Want to know who's setting education policy in Pennsylvania?

If you only read one article from these daily postings this year, this is the one not to miss. Philadelphia Magazine's September issue features a piece on Vahan Gureghian. Now if we could just get them to take a similar look at the main liners behind the Students First PAC…..

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/what_would_ronnie_say_about_montco_republicans_now/page1

Here's Benjamin Herold's piece for the Notebook that is cited in the above article:

Two of Pa.'s largest charters part of test score probe

by Benjamin Herold July 21, 2011 for the Notebook/NewsWorks
Two of the largest charters in Pennsylvania, Chester Community Charter School (CCCS) and the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber), are among the 89 schools across the state that are to be investigated for statistical irregularities on 2009 standardized tests.

http://www.thenotebook.org/blog/113889/two-pa-largest-charters-part-test-score-probe

More background and a detailed list of contributions:

Follow the Money: Contributions by Vahan Gureghian 1/1/07 - 5/31/11

http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/06/follow-money-contributions-by-vahan.html

State Senate considers charter school regs

State panel would approve programs

Friday, August 26, 2011

By Laura Olson, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG -- A proposal to update the state's rules for charter and cyber schools could bring more oversight to those institutions, but critics said Thursday that it still wouldn't resolve issues with how those schools are funded.

Among provisions to lift enrollment caps and disclose more school data, the measure from Senate Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey Piccola, R-Dauphin, also would create an independent state commission to regulate and authorize charter schools.

Schools try to do more with less

Luzerne County Citizen's Voice BY ERIN MOODY (STAFF WRITER)

Published: August 28, 2011

First-day of school jitters aren't reserved for students.

As school districts across Luzerne County are undergoing serious makeovers, officials are working to stay within reduced budgets, provide better facilities and improve education.

Vouchers prompt Ind. school exodus

Boston Globe Associated Press / August 29, 2011

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Weeks after Indiana began the nation's broadest school voucher program, thousands of students have transferred from public to private schools, causing a spike in enrollment at some Catholic institutions that were recently on the brink of closing.

It is a scenario public school advocates have long feared: Students fleeing local districts in large numbers, taking with them vital tax dollars that often end up at parochial schools. Opponents say the practice violates the separation of church and state.

http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2011/08/29/vouchers_prompt_indiana_school_exodus/

Keystone State Education Coalition

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011