Daily postings
from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 1500
Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators,
legislators, members of the press and a broad array of education advocacy
organizations via emails, website, Facebook and Twitter.
These daily
emails are archived at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us
on Twitter at @lfeinberg
Posted: Mon, Apr. 30, 2012 , 3:01 AM
Music and art may soon join languages on the endangered list at Pennsylvania
By Dan Hardy Inquirer
Staff Writer
Art and music classes
in Pennsylvania
In Delaware County 's
blue-collar Upper Darby school district,
pressure to allocate more money and more classroom time to core academic
subjects could trigger the elimination of elementary school music and art
classes, physical-education teachers, and librarians this fall.
In high-achieving and
prosperous Tredyffrin/Easttown, in Chester
County
A statewide survey of
school districts last summer showed that among those responding, 44 percent
reduced course offerings not required for graduation, including foreign
languages, arts, music, physical education, and some elective English, science,
and social-studies courses.
Continuing reactions to Philadelphia
Cyber Charters and your tax dollars; Heads Up for KDKA broadcast
tonight at 6
KDKA Pittsburgh is
slated to run a story on cyber charter funding during tonight’s 6:00 p.m.
newscast. We hope to pick up a YouTube
link for tomorrow’s email blast.
Cybercharters Grow,
Despite Evidence
Diane Ravitch’s Blog April 27, 2012
There is no “reform” these days
that has less evidence to support it than the expansion of
cyber-charters. This is the (usually for-profit) business that enrolls
students, provides them a computer and textbooks, then teaches them online
while they sit at home in front of a computer. Both the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/education/online-schools-score-better-on-wall-street-than-in-classrooms.html?pagewanted=all
) and the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/virtual-schools-are-multiplying-but-some-question-their-educational-value/2011/11/22/gIQANUzkzN_story.html
) have published exposes of the for-profit cyber-charter corporations.
http://dianeravitch.net/2012/04/27/cybercharters-grow-despite-evidence/
“There is another story we rarely hear: Our
children who attend schools in low-poverty contexts are doing quite well. In
fact, U.S.
Education and the income
gap: Darling-Hammond
This was written
by Stanford University
Education Professor Linda Darling-Hammond, who directs the Stanford University
Center for Opportunity Policy in
Education and was founding director of the National Commission on Teaching and America
By Linda Darling-Hammond
There is much handwringing about low educational
attainment in the United
States U.S. rankings on assessments like the international PISA tests: The United
States was 14th in reading, 21st in science, 25th in math in 2009, for example.
We hear about how young children in high-poverty areas are entering
kindergarten unprepared and far behind many of their classmates. Middle school
students from low-income families are scoring, on average, far below the
proficient levels that would enable them to graduate high school, go to
college, and get good jobs. Fewer than half of high school students manage to
graduate from some urban schools. And too many poor and minority students who
do go on to college require substantial remediation and drop out before gaining
a degree.
There is another story we rarely hear: Our
children who attend schools in low-poverty contexts are doing quite well. In
fact, U.S.
Budget completion a priority for state legislators
By Laura Olson /
Post-Gazette Harrisburg
Delco Times BLOGS >
HERON'S NEST by Phil Heron, Editor
Friday, April 27, 2012
Another problem for Corbett: Casey?
While Gov. Tom Corbett
is furiously trying to wipe the egg off his face after his anointed candidate
in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate got his behind handed to him, he just might
have other worries. His popularity continues to tank. Party insiders are moving
away from him. He’s on something of an island. Now he needs to focus not on the
November general election, but on his own future.
Betsy Devos’
American Federation for Children contributed $1.25 million to Pennsylvania 1/1/12 and 4/9/12 . In turn, on 2/28/12 , Students First contributed
$350,000 to the Citizen’s Alliance
The PA
Dept. of State Campaign Finance Reporting website has no filings posted for the
Citizen’s Alliance
Posted: Fri, Apr. 27, 2012 , 3:00 AM
Primary brought some unexpected losses in Harrisburg
By Amy Worden, INQUIRER
STAFF WRITER
HARRISBURG — At least
five House lawmakers — Democrats and Republicans, from Philadelphia to
Pittsburgh — lost their seats Tuesday in head-turning upsets in what would
usually be predictable legislative primary races. Among those who fought down to the wire to
hold on to their seats was House Speaker Sam Smith (R., Jefferson), who
withstood a challenge by an anti-incumbent conservative by a whisper-thin
margin.
Longtime House
Transportation chairman Rep. Rick Geist (R., Blair) was not so lucky. Geist, in
his 33d year as a lawmaker, was unseated by John McGinnis, a college finance
professor and political unknown. McGinnis was backed by a well-funded Harrisburg interest group, Citizens’ Alliance
APNewsBreak: Legislature's reserve $184M last year
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) —
An annual financial audit of the Pennsylvania Legislature expected to be
approved next week says lawmakers' reserve cash cushion was almost $184 million
last June 30. The chairman of the
Legislative Audit Advisory Commission, Rep. Gordon Denlinger, R-Lancaster, on
Thursday confirmed the figure in a copy of the preliminary financial audit
obtained by The Associated Press.
The figure is about $5
million lower than the previous year's cash reserve, and the Legislature has
since committed $50 million to a program that benefits public schools called
accountability block grants.
Good News From Around
the State
Yinzercation Blog — APRIL 27, 2012
It’s Friday and we could all use
some good news, so here is a wrap-up of positive public education budget items
from around the state:
Oh Good – just
what our kids need - more testing that is not used to inform instruction .
Looks like
you’ll just have to go to private school if you want an education. Everybody else will just be doing test prep
for Pearson……BTW, that Texas resolution
concerning high stakes testing has now been adopted by 412 Texas
“That move is welcomed by Fritz Fischer, a history professor
at the University
of Northern Colorado
"In the educational world we live in, it is a positive
development," he said of the plans by his state and some others to include
history and social studies in their accountability systems. "I am very
sympathetic to those who think we test too much and we are obsessed with
testing, but that battle is over."
Published Online: April 24, 2012
Accountability Moving Beyond Math, Reading Tests
State accountability
plans counting more subjects
Education Week By Erik
W. Robelen
As states seek waivers
under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, one effect may be to chip away at
the dominance reading and math have had when it comes to school accountability.
Many state waiver
applications include plans to factor test scores in one or more additional
subjects into their revised accountability systems. Seven of the 11 states that
won waivers in the first round intend to do so, and about a dozen of those that
applied in the second round have the same intent.
Science is the most
popular choice, followed by writing and social studies.
A Very Pricey Pineapple
New York Times OP/ED By GAIL COLLINS
Published:
April 27, 2012
We have turned school
testing into a huge corporate profit center, led by Pearson, for whom $32
million is actually pretty small potatoes. Pearson has a five-year testing
contract with Texas
This is the part of
education reform nobody told you about. You heard about accountability, and
choice, and innovation. But when No Child Left Behind was passed 11 years ago, do you recall
anybody mentioning that it would provide monster profits for the private
business sector?
Me neither.
Politics and Education
Don't Mix
- P.L.
Thomas is an associate professor of education at Furman
University in Greenville , South Carolina
Governors and presidents
are no better suited to run schools than they are to run construction sites,
and it's time our education system reflected that fact.
Universal
public education needs a new wall, paralleling the wall of separation between
church and state: a wall between education and government and corporate America
Education Talk Radio: At the Chalkface
Listen
online; One hour talk show dedicated to education.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT 9am
Hosts
Tim Slekar and Shaun Johnson cover the biggest issues in education, from standardized
testing to No Child Left Behind.
If
you want a text reminder send "CHALK" TO THE NUMBER 60193."
Audio
clips of prior shows are available too.
STATEWIDE PRESS COVERAGE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGETS
Here are more than 400 articles since
January 23rd detailing budget cuts, program cuts, staffing cuts and
tax increases being discussed by local school districts
The PA House Democratic Caucus has been tracking daily press coverage on
school district budgets statewide:
http://www.pahouse.com/school_funding_2011cuts.asp?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pahouse.com%2fschool_funding_2011cuts.asp&utm_campaign=Crisis+in+Public+Education
Has your board considered this draft resolution yet?
PSBA Sample Board
Resolution regarding the budget
Please consider bringing this sample resolution to
the members of your board.
http://www.psba.org/issues-advocacy/issues-research/state-budget/Budget_resolution-02212012.doc
PA Partnerships for
Children – Take action on the Governor’s Budget
The governor’s budget plan cuts funding for proven
programs like Child Care Works, Keystone STARS and the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship
program, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance
Program. These are among the most cost-effective
investments we can make in education. Gov. Corbett’s budget plan also runs counter
to a pledge he made when he ran for governor in 2010. He acknowledged the
benefits of early childhood education and promised to increase funding to
double the number of children who would benefit from early learning
opportunities.
We need your help to tell lawmakers: if you cut
these programs – you close the door to early learning! Click here to tell your state legislators to fund early childhood education programs
at the same level they approved for this year’s budget.
Education Voters PA –
Take action on the Governor’s Budget
The Governor’s proposal starts the process,
but it isn’t all decided: our legislators can play an important role in
standing up for our priorities. Last year, public outcry helped prevent
nearly $300 million in additional cuts. We heard from the Governor, and
we know where he stands. Now,
we need to ask our legislators: what is your position on supporting our
schools?
