The Commonwealth Foundation, a think tank focused on “transforming free-market ideas into actionable public policies,” appointed Andrew Lewis, a former Pennsylvania state representative to lead the organization, replacing Charles Mitchell, who served in the role for eight years.

While Commonwealth Foundation supports a number of different issues, education and specifically school choice is one of their top priorities.

Outgoing president, Charles Mitchell, said in an interview he was very pleased with the appointment of Andrew Lewis as he was the prime sponsor of a universal school choice bill when he served in the legislature.

Mitchell takes great pride that Pennsylvania now boasts over $600 million in school choice scholarships, thanks to the efforts of the Commonwealth Foundation. He said Pennsylvania is significantly ahead of other swing states in providing educational opportunities for students, especially when two branches of the state’s legislature are controlled by the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) — a group that is vehemently opposed to school choice in any form.

Mitchell’s greatest regret leaving the role is that Governor Josh Shapiro failed to deliver on any of his promises to children, specifically the Lifeline Scholarship program designed to help support students in failing schools. Despite the fact that Shapiro reneged on his campaign promises, Mitchell believes he will eventually do the right thing and become the first democratic governor to sign an education savings account bill.

According to Mitchell, Lewis is a “courageous and articulate leader,” who has collaborated with Commonwealth Foundation for many years, making him an ideal candidate for the position. Mitchell describes Lewis as a leader on education freedom who refused to back down despite being targeted by the PSEA. When Lewis, a Republican, ran for reelection in 2020 in District 105, a Democratic-leaning region covering parts of Dauphin and Lebanon counties, it was one of the most expensive state legislature races. Lewis raised just over $750,000; whereas his opponent collected twice as much, totaling over $1.5 million.

Lewis won the race by 1,500 votes, despite being outspent and attacked for his stance on education freedom. What Mitchell still finds remarkable about Lewis is that he could have chosen to back down on school choice after being targeted, yet he did exactly the opposite. Instead, Lewis “doubled-down” and introduced the most robust universal school choice bill in the history of the state.

Lewis’s strength of character is why Mitchell believes he is the best person for the role. “He is the opposite of Josh Shapiro.”

The newly appointed President and CEO answered education-focused questions posed by Broad + Liberty.

What are your top priorities concerning education?

My foremost priority is to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has access to a world-class education through school choice. The Commonwealth Foundation has been at the forefront of efforts to enact and scale programs that significantly expand educational opportunities for children across the state. Moving forward, we will continue to support the growth of these successful initiatives while advancing the goal of universal school choice in Pennsylvania.

What do you hope to achieve in the next year?

Families throughout the commonwealth are urgently seeking transformational reforms, such as Lifeline Scholarships for students in failing schools and universal refundable tax credits that enable every child to attend their school of choice. For the past two years, these issues have dominated state budget negotiations. While we’ve made notable progress in expanding existing scholarship programs, far too many children remain trapped in a system that not only fails them but is robbing them of a chance at a brighter future. We are closer than ever to achieving groundbreaking reforms that will make school choice accessible to every child in Pennsylvania. I believe that 2025 will be a pivotal year for advancing these vital policies.

If you could pass one piece of legislation, what would it be?

Universal School Choice. I was the prime sponsor of universal school choice legislation during my time in elected office. My commitment to achieving this goal remains unwavering. 

How would you describe the state of education in PA?

Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program ranks as the sixth largest scholarship program in the nation, while the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program is ranked fourteenth. Pennsylvania stands fifth in terms of funds available for educational choice. 

Despite having one of the largest scholarship programs and our position as a national leader in the total number of students served, there is a growing demand for increased access to school choice. Currently, at least 40,000 students are on charter school waiting lists across the state. According to Commonwealth Foundation polling, 84 percent of Pennsylvania voters support the creation of education opportunity accounts, 78 percent favor expanding education tax credit scholarships, and fewer than one in four would choose their local public school over alternatives like private, charter, or homeschooling if cost were not a factor.

What do you see as CF’s role in improving education in PA?

The Commonwealth Foundation plays a crucial role by providing intellectual leadership, innovative research, and valuable informational tools that are essential for advancing educational opportunity, individual liberty, and free market ideas in Pennsylvania. The organization has established itself as the go-to source for lawmakers seeking trusted policy analysis, independent perspectives, and fresh ideas for new policy solutions.

Andrew Lewis assumed the responsibility of President and CEO on September 14, 2024.

Beth Ann Rosica resides in West Chester, has a Ph.D. in Education, and has dedicated her career to advocating on behalf of at-risk children and families. She covers education issues for Broad + Liberty. Contact her at barosica@broadandliberty.com.