K-12
What is Act 1 and how did it impact property taxes and school funding?
Act 1 is a property tax relief bill passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in 2006 and amended in 2011.
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9 years ago
When it comes to education funding, what’s the deal with Philly schools?
The district’s budget for the 2014-15 school year is roughly $2.6 billion. The SRC and Superintendent William Hite h
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9 years ago
What is the purpose of the Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding Commission?
The day before the deadline in mid-June, the commission said they needed more time to come up with recommendations for a new formula to d
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9 years ago
Too often we hear school officials, experts, advocates, and yes, even journalists throw around terms like “block grants” and
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9 years ago
For and against standardized tests: Two student perspectives
These two essays were written by students in Katherine Cohen’s 7th-grade English class at Greenberg Elementary in Northeast Philade
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9 years ago
Pa. cyber charters not happy with Gov. Wolf’s proposed steep cuts
For years, many public education advocates have been howling about the way Pennsylvania funds cyber charter schools.
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9 years ago
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Why are teachers pension plans in trouble?
The state runs two public employee pension plans that share a parallel narrative. One plan is for teachers and school employees, ca
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9 years ago
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How, and how much, are teachers paid in Pennsylvania?
How much do Pa. teachers make?
A lot, relatively speaking. The average starting salary for a teacher in Pennsyl
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9 years ago
Hold harmless: funding protection or red herring?
“Hold Harmless” protects funding for some school districts, and means less funding for other districts in need.
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9 years ago
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School becomes safe harbor after Philly train derailment
Webster Elementary school in Kensington is used to serving those with profound needs.
9 years ago
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A breakdown of Gov. Wolf’s plan for new education spending
In the first year of his plan, Governor Wolf wants to increase pre-K through higher education spending by $1 billion.
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9 years ago
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Which Pa. school districts get the highest percentage of aid from the state?
If you guessed Philadelphia, you’d be dead wrong.
Fifth in an occasional
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10 years ago
What does a state education formula do?
Political and legal pressure for a state education formula is mounting. A statewide coalition of advocacy groups is pushing Harrisburg to
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10 years ago
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How is special education paid for in Pennsylvania public schools?
School districts complain that the amounts have not kept up with costs. In 2014, the state modestly increased funding while making some c
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10 years ago
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How are charter schools funded in Pennsylvania?
With education funds scarce in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the debate over how charter schools get their money has never been more
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10 years ago
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