Education
ESA Basics: Understanding this New Lifeline
Children trapped in Pennsylvania's worst-performing schools could soon have new educational opportunities. On Wednesday, Senator John DiSanto (R-Dauphin County) introduced Senate Bill 2, establishing Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) in Pennsylvania.
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Are Pennsylvania Schools Underfunded?
New figures from Pennsylvania's Department of Education refute the persistent myth that Pennsylvania public schools are underfunded. See the charts below for 2015-16 statistics on school spending,…
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Non-Teacher Staffing Surge Fails Students
Students have not benefited from large increases in public school staffing, according to a new study from EdChoice. Dr. Ben Scafidi, director of the Education Economics Center at Kennesaw…
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School District Spending, Rainy Day Funds are Surging—Again
Americans love Springtime—and for good reason! With Spring comes warm weather, blooming flowers, and baseball season. Most importantly, Spring is time for new data from Pennsylvania’s Department of Education—which yesterday…
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The Cost of Pennsylvania’s Pension Crisis
In recent Appropriation Committee hearings, Pennsylvania’s two statewide pension funds (PSERS and SERS) reported $62.2 billion in unfunded liabilities (or debt) that taxpayers must pay. This number—which assumes…
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Breaking: Charters Receive Funding to Educate Students
Advocacy group Education Voters of PA—notorious critics of parental choice and defenders of a one-size-fits-all education system—made a few…
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Will Lower Standards Help Pa. School Performance?
Pennsylvania’s primary tool for grading schools—the School Performance Profile (SPP)—is being overhauled. The current SPP is not particularly straightforward, but it’s based mainly on test scores and academic…
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In School Funding, Pa. High Court Must Not Usurp Legislature
In School Funding, Pa. High Court Must Not Usurp Legislature Student Based Funding Formula, Not Court Mandate, Is Best for Pa. Students September 13, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—As the Pennsylvania…
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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…
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