Headshot

Robert O’Donnell

Education Senior Fellow

The Honorable Robert W. O’Donnell is an Education Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation.

Bob is a Philadelphia-based attorney and a former Democratic Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. As a member of the House for 19 years, Bob rose through the ranks of leadership, serving as caucus chairman, majority whip, majority leader, and Speaker of the House. While in public service, he developed a reputation as a thoughtful, dynamic, and intellectually honest member of the House. He has been a consistent advocate for equality of opportunity including supporting school choice throughout his tenure in the legislature.

Bob has served as a member of Public Employees Retirement Study Commission, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh, the Mayor’s Tax Budget and Advisory Committee (Philadelphia), the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the General State Authority, the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force (Philadelphia), the Millrite Council, and the Philadelphia Port Corporation Board of Directors.

He is a graduate of Temple University and its law school and attended The Hague Academy of International Law. Arcadia College and Philadelphia University awarded Bod honorary degrees, and he has received several public awards including citations from the Pennsylvania League of Cities Service and Common Cause.

Bob resides in Chestnut Hill with his wife, Dr. Donna Gentile O’Donnell.

Education

Education Spending Poll

  • August 26, 2014

Nearly three-quarters of Pennsylvania voters underestimate the amount the state spends on education. And when informed of the facts, support for boosting education funding by hiking taxes dropped significantly.

Poll

Read More: Education Spending Poll

Taxes & Economy

Podcast: Profiles in Perseverance, Overcoming Poverty

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 25, 2014

Bobbi was struggling. A single mom of two kids, she had a job but no place to live. Thanks to Opportunity House in Reading, Pennsylvania, Bobbi found a home…

Media

Read More: Podcast: Profiles in Perseverance, Overcoming Poverty

Taxes & Economy

Landowners Will Bear Burden of Severance Tax

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 21, 2014

Randy Walker’s Armstrong County farm has been in the family for three generations. On 72 acres they grow hay, corn, oats, and care for cattle. A few years ago, Randy…

Media

Read More: Landowners Will Bear Burden of Severance Tax

Education

Pension Costs Forcing Teacher Layoffs

  • James Paul
  • August 20, 2014

We’ve debunked on this blog the “billion dollar education cut” myth time and time again. Yet another common refrain—even among those who admit state…

Media

Read More: Pension Costs Forcing Teacher Layoffs

Podcast: Teachers Opt Out of Union Membership

  • August 20, 2014

This post first appeared on Commonwealth Foundation’s PolicyBlog. As part of National Employee Freedom Week, we sat down with two western Pennsylvania teachers who successfully left their teachers’…

Media

Read More: Podcast: Teachers Opt Out of Union Membership

Public Union Democracy

Audio: 81% in PA Support Employee Freedom

  • August 19, 2014

Should workers be penalized for leaving a union? 81 percent of Pennsylvanians say “no.” So why hasn’t a policy change happened to free workers from having to pay a…

Media

Read More: Audio: 81% in PA Support Employee Freedom

Education

Podcast: Teachers Opt Out of Union Membership

  • August 19, 2014

As part of National Employee Freedom Week, we sat down with two western Pennsylvania teachers who successfully left their teachers’ unions last year. John Cress is a middle school…

Media

Read More: Podcast: Teachers Opt Out of Union Membership

Education

School Reserves Offer Pension Reform Opportunity

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 18, 2014

Despite the rhetoric of “billions of dollars” in cuts from education, school districts across Pennsylvania have been able to increase their reserve funds. School districts had a combined reserve fund…

Media

Read More: School Reserves Offer Pension Reform Opportunity

Regulation

Pennsylvanians Win: Liquor Markup Increase Nixed

  • August 18, 2014

Finally some good news for booze consumers: the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has decided against increasing the markup added to each wine and spirits product, according to PLCB…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvanians Win: Liquor Markup Increase Nixed