania school districts…
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Pennsylvania’s Public Universities Have Indigestion
If you ask them, they'll say they're hurting because budget-slashing Gov. Tom Corbett just forced something nasty down their throats—namely cuts to the subsidies they receive from Keystone State taxpayers. …
Commentary
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SAT Scores by State, 2011
EDITORS NOTE: Click here for the 2014 SAT Scores by state Every year, the College Board puts out SAT scores by state, but only in PDF format. Since…
Media
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Teacher Qualifications vs. Teacher Effectiveness
Teachers are an important factor affecting student performance, and teacher salaries make up the biggest chunk of public school spending. So ensuring that the best teachers instruct our kids should…
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Do Public Schools Need More Construction Spending?
One of the supposed benefits of President Obama’s “Jobs Bill” (despite demands to “pass it now”, the jobs bill has not yet…
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Tax Credit Scholarships Shown to Improve Student Performance
A new study of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship—which provides tax credits for businesses donating to organizations offering scholarships to K-12 students, similar to Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax—finds academic…
Media
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What Do France, Hungary and Pennsylvania Have in Common?
A Hungarian, a Frenchman and a Pennsylvanian walk into a bar…okay, so they may not have the same tastes in beer, but turns out they would have the same ability…
Media
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Teacher Strikes
Good afternoon, my name is Pearre Dean and I am Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank that crafts free-market policies, convinces Pennsylvanians of…
Testimony
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The Real Crime in Philadelphia’s School District
Last year, we blogged on the hefty $65,000 bonus Philadelphia’s Superintendent Arlene Ackerman collected. Her annual base salary, $348,140, was higher than what superintendents collect in New York City,…
Media
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Green Light More Education Tax Credits
Would you ever give a green light or a hard-earned nickel to a business model that showed it was going to hire more staff to service fewer customers by doubling…
Commentary
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Texas vs. Pennsylvania on Educational Performance
At a hearing yesterday on right-to-work legislation, a number of testifiers remarked on the substantially greater job growth in right-to-work states, on the fact residents are moving from…
Media
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A Decade of Success: Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit
The EITC creates partnerships between parents, businesses, and scholarship organizations. These partnerships allow funding to follow students, giving children and their families choices of schools that best fit their needs.
Fact Sheet
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PSEA Behind Phony Grassroots Effort
In 2009-10, the PSEA spent more than $2.6 million on political activities and lobbying. By the next year, that figure had ballooned to $4.2 million, an increase of about 60%.
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This is Educational Accountability?
At a recent Pennsylvania House Education Committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a proposed voucher program would provide “accountability”. Indeed, they want to be sure that these schools have the…
Media
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Yes, Vouchers DO Improve Student Learning
The Philadelphia Inquirer today reports on a “study”—from a group dedicated to protecting the educational status quo and led by a partisan staffer—that claims that school vouchers have…
Media
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Two New Studies Show Benefits of School Choice
As the debate on school choice continues in Pennsylvania, a couple recent studies highlight the benefits of school voucher programs in the U.S. and internationally. The first study looks at…
Media
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