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
Preschool Algebra
From Governor Rendell’s News Release: “An independent study by a renowned firm confirms that more than 160,000 students in 48 Pennsylvania schools are benefiting from investments in early childhood…
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For School Equality, Try Mobility
How “funding the child” would provide greater school equity and choice – by Rod Paige in today’s New York Times.
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Has School Choice Crossed the Rubicon?
Clint Bolick argues yes in today’s Wall Street Journal. Even Democratic leaders (including Sen. Ted Kennedy and our own Governor Rendell) have signed on to school choice programs (albeit…
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School Tax Hikes in Allegheny County
Interesting article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review about property tax hikes. Twenty of 43 school districts in Allegheny are planning to raise tax rates. Their justification is that the county…
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Arrogant PHEAA: More stonewalling
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial review on how the public agency PHEAA refuses to disclose how they spend their money. Hence we propose privatizing PHEAA in our Pennsylvania Piglet…
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Cut the Fat
While Gov. Ed Rendell claims that his administration is “squeezing every nickel out of government,” an analysis of state spending released by the Commonwealth Foundation and Citizens Against Government Waste…
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Property Tax Relief through School Choice
Pennsylvanians deserve property tax reform and relief—not a shift and a sham. But the only way to relieve all homeowners while not burdening other taxpayers is to reduce public school…
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New York Times Editorial Uses Faulty Data To Slam Charter Schools
News release from the Center for Education Reform… New York Times Editorial Uses Faulty Data To Slam Charter Schools Washington, D.C., May 10, 2006 – The New York Times in…
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Substitute teaching goes private
In Michigan, the Grand Rapids Public Schools have figured out a way to save the taxpayers money–contract out for substitute teachers. It saves $$$ from having to be socked…
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Lawmakers must cure loan agency’s identity crisis
My PHEAA commentary in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
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65% Solution? Reduce School District Size
Analysis of school district spending by size by in the EIA Communique. The finding is that larger districts spend a lower percentage on classroom instruction (and more in adminstrative…
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Philly Schools Need Improvement
Jay Greene in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer.
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PHEAAs Split Personality
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) has a split personality complex, complete with an uncanny ability to assume different identities at a moment’s notice. One day, the student loan…
Commentary
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Scholarships as tax relief
Read Matt Brouillette’s commentary in today’s York Dispatch.
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Educating From the Bench
Judges order legislators to spend more on schools, and taxpayers see less in return. Dr. Jay P. Greene in today’s Wall Street Journal.
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New Report on High School Graduation
A new report from the Manhattan Institute, released today, attempts to calculate real (as opposed to reported) high school graduation rates, using a consistent methodology across states. They found…
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Philly quadruples number of teachers fired for lack of performance
Before you think there is a major focus on teacher quality in the Philadelphia School District, the quadrupling of the number of teacher fired for performance was from 2 in…
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PHEAA says receipts would reveal secrets
PHEAA refuses to disclose what they are spending their money on, the Patriot News reports, citing “trade secrets.” Far be it from me to suggest that taxpayers and…
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PSBA takes issue with my referendum commentary
Equal time was given to Tim Allwein of the PA School Boards Association to offer a rebutal to my commentary in last Sunday’s Patriot-News. Fair game. It should…
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Let Common Sense Prevail on School Construction Projects
In the current debate over school property tax reform in Pennsylvania, all of the plans under consideration in Harrisburg focus solely on the revenue side of the school finance equation…
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School Vouchers are Improving Education in Milwaukee
Summary by National Center for Policy Analysis of a article in the New York Times.
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