Education is the first stepping-stone on the path to success, but Pennsylvania students face severe inequality among public school districts. Thousands who can’t afford private school are trapped in failing schools or situations that aren’t the right fit. The solution to this crisis is school choice. By offering families options outside their zip code-assigned district schools, students are better able to find their path to success. Charter schools, tax credit scholarships, education savings accounts (ESAs), homeschooling, and other types of education choice must become a priority in Pennsylvania.

Education

Guest Post: Educational Freedom in Harrisburg

  • May 15, 2019

Rian Slade-Bowers' testimonial was first published by American Federation for Children. I attended private schools all my life and it has benefited me immensely. I was educated in a diverse environment…

Media

Read More: Guest Post: Educational Freedom in Harrisburg

Education

How to End Waiting Lists for Opportunity

  • May 9, 2019

Did 20 years of government initiatives improve public schools? A recent American Enterprise Institute report finds all the money poured into efforts like No Child Left Behind and Race to…

Media

Read More: How to End Waiting Lists for Opportunity

Education

House Sends Major School Choice Expansion Bill to Senate

  • May 7, 2019

May 7, 2019, Harrisburg, Pa.—Today, in a bipartisan vote, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed HB 800, a school choice bill that promises opportunity to thousands of students trapped…

Press Release

Read More: House Sends Major School Choice Expansion Bill to Senate

Criminal Justice Reform

Four Ways Lawmakers Are Setting Up Pa. For Success

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 3, 2019

Freedom and opportunity are on the move in the Keystone State. In the past week, lawmakers have taken four serious strides for the families and business owners of Pennsylvania. We’re…

Media

Read More: Four Ways Lawmakers Are Setting Up Pa. For Success

Education

How Low-Income Students Benefit from Education Tax Credits

  • Lenny McAllister, Nathan Benefield
  • April 30, 2019

Yesterday, the House Education Committee advanced legislation to expand Pennsylvania’s successful tax credit scholarship program. HB 800, sponsored by Speaker Mike Turzai, would increase the Educational Improvement Tax Credit…

Media

Read More: How Low-Income Students Benefit from Education Tax Credits

Education

Future Ready Index: A Tool That Can’t Be Used

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • April 19, 2019

The Data Quality Campaign recently released “Show Me the Data,” a comparison of state report cards in which Pennsylvania’s new Future Ready PA Index fared well. Released…

Media

Read More: Future Ready Index: A Tool That Can’t Be Used

Education

Gov. Wolf Blinded to Benefits of School Choice

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • April 16, 2019

Gov. Wolf’s 2019 budget promotes public and private options for pre-K and post-secondary education. He calls Pennsylvania’s post-secondary institutions “laboratories for innovation.” Most remarkably, the governor touts Pennsylvania Higher…

Media

Read More: Gov. Wolf Blinded to Benefits of School Choice

Education

Fight for Education Equality Marches On

  • Lenny McAllister
  • April 12, 2019

Education equality has been the civil rights issue during each unique chapter in America’s story—including today. Empowering parents with school choice options is a key step along our march for justice.

Commentary

Read More: Fight for Education Equality Marches On

Criminal Justice Reform

Fighting Poverty can be a Bipartisan Effort

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 12, 2019

Here's a letter I submitted to the Philadelphia Daily News on how Pennsylvanians of any ideology can share good intent, and work toward a common goal. I was disappointed…

Media

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Education

Expand Educational Choice with Tax Credit Scholarships

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 8, 2019

In 2016-17, the most recent year with scholarship data available, 52,857 K-12 scholarship applications were denied—52 percent of all K-12 applications. Businesses have applied for $180 million in EITC and…

Fact Sheet

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Education

Time to Start Treating Philly Charter Families Like First Class Citizens

  • April 1, 2019

Our children deserve the best, most individually-tailored education available. Sadly, most students in urban districts cannot access educational opportunities. It's a paradox: Pennsylvania schools are receiving more funds than ever—ranking…

Media

Read More: Time to Start Treating Philly Charter Families Like First Class Citizens

Education

Economic Growth or Education OpportunityWhy not Both

  • Marc LeBlond
  • March 25, 2019

In a recent Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed, Mark Gleason explains that growing the economy and expanding educational opportunity are complementary, not competing goals: When it comes to preparing our children…

Media

Read More: Economic Growth or Education OpportunityWhy not Both

Criminal Justice Reform

Milwaukee Study: School Choice Linked to Fewer Broken Families, Convictions

  • Marc LeBlond
  • March 15, 2019

Former Pennsylvania Secretary of Public Welfare Helen O’Bannon once lamented “the family breaking up” as the root cause of an “untrained, unskilled” workforce, which increases “single, female heads of…

Media

Read More: Milwaukee Study: School Choice Linked to Fewer Broken Families, Convictions

Education

Philadelphia Parents Rally for Opportunity Scholarships

  • Marc LeBlond
  • March 5, 2019

Last week, Philadelphia parents and community leaders gathered in support of the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program. The event was sponsored by Educational Opportunities for Families (EOF) and…

Media

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Education

ESAs: Step by Step

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • February 28, 2019

Pennsylvania taxpayers are very generous in their support for education. We rank ninth in the nation for per-pupil funding at almost $18,000 per pupil —$3,900 more than the national average.

Media

Read More: ESAs: Step by Step

Education

Cyber Report Strikes Out

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • February 26, 2019

Although my grandfather, Danny Murtaugh, managed the Pittsburgh Pirates, I don’t pretend to be a baseball expert. But you don’t grow up in a baseball family without knowing you…

Media

Read More: Cyber Report Strikes Out

Education

Five Reasons Families Demand Opportunity Scholarships

  • Marc LeBlond
  • February 25, 2019

Last week Senator Mike Regan introduced legislation to expand Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs. The reason is simple. Tax credit scholarships…

Media

Read More: Five Reasons Families Demand Opportunity Scholarships