Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Education Plan, Urges Action

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth Foundation today applauded Gov. Tom Corbett's four-pronged education agenda that would make real progress in rescuing Pennsylvania children from academically failing and often violent public schools.  

"This plan is a solid step in the right direction.  Gov. Corbett has recognized the failure of the public school status quo and is rightly combating it with incentives that allow children to learn, parents to choose, teachers to be excellent and taxpayers to save," said Matthew J. Brouillette, president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation and a former teacher.  "Evidence abounds that school choice programs help rescue children from unsafe environments, improve test scores and save taxpayer money."

The free-market think tank urged the governor and General Assembly to take action this fall so families don't have to return their children next year to institutions incapable of meeting their academic and security needs.

"The mantra of mediocrity that asks only for more money and more time to fix our failures must be replaced," said Brouillette.  "We appreciate the legislative leaders who stood with Gov. Corbett today and hope Harrisburg will take swift action on behalf of parents and children who have repeatedly cried out for the end of the status quo."

The Commonwealth Foundation (www.CommonwealthFoundation.org) is Pennsylvania's free-market think tank that crafts free-market policies, convinces Pennsylvanians of their benefits, and counters attacks on liberty.

SOURCE Commonwealth Foundation