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Jacob Custer

Policy Data Analyst

Jacob Custer is the Policy Data Analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation. 

Jacob graduated cum laude from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, with a bachelor’s degree in economics and public policy and a minor in American politics. Jacob received a master’s degree in economics from George Mason University in Virginia, where he also participated in the MA Fellowship at the Mercatus Center and worked as a graduate research assistant. 

Jacob is passionate about advancing economic freedom. His work in economics explores public choice theory, the socialist calculation debate, and property rights. To connect ideas with practice, he gained experience through internships at the Leadership Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and Capitol Hill. Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, Jacob worked in Washington, D.C., for a U.S. senator.

Outside of work, Jacob plays pickleball, looks for new board games to play, or hits the road in search of the next adventure.

Top 5 Blog Posts of 2014

  • December 29, 2014

Which blog posts were the most popular in 2014? We count them down, as chosen by you, the reader. 5.) Video: Government Unions’ Political Power Cycle How do…

Media

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Education

SAT Scores by State 2014

  • December 22, 2014

Every year, the College Board releases its SAT Report on College & Career Readiness, which includes SAT data for individual states. We've organized this data into one convenient…

Media

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Education

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Low Expectations

  • James Paul
  • December 19, 2014

Is it true that schools with high concentrations of low-income students face unique challenges? Yes. Should poverty, along with several other social problems, be understood as a factor that influences…

Media

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Education

Harmed by “Hold Harmless”

  • James Paul
  • December 15, 2014

There are few more egregious examples of political doublespeak than Pennsylvania’s “hold harmless” provision for state education funding. Hold harmless guarantees each school district receives no fewer state education dollars…

Media

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Mary’s Law: Protecting Teachers and Taxpayers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 12, 2014

“Mary’s Law,” new legislation that will soon be introduced by State Senators John Eichelberger and Gene Yaw—along with 10 other senators—would end the taxpayer-funded collection of political money. Update:…

Media

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Regulation

Government Falls Short in Subsidizing Job Creation

  • December 12, 2014

“Incomplete, misleading, and unreliable”—that is how an Auditor General report described Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of your…

Media

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Education

Pennsylvanians Deserve True Fairness

  • December 11, 2014

Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to pursue success in our state. While Gov.-elect Wolf's intentions echo this noble sentiment, many of his proposals fall far short of his vision.

Commentary

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