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
top of page
WHAT WE COVER
WHAT WE COVER
Free
Markets
First.
ELECTION 2024
Chris Cargill
Sep 62 min
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
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
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
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
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. Â The case concerns a law...
Chris Cargill
Jul 195 min
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Chris Cargill
May 172 min
Data shows private schools improve civic education, political tolerance
A well-rounded education is about more than just test scores. Schooling has a critical role to play in nurturing an informed, tolerant and d
Chris Cargill
May 102 min
You can't claim to support education choice while limiting options
On the one hand, policymakers, activists, school leaders and even those running for office say they are in favor of education choice. On the
Chris Cargill
May 63 min
The "Blaine Amendments" are bigoted relics
States cannot fall back on their Blaine Amendments to justify prohibitions on public funding of schools solely due to their religion.
Jason Mercier
Apr 293 min
States should increase the availability of public charter schools
Studies continue to show that public charter schools are making a positive difference in students' lives.
bottom of page