Education

Chart of the Day: Public School Enrollment vs Staff

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • December 5, 2011

One of the drivers of education spending is an increase in staff sizes while enrollment has declined. Data from the PA Department of Education indicates that from 1999-2000 to…

Media

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Education

Teacher Evaluation Bill Up for Committee Vote

  • Priya Brannick
  • November 15, 2011

Reforming Pennsylvania’s teacher evaluation system is an important leg of Gov. Tom Corbett’s education reform agenda, along with school vouchers, charter school reform, and expanding the successful Educational Improvement Tax…

Media

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Education

A New Teacher Evaluation System for Pennsylvania

  • November 10, 2011

After numerous meetings and conversations with constituents, teachers, school administrators and education policy experts, I have come to the conclusion that we must have a comprehensive way to identify quality…

Commentary

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Government Accountability

Pennsylvania’s Government Unions

  • October 27, 2011

Pennsylvania is a forced union state, meaning that workers can be forced to join a union or pay a "fair share fee" just to keep their job.  Most government units…

Fact Sheet

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Education

School Choice Saves Kids, Taxpayers $4 Billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 19, 2011

Critics of expanding school choice in Pennsylvania often claim it will “cost too much” or drain precious resources. But in fact, school choice already saves Pennsylvania taxpayers more than $4…

Media

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Education

Analysis Finds Failing Public Schools Racked by Violence

  • October 18, 2011

The Commonwealth Foundation released today an alarming new analysis of school violence that uncovered more than 4,500 criminal acts occurred at the 141 public schools scoring worst in the…

Press Release

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Education

Pennsylvania’s Failing, Violent Schools

  • October 18, 2011

Nearly 82,000 children are enrolled in the 141 public schools with available data on violence in Pennsylvania's lowest-performing 5 percent on student proficiency. These schools reported more than 4,500 violent…

Fact Sheet

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Education

Charter School Funding in Pennsylvania

  • October 10, 2011

Many school districts and other advocates complain about the charter school funding mechanism, arguing that it "drains funding" from school districts.  This charge must be considered in the context of…

Fact Sheet

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