Education
The kids are not all right
Originally published at Broad + Liberty Our children’s test scores are down. They haven’t even reached pre-Covid levels, which wasn’t anything to brag about then. And the students are…
Read More: The kids are not all rightEducation is the first stepping-stone on the path to success, but Pennsylvania students face severe inequality among public school districts. Thousands who can’t afford private school are trapped in failing schools or situations that aren’t the right fit. The solution to this crisis is school choice. By offering families options outside their zip code-assigned district schools, students are better able to find their path to success. Charter schools, tax credit scholarships, education savings accounts (ESAs), homeschooling, and other types of education choice must become a priority in Pennsylvania.
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Education
Excellent Education Isn’t for the Select Few
Originally published in The Philadelphia Citizen Recent controversy over admission standards for Philadelphia’s selective schools made me think of my wife’s journey to attend Masterman when it…
Media Hit
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Pa. Education Spending Soars to All-Time High
Key Points Pennsylvania school district spending per student increased to $19,900 in 2020–21.State support of public education is up 40 percent over the last decade, reaching an all-time high of…
Backgrounder
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It’s time to get progressive about education
Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer Requis Sherby’s recent Inquirer op-ed about escaping public school bullying as a nonbinary and bisexual student resonates with me. I was bullied,…
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Read More: It’s time to get progressive about educationFairness
70% of Pennsylvanians believe the state is going in the wrong direction, something that may affect their vote: poll
Originally published at The Patriot -News Nearly seven in 10 Pennsylvanians believe Pennsylvania is headed in the wrong direction and a majority believe the state’s business climate…
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Read More: 70% of Pennsylvanians believe the state is going in the wrong direction, something that may affect their vote: pollEducation
HB 2169: Lifeline Scholarship Program
Overview The Pennsylvania House passed the Lifeline Scholarship Program bill on April 27, 2022. House Bill 2169, if passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, offers an…
Fact Sheet
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Bucks County parents unravel Covid-19 policies while boosting school choice proposals
Originally published in Broad + Liberty Bucks County parents who made efficient use of Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know law during the Covid-19 pandemic have helped to make the case for school choice.
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Pa. House Passes Lifeline Scholarship Bill
April 27, 2022, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, the Pennsylvania House passed a bill to offer Lifeline Scholarships to students in underperforming school districts. House Bill 2169, sponsored by Reps.
Press Release
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Our students need a ‘lifeline’ and HB 2169 is it
Originally published in the Bucks County Courier Times This month, the Pennsylvania House has been abuzz with anticipation of a vote on Lifeline Scholarship Program, or …
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Read More: Our students need a ‘lifeline’ and HB 2169 is itEducation
Special interests drive up education spending but hurt students and teachers
Originally published in The Mercury News Last month, after many delays, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released academic assessment results for 2021. The results were startling: over 47 percent…
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Gov. Wolf Should Pick the Side of Students
Originally published in The Philadelphia Citizen All students—regardless of their race, sex, or birthplace—deserve the opportunity to succeed. They deserve education choices. But school boards—and most recently, Gov. Tom…
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An answer for the way COVID put our children behind
Originally published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Maria Elizabeth had to make a hard choice: send her son to a failing school in Clairton or get a second job selling…
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Pa. House Committee Passes Student Scholarship Bill
March 29, 2022, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, the Pennsylvania House Education Committee approved a bill to offer Lifeline Scholarships to students in underperforming school districts. HB 2169, sponsored by…
Press Release
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Gov. Wolf Acts Unilaterally to Stifle Charter Schools
March 22, 2022, Harrisburg, Pa. — On Monday, the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) approved Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed regulations for Pennsylvania charter schools. The governor pushed the new…
Press Release
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News Release: Pa. State Test Scores Confirm Decline in Student Learning
March 7, 2022, Harrisburg Pa. – After a multi-month delay, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released on Friday student test scores for the 2021 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment…
Press Release
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How Tax Credit Scholarships Empower Those Most in Need
Originally published in the Delaware Valley Journal Of all the school choice bills currently up for consideration in Pennsylvania, state Sen. Mike Regan’s proposed expansion of tax credit scholarships…
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Taxpayer-funded lobbyists block K-12 education reform
Originally published Broad + Liberty Pennsylvania parents who support school choice initiatives are financially supporting lobbying organizations that do not. That’s because their tax dollars provide school districts with…
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Exposing the truth about education funding
Originally posted at LancasterOnline Does more money improve student performance in our public schools? This question is at the heart of many policy debates in Harrisburg and is central…
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Opportunity Unleashed
Key Points In June 2019, Pennsylvania’s General Assembly expanded the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs by a combined $30 million. In the 2019-20…
Backgrounder
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Education Opportunity Accounts in Practice
Key Points Education Opportunity Accounts (EOAs) are transformative, flexible-use accounts funded by state tax dollars.Program Administration: The Pennsylvania Treasury is the ideal administrator at the state level and may contract…
Backgrounder
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Catholic school parents, teachers challenge recruiting allegations in federal civil rights suit
Originally published at Broad + Liberty Parents and student wrestlers who engaged in school choice during the Covid-19 pandemic challenged recruiting allegations in federal court last week as part…
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Op-Ed: Chicago’s Lessons for Philadelphia Schools
Originally published in The Philadelphia Citizen At 8 years old, my Saturday haunt was the North Philadelphia Woolworths five and dime on 25th and Lehigh. I would prowl the…
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