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AUGUST 26, 2010 | Commentary by DAVID KIRKPATRICK
Teachers and their Unions, Part II
This is another look raising legitimate questions as to how, or even if, teacher unions can reasonably be said to recommend their members which, of course, they maintain they do. These are not carefully selected events but essentially random occurrences that have appeared in a wide variety of districts over a long period of time, and c
AUGUST 19, 2010 | Commentary by DAVID W. KIRKPATRICK
Teachers and Their Unions
Teacher unions like to say they represent their members and look out for their best interests, including protecting their rights to speak out without reprisal. Teachers are by the nature of their work college graduates. So it's a bit more common for them to try to have their say than in many other occupations.
AUGUST 10, 2010 | Commentary by JOSHUA HOERNER
A School Choice Governor?
Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett recently made headlines by announcing his support for full-fledged school choice in Pennsylvania. Democrat Dan Onorato has also expressed support for school choice, particularly the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC). A school choice governor will be a welcome change from the past eig
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AUGUST 18, 2010
Who Got PSEA Money?
The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) remains one of the most powerful special interest groups in Harrisburg, whether it be fighting school choice and merit pay for teachers, denying the state pension crisis while being complicit in it, or lobbying for higher taxes.
In addition to their lobbying and dues-funded political activity, the PSEA has one of the largest Political Action Committees (PACs) in Pennsylvania. Last election cycle, the Political Action Committee for Education (PSEA-PACE) was the second largest contributor to state candidates, giving over $2 million.
So far, PSEA-PACE has contributed $492,460 in the 2009-2010 election, with more to come. So who gets PSEA campaign money?
The Big Winners
The largest beneficiary was gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato who received $177,459.59 from the PSEA. However, given Onorato's recent support for a new school choice scholarship program in Pennsylvania, the union might be regretting their substantial campaign support.
Lawmakers that received more than $10,000 from the PSEA-PACE were Rep. Todd Eachus (D-Hazleton, House Majority Leader), Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia, Appropriations Committee Chair), Rep. James Roebuck (D-Philadelphia, Education Committee Chair), Rep. Ron Buxton (D-Harrisburg), Rep. Bill DeWeese (D-Greene County), Rep. Mike Gerber (D-Montgomery County), and Rep. Rick Taylor (D-Montgomery County).
Gov. Rendell, though term limited, still received $20,000 this cycle in PSEA money for his "campaign."
General Assembly Breakdown
- Donations to House members totaled $227,300, with the majority ($203,100) going to House Democrats.
- 62% of House members received PSEA PAC funds, including 86% of House Democrats.
- Donations to Senate members totaled $67,700, with contributions split nearly evenly between parties; $34,350 for Democrats and $33,350 for Republicans.
- 70% of all Senate members received PSEA PACE funds.
You can see the complete list of House and Senate PSEA-PACE recipients below.
posted by KATRINA CURRIE, RYAN MELLINGER | 01:23 PM | 0 comment
AUGUST 17, 2010
Administrative Costs Keep Tuition High
The Goldwater Institute puts higher education on the spot in a new study entitled: Administrative Bloat at American Universities, authored by Jay Greene. The study finds university administration costs growing dramatically, despite only a 15% enrollment increase between 1993 and 2007.
The number of full-time administrators per 100 students at America's leading universities grew by 39 percent, while the number of employees engaged in teaching, research or service only grew by 18 percent. Inflation-adjusted spending on administration per student increased by 61 percent during the same period, while instructional spending per student rose 39 percent.
Penn State University is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Full-time administrators, per 100 students, grew by 71%, compared to 5.3% for other staff and faculty. Today, administrators outnumber teachers, researchers, and service providers.
| Change, 1993 to 2007 | |||
| School | Admin. Staff per 100 Students | Instruction & Research Staff per 100 Students | Tuition |
| Pennsylvania State University |
70.8% | 5.3% | 83.6% |
| Temple University |
-26.4% | -8.1% | 41.7% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 54.7% | 61.7% | 71.9% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 97.3% | 77.0% | 41.4% |
| Source: Administrative Bloat at American Universities | |||
Another case in point is the rising administrative costs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), where former President Tony Atwater set a new PA State System of Higher Education spending record on food, travel, and residential costs (over $400,000 in 5 years).
Typically, growing industries become more efficient, but not so with higher education. Tuition has skyrocketed in recent years. Inflation adjusted, tuition increased by 66.7% at the nation's 198 leading public and private universities from 1993 to 2007.
So why the bloat? The study notes the surge in administrative costs can be traced to growing federal and state subsidies, as well as gifts and fees for non-educational services. As a result, students are insulated from the actual costs of their education, and there is no customer pressure to keep down tuition bills.
In the end, Greene reaches the same conclusion as CF's study on higher education -- reducing government subsidies to institutions would do much to make universities more efficient and affordable.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 02:08 PM | 0 comment
AUGUST 16, 2010
Seven PA Universities Have High Racial Graduation Gaps
Several universities in Pennsylvania have a large gap between white and black graduation rates, according to a recent report from Education Trust.
Shippensburg University, with a 30.3% difference between white and black graduation rates, has the third highest gap among public schools in the nation. Western Pennsylvania schools aren't immune, the study found a 27.4% gap at Robert Morris University, where 31% of black students graduate, compared to 58% of white students, graduate.
Below are all Pennsylvania Universities ranked in the top 25 in either the public or private school list:
| Black Pop. | Black Grad. Rate | White Grad. Rate | Grad. Gap | |
| Shippensburg University | 5.9% | 35.9% | 66.2% | 30.3% |
| Robert Morris University | 7.8% | 31% | 58% | 27.4% |
| Millersville University of PA | 7.0% | 40.1% | 67.1% | 27% |
| Indiana University of PA | 10.8% | 26% | 52% | 26.2% |
| Lehigh University | 3.2% | 64.5% | 86.3% | 21.8% |
| Widener University | 11.7% | 37% | 58.7% | 21.7% |
| La Salle University | 12.8% | 55.3% | 75.4% | 20.1% |
In contrast, black students at Villanova have a higher graduation rate than white students, but only 4.2% of the student body is black.
This is a troubling trend, partly the result of schools being more concerned with diversity - or in some cases getting inflated tuition rates - than the ability of their recruits to actually succeed.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 08:55 AM | 0 comment
