Charles Mitchell
President & CEO
Charles grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs in a family of railroaders, teachers, and small business owners. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania’s public schools, Bucknell University, the Koch Associate Program, and the Claremont Institute’s Publius Fellowship.
Charles first became associated with the Commonwealth Foundation when he was a college newspaper editor under attack for defending free speech. He became a Commonwealth Foundation investor in 2006, joined the staff as Chief Operations Officer in 2010, and became CEO in 2016. During that time, he has been honored with the State Policy Network’s Overton Award and the Heritage Foundation’s Distinguished Intern Alumni Award and recognized as one of City & State Pennsylvania Forty Under 40 Rising Stars.
In addition to his Commonwealth Foundation responsibilities, Charles serves as an elder of his family’s church, a founder of Threefold Schoolhouse: An Acton Academy, president of the Open Discourse Coalition, and a board member of Americans for Fair Treatment.
Charles lives in the Harrisburg area with his wife and their four daughters.
Education
A Pennsylvania Pastor Leads His Community’s Fight for Educational Freedom
Originally published at Reason Pastor Joshua Robertson didn’t set out to become a leader in the educational freedom movement, but when his community called, he answered. It was several…
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Josh Shapiro plays to the middle while pleasing the left
Originally published in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Perhaps you’ve heard: Our governor is a moderate president-in-the-making. Josh Shapiro is leaning into this image as the state legislature negotiates next year’s budget,…
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Charles Mitchell | On Offense in Pennsylvania
Charles Mitchell is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Commonwealth Foundation. Charles grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs in a family of railroaders, teachers, and small…
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Read More: Charles Mitchell | On Offense in PennsylvaniaPublic Union Democracy
Public Sector Unions Aren’t Doing Well
Originally published at The American Spectator Union strikes are all the rage these days. From automobile workers to television writers, labor strikes have dominated the news cycle this year —…
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School choice won in Pennsylvania this year—and 2024 is even more promising
Originally published at The Patriot-News School choice advocates in Pennsylvania received good news and even better news with the last legislative session of the year. First, the…
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Commonwealth Foundation CEO Charles Mitchell joins the Dawn Stensland Show on November 7, 2023
Commonwealth Foundation CEO Charles Mitchell discusses Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s shift on education policy.
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Read More: Commonwealth Foundation CEO Charles Mitchell joins the Dawn Stensland Show on November 7, 2023Education
The nation is watching Gov. Shapiro; he should lead on educational freedom in Pennsylvania
Originally published at The Patriot-News The state has a public education system with students trapped in failing schools. The governor wants to create the school choice funding they…
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Shapiro Could Be the First Prominent Democrat to Deliver School Choice
Originally published in Real Clear Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro could still be the first in his party to provide genuine school choice for his…
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Read More: Shapiro Could Be the First Prominent Democrat to Deliver School ChoiceEducation
Commonwealth Foundation President & CEO Charles Mitchell on the Dawn Stensland Show July 11, 2023
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Read More: Commonwealth Foundation President & CEO Charles Mitchell on the Dawn Stensland Show July 11, 2023Education
A Good Education Isn’t a Perk. It’s a Lifeline.
Originally published at Delaware Valley Journal What would you do to help your children succeed? Would you advocate for them, pushing to change the broken systems that keep them…
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Read More: A Good Education Isn’t a Perk. It’s a Lifeline.Education
Josh Shapiro Chooses Teachers Unions Over Students
Originally published in the Wall Street Journal Nancy Pelosi infamously stated that to find out what ObamaCare contained, Congress had to pass the bill. This week, Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh…
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Commonwealth Foundation Chairman & CEO Charles Mitchell on the Dom Giordano Show July 6, 2023
Commonwealth Foundation Chairman & CEO Charles Mitchell talks Lifeline Scholarships and the Pennsylvania budget on the Dom Giordano Show.
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Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Chairman & CEO Charles Mitchell on the Dom Giordano Show July 6, 2023Energy
Will Pennsylvania’s Governor See the Light on Energy or Follow Biden’s Lead?
Originally published in National Review Pennsylvania ranks among the leading energy producers in the nation and is our country’s No. 1 exporter of electricity. But radical environmentalists and…
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Read More: Will Pennsylvania’s Governor See the Light on Energy or Follow Biden’s Lead?Public Union Democracy
Teacher Unions Pick Politics Over Students and Teachers
Originally published at The American Spectator There’s a war brewing in education — and it’s not just on parents. It’s on the teachers themselves — and the same unions…
Commentary
Read More: Teacher Unions Pick Politics Over Students and TeachersProsperity
Ending Poverty Starts With Increasing Work And Paychecks, Not Government Budgets
Originally published at The Federalist Lawmakers across the spectrum agree that poverty is a perennial crisis. But if they are ever going to come together to find an effective…
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Read More: Ending Poverty Starts With Increasing Work And Paychecks, Not Government BudgetsEnergy
Key to PA’s Success Isn’t More Bureaucracy – It’s More Business Innovation
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania Pennsylvania brims with natural resources and human talent – but for the past eight years, the state’s heavy regulatory hand has often restrained opportunities for…
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Read More: Key to PA’s Success Isn’t More Bureaucracy – It’s More Business InnovationFairness
Public-Sector Unions Struggle to Maintain Influence, Membership
Originally published at Newsweek Some observers argue the labor movement in America is “having a moment,” but for the four largest public-sector workers’ unions—AFSCME, SEIU, NEA, and AFT—the “moment” is…
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Read More: Public-Sector Unions Struggle to Maintain Influence, MembershipProsperity
Pennsylvania’s losing economically to other states
Originally published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Like so many Pennsylvanians, I’ve had to say goodbye to another dear friend who left our commonwealth on the promise of work. The…
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Read More: Pennsylvania’s losing economically to other statesFairness
Wisconsin’s union law worked. Now it’s Pennsylvania’s turn.
Originally published at The Philadelphia Inquirer Talk about unions is heating up. Just look at Amazon and Starbucks. Bernie Sanders says that Democrats need to encourage…
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Read More: Wisconsin’s union law worked. Now it’s Pennsylvania’s turn.
Op-Ed: States rebel against governors’ arbitrary COVID-19 powers. Pennsylvania is the latest.
Pennsylvanians continue to pay a steep price for Gov. Tom Wolf's lockdowns while the state ranks in the top 11 of coronavirus deaths per capita.
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Read More: Op-Ed: States rebel against governors’ arbitrary COVID-19 powers. Pennsylvania is the latest.
Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Voters Fight Back Against Power-Hungry Governor Abusing Emergency Powers
Following the disastrous shutdowns in states like New York and New Jersey, lawmakers may want to emulate Pennsylvania’s constitutional remedy.
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