Education 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.

Education

Education Pioneer David Hardy Tells Harrisburg to Pass Lifeline Scholarships

  • September 14, 2023

Harrisburg, Pa., September 14, 2023 — Philadelphia education pioneer and Commonwealth Foundation Distinguished Senior Fellow David Hardy delivered powerful testimony to the state Senate Education Committee on Monday, reminding lawmakers that the…

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Education

School Choice Report, Episode 16

  • David P. Hardy
  • September 12, 2023

Ryan Boyer is the business manager of Laborers’ District Council and head of the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council. It’s been written that he’s a no-nonsense operator in the…

Podcast

Read More: School Choice Report, Episode 16

Opportunity

Jennifer Stefano: All that’s lost when teens don’t work

  • September 11, 2023

Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and Commonwealth Foundation Executive Vice President Jennifer Stefano, in her recent column, laments the decline of teenage employment and the life lessons that teenagers miss when they don’t…

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Opportunity

All that’s lost when teens don’t work

  • Jennifer Stefano
  • September 11, 2023

Originally published at The Philadelphia Inquirer At a back-to-school night this year, I chatted with a group of moms who had kids in high school. Their teens’ summers were…

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Education

School Choice Spotlight on Private Education

  • Rachel Langan
  • September 6, 2023

Ana, a mom to two sons, lives in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. Her youngest—awarded a four-year scholarship to a private academy in the Kensington/Port Richmond section of Philadelphia—is…

School Choice Spotlight

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Education

Parental activism and public support level the playing field as government unions block Lifelines to students in failing schools.

  • Kevin Mooney
  • August 31, 2023

Originally published at Broad + Liberty When government union leaders sent a letter to elected officials urging them to oppose scholarships for low-income students, they left out that part…

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Read More: Parental activism and public support level the playing field as government unions block Lifelines to students in failing schools.

Education

Americans Want Education Reform. Why Don’t Democrats?

  • Jennifer Stefano
  • August 30, 2023

Originally published at Newsweek Millions of American children return to school every August with new pencils and notebooks. Unfortunately, for more than a million kids, supplies are the only…

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Education

School Choice Report, Episode 15

  • David P. Hardy
  • August 28, 2023

Georgia State Representative and school choice champion Mesa Mainor made headlines across the nation when she left the Democratic Party after her party attacked her when she decided to stand…

Podcast

Read More: School Choice Report, Episode 15

Education

Legislature should fund college students, not administrators

  • Jonathan McGee
  • August 24, 2023

Originally published at Centre Daily Times As Pennsylvania’s budget stalemate persists, so does the limbo on funding for four state-related universities. Under debate is Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed collective…

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Education

Back-to-school Report Showcases Latest Pa. Education Trends

  • August 22, 2023

Harrisburg, Pa., August 22, 2023 — Pennsylvania public school spending soars as enrollment drops and school hiring increases, according to a new Commonwealth Foundation back-to-school policy backgrounder that highlights…

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Education

Pa. Public Schools Spend More Per Child Than the National Average

  • August 22, 2023

Harrisburg, Pa., August 22, 2023 — Pennsylvania per-student education spending is the seventh highest in the nation, according to a new report that analyzes education trends. According to the…

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Education

Every kid deserves to be as lucky as me

  • Jaslin Vasquez-Gonzalez
  • August 22, 2023

Originally published at Broad + Liberty I graduated from Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls with a 5.3 grade point average. At Little Flower, I was an active student,…

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Education

Pa. Back to School Public Education Trends

  • August 22, 2023

Overview As students head back to school, there are many claims of teacher shortages and funding shortfalls. In reality, public school spending is at a record high, and Pennsylvania ranks…

Backgrounder

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Education

School Choice Report, Episode 14

  • David P. Hardy
  • August 21, 2023

We are excited to have CEO & founder of Q&A, co-founder of Venice Music, and school choice advocate Troy Carter join the show! Mr. Carter’s connections to Philadelphia strong,…

Podcast

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Education

House Democrats Need to Get Back to Work

  • Stephen Bloom
  • August 21, 2023

Originally published at Delaware Valley Journal Pennsylvania House Democrats have been acting busy during the state budget impasse—an impasse their own majority leader, Rep. Matt Bradford, inexplicably denied existed…

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Education

School Choice Report, Episode 13

  • August 14, 2023

In this episode, host David Hardy sits down with CEO and Executive Director at Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools Janel “Jay” Artis-Wright. Ms. Artis-Wright has spent two decades lobbying, training,…

Podcast

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Education

Josh Shapiro: Bridge Builder or Bridge Burner?

  • Erik Telford
  • August 13, 2023

Originally published in townhall.com. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro may have fixed one bridge, but he’s burning others. While the governor brags about …

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Education

School Choice Report, Episode 12

  • August 8, 2023

From discussing the “why” behind the push for school choice to what hope families could and should have on the education horizon, host David Hardy leads intriguing discussions with Senior…

Podcast

Read More: School Choice Report, Episode 12