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Lisa Snell is director of education and child welfare at Reason Foundation, a nonprofit think tank advancing free minds and free markets.
Snell, who has testified before the California State Legislature and numerous government agencies, has recently authored policy studies on school violence, charter schools, and child advocacy centers.
Snell is regular contributor to School Reform News and Privatization Watch. Her commentary has also appeared in USA Today, the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, the Newark Star-Ledger, and numerous other publications.
Prior to joining Reason, Snell taught public speaking and argumentation courses at California State University, Fullerton.
Ms. Snell holds a Master of Arts in Communication from California State University, Fullerton.
Policy Study 354
No Choices Left Behind: Competitive Models to Restructure California's Lowest-Performing Schools
December 2006
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
» Press Release
Policy Brief 56
Analysis of California's Proposition 88: Education Funding, Real Property Parcel Tax, Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute
October 2006
By Lisa Snell
» Full Brief (.pdf)
» Press Release
Policy Brief 48
Addressing California's School and University Building Needs: Alternatives to Proposition 1D
September 2006
By Lisa Snell
» Full Brief (.pdf)
Policy Study 344
Assessing Proposals for Preschool and Kindergarten: Essential Information for Parents, Taxpayers and Policymakers
May 2006
By Darcy Olsen with Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
» Press Release
Policy Brief 42
The Case Against Universal Preschool in California
February 2006
By Lisa Snell
» Full Brief (.pdf)
» Press Release
Policy Study 339
Driving More Money into the Classroom: The Promise of Shared Services
October 2005
By William D. Eggers, Lisa Snell, Robert Wavra, and Adrian T. Moore
» Full Study (.pdf)
» Press Release
Rebuilding After Katrina: Policy Strategies for Recovery
October 2005
By Adrian Moore, Lisa Snell, and Geoffrey Segal
» Full Text (.html)
Policy Study 330
School Violence and No Child Left Behind: Best Practices to Keep Kids Safe
January 2005
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
» Policy Summary (.pdf)
» Press Release
Policy Study 319
Special Education Accountability: Structural Reform to Help CA Charter Schools Make the Grade
July 2004
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
Policy Study 306
Child Advocacy Centers: One Stop on the Road to Performance-based Child Protection
June 2003
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
Policy Brief 21
Education Management Organizations: Growing a For-profit Education Industry with Choice, Competition, and Innovation
May 2002
By Guilbert C. Hentschke, Scot Oschman, and Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
Policy Study 284
School Vouchers As A Legal Sanction
December 2001
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
Policy Update 10
Revenue and Results: How Student Achievement Gains Can Save the Private Education Industry
October 2001
By Lisa Snell
» Full Text (.pdf)
E-Brief 114
Workplace Charter Schools: Florida Blazes the Trail
May 2001
By Lisa Snell
» Full Text (.pdf)
E-Brief 110
Response to Bush Education Plan: School Vouchers are Needed to Enforce Bush's Accountability Program
January 2001
By Lisa Snell
» Full Text (html)
Policy Study 276
Innovative School Facility Partnerships: Downtown, Airport, and Retail Space
December 2000
By Matthew D. Taylor and Lisa Snell
» Full Study (html)
Policy Brief 14
Private Options to Help Students Read
December 2000
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
Policy Study 271
Child-Welfare Reform and the Role of Privatization
October 2000
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (html)
Policy Study 266
Remedial Education Reform: Private Alternatives to Traditional Title I
March 2000
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (html)
Policy Study 260
Getting Greens in the Black: Golf course Privatization Trends and Practices
August 1999
By Lisa Snell
» Full Study (html)
Policy Study 234
School Violence Prevention: Strategies to Keep Schools Safe
October 1997
By Alexander Volokh with Lisa Snell
» Full Study (.pdf)
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Protect Our Kids from Preschool
Preschool doesn't show lasting gains and may do more harm than good
August 22, 2008 | The Wall Street Journal
By Shikha Dalmia and Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
More Evidence that Universal Preschool Doesn't Offer Lasting Benefits
By second grade the benefits of one of the nation's 'best' universal pre-K programs are gone
August 22, 2008 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Public Says Post Office Is Doing a Better Job Than Public Schools
New data from California shows how badly schools are failing African-Americans
August 18, 2008 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Failing Public Schools Wipe Out Any Preschools Gains
Sen. Obama's education plans should focus on charter schools, other reforms, not universal preschool
June 6, 2008 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Will a Democrat Please Stand Up?
Looking for someone to help kids stuck in California's failing schools
May 28, 2008 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Closer Look at California's Proposed Education Cuts
State budget deficit makes some cuts necessary
May 13, 2008 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Are Over 100,000 California Teachers Getting Pink Slips?
When it is time to make budget cuts, teachers shouldn't be the first to go
April 3, 2008 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
"Instructionist" School Reform and School Choice
Is it the right school finance solution for the state?
February 6, 2008 | Reason.com
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Weighted Student Formula in Indiana
Is it the right school finance solution for the state?
January 24, 2008 | Indiana Policy Review
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Weighted Student Formula and School Empowerment
Interview with Dr. William G. Ouchi
January 24, 2008 | Indiana Policy Review
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Urban Schools Scores Rise When Parents, Principals Lead
"Weighted Student Formula" helping urban school districts close the achievement gap
August 26, 2007 | Indianapolis Star
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Preschool Reality Check in New Jersey
Long-term benefits of preschool are being overstated
August 9, 2007 | The Record, NJ
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Money Talks
Give families school choice, and they will get choice schools
June 2007 issue | Edutopia Magazine
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Election Day Lessons for LAUSD
Let Students Vote with Their Dollars
May 15, 2007 | Los Angeles Times
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
The Success of Charter Schools
Letter to the Editor
April 23, 2007 | Los Angeles Times
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
The Weighted Student Formula
Is There a Better Way to Fund Indiana Education?
March 15, 2007 | Indiana Policy Review
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Indiana's Full-Day Kindergarten: A Wise Choice for Education Dollars?
Negligible, short-term results won't fix Indiana's schools
March 6, 2007 | Indianapolis Star
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Experimenting With School Choice: A Tale of Two California Districts
Oakland, Compton show school choice can improve results more than the status quo
February 23, 2007 | Education Week
By Lisa Snell and Shikha Dalmia, Reason
» Full Text
State Education Tests Don't Snuff Creativity
Parents get road map to follow progress
December 4, 2006 | Riverside Press Enterprise
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Never-Ending School Bonds
Over budget and behind schedule is state's school-building motto
November 2, 2006 | San Diego Union-Tribune
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
For Answer to LAUSD's Woes, Look North
Weighted student formula can help mayor improve Los Angeles schools
August 27, 2006 | Los Angeles Daily News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Preschool For All? Don't Feed the Beast
Claims that preschool boosts reading scores later are at odds with history
May 25, 2006 | Orange County Register
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Hands Off My Fridge, Meathead
Taxing and tactics should be questioned in California universal preschool debate
March 16, 2006 | The Wall Street Journal
By Shikha Dalmia and Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Let a Thousand Choices Bloom
Debating the future of education reform
December 12, 2005 | Reason.com
By Lisa Snell, Reason, Andrew Coulson, Marshall Fritz, Clint Bolick, Terry M. Moe, Chester E. Finn Jr., John Taylor Gatto et al.
» Full Text
Meathead Is at It Again
California's universal preschool plan will hurt businesses, teachers
December 8, 2005 | The Wall Street Journal
By Shikha Dalmia and Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Universal Preschool Is Inviting Universal Disaster
Reiner's plan is failing in Quebec, won’t work in CA
December 4, 2005 | San Francisco Chronicle
By Shikha Dalmia and Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
California Ballot Initiatives Can Jumpstart Reforms
Teacher tenure, paycheck protection needed to improve system
November 3, 2005 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Don't Give Them Our Preschoolers
Rob Reiner's Preschool for All Act throws good money after bad
September 22, 2005 | Orange County Register
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Universal Preschool Isn't the Answer
Data show government-run preschools are a costly failure
September 7, 2005 | Los Angeles Daily News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Special Election for Education Issues in California
Teacher tenure, paycheck protection, budgeting on ballot
September 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Defining the Education Market
Reconsidering Charter Schools
Spring/Summer 2005 | Cato Journal
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
School Choice Scorecard
States decide the fate of several school choice initiatives
July 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
School Cheating Epidemic - Among Adults
Schools across the country painting a false picture of their performance
June 20, 2005 | Orange County Register
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Questioning State Aid at Private Schools
Policies need to maximize students' opportunities, not limit their choices
June 3, 2005 | San Diego Union-Tribune
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
How Schools Cheat
Educators lying to public by underreporting violence, inflating graduation rates, fudging test scores
June 1, 2005 | Reason magazine
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
School Choice a Hot Topic in State Legislatures
State battles over school choice yield mixed results
June 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Ohio House OKs Statewide Voucher Plan
Program would provide vouchers to children in underperforming school districts
June 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
School Choice Legislation Is All the Rage in 2005
At least 17 states considering choice proposals
May 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
President Plays Simon, Congress is Paula Abdul
Despite Bush cuts, Congress keeps ineffective education programs alive
April 10, 2005 | Orange County Register
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Break Up LAUSD's Violent Schools
Smaller campuses are the safest
March 3, 2005 | Los Angeles Daily News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
British Study Casts Doubt on Benefits of Class-Size Reductions
Reforms more likely to increase student achievement
March 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Align Education Funds and Results
Weighted student formulas help accountability
February 19, 2005 | Riverside Press Enterprise
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
US Students Flunk Math, Again
American students ranked 24th, out of 29 countries
February 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Outsourcing Opponents Seek to Discredit Private Sector
Studies show substantial savings, improvements in quality from privatization
January 1, 2005 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Red-Tape Blues
Very tough to open a private or charter school in California
December 26, 2004 | Orange County Register
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Special Ed Students in Low Achievement Trap
Teachers fail to utilize research-based instructional practices
December 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Privatization Produces Gains in Philadelphia
District posts average gains of 10 points in reading and math
October 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
No Way Out
No Child Left Behind Act provides only the illusion of school choice
October 2004 | Reason.com
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Corruption in Public Schools Costs Taxpayers
$8 million in undocumented expenses
September 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
California's Backward Ways
Refusal to allow privatization of some service hurts kids
August 4, 2004 | Orange County Register
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
LAUSD Plunders Funds for Charter Schools
As much as 37 percent of funds doesn't get to schools
July 14, 2004 | Los Angeles Daily News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
$100 Million Fraud in Miami-Dade Schools
Corruption, mismanagement plauge district
June 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Scandals Prevalent in Public Schools
Examples of public schools fleecing taxpayers
June 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Accountability Looms for Special Education
How to best achieve accountability
March 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
School Choice Programs Tighten Accountability
Overregulation could hurt growth
February 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Restructuring California's School Finance System
State should use weighted student formula
January 23, 2004 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Analyzing the CA Education Budget
Structural reform needed
January 14, 2004 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Reducing Class Sizes Achieves Mixed Results
Studies question effectiveness
January 1, 2004 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Teacher Unions Crush Philanthropy and Volunteerism
Michigan rejects $200 million
December 1, 2003 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Schools Improve When Principals Can Be Entreprenuers
Local control improves results
December 1, 2003 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Charter Schools Improve Achievement, Despite Resistance
Charters face more hurdles than public schools
November 1, 2004 | School Reform News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Will Schwarzenegger Support School Choice?
Arnold will likely follow Bush's model
August 19, 2003 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Child Advocacy Centers Helping Solve Abuse Problems
Daniel Soto case highlights need for change
June 20, 2003 | Newark Star-Ledger
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Why Are Unions Trying to Kill Charter Schools?
A sad charter story
December 3, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Californians Should Watch School Bond Money
School construction boondoggles common
November 10, 2002 | Los Angeles Daily News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Edison Charter Soars in San Francisco
Real accountability, real results
August 15, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Resisting Meaningful School Choice
Baltimore offers 194 transfer spots for 30,000 kids
July 11, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
School Choice vs. Privatization
What is the difference?
June 5, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Arizona Tax-Credit Program
Successful example of a school-choice initiative
April 4, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Takes More Than Reports to Protect Kids
Defintion of child abuse should be tightened
March 22, 2002 | USA Today
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Virtual Schools are the Future
Public schools will face stiff competition
March 5, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Increasing Student Performance Through Competition
Examining the President's Management Agenda
January 7, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Crippling California Schools
New law prohibits privatization savings
January 15, 2002 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Gaming for Education Dollars
Federal bill long on money, short on reform
January 7, 2002 | Reason.com
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Edison Should Get to Run Schools Its Way
Keys to success in Philly privatization
December 12, 2001 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Choice Shouldn't Just be for School Supplies
Kids should be able to flee failing schools
August 17, 2001 | Knight-Ridder Tribune Wire
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Value of Vouchers
Competition leads to results
February 18, 2001 | Los Angeles Daily News
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Response to Bush Education Plan
Vouchers are needed to enforce accountability
January 26, 2001 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
Brand-Name Schools Closing Achievement Gap
Alternatives to failing schools
October 2000 | Reason.org
By Lisa Snell, Reason
» Full Text
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