Education

COMMENTARY
Teacher and students in a classroom.

Opinion: Pa. must adopt clear, sustainable plan to address unconstitutional school funding

BY: - November 30, 2023

By Aaron Chapin Every morning, 1.7 million students wake up and head off to public schools across Pennsylvania, eager to learn and grow in classrooms that are supposed to provide them with a “thorough and efficient system of public education.” That’s what our state constitution guarantees to every student. But in February Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court […]

Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom in national study of charter school performance

BY: - November 17, 2023

A decade’s worth of testing data ranks Pennsylvania among the states with the lowest charter school performance.  In a study of students’ scores in reading and math on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, researchers compared charter school performance in 35 states and Washington, D.C. Alaska had the highest scores compared to the average followed […]

Funding for Pa. state-related universities passes Legislature

BY: - November 16, 2023

The General Assembly on Wednesday sent a bill to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk, after months of wrangling, that will fund state-related colleges and universities.  The Senate voted 45-5 to pass legislation to provide level funding for state-related schools Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University, while Lincoln University and Penn College of […]

COMMENTARY

Commentary: Gov. Shapiro has a unique opportunity to continue leading on public education

BY: - November 16, 2023

Pennsylvania has an opportunity, as well as a court-ordered mandate, to fix our state’s unconstitutional public education funding system.

Attempt to kill Biden student debt relief plan tied to income fails in U.S. Senate

BY: - November 16, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday night failed to garner enough votes to block a new Biden administration rule on an income-driven repayment plan for federal student loans. The resolution did not pass, 49-50. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia was the sole Democrat who joined Republicans in backing the resolution. Sen. Tim Scott […]

Fight over tax money for private school tuition snags education funding bill again

BY: and - November 16, 2023

A months-long stalemate over public education funding appeared likely to continue on Wednesday as state House lawmakers stripped GOP-backed school choice funding from a spending bill. The state Senate passed the legislation on Wednesday authorizing hundreds of millions in new funding for K-12 schools, community colleges, educational support units and public libraries with a 45-5 […]

U.S. Department of Education announces Dec. 31 rollout for new FAFSA

BY: - November 15, 2023

Schools and applicants have been waiting eagerly for the announcement after the agency said on March 21 that it would roll out the form in December

The ceiling of the main Rotunda inside Pennsylvania’s Capitol building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

State House passes COLA legislation for retired public school teachers and state workers

BY: - November 14, 2023

Retired teachers and public servants would receive a cost of living adjustment in their monthly pension payments for the first time in more than 20 years under legislation passed by the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday. House Bill 1416 would provide increases of 15% to 24.5% to about 69,000 retired public school educators and other state […]

Borrowers weigh personal, professional options as student loan payments resume

BY: - November 5, 2023

Economists say that hundreds of dollars spent on monthly student loan payments is a loss to the economy and could hurt consumer spending, affect workers’ decisions to stay at their current job or look elsewhere, and delay new home purchases.

Pennsylvania House passes state-related university funding and requires schools to freeze tuition

BY: - October 31, 2023

The state House passed legislation to pass tuition aid that has been stalled since June on the condition that state-related universities freeze tuition.

U.S. Dept. of Education says Arcadia University failed to investigate sexual harassment allegations

BY: - October 31, 2023

The Department of Education says the school had received multiple reports of a professor harassing female students, but did not take the proper action.

Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Bradford calls school vouchers ‘very problematic’ but adds House Dems didn’t say ‘hell no’

BY: - October 30, 2023

The Pa. House Majority Leader talked school vouchers, the Pa. primary date, and working with Senate Republicans at a Monday appearance.