The incredible savings private and home schooling families are offering taxpayers
A public accounting of the private and home school savings has, to our knowledge, never been released. That is, until the publication of a n
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Chris Cargill
Nov 62 min read
What the election results mean for education choice
The table is set for policymakers at the state and federal level to expand education options for families.
Chris Cargill
Oct 153 min read
Idaho Launch award data: Oh, the irony
There are two programs: one covers the cost of schooling at religious institutions, the other covers the cost of schooling at religious inst
Chris Cargill
Oct 92 min read
Lowering expectations sends the wrong message to children
Unfortunately, news came recently that the state of Idaho is lowering long-term academic goals in an attempt to help narrow achievement gaps
Chris Cargill
Sep 122 min read
New taxes, spending, recess time, and school board spouses
When the Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA) meets in Boise in November to pass a legislative platform, they may want to reconsider their
Chris Cargill
Sep 62 min read
What Idaho's education choice plan should - and should not - include
Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers in Idaho are reportedly considering various plans to expand education choice options in the
Sam Cardwell
Sep 35 min read
How are education choice programs working across the country? Three states provide their comments
Across the country, states are increasing education choice offerings such as Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) or tax credits to provide...
Sam Cardwell
Aug 262 min read
Does higher spending equal better education outcomes?
K-12 public school spending is at an all-time high, and America spends more per student than any other developed nation. In 2022, the...
Chris Cargill
Aug 52 min read
Part II: Idaho school districts - data, resources and transparency
The release of all public data is paramount, but for working families and concerned citizens, certain data points are most important and sho
Jason Mercier
Aug 23 min read
MSPC joins legal brief defending Montana’s new charter school law
Mountain State Policy Center (MSPC) joined a coalition amicus brief today in the case of Felchle v. Montana. The case concerns a law...
Chris Cargill
Jul 195 min read
The legal cases that prove education choice is constitutional
Fearing expensive legal battles, policymakers who may be on the fence often err on the side of caution and vote against measures to expand c
Sam Cardwell
Jul 184 min read
BLM ruling threatens Wyoming’s K-12 funding model
On May 16th, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a final environmental impact statement on the Powder River Basin, stating that it...
Chris Cargill
Jul 161 min read
Where has the education money gone?
One of the most popular charts available today tells a story: huge increases in administrative staffing, small increases in teachers and stu
Jason Mercier
Jul 153 min read
Now Available: The Mountain States Policy Manual
The Mountain States Policy Manual is a 200-page guide filled with facts, figures, research and more than 80 recommendations – it is an...
Chris Cargill
Jul 122 min read
Ring the bell for school principal authority
Research shows that one of the most effective tools for improving school outcomes is to put the principal in charge of the school. What...
Chris Cargill
Jul 112 min read
Big win for families: Montana judge rejects attempt to stop implementation of ESA’s
An attempt by a coalition of teachers unions and public school activists to block implementation of Education Savings Accounts in Montana ha
Chris Cargill
Jun 243 min read
Congress could expand education choice options too
Thirty-three states now have some type of school choice law on the books to empower families with limited to middle-class incomes to access
Chris Cargill
Jun 194 min read
The 60-second argument for ed choice, delivered by the former U.S. Secretary of State
It only took a minute for former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to make perhaps the best argument for education choice.
Chris Cargill
Jun 192 min read
School districts, budget cuts, and expectations of funding
Declining school enrollment and budget constraints require policymakers to fundamentally rethink their approach to education - and that can
Chris Cargill
Jun 42 min read
Idaho's 10 largest school districts: What the data shows
This publication highlights Idaho’s 10 largest school districts, the staffing of each, the average salaries of administrators, principals an
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