Education
Growing Chorus Urges School Boards to Protect Taxpayers
In response to CF’s research on school district reserve funds, reporters and editorial boards have weighed in on the question: Why are districts holding millions in reserve while seeking…
Media
Read More: Growing Chorus Urges School Boards to Protect TaxpayersEducation
Is Your District Hiking Taxes While Piling Up Large Reserves?
In June, CF published a searchable database showing fund balance data for each of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts as of 2015. Given the recent…
Media
Read More: Is Your District Hiking Taxes While Piling Up Large Reserves?Education
Facts about the State Share of School Funding
Should the Pennsylvania Supreme Court order the Legislature to give billions more dollars to school districts? That's what a recent lawsuit demands. But to make their case to the public, the lawsuit's advocates…
Media
Read More: Facts about the State Share of School FundingGovernment Accountability
School District Labor Contracts: Surprising Provisions
More than 1.7 million students rely on Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts to meet their diverse educational needs. School boards from each district agree to collective bargaining agreements (labor contracts) with local teachers’…
Memo
Read More: School District Labor Contracts: Surprising ProvisionsEducation
Making the Most of Education Dollars
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale recently uncovered $2.5 million improperly paid to nine public charter schools. At issue is whether buildings owned by charter schools are eligible for the state's lease…
Media
Read More: Making the Most of Education DollarsEducation
School Spending Update, 2014-15
Pennsylvania school districts spent approximately $27.4 billion in 2014-15. This represents a $1.3 billion increase from 2013-14, despite a 12,000 student decrease in average daily membership.
Memo
Read More: School Spending Update, 2014-15Education
Pennsylvania Education Spending Trends
Pennsylvania school districts spent $26.1 billion in 2013-14, an all-time high, according to the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This represents a $600 million increase from 2012-13.
Memo
Read More: Pennsylvania Education Spending TrendsPublic Union Democracy
The Undemocratic Nature of Government Unions
The Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) entrenches compulsory unionism among public sector workers. It stacks the deck in favor of powerful union executives, limiting state workers and teachers…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Undemocratic Nature of Government UnionsPublic Union Democracy
Voting for Your Union
Imagine if a political party could stay in power for four decades without facing reelection. Thankfully, we have regular elections in this country. But for Pennsylvania teachers, this is reality.
Media
Read More: Voting for Your Union