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

Obama Transparency Standard Challenges School Boards

  • February 3, 2009

Pennsylvania school boards have been presented an opportunity to measure up to the standard set by our new President.  In his inaugural address, Barack Obama promised that public business would…

Commentary

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Education

PA Budget Proposals: Cut the Fat, Play Poker

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 3, 2009

Sen. John Eichelberger unveiled a proposal today to issue a moratorium on “earmarks”, the legislative-controlled WAMs and other items.  The proposal also calls for a review of all…

Media

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Education

Overspending Schools Don’t Need More Taxpayer Funding

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 2, 2009

NYTimes article (registration required) looks at how much of the federal “stimulus” money would go to school spending, particularly for school construction.  Critics and supporters alike…

Media

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Education

More Subsidies for Higher Education

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • February 2, 2009

Governor Rendell is proposing an increase of $128 million in tuition aide for students at PASSHE schools. There’s no question that skyrocketing tuition is hitting families hard, but throwing…

Media

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Education

Adam Smith Courses

  • January 29, 2009

Our friends at the Wynnewood Institute are hosting a seminar series on the writings of Adam Smith, who is sometimes referred to as the “father of economics.” The series…

Media

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Education

Some More “half” Truths on the PSEA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 21, 2009

The Tribune-Democrat features an editorial by a PSEA member in which he calls Matt Brouillette’s commentary “a hodgepodge of distortions, half-truths and unadulterated flapdoodle”. I have no idea…

Media

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Education

Remembering Paul Henkels

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 11, 2009

Paul Henckels, chaiman of the REACH Foundation and a leader in the school choice movement in Pennsylvania, passed away late last week. Please find the news release from…

Media

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Education

Plan to Reform Public Education

  • January 9, 2009

The Washington Policy Center recently released its Education Reform Plan for the Washington school system. It highlights the failure of the current program: Nearly one-third of Washington public…

Media

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Education

School district consolidation unlikely to cut cost

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2009

Over at School Board Transparency blog, Fred Baldwin writes that consolidating school districts (to county wide districts) is unlikely to result in substantial cost savings – that is…

Media

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Education

Lesson from Pittsburgh: Low standards Hurt Students

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2009

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article covers how the Pittsburgh Public Schools administration is trying to defend its policy of a 50% minimum grade (HT GrassrootsPA), But…

Media

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Education

The PSEA: A Worm in the Apple

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • January 7, 2009

Every taxpayer in the Commonwealth should be aware of the influence and agenda of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA).  Despite its name, the organization’s top priority is not educating…

Commentary

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Education

Film: A Stone’s Throw

  • January 6, 2009

Our sister think tank, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, recently released “A Stone’s Throw.” The film documents the frustrations of parents in Mississippi–a state notorious for its low…

Media

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Education

Human Capital Contracts: The Future of Higher Ed Funding?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2009

National Center for Policy Analysis summarize the idea of “human capital contracts” to finance student’s higher education costs. Essentially these contracts constitute agreeing to pay a set percentage of…

Media

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Education

Scholarships for Student Conference on Liberty

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • December 29, 2008

Students For Liberty (a non-profit organization dedicated to liberty) will host their 2009 International Students For Liberty Conference from February 20-22nd at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. The…

Media

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Education

Why Pennsylvania leads the nation in teacher walkouts

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 22, 2008

The Wall Street Journal features an article on teacher strikes in Pennsylvania, noting that the Keystone State leads the nation in school employees strikes. The piece cites a…

Media

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Education

School Choice Benefits Students and Taxpayers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2008

Bob Maranto is featured in the Inquirer today writing on why Philadelphia needs charter schools: The academic data provided by No Child Left Behind…

Media

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Education

Failing Science

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 10, 2008

The Patriot News has a story on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s news release that almost two-thirds of Pennsylvania’s 11th grade students are not proficient in science.  The…

Media

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Education

Higher Costs of Higher Education

  • December 4, 2008

New report diagnoses skyrocketing PA college tuition, prescribes remedy for lower costs HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today released Higher Costs of Higher Education: Reforming how Pennsylvania Taxpayers Finance…

Press Release

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Education

“F” for Affordability

  • December 3, 2008

Today, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released its National Report Card on Higher Education. The report surveyed…

Media

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Education

High Tech Higher Ed

  • December 2, 2008

The Washington Monthly ran an article by Kevin Carey of Education Sector last week on the effects of technology on higher education. Carey illustrates how one professor established…

Media

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