School Choice Report

Commonwealth Foundation
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Kids & Family

Commonwealth Foundation Distinguished Sr. Fellow Dave Hardy takes an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of the movement to empower parents to choose the best education for their child.

  1. 01/22/2025

    S2: E11 Featuring President of National School Choice Week Andrew Campanella

    What if you could revolutionize your child’s education with just one decision? As we wrap up Season 2, guest host Guy Ciarrocchi sits down with Andrew Campanella, President of National School Choice Week, to explore how families across the nation are breaking barriers and discovering the power of educational freedom. With National School Choice Week just days away (January 26 – February 1, 2025), Andrew shares heartwarming success stories, bold predictions for the movement’s future, and a vision where every child has access to the right school for their unique needs. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just curious about how school choice can transform lives, this conversation will inspire and inform. Tune in for a fresh perspective on why school choice is more popular than pizza—and how it’s shaping the future of education!

    22 min

  2. 12/05/2024

    S2: E10 Featuring Marc Magee CEO and Founder of 50CAN

    In this episode of the School Choice Report, guest host Rachel Langan, Senior Policy Analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation, is joined by Marc Magee, CEO and Founder of 50CAN. Together, they delve into the findings of 50CAN's groundbreaking survey, which captured insights from over 20,000 parents across all 50 states. Discover how parents view school quality, after-school activities, mental health support, and more. Marc shares surprising trends, like the growing satisfaction with micro-schools and the urgent demand for career and technical education pathways. This conversation highlights the diversity of educational needs across states and how personalized education can transform opportunities for every child. Learn how data-driven advocacy is shaping the future of school choice and what’s next for education reform at the state level. Don’t miss this insightful discussion that blends parent voices, actionable data, and innovative solutions for today’s educational challenges. Tune in now and explore the full survey results at this link.

    18 min

  3. 11/12/2024

    S2: E9 Featuring Commonwealth Foundation Sr. Education Policy Analyst Rachel Langan

    You're in for a treat! In this episode of School Choice Report, host David Hardy interviews Rachel Langan, Senior Education Policy Analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation, about Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs. These programs offer tax-credit-funded scholarships for low-income students to attend private schools, providing an alternative to underperforming public schools. Langan shares insights from the Commonwealth Foundation's latest report on EITC, highlighting that most scholarship recipients come from families well below the income threshold, are outperforming public school peers, and are more consistently attending school. She discusses how private schools often achieve better results with less funding per student and emphasizes that low-income families could greatly benefit from these scholarships, especially in areas with underperforming public schools. Langan also addresses challenges in notifying eligible families, as many public schools fail to inform parents about scholarship opportunities. For more information on the scholarships mentioned in this podcast, please visit the following: Children’s Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia https://www.csfphiladelphia.org/ K12 Scholarships PA https://k12scholarshipspa.com/ And for a copy of the report mentioned in the podcast, visit ScholarshipReport.org.

    23 min

  4. 10/10/2024

    S2: E8 Featuring School Board Director Stacey Whomsley

    In the latest episode of School Choice Report, host David Hardy sits down with Stacey Whomsley, a passionate school board director from the Westchester Area School District in Pennsylvania.  Stacey shares her personal journey advocating for school choice, fueled by her experience as a mother of special-needs children and the difficulties they faced during the pandemic. She reflects on the district's unpreparedness for remote learning, which led to significant learning loss, especially for special education students. Despite initial promises for in-person learning, the shift to remote and hybrid models sparked frustration and ignited Stacey's mission for change. During the conversation, Stacey discusses the importance of Educational Opportunity Accounts, which would provide families with the flexibility to choose the best educational options for their children. She also critiques the district's fair funding resolution, asserting that it distorts the real impact on public school funding. Committed to improving educational options and transparency, Stacey continues to champion better choices for students in her district. This episode offers an insightful look at the intersection of personal experience and public advocacy, underscoring the critical need for school choice in today's educational landscape.

    31 min

  5. 09/10/2024

    S2: E7 Featuring Education Entrepreneur Kerry McDonald

    In Season 2's seventh episode, School Choice Report host David Hardy is joined by Kerry McDonald, Senior Fellow at Foundation for Economic Education. Together they discuss the benefits and challenges of homeschooling and highlight the growth of micro schooling and other innovative education models in the US while emphasizing the importance of teacher involvement in driving educational innovation and entrepreneurship. Traditional schooling has limitations, but there is also a need to revolutionize education to meet the realities of the 21st century.

    24 min

  6. 08/05/2024

    S2: E6 Featuring CEO of ACE Scholarships Norton Rainey

    In this episode of the School Choice Report podcast, host David Hardy is joined by Norton Rainey, CEO of ACE Scholarships, based in Denver, Colorado. ACE Scholarships is dedicated to providing children from low-income families with scholarships to private schools for grades K-12 and advocating for expanded school choice. David and Norton delve into the significance of school choice and its potential to offer quality education access to lower-income families. Norton shares the inspiring history of ACE Scholarships, which has grown from serving 500 students in its first year to over 80,000 kids today. This growth has been made possible due to bipartisan efforts in states like Louisiana and Georgia. Join us for an insightful conversation on the importance of education reform, the impact of ACE Scholarships, and how expanding school choice can shape America's future and provide opportunities for underserved communities.

    19 min

  7. 07/12/2024

    S2: E5 Featuring Joelle Fortin

    In this episode of the School Choice Report podcast, host Dave Hardy sits down with Joelle Fortin, a dedicated mom of five and former public school teacher with over a decade of experience. Joelle shares her inspiring journey of transitioning from the traditional public school system to the innovative world of micro schooling. Amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Joelle began homeschooling her children, which led her to open a micro school that now supports homeschool families with students in grades five through eleven. Join Joelle and Dave as they discuss their personal experiences with homeschooling and micro-schooling, emphasizing the importance of personalized learning environments and the need to overcome societal stigma.

    19 min

  8. 07/02/2024

    Season 2 Special Episode Featuring Former US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos

    Get ready for an electrifying episode of the School Choice Report! Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Charles Mitchell sits down with former US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos for an inspiring and insightful conversation. Together, they share their unwavering commitment to unlocking every child's potential and empowering families with the freedom to choose the best educational path for their children. Betsy and Charles passionately discuss how education freedom policies can revolutionize the educational landscape in Pennsylvania and deliver exceptional outcomes while putting power back into the hands of families and students. Tune in to hear their case for broadened bipartisan support and the bold leadership that's needed to champion these transformative policies. Don’t miss this episode filled with hope, innovation, and a vision for a brighter educational future for all!

    21 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Commonwealth Foundation Distinguished Sr. Fellow Dave Hardy takes an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of the movement to empower parents to choose the best education for their child.

Information

  • Creator
    Commonwealth Foundation
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Commonwealth Foundation
  • Show Website
    School Choice Report