Charter Mix/ Pileggi: “some issues, such as special education costs and pension costs, are very much outside the control of the local elected school board,"

June 7, 2011

House Education Committee Cancels Today's Meeting on Furlough Bill The House Education Committee has cancelled its scheduled meeting  today to consider SB 612, legislation regarding the furlough of teachers  for economic reasons. The meeting will be rescheduled for a later date.

Taxing power could be limited for Pennsylvania school districts

Posted: Monday, June 6, 2011 3:00 am

Indiana Gazatte, By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press 

HARRISBURG -- Five years ago, the Pennsylvania Legislature and Gov. Ed Rendell struck a deal to give voters the right to veto or approve school property tax increases above the rate of inflation.

Few of those referendums have actually been held, but Rendell's successor and some state lawmakers want to give it another try by repealing the 10 exceptions that school districts have used to avoid the votes.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, said his caucus has not discussed the specifics.

"I think there is a general support, certainly in our caucus, for greater taxpayer and voter participation in school district tax increases, yet there's also a recognition that some issues, such as special education costs and pension costs, are very much outside the control of the local elected school board," Pileggi said.

http://www.indianagazette.com/b_news/article_8da89384-bdbd-5906-844e-52852a8a50fb.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4ded88998f2db332%2C0

Posted on Tue, Jun. 7, 2011

Pennsylvania State Education Association backs use of test scores in evaluating teachers

By Dan Hardy, Inquirer Staff Writer

Pennsylvania's largest teachers union has issued its strongest endorsement to date for using student test scores in evaluating teachers, and proposed a streamlined dismissal process for educators and principals.

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20110607_Pennsylvania_State_Education_Association_backs_use_of_test_scores_in_evaluating_teachers.html

Posted on Tue, Jun. 7, 2011

Boys' Latin graduates its first class amid hoopla

By Martha Woodall, Inquirer Staff Writer

"Boys' Latin is the start of something very big, a new tradition to your neighborhood," Gov. Corbett told the inaugural class of the state's first single-sex college-preparatory charter school.

"In many ways you - the first graduating class - are the founders of your school," Corbett told the 79 young men who received their diplomas before a cheering audience of parents, friends, and supporters who packed the Zellerbach Auditorium at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Center for an emotion-laden, high-spirited commencement ceremony Monday.

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20110607_Boys__Latin_graduates_its_first_class_amid_hoopla.html

Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 06/06/2011

Democrats raise new concerns about charter schools

By Valerie Strauss

A House education subcommittee held a hearing on public charter schools — but Republicans and Democrats issued such different takes on the session that it doesn't sound like they were in the same room during the proceedings.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/democrats-raise-new-concerns-about-charter-schools/2011/06/04/AGpH0sJH_blog.html

 

Charter Schools Tied to Turkey Grow in Texas

New York Times, By STEPHANIE SAUL Published: June 6, 2011

TDM Contracting was only a month old when it won its first job, an $8.2 million contract to build the Harmony School of Innovation, a publicly financed charter school that opened last fall in San Antonio.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/education/07charter.html?pagewanted=1&src=rechp

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