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Education
U.S. Treasury Releases New Guidelines on Federal Scholarship Program
New guidance answers concerns about the federal program and removes excuses for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s indecision. Harrisburg, Pa., June 11, 2026 — Yesterday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released new guidance regarding the federal scholarship tax credit program, which passed into…
Read More: U.S. Treasury Releases New Guidelines on Federal Scholarship Program
State Budget
Corporate Hand-outs Cost Billions, Yield Minimum Return
Read More: Corporate Hand-outs Cost Billions, Yield Minimum Return
State Budget
New Report: Less than 1% of Pa. Workers Earn Minimum Wage
Read More: New Report: Less than 1% of Pa. Workers Earn Minimum Wage
Education
25 Years of Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)
Read More: 25 Years of Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)Energy
New Report: Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Energy Proposals Will Double Electric Bills
The report finds PACER and PRESS proposals would impose massive increases to household electricity rates. Harrisburg, Pa., May 27, 2025 — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released its latest…
Press Release
Read More: New Report: Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Energy Proposals Will Double Electric BillsEducation
Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment Declined
Harrisburg, Pa., May 15, 2025 — Pennsylvania school districts increased overall revenue collected in 2023–24 to $23,000 per student, while expanding general fund reserves to $7.4 billion, according to new…
Press Release
Read More: Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment DeclinedEnergy
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Harrisburg, Pa., May 12, 2025 – The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow in Harrisburg on the constitutionality of the controversial Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Pennsylvania entered RGGI…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGIEducation
Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in Need
Harrisburg, Pa., May 6, 2025—Today, the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee approved legislation to establish the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) Scholarships. Similar to the popular Lifeline Scholarship proposal, PASS…
Press Release
Read More: Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in NeedRegulation
New Report: Gig-Workers Prefer Flexibility of Portable Benefits
Commonwealth Foundation’s new report analyzes the success of DoorDash’s Portable Benefits Pilot Program in Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pa., April 24, 2025 – DoorDash unveiled its portable benefits pilot…
Press Release
Read More: New Report: Gig-Workers Prefer Flexibility of Portable BenefitsEducation
Andrew Lewis on ‘This Week in Pennsylvania’
Andrew Lewis, Commonwealth Foundation’s President & CEO, joined Dennis Owens to discuss the education and energy policies that will empower all Pennsylvanians to thrive. Lewis called on Governor Josh…
Media Hit
Read More: Andrew Lewis on ‘This Week in Pennsylvania’Taxes & Economy
Stephen Bloom joins RJ Harris in the Morning to Talk Tax Reform
Was your Tax Day painful this year? Pennsylvania’s tax structure may be the reason. Commonwealth Foundation’s Vice President Stephen Bloom joins RJ Harris in the Morning to discuss why Pennsylvanians…
Media Hit
Read More: Stephen Bloom joins RJ Harris in the Morning to Talk Tax ReformPublic Union Democracy
New Analysis Reveals Striking Partisanship of Government Union Spending
Government unions spent more than $33 million on political causes and only 5.2 percent of PAC contributions went to non-Democratic candidates. Harrisburg, Pa., April 16, 2025 — Government unions…
Press Release
Read More: New Analysis Reveals Striking Partisanship of Government Union SpendingState Budget
Independent Fiscal Office Exposes Shapiro’s Overinflated Revenue Projections
Harrisburg, Pa., March 5, 2025 — Tuesday, the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its analysis of revenue proposals contained in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025–26 budget proposal. This latest…
Press Release
Read More: Independent Fiscal Office Exposes Shapiro’s Overinflated Revenue ProjectionsEducation
Senate Republicans School Shapiro Administration, Stand up for Students and Taxpayers
Harrisburg, Pa., February 27, 2025 — Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee heard testimony from Pennsylvania Department of Education Acting Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed education spending…
Press Release
Read More: Senate Republicans School Shapiro Administration, Stand up for Students and Taxpayers
Commonwealth Foundation Announces Promotion of Elizabeth Stelle to Vice President of Policy
Elizabeth Stelle previously served as the Director of Policy Analysis for the Commonwealth Foundation. Harrisburg, Pa., February 26, 2025 — Commonwealth Foundation is pleased to announce the promotion of…
Media Hit
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Announces Promotion of Elizabeth Stelle to Vice President of PolicyEducation
New Report: Demand for Tax Credit Scholarships Rises as Wait Lists Grow
Rising, unmet demand for EITC and OSTC programs necessitates expanded educational choice options like Lifeline Scholarships. Harrisburg, Pa., February 26, 2025 — Demand for school choice scholarships…
Press Release
Read More: New Report: Demand for Tax Credit Scholarships Rises as Wait Lists GrowPublic Union Democracy
David Osborne joins the Guy Benson Show on Fox News Radio
Curious to learn how Trump’s Labor Secretary pick, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, might impact public sector union policy? David Osborne, Senior Fellow of Labor Policy at Commonwealth Foundation discusses this and more…
Media Hit
Read More: David Osborne joins the Guy Benson Show on Fox News RadioEducation
Audit Shows Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools are Fiscally Responsible
Cyber charter schools need reserve funds to ensure their continued operation despite fluctuations in their unpredictable funding. CORRECTION: A previous version of this release incorrectly stated that the fund…
Press Release
Read More: Audit Shows Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools are Fiscally ResponsibleGovernment Accountability
Independent Fiscal Office Shows Shapiro’s Budget Will Deepen the Deficit
IFO’s new Long-Term Budget Outlook Update illustrates Pennsylvania’s economic peril in light of Governor Shapiro’s 2025 budget proposal. Harrisburg, Pa., February 11, 2025 — Today, Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office…
Press Release
Read More: Independent Fiscal Office Shows Shapiro’s Budget Will Deepen the DeficitEducation
No Choice
Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer. In a recent Inquirer article, Donna Cooper, executive director of Children First, stated that “the overwhelming majority of parents choose public schools.”…
Media Hit
Read More: No ChoiceEducation
Commonwealth Foundation’s Nathan Benefield Releases Analysis of the Governor’s 2025 Budget Proposal
Harrisburg, PA, February 4, 2025 – Massive spending increases proposed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in his recently released 2025 budget proposal “will force extreme tax hikes on working families in the coming…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation’s Nathan Benefield Releases Analysis of the Governor’s 2025 Budget ProposalEnergy
Lawmakers Move to Repeal Shapiro’s Harmful Energy Tax
Harrisburg, Pa., February 4, 2025 – Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed, with a bipartisan 31-18 vote, legislation to leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Gov. Shapiro is currently appealing a Commonwealth…
Press Release
Read More: Lawmakers Move to Repeal Shapiro’s Harmful Energy TaxEducation
Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax Hikes
Video statements for broadcast media are available here. Harrisburg, Pa., February 4, 2025 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his 2025 Pennsylvania budget address, proposing a $3.9 billion spending increase.
Press Release
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax HikesEducation
Commonwealth Foundation Applauds President Trump’s Executive Order to Expand Educational Opportunity
Harrisburg, Pa., January 30, 2025 — President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, issued an executive order to expand educational opportunity for families. While the details of this order remain in…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Applauds President Trump’s Executive Order to Expand Educational OpportunityEducation
Pennsylvania’s Students Fall Behind in Math and Reading, Despite $4.1 Billion School Funding Boost
Harrisburg, Pa., January 29, 2025 – The Nation’s Report Card, released this morning by the U.S. Department of Education, showed that 69% of Pennsylvania 8th grade students aren’t…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Students Fall Behind in Math and Reading, Despite $4.1 Billion School Funding Boost