Common Sense Weekly
Here's Commonwealth Foundation's weekly news roundup of policy issues being debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania.
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What Pennsylvania Lawmakers Must Prioritize in 2026
Pennsylvania stands at a pivotal moment. Families are stretched thin by higher costs, and employers are weighing whether to invest here or elsewhere. We can’t afford to ignore these warning signs. All the while, the commonwealth will remain in the national spotlight as the most important swing state.
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Pennsylvania is a National Model for School Choice—With Room to Grow
The numbers are in: Pennsylvania is a national leader in school choice. For our students and families seeking alternatives to dangerous, chronically failing, zip-code-assigned public schools, the future is bright and getting brighter. And our commonwealth is leading by example as a national model for expanding educational freedom.
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A Nation That Can’t Explain 1776 Urgently Needs a Civic Education Revival
Why did the United States of America declare its independence from England in 1776? If you know the answer to this question, you are—tragically—in the minority. A recent civics quiz conducted by the Cato Institute yielded some alarming results: More than half of test-takers—ages 18 and older—couldn’t correctly explain why the 13 original colonies issued the Declaration of Independence.
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Why is Pennsylvania’s Largest Teacher Union Hoarding Millions of Dollars?
If I were a Pennsylvania teacher, I’d be wondering why my union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), keeps raising dues. Teachers now pay around $834 per year in union dues—$615 of which go to the PSEA. The rest goes to the National Education Association. The PSEA’s share has gone up by 20 percent over the last 10 years.
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