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Education

The Many Benefits of Tax Credit Scholarships

• Colleen Hroncich
• May 20, 2019

The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) empower thousands of students with a high-quality education of their choice each year—and at a fraction of the…

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Education

Are Pennsylvania Leaders Out of Touch?

• Marc LeBlond
• May 17, 2019

When asked whether Philadelphia needs “more, fewer, or the same number of charter schools,” Mayor Jim Kenney responded, “Fewer.” It’s a baffling answer, considering his city’s educational landscape. Just…

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Criminal Justice Reform

Should Pa. Wreck Lives Over a Technicality?

• Jessica Barnett
• May 16, 2019

Pennsylvania’s correctional system has a “revolving door” problem. Over 63 percent of the correctional population will return to prison within three years. To change Pennsylvania’s reputation as “imprisonment king”…

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Education

School Districts’ Cash Stash Tops $4.6 Billion

• May 16, 2019

May 16, 2019, Harrisburg, Pa.—Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts hold $4.6 billion in reserve funds, according the latest data available from the Pa. Department of Education. Reserves rose by $64 million in…

Press Release

Education

Guest Post: Educational Freedom in Harrisburg

• May 15, 2019

Rian Slade-Bowers' testimonial was first published by American Federation for Children. I attended private schools all my life and it has benefited me immensely. I was educated in a diverse environment…

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Public Union Democracy

Pa. Attorney General Agrees: Workers Should Know Their Rights

• Jessica Barnett, Nathan Benefield
• May 14, 2019

Attorney General Josh Shapiro recently demonstrated why Pennsylvania government workers need the Employee Rights Notification Act (House Bill 785 and Senate Bill 371). In a tweet, Shapiro…

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Education

How to End Waiting Lists for Opportunity

• May 9, 2019

Did 20 years of government initiatives improve public schools? A recent American Enterprise Institute report finds all the money poured into efforts like No Child Left Behind and Race to…

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Education

House Sends Major School Choice Expansion Bill to Senate

• May 7, 2019

May 7, 2019, Harrisburg, Pa.—Today, in a bipartisan vote, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed HB 800, a school choice bill that promises opportunity to thousands of students trapped…

Press Release

5 Reasons to Expand EITC and OSTC

• Colleen Hroncich
• May 7, 2019

House lawmakers just voted for an urgently needed expansion of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit. Here are five reasons state senators should support raising the limits on this important program as…

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State Budget

Failure to Save Now Means Tax Hikes Later

• Tirzah Duren
• May 7, 2019

Anyone who’s had to pinch a few pennies knows this to be true: Failure to save in good years means you’re not prepared for the bad ones. This is a…

Media

Government Accountability

Union Medicaid Dues Skimming Scheme Finally Ends

• Jessica Barnett
• May 3, 2019

Six years ago, Pam Harris fought in court to keep her disabled son at home. A portion of her limited caregiver stipend was being funneled to union she never…

Media

Criminal Justice Reform

Four Ways Lawmakers Are Setting Up Pa. For Success

• Elizabeth Stelle
• May 3, 2019

Freedom and opportunity are on the move in the Keystone State. In the past week, lawmakers have taken four serious strides for the families and business owners of Pennsylvania. We’re…

Media

Criminal Justice Reform

Senate Committee Passes Transformative Criminal Justice Reform

• Jessica Barnett
• May 2, 2019

Pennsylvania is one step closer to another landmark criminal justice reform. Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed the Justice Reinvestment Initiative II (JRI II). This three-bill reform package…

Media

State Budget

Tax Reforms Not Football Will Keep People in Pa.

• May 1, 2019

The Steelers may not be the most recent Pennsylvania team to win a Super Bowl, but that doesn’t stop them from having the second highest out-of-state fan base. The…

Media

Harrisburg’s School Crisis Shows Students Can’t Wait for Options

• May 1, 2019

With only 16.3 percent of Harrisburg School District high schoolers reading at grade level, a grade inflation scandal, and several administrative financial scandals, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse called for a receiver…

Media

Education

How Low-Income Students Benefit from Education Tax Credits

• Lenny McAllister, Nathan Benefield
• April 30, 2019

Yesterday, the House Education Committee advanced legislation to expand Pennsylvania’s successful tax credit scholarship program. HB 800, sponsored by Speaker Mike Turzai, would increase the Educational Improvement Tax Credit…

Media

State Budget

Protecting Pa.’s Future: The Taxpayer Protection Act

• Elizabeth Stelle
• April 30, 2019

Pennsylvanians currently owe more than $128 billion in state and local debt—an astounding $10,015 for every man, woman, and child. Yet, our state government is raking in more revenue from…

Media

School Choice Expansion Bill Passes House Committee

• April 29, 2019

April 29, 2019, Harrisburg, Pa.— Last year, Commonwealth Foundation research revealed that more than half of all student applications to Pennsylvania’s tax credit scholarship programs are denied. Now, lawmakers are…

Press Release

Public Union Democracy

Gov. Unions: Pennsylvania’s Biggest Political Spenders

• Jessica Barnett
• April 29, 2019

We all know that government unions are big players in American politics. However, new research gives us some perspective on just how big they play. According to an analysis by…

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Education

Is Pennsylvania Poised For a Giant Leap in Student Opportunity?

• Marc LeBlond
• April 29, 2019

For kids who need a choice and a chance, help may be on the way. In Tennessee, both chambers of the state legislature passed Education Scholarship Account (ESA)…

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Regulation

House Tackles Pa.’s Heavy Regulatory Burden

• Elizabeth Stelle
• April 25, 2019

Despite record low unemployment and rising wages, three-quarters of Pennsylvania counties have lost residents to other counties and states. Why? One key factor is our poor business climate. According…

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