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
The Economics of College
Thomas Sowell has a three part (so far) series on Townhall.com on the economics of college: Part 1 covers the perverse incentives of taxpayer subsidies for college,Part…
Media
Read More: The Economics of CollegeEducation
School Choice Saves
What percentage of the $22 Billion taxpayers spent on public schools went to Pennsylvania cyber schools? A.
Press Release
Read More: School Choice SavesEducation
The teachers’ union still hates school choice
The head of the PSEA, the largest teacher union in the state, takes me to task for in a letter to the editor for proposing “private school vouchers” as…
Media
Read More: The teachers’ union still hates school choiceEducation
Wisconsin votes to protect cyber schools
As we had noted previously that cyber schools in Wisconsin are also facing attack (primarily from the teachers unions), I thought I would pass along this story Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Wisconsin votes to protect cyber schoolsEducation
Which special interest is closest to state capitols?
Education school Jay Greene launched a new blog on education policy with post on the proximity of teacher unions to state capitols. If you stand on…
Media
Read More: Which special interest is closest to state capitols?Education
Answers to Attacks on Cyber Schools
One of our loyal readers asked for some help responding to attacks on Cyber School Funding and a lobbying effort by Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) in support of HB…
Media
Read More: Answers to Attacks on Cyber SchoolsEducation
New Education Blog
The Fordham Foundation has launched a new blog on education called Flypaper. A couple good posts in their first two days are this one on highlighting “surprising” story…
Media
Read More: New Education BlogEducation
Cyber Schools: Frequently Asked Questions
Hearings are being held across the state on legislation for limits on spending by public cyber schools The proposed legislation is a response to criticism that cyber schools are not…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Cyber Schools: Frequently Asked QuestionsEducation
Edifice Complex at Work
In our report, Edifice Complex: Where has all the Money Gone we looked at the fastest growing cost for school districts, and what is driving property taxes…
Media
Read More: Edifice Complex at WorkEducation
Mapping Graduation Rates
Education Week has an interactive tool to map the graduation rates of states and school districts (based on the recent analysis by America’s Promise Alliance). Here is the…
Media
Read More: Mapping Graduation RatesEducation
The Real Cost of Public Schools
Andrew Coulson has an article in the Washington Post and a more detailed version on the Cato-at-liberty blog contrasting public school spending ($24,000 per pupil) and private school…
Media
Read More: The Real Cost of Public SchoolsEducation
Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs
A new report on graduation rates in the largest US cities has troubling news for Philadelphia (and most urban districts). The Philadelphia City School District ranks 34th among the…
Media
Read More: Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbsEducation
New Reports on Education and School Choice
Here are a few new reports that make for handy reference guides for legislators, advocates, researchers, or anyone interested in education reform. American Legislative Exchange Council: 2007…
Media
Read More: New Reports on Education and School ChoiceEducation
School Choice Tax Credit Saves Money in IL
An analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute of the Illinois Education Expense Tax Credit finds that an increase on the cap for that credit to $4,000 per child would…
Media
Read More: School Choice Tax Credit Saves Money in ILEducation
Merit selection and education lawsuits
Our sister think tank, the Show Me Institute, has an interesting post on the intersection of merit selection of judges (i.e. the Missouri Plan) and education cases – namely…
Media
Read More: Merit selection and education lawsuitsEducation
Salaries for 120,000 PA teachers
Stop Teacher Strikes has the data here.
Media
Read More: Salaries for 120,000 PA teachersEducation
Lobbying by State Universities
The blog, “Left of Centre,” has some details about lobbying by PA’s state universities, following up an article in the Daily Collegian. Of interest to those following lobbying…
Media
Read More: Lobbying by State UniversitiesEducation
Wisconsin’s Virtual Schools Could Close this Summer
Intriguing piece in School Reform News on how the Wisconsin teachers’ union is also working to undermine cyber schools – rather than targeting funding, they are going after cyber…
Media
Read More: Wisconsin’s Virtual Schools Could Close this SummerEducation
Teachers Unions Exposed
TeachersUnionExposed.com is a new website (from the Center for Union Facts) focusing on teachers’s unions role in blocking education reform, bargaining away quality, and protecting bad teachers. They…
Media
Read More: Teachers Unions ExposedEducation
Home-Schooling Under Attack
Here is some commentary on the recent California court ruling that would require parents homeschooling their children to have full teaching credentials/certification. Acton Institute PowerBlog Cato-At-Liberty…
Media
Read More: Home-Schooling Under AttackEducation
Determining the Cost of an Adequate Education
The Pennsylvania General Assembly recently commissioned a $650,000 study to determine what it “costs” to educate a child. The firm winning the commission reported that the state should increase spending…
Commentary
Read More: Determining the Cost of an Adequate Education