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
PHEAA Must Phace the Phacts.
The Board of Directors of PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Association) too umbrage with our highlighting that government agency’s misuse and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Our response is…
Media
Read More: PHEAA Must Phace the Phacts.Education
School Choice Works
American’s for Tax Reform has a short primer on the success of school vouchers, scholarship, and tax credit programs: There have been a total of ten studies of…
Media
Read More: School Choice WorksEducation
Obama on School Choice: For or Against?
The Cato Institute blog reports that Barack Obama told members of the American Federation of Teachers he is opposed to school vouchers, when referring to the “tired rhetoric about…
Media
Read More: Obama on School Choice: For or Against?Education
For Autism, Try Vouchers, Not Mandates
John LaPlante points out on SPN Blog that instead of health care mandates, autism advocates should be pointing to tax credits or scholarships for autistic children. As opposed to…
Media
Read More: For Autism, Try Vouchers, Not MandatesEducation
Preschool Study: No Evidence of Lasting Benefits
Adam Schaeffer writes on Cato-at-liberty that a recent study of universal preschool only shows what critics of government-run day care have been saying: that they offer only short-term…
Media
Read More: Preschool Study: No Evidence of Lasting BenefitsEducation
PSEA Hissy Fit
Too many public schools have a Liberace complex and feel no compunction against splurging taxpayers’ hard-earned money. So kudos to the Pleasant Valley School District for trying to lowering…
Media
Read More: PSEA Hissy FitEducation
School boards have no control over teacher salaries?
Tony Phyrillas laughs at school board members complaining about not having control over things like teacher salaries – you know, the salaries school boards establish (typically through labor contracts)…
Media
Read More: School boards have no control over teacher salaries?Education
Voucher Valedictorian
Andrew Coulson comments on an NRO article highlighting a DC Opportunity Scholarship recipient who just graduated at the head of her class at Archbishop Carroll High School. The…
Media
Read More: Voucher ValedictorianEducation
Philadelphia private school managers a failure or success story?
The Fordham Institute blasts a Philadelphia Inquirer story calling the Philadelphia public school’s removal of six private managers a “blow to the experiment”: Kristen Graham of…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia private school managers a failure or success story?Education
Cyber School Funding Formula: The Wrong Mixture
State Rep. Karen Beyer, along with the Rendell administration, lobbyists for the teachers unions, and the school boards association, has been doggedly seeking to reduce funding for Pennsylvania’s public cyber…
Commentary
Read More: Cyber School Funding Formula: The Wrong MixtureEducation
Shady Accounting at the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Allegheny Institute’s latest policy brief reveals how the Pennsylvania Department of Education classifies federal monies as local tax revenue. “By making it appear that the local revenue…
Media
Read More: Shady Accounting at the Pennsylvania Department of EducationEducation
The Liberace Complex?
The York Daily Record has a story on the South Eastern School District paying $97,000 for – wait for it – a grand piano. I may have to…
Media
Read More: The Liberace Complex?Education
Academic progress? Think again
A new study by the Center for Education Policy claims significant improvement in student achievement across the country. The Cato Institute discounts the study…
Media
Read More: Academic progress? Think againEducation
School Officials Raise Salaries Again
An article in the Pottstown Mercury today highlights the salaries of school officials in the Pottstown School District. The school board voted on raises for administrators twice in the…
Media
Read More: School Officials Raise Salaries AgainEducation
“Intellectual Diversity” means no Milton Friedman?
Several University of Chicago professors are protesting the university’s plan to unveil a Milton Friedman Institute, because that would “reinforce among the public a perception that the university’s faculty…
Media
Read More: “Intellectual Diversity” means no Milton Friedman?Education
State pre-K program “getting results”?
The PA Department of Education issued a statement, patting themselves on the back, claiming that the “Pre-K Counts” program was working as intended. They cite an increase in…
Media
Read More: State pre-K program “getting results”?Education
Abandoning The SAT – Fraud or Folly?
Interesting discussion about universities ending use of the SAT at Wake Forest (presumably applicable to the ACT – which I took, and scored crazy high on) at Minding the…
Media
Read More: Abandoning The SAT – Fraud or Folly?Education
Popping the Tuition Bubble
Interesting article in The American about the idea of financing higher education by promising a set portion of future earnings for loans. The idea of “human capital contracts” was…
Media
Read More: Popping the Tuition BubbleEducation
Putting Children Last
The Wall Street Journal blasts efforts by Democrats—coerced by the teacher’s unions—to end the DC Opportunity Scholarship program, a program which saves kids from failing schools and…
Media
Read More: Putting Children LastEducation
Real Savings: Cutting Cybers vs. School Choice
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Post-Gazette have stories on the renewed push to reduce cyber school funding. Rep. Karen Beyer and other proponents are touting that: The bill…
Media
Read More: Real Savings: Cutting Cybers vs. School ChoiceEducation
Charter Schools Make the Grade
Bob Maranto has an editorial in the Philadelphia Daily News on the reporting on charter school scandals. He notes that charter schools are more accountable – in that they…
Media
Read More: Charter Schools Make the Grade