Monday, February 28, 2011

SB1 Vote Tomorrow; Voucher coverage and opinion around PA

Senate Education Committee Expected to vote on SB1 at Meeting Tomorrow

North Office Building, Hearing Room 1, March 1, 2011, 10:30 AM

Senate Bill 1, Printer's Number 226 (Piccola/Williams) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 by creating a new article entitled "Opportunity Scholarships and Educational Improvement Tax Credit".

http://piccola.org/education/2011/030111/agenda.htm

 

Inquirer Editorial: Voucher bill doesn't pass

Posted on Sun, Feb. 27, 2011
It's hard to argue against the troubling fact that thousands of students are trapped in poorly performing public schools. But a proposed voucher bill in Harrisburg has serious flaws and 

Pennsylvania lawmakers suggest amendments to school voucher bill

Published: Sunday, February 27, 2011, 8:19 PM
On Tuesday, when the Senate Education Committee will vote on the voucher bill, a myriad of amendments is expected to be offered to address opponents’ concerns with the bill, known as Senate Bill 1.

School vouchers: What your lawmakers are saying

Published: Sunday, February 27, 2011, 1:44 PM 
With the voucher issue advancing in the Capitol, The Patriot-News surveyed 28 midstate lawmakers about the educational choices their parents made for them and the ones they made for their own children, without the availability of vouchers. The newspaper also asked them if they had a position on Senate Bill 1.

Multiple choice question: School voucher plan garnering praise and criticism in Pa. Senate

Public education in Pennsylvania is facing “a fundamental paradigm shift” toward school choice, according to Secretary of Education Designate Ron Tomalis.

Getting in through the back door

February 26, 2011|By John L. Micek, Allentown Morning Call Harrisburg Bureau

Expansion of tax credit program for business, known as 'back-door vouchers,' will play a key role in the debate over school choice in Pennsylvania.


Guest Column: School vouchers will ‘make things worse’

Cut me a break. Contrary to the rallying cry by proponents of a school voucher plan, this is not the “civil rights” campaign of the century.

Opinion: Oppose school vouchers

Centre Daily Times Robert Lumley- Sapanski

February 26, 2011 12:52am EST

Today’s public schools must provide much more than a basic education. We’re required to remedy a plethora of societal and emotional needs millions of children arrive with every morning. We provide two meals a day to kids who otherwise would not be fed
Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/2011/02/26/2545563/oppose-school-vouchers.html#ixzz1FFfxrtYC

 

Defending indefensible

Pittsburgh TribLive
Senator Jeff Piccola
Letter to the Editor, Thursday, February 24, 2011

I write to set the record straight regarding the news story "Public school districts brace for possibility of vouchers" (Feb. 15 and TribLIVE.com).
Read more: Defending indefensible - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/letters/s_724305.html#ixzz1FFkzCLng

 

Guest Column: Voucher plan would punish public schools

In support of Pennsylvania’s Senate Bill 1, which would provide taxpayer-funded vouchers to private and religious schools, voucher evangelists have been repeatedly citing one report funded by the Friedman Foundation, the granddaddy of all voucher advocacy organizations: “A Win-Win Solution: The Empirical Evidence on How Vouchers affect Public-Schools”



Sunday, February 27, 2011

SB1 Vote on Tuesday/ WJH Directors oppose vouchers/PTR: Cyber grads face military's bias/ PN: Teplitz announces run against state Sen. Jeffrey Piccola

Senate Education Committee Will Vote on SB 1 Next Tuesday
Call or write to your senators to voice your concerns and ask them to vote "No" on the bill. This is especially important if your senator is on the Education Committee, but we are asking that all members of the Senate be contacted now. Please reach out your senators via telephone or email before next Tuesday.

To Contact Members of the Senate Education Committee about SB 1:


West Jefferson Hills school directors oppose vouchers 
McKeesport Daily News Feb 25
By STACY LEE Daily News Staff Writer 
West Jefferson Hills school board is voicing its disap­proval of school vouchers.
The board adopted a resolution earlier this week opposing proposed legis­lation that would provide direct financial aid to or tuition tax credits or vouch­ers for state residents enrolled in non-public schools.

Cyber grads face military's bias

By Amy Crawford
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Justin Merrill had wanted to join the military for as long as he could remember.
"Everyone on my mom's side of the family was a Marine, and everyone on my dad's side was in the Army," explained Merrill, 18, of Danville, Montour County, in Central Pennsylvania. "I wanted to do something to help my country."
But Merrill's plan was jeopardized last year, when he learned that the Army did not approve of the high school diploma he was on track to earn from Agora Cyber Charter School.

Democrat Robert Teplitz announces run against state Sen. Jeffrey Piccola

Published: Saturday, February 26, 2011, 10:07 PM
Robert Teplitz, the top legal and policy director to Auditor General Jack Wagner, has announced his candidacy for the state Senate district seat representing Dauphin and northern York counties that is up for election next year. 



WJH directors oppose vouchers - McKeesport Daily News Feb 25

West Jefferson Hills school directors oppose vouchers
McKeesport Daily News Feb 25
By STACY LEE Daily News Staff Writer

West Jefferson Hills school board is voicing its disap­proval of school vouchers.

The board adopted a resolution earlier this week opposing proposed legis­lation that would provide direct financial aid to or tuition tax credits or vouch­ers for state residents enrolled in non-public schools.

“Vouchers take taxpay­er dollars out of the sys­tem of public education to fund private schools,” school board president Shauna D’Alessandro said. “It’s taxpayer money that is not accountable when it leaves the public school system. They are not subject to the Sunshine Law and they are not subject to the Right-to-Know law. They don’t have to follow the myriad of school code laws that we have to, so there is no guarantee that the public’s tax dollars are going to be spent wisely.” She said there is no evidence that private schools do any better than public schools.

Senate Bill 1 or the Opportunity Scholarship and Educational Improvement Tax Credit Act was intro­duced in the Pennsylvania Senate last month. It would give tuition vouchers to stu­dents from lower income homes to be used for public, private or religious schools.

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association said the program cost has been esti­mated to be $54.3 million in the first year, $156.3 mil­lion in the second year and $1.22 billion in the third and later years.

“Public schools
 educate all children,” D’Alessandro said. “Private schools have the choice. When they talk about choice in education, private schools have the choice to reject children.” West Jefferson Hills act­ing superintendent Dr. Timothy McNamee said the school vouchers have been declared unconstitutional in many states already.

“I feel that this proba­bly will be challenged and found unconstitutional in Pennsylvania as well if it was implemented here,” he said.

“Commonwealth fund­ing should be provided to support the costs of public school initiatives only after the state fulfills its commit­ment to adequacy and equi­ty,” the resolution states.

In other legislative school news, West Jefferson Hills district officials expressed their condolences after the Feb. 18 passing of Timothy Allwein, PSBA assistant executive director of gov­ernmental and member rela­tions.

“He was a dear friend, a colleague and a staunch sup­porter of public education,” said D’Alessandro, who sits on the PSBA board of directors. “He joined PSBA staff in 1991 as the director of legislative services and in 2001 was promoted to his current position, where he was a chief lobbyist for the school boards association.” “It’s a big loss,” district solicitor Ira Weiss said. “He was a fixture in the legisla­tive circle.”

Friday, February 25, 2011

PENNSYLVANIANS OPPOSED TO VOUCHERS - 17 organizations/ North Penn Reporter: voucher debate/ Kampf Introduces Bill to Exempt School Districts From Prevailing Wage

PENNSYLVANIANS OPPOSED TO VOUCHERS
17 statewide organizations issue joint statement outlining projected costs to taxpayers
American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania
American Federation of Teachers – PA
Americans United for Separation of Church and State – PA chapters
Education Law Center
Education Voters PA
Equality Pennsylvania
Jewish Labor Committee
League of Women Voters Pennsylvania
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP‐PA)
Pennsylvania Parent Teacher Association (PTA‐PA)
Penn Action
Pennsylvania Association of Pupil Services Administrators (PAPSA)
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS)
Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (PASCD)
Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA)
Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)
Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY)

Pennsylvania's voucher proposal stirs local education debate

A bill pending in the state Senate that would offer state-funded vouchers to poor parents to send their children to the schools of their choice has ignited a storm of controversy.  Supporters say the bill, Senate Bill 1, would help children now stuck in failing schools move to better schools, whether public or private, where they will learn what they need to know to succeed in life. But, public school officials believe the proposal would take money away from the public schools during a recession, when the state itself faces a $4 billion shortfall.

Kampf Introduces Bill to Exempt School Districts From Prevailing Wage
2/16/2011
Rep. Warren Kampf (R-Chester/Montgomery) today introduced a bill to reduce costs for school districts across Pennsylvania by exempting them from the state's prevailing wage requirements for public works contracts, unless they choose to opt in to those requirements. 
Kampf calls the bill the "School Construction Cost Reduction Act."  


Thursday, February 24, 2011

Education Law Center's Position on SB1/ Senate pushes school mandate relief/ PVAAS Data Available to Public/ Forum for Education & Democracy


The Education Law Center's Position on Senate Bill 1

Senate pushes school mandate relief

BY ROBERT SWIFT (HARRISBURG BUREAU CHIEF RSWIFT@TIMESSHAMROCK.COM)
Pottsville Republican, Published: February 21, 2011
HARRISBURG - Senators plan to push legislation to give public school districts relief from state education mandates as a consolation for a resurgence of school choice proposals.

PVAAS Data Available to Public
Website Depicts Measures of Student and School Progress
HARRISBURG – Parents who want to see how well their child's school is meeting achievement standards can now access that data on their computer based on a new state law spearheaded by Senator Jeffrey Piccola (R-15) and Representative Paul Clymer (R-145), Chairmen of the Education Committees in the Senate and House of Representatives.

The Forum for Education and Democracy
New website includes What Works in which you can find lists of leaders, organizations, schools and districts, policies, and research to help inform discussion in the areas of Teaching and Learning, Governance and Accountability, and Equity and Access;  


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Poverty Level at 144 SB1 Schools is 80.8% vs State Avg of 39.1%/ Philadelphia schools say voucher bill could cost them millions


Poverty Level at 144 SB1 Schools is 80.8% vs State Avg of 39.1%
This chart lists the poverty level (percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch) for each of the 144 schools on the "failing schools" list under Senate Bill 1.

Philadelphia schools say voucher bill could cost them millions

Philadelphia's public schools could lose $40 million in state funding next year if a school-voucher bill being considered by state lawmakers is approved, School District officials said at a hearing Tuesday.


Poverty Level at 144 SB1 Schools is 80.8% vs State Avg of 39.1%

This chart lists the poverty level (percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch) for each of the 144 schools on the "failing schools" list under Senate Bill 1.

The statewide average is 39.1%.  For these 144 schools the average is 80.8%.

 



% Free Reduced
Math 
Reading

District
School 
Basic/ Below Basic
Basic/ Below Basic
1
Philadelphia City
Learning Academy North

100.0%
100.0%
2
Philadelphia City
University City HS
89.4%
96.7%
93.7%
3
Ephrata Area
Washington Ed Center
92.8%
43.5%
57.5%
4
Philadelphia City
West Philadelphia HS
88.5%
97.8%
83.9%
5
Philadelphia City
Gratz Simon HS
85.4%
91.3%
88.9%
6
Philadelphia City
Vaux Roberts HS
94.1%
89.2%
86.8%
7
Philadelphia City
Germantown HS
83.8%
91.8%
86.5%
8
Philadelphia City
Roxborough HS
74.2%
94.4%
81.3%
9
Harrisburg City
Career Technology Academy
70.7%
93.8%
84.3%
10
Lancaster
Phoenix Academy
66.9%
90.0%
85.1%
11
Philadelphia City
Douglas Stephen A Sch
88.7%
92.2%
80.0%
12
Philadelphia City
John Bartram HS
84.9%
87.6%
82.4%
13
Philadelphia City
Olney HS West - 704
84.6%
89.5%
81.5%
14
Chester-Upland
Chester HS
61.2%
92.7%
76.0%
15
Philadelphia City
South Philadelphia HS
83.9%
83.9%
87.2%
16
Wilkinsburg Borough
Wilkinsburg SHS
80.7%
84.2%
82.9%
17
Philadelphia City
Sayre William L MS
88.4%
84.7%
81.4%
18
Pittsburgh
Westinghouse HS
89.8%
93.5%
71.1%
19
Philadelphia City
Kensington Intl Bus Finance
90.3%
86.7%
81.4%
20
Philadelphia City
Fels Samuel HS
56.7%
81.0%
81.8%
21
Pittsburgh
Peabody HS
76.0%
83.0%
76.0%
22
Philadelphia City
Alcorn James Sch
94.4%
79.1%
82.3%
23
Philadelphia City
Overbrook HS
83.3%
84.9%
76.0%
24
Philadelphia City
King Martin Luther HS
76.4%
82.3%
79.4%
25
Philadelphia City
Olney HS East - 705 see#13

87.2%
70.4%
26
Philadelphia City
Kensngtn Crt&Perf Arts HS see# 19

85.5%
71.5%
27
Philadelphia City
Bluford Guion El Sch
90.8%
75.5%
82.3%
28
Philadelphia City
Lamberton Robert HS

84.5%
71.4%
29
Philadelphia City
Dunbar Paul L Sch
89.1%
75.5%
80.4%
30
Philadelphia City
School of the Future
83.8%
86.5%
68.5%
31
Pittsburgh
Oliver HS
77.0%
82.6%
75.8%
32
Philadelphia City
Fitzsimmons Thomas Academy
90.4%
77.2%
81.5%
33
Harrisburg City
Hamilton Sch
96.5%
75.5%
79.7%
34
Philadelphia City
Kensington Culinary Arts see #19



35
Philadelphia City
Jones John Paul MS
94.7%
78.7%
80.5%
36
Philadelphia City
Franklin Benjamin HS
89.7%
81.5%
72.1%
37
Philadelphia City
Hill Leslie P Sch
94.5%
73.8%
82.7%
38
Philadelphia City
Frankford HS
84.1%
79.5%
74.3%
39
Philadelphia City
Edison HS - Fareira Skills
89.8%
76.8%
74.0%
40
Philadelphia City
Lincoln Abraham HS
60.5%
84.8%
66.6%
41
Philadelphia City
Randolph A Philip AVT HS
83.5%
79.2%
71.7%
42
Philadelphia City
Daroff Samuel Sch
90.1%
74.1%
75.8%
43
Harrisburg City
Harrisburg HS
86.9%
74.8%
72.2%
44
Duquesne City
Duquesne Consolidate School
88.6%
67.5%
82.4%
45
Chester-Upland
Columbus El Sch
74.0%
73.8%
72.5%
46
Philadelphia City
Stetson John B MS
95.2%
72.8%
76.2%
47
Philadelphia City
Smedley Franklin Sch
93.4%
69.1%
78.8%
48
Harrisburg City
Steele School
92.6%
65.6%
76.8%
49
Philadelphia City
Douglass Frederick Sch
95.3%
70.9%
77.8%
50
Philadelphia City
Allen Ethel Dr
90.5%
67.8%
75.9%
51
Harrisburg City
Melrose Sch
87.7%
66.4%
75.3%
52
Philadelphia City
Barry Comm John Sch
90.0%
72.0%
71.4%
53
Philadelphia City
Clemente Roberto MS
94.3%
70.7%
75.0%
54
Harrisburg City
Rowland School
84.0%
73.5%
71.7%
55
Philadelphia City
Clymer George Sch
94.4%
62.9%
77.9%
56
Philadelphia City
Gillespie Eliz D MS

75.4%
64.9%
57
Philadelphia City
Swenson Arts & Technology HS
51.8%
85.5%
52.8%
58
Philadelphia City
Kelley William D Sch
93.9%
63.4%
76.7%
59
Philadelphia City
Potter-Thomas Sch
94.5%
66.7%
70.4%
60
Harrisburg City
Camp Curtain  Sch
86.9%
67.2%
73.9%
61
Chester-Upland
The Village at Chester Upland
71.1%
69.5%
68.6%
62
Philadelphia City
Pastorius Francis P
90.4%
69.3%
72.9%
63
Philadelphia City
Stanton M Hall Sch
94.2%
64.2%
75.9%
64
Philadelphia City
Dobbins Murrell AVT HS
85.5%
73.9%
63.0%
65
Philadelphia City
Walter G Smith Sch
93.7%
62.8%
75.2%
66
William Penn
Penn Wood SHS Cypress
57.8%
68.7%
66.8%

William Penn
Penn Wood SHS Green Av
53.5%


67
Philadelphia City
Harrison William Sch
94.6%
68.5%
71.0%
68
Philadelphia City
Cleveland Grover Sch
89.8%
66.8%
67.8%
69
Philadelphia City
Harrity William F Sch
88.9%
63.6%
74.2%
70
Philadelphia City
Harding Warren G MS
90.3%
71.4%
64.7%
71
York City
William Penn SHS
75.3%
73.7%
66.1%
72
Aliquippa
Aliquippa JSHS
68.1%
75.4%
59.7%
73
Philadelphia City
Barratt Norris S MS
94.8%
69.7%
68.1%
74
Reading
Reading SHS
85.4%
74.8%
57.2%
75
Harrisburg City
Scott Scool
93.9%
53.1%
77.5%
76
Philadelphia City
Pratt Anna B Sch
95.9%
60.3%
70.3%
77
Philadelphia City
Pennell Joseph Sch
85.3%
58.8%
70.9%
78
Philadelphia City
McMichael Morton Sch
95.2%
68.3%
63.4%
79
Pittsburgh
Perry Traditional Acad HS
67.2%
74.5%
55.1%
80
Pittsburgh
Northview El
98.0%
58.0%
72.1%
81
Harrisburg City
Lincoln Sch
88.0%
64.7%
66.5%
82
Philadelphia City
Reynolds Gen John F
96.1%
58.4%
73.4%
83
Pittsburgh
Helen S Faison Arts Academy
92.5%
59.6%
66.9%
84
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh University Prep
77.1%
61.7%
63.1%
85
Philadelphia City
Creighton Thomas Sch
83.7%
60.1%
65.0%
86
Philadelphia City
Wright Richard R Sch
88.9%
56.7%
71.3%
87
Wilkinsburg Borough
Wilkinsburg MS



88
Philadelphia City
Whittier John G
90.0%
57.7%
68.5%
89
Philadelphia City
George Washington HS
50.3%
33.1%
41.7%
90
Philadelphia City
Vare Edwin H MS
94.1%
65.3%
67.1%
91
Philadelphia City
Elkin Lewis Sch
94.3%
52.3%
70.3%
92
Southeast Delcom
Academy Park HS
50.2%
66.5%
57.2%
93
Pittsburgh
King M L El Sch
90.0%
61.4%
64.9%
94
Philadelphia City
McKinley William Sch
94.3%
59.2%
64.8%
95
Philadelphia City
Hartranft John F Sch
95.1%
53.6%
70.2%
96
Philadelphia City
Edmunds Henry R Sch'
83.1%
64.8%
65.3%
97
Pittsburgh
Rooney Middle Schl
88.0%
64.4%
60.6%
98
Sto-Rox
Sto-Rox HS
75.6%
60.8%
63.9%
99
Lancaster
McCaskey Campuses
63.4%
66.8%
58.3%

Lancaster
McCaskey East
72.5%


100
Pittsburgh
Langley HS
80.1%
61.3%
55.9%
101
Philadelphia City
Birney Gen David B Sch
89.6%
56.3%
65.7%
102
Harrisburg City
Downey Sch
86.8%
59.8%
66.0%
103
Philadelphia City
Stearne Allen M Sch
93.6%
52.3%
70.1%
104
Philadelphia City
Morton Thomas G Sch
89.4%
53.5%
68.4%
105
Harrisburg City
Foose Sch
92.9%
57.6%
66.7%
106
York City
Hannah Penn MS
89.7%
61.1%
62.2%
107
Philadelphia City
Steel Edward Sch
94.2%
53.0%
67.4%
108
Philadelphia City
Sheridan Philip H Sc
94.3%
49.8%
71.8%
109
Erie City
Wayne MS
97.8%
57.4%
66.5%
110
Philadelphia City
Sheppard Isaac Sch
94.4%
56.3%
65.1%
111
Philadelphia City
Howe Julia Ward Sch
84.0%
50.8%
69.2%
112
Philadelphia City
Mifflin Thomas Sch
85.4%
58.0%
65.4%
113
Philadelphia City
Anderson Add B Sch
84.4%
60.0%
62.7%
114
Philadelphia City
Duckrey Tanner Sch
93.6%
50.2%
69.2%
115
Philadelphia City
Drew Charles R Sch
90.1%
59.2%
61.7%
116
William Penn
Park Lane el Sch
80.7%
53.4%
65.4%
117
Reading
Gateway Sch Intl Bus & World Lang
94.9%
51.4%
67.1%
118
Pittsburgh
Brashear HS
60.5%
64.7%
55.5%
119
Philadelphia City
Carroll Charles Sch
82.8%
68.0%
50.0%
120
Philadelphia City
Bryant William C Sch
90.3%
59.3%
58.9%
121
Philadelphia City
Sheridan West

63.0%
57.5%
122
Philadelphia City
Beeber Dimner MS
83.7%
61.1%
61.7%
123
Allentown City
Central El Sch
89.8%
52.8%
66.4%
124
Philadelphia City
Taylor Bayard Sch
94.4%
46.3%
71.7%
125
William Penn
Aldan Sch

50.7%
66.4%
126
McKeesport Area
McKeesport Area SHS
55.3%
65.6%
53.1%
127
Philadelphia City
Leidy Joseph Sch
89.7%
56.0%
61.8%
128
Harrisburg City
Benjamin Franklin School
94.6%
57.9%
58.8%
129
Keystone Central
Bucktail Area High School
64.2%
69.0%
48.3%
130
Philadelphia City
Pepper George MS
88.7%
65.1%
57.6%
131
Philadelphia City
Furness Horace HS
83.5%
48.9%
69.9%
132
Philadelphia City
Lea Henry C Sch
93.7%
57.8%
60.2%
133
Chichester
Chichester SHS
39.2%
59.6%
55.7%
134
Newport
Newport HS
35.1%
75.3%
45.5%
135
Philadelphia City
Mastbaum Jules E AVTS
85.2%
57.8%
57.4%
136
Philadelphia City
Feltonville Intermediate Sch
89.5%
50.7%
64.2%
137
Clairton City
Clairon MS/HS
85.8%
65.5%
53.4%
138
Crawford Central
Second District El S
85.7%
51.2%
64.2%
139
Erie City
East SHS
85.3%
64.6%
53.3%
140
Pittsburgh
Weil Technology Institute
89.1%
54.5%
60.6%
141
Philadelphia City
Kenderton Sch
94.1%
54.5%
62.4%
142
Upper Darby
Charles Kelly Elem School
86.4%
51.6%
60.1%
143
Philadelphia City
Kinsey John L Sch
85.3%
57.8%
59.0%
144
Philadelphia City
Lowell James R Sch
75.3%
50.6%
60.7%
Total
Listed Schools

80.8%
66.9%
68.6%







State Total

39.1%
23.7%
28.0%