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
Our take: Stop playing the blame game on
school costs
Updated: 04/18/2012 08:04:08 AM EDT
York Daily Record editorial:
Gov. Tom Corbett is right, as far as it goes, that taxpayers fed up with
rising public school costs should blame school boards. ….But there's plenty of blame to go around,
and the governor and state lawmakers deserve their share.
“The Rev. Terrence Griffith, president of the Black Clergy,
said he ignored Roebuck's request for support this year, in part because of the
voucher issue. Griffith
Posted: Thu, Apr. 19, 2012 , 3:01 AM
Vouchers at issue in race: Roebuck's
opponent is backed by Black Clergy
BY CHRIS BRENNAN Philadelphia Daily News Staff
Writer
THE BATTLE in Harrisburg
He is being challenged in Tuesday's primary election
by Fatimah Muhammad, 27, who favors the voucher plan and tells a compelling
story about being homeless as a child and about how education improved her
life. A political-action committee for Students First PA, a pro-voucher group,
gave Muhammad $25,000 in February. It also gave $12,000 last month to a newly
formed PAC, Public Education Excellence, which has been hammering Roebuck with
mailers that attack his record on education.
Posted: Fri, Apr. 20, 2012 , 5:39 AM
SRC begins process to shut 3 charter schools
By Martha Woodall Inquirer
Staff Writer
For the first time in
four years, the Philadelphia School Reform Commission on Thursday night began
the process of closing city charter schools.
The commission voted
to put three schools on notice that their five-year operating charters would
not be renewed: Truebright Science Academy ,
Arise Academy
The district's charter-school
office had recommended the actions for all three schools based on problems with
academics and administration and failing to meet state requirements, such as
having 75 percent certified teachers. Arise was also flagged for its financial
instability.
Posted: Fri, Apr. 20, 2012 , 5:39 AM
3 schools are given to charters; 4th wins a reprieve
By Kristen A. Graham Inquirer
Staff Writer
The Philadelphia
School Reform Commission voted Thursday night to hand three schools over to
charter providers, but gave one school a reprieve - for now.
Allentown teachers oppose merging social studies, English for
sixth-graders
'I struggle daily with
students who argue that Allentown is the capital
of Pennsylvania or the United States
By Steve
Esack, Of The Morning Call 11:17 p.m.
EDT, April 19, 2012
This year, Tara Beaky's daughter is getting less
social studies, science, art, music and physical education instruction in the
classrooms of Allentown 's Lehigh Parkway
Elementary School
Duquesne district seeks grade change
By Rachel Weaver, PITTSBURGH April 20, 2012
The three members of the state-appointed board
of control unanimously authorized Superintendent Paul Rach on Thursday to
request an OK from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to designate grades
7-8 as junior high grades for the 2012-13 school year. The district now
designates grades K-8 as elementary.
The change would allow the district to send
tuition students in grades 7-8 to other districts.
Read more: Duquesne district seeks grade change - Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_792133.html#ixzz1sZffbMAK
Philly.com Neighbors THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Despite her
frustration, Sarah Armstrong was calm and poised when she made her remarks over
the Radnor Township School District board directors' agenda item up for vote –
a 3.28 percent tax increase. ….The
numerous speeches from Radnor
Township
These increases aren't completely unfamiliar to
residents in neighboring Main Line towns. Lower Merion
School District
The Haverford Township School Board's 2012-2013
budget originally proposed a 2.49 percent increase, but could increase as much
as 2.73 percent, the board said last month.
The problems leading to Haverford's probable
increase that simultaneously concerns Radnor Township School Board directors
are the state referendums imposed on school districts: The Act 1 index and the
Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System (PSERS).
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/neighbors/Radnor-School-Board-approves-budgets-328-tax-hike.html#ixzz1sUk6tPQh
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else
Education reform
protests pick up steam
In Texas , New York , Illinois
Test Scores and Housing Costs
New York Times Economix Blog By MOTOKO RICH
Parents hoping to
enroll their children in the best public schools have long known that where you
live matters and that housing prices can be dictated by the quality of the
nearby schools.
A new
study from the Brookings Institution quantifies that price gap, and the differences between the
cost of living near a high-scoring public school and a low-performing one are
striking.
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
REMEMBER TO VOTE! TUESDAY, APRIL 24th
Tuesday,
April 24 is Primary Election Day
in Pennsylvania
Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. Click here to find your polling place. During the Primary, registered members of the
Republican and Democrat parties are eligible to vote to nominate the candidates
that will represent their party on the ballot in the November General Election. ALL
voters will be required to show a photo ID before voting at a polling place in
the November 2012 Election. Click here for
more information on the new Voter ID law.
Stand Up for Public Education!
East Penn Education Forum on April 25th
7:00 – 9:00 pm
What’s at Stake? Discover how high-stakes testing and funding
cuts are impacting our kids and schools.
Hosted by: East Penn Invested Citizens (EPIC), Salisbury Parent Advisory,
Allentown Parent Groups and a coalition of Lehigh Valley Parents
Where: East Penn Administration Building School Board Meeting Room, 800 Pine Street
Details and Registration: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3372006763/efbnen
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?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.