Education
Commonwealth Court ruling is a massive win for education choice advocates
Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer After a more than eight-year slog, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court affirmed what the Pennsylvania Constitution has said all…
Read More: Commonwealth Court ruling is a massive win for education choice advocatesEducation 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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School Construction and Electoral Participation
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation…
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Governor Rendells Rewarding Results & Accountability
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you Chairman Stairs and members of the Committee for the invitation to testify this afternoon on Governor Rendell’s “Rewarding Results and…
Commentary
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Governor Rendells Early Childhood Investment Fund
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Good afternoon, and thank you Chairman Stairs and members of the Committee for the opportunity to address the topic of early childhood…
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What $17.4 Billion Cant Buy
There are few things in Pennsylvania that $17,438,840,000 cannot buy. Yet in signing the 2003-04 Budget, Governor Rendell told Pennsylvanians that $10,400 average per-pupil revenue is simply not enough to…
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Getting More, Paying Less: Children, Taxpayers, and Public Schools Benefit from the Educational Improvement Tax Credit
Executive Summary The public school system is one of the most expansive and expensive government monopolies in America. Yet both real-world experience and economic research suggest that this monopoly of…
Fact Sheet
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School Taxes and Education Quality: Rendells Rhetoric Versus Reality
Governor Rendell’s inaugural speech reiterated his campaign promise to reform Pennsylvania’s school funding and property tax system while boosting the state’s share of total school revenue to 50 percent. But…
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Waiting at the Cradle
"Hey, what about the kids?" That is the slogan for a multimillion-dollar public relations campaign called "Focus Five for Kids," created to highlight children's issues during the Pennsylvania gubernatorial campaign.
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Property Tax & School Funding Reform: The Michigan Experience and Principles for Pennsylvania
Executive Summary After decades of relative inaction, Pennsylvania policymakers may finally tackle the issue of property-tax and school-funding reform. While states such as Michigan have already substantively addressed the problem…
Fact Sheet
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The Pennsylvania State (Everything But) Education Association
Almost as predictable as the beginning of the football season is the start of the strike season by public school employees in Pennsylvania. And the kick-off to the 2002-03 school…
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Statewide Teacher Contract Will Destroy The Teaching Profession In Pennsylvania
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you Mr. Chairman, Rep. Wilt, and Members of the House Labor Relations Committee for the invitation to testify this morning on…
Commentary
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The Pennsylvania State Education Association: Compelling Teachers, Lobbying Politicians, and Increasing Taxes
Executive Summary Originally founded as the Pennsylvania State Teachers Association in 1852, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) has transformed itself from a professional development organization for educators into one…
Fact Sheet
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Pennsylvania’s Under-Funded Public Schools and the Special Education Burden
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you members of the Committee for the invitation to testify this morning. My name is Matthew Brouillette and I am the…
Commentary
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The Myth of the Special Education Burden
Executive Summary Over the past thirty years, school property taxes in Pennsylvania have increased at a rate more than twice the concurrent rate of inflation. Local school boards—those elected officials…
Fact Sheet
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Three Principles for Necessary for Successful Property-Tax/School-Funding Reform in Pennsylvania
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you members of the Committee for the invitation to testify this morning. My name is Matthew Brouillette and I am the…
Commentary
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Dispelling the Myth of Pennsylvanias Under-Funded Public Schools
Executive Summary The perennial debate over education funding in Pennsylvania—when it is not about how much more schools should get—is about how the taxpayers should fund the schools. Current discussions…
Fact Sheet
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More Dollars Will Not Produce More Scholars
Just one day after Pennsylvania celebrated Tax Freedom Day 2002—the day when citizens stop toiling just to pay their federal, state, and local taxes and are finally free to work…
Commentary
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Do Our Schools Really Need More Money?
If your wallet starts feeling a lot lighter, you can thank the administrators of Pennsylvania’s public school system. On March 12, over 50 superintendents and board members descended on the…
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