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“Hite said enrolling a student in the Philadelphia Virtual Academy
Pension
reform appears to be moving on to Legislature's front burner
By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com
on April 17, 2013
at 7:23 PM
Elements of Gov. Tom
Corbett’s pension reform proposal have
the support of two statewide organizations representing school district
officials.
The Pennsylvania School Boards
Association and Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials endorse
his proposal to lower the multiplier used to calculate state government and
school employees’ pension benefits for future service.
But they are not on board with
other aspects of his proposal, based on testimony presented at a House State
Government Committee hearing on Tuesday. The hearing was the first time
this year a legislative committee has held a hearing to address the looming
pension crisis that some see as threatening the state's long-term fiscal
stability.
PSBA says pension crisis is a perfect storm
for public education
PSBA
Press Release Steve Robinson, Publications and PR Director 4/15/2013
In testimony before the House
State Government Committee, PSBA urged the committee members to enact pension
reforms that would ease the financial crisis facing school districts and their
taxpayers. "Solutions need to be
worked out or the pension tidal wave will wash over taxpayers and school
districts leaving them angry and frustrated," said Emily Leader, PSBA
acting chief counsel. She said public education is facing a perfect storm with
the merging of increased pension expenses and escalating healthcare benefit
costs, which continue to outpace inflation, and the yearly Act 1 index, which
sets the maximum tax rate districts may approve unless they fall within very
narrow exceptions. Without meaningful pension reform, schools will be facing
years of strained budgets that will leave them no option but to continue to cut
programs and services for students.
Testimony
of Jay Himes, Executive Director, PA Association of School Business Officials, House
State Government Committee Public Hearing on Pension Reform April 16, 2013
I would like to thank Chairman
Metcalfe and Chairman Cohen as well as the members of the
committee for the opportunity
to discuss with you the very critical issue of pension reform for
school personnel. This morning
I would like to present the position of the PA Association of School Business
Officials (PASBO) on pension reform for schools generally rather than specific
bills that have been introduced.
PSBA says ‘trigger event’ could provide
opening to change current state employee pension benefits.
Capitolwire.com Under the Dome
email of April
17, 2013
During a state House of
Representatives committee hearing about proposed state pension plan changes,
the Pennsylvania School Boards Association caught the attention of state
lawmakers twice. First, Emily Leader, PSBA’s acting chief counsel, announced,
for the first time, PSBA’s support of efforts to change future pension benefits
for current employees. “Our current situation is so significant that something
fairly aggressive needs to be done to address our $41 billion unfunded
liability and the increasing contributions that employers face if we do not
take action quickly and aggressively,” said Leader, who went on say, “PSBA is
seeking comprehensive pension reform that can only be attained if we address
the future benefits of current employees.” Then, later during her testimony,
Leader suggested a way state lawmakers might change those future benefits and
not run afoul of the Pennsylvania Constitution’s provision that the legislature
cannot diminish or impair the state’s contractual obligation, which state
courts have interpreted to include the pension condition under which current
state employees accrue their retirement savings. Citing the 1993 Supreme Court
decision in the Shiomos v. State Employees' Retirement Board case – which
involved a state judge who retired but was later convicted of extortion while
having senior judge status - Leader said: “The Court noted the act [the Public
Employee Pension Forfeiture Act] provides, ‘Each time a public officer or
public employee is elected, appointed, promoted, or otherwise changes a job
classification, there is a termination and renewal of the contract for purposes
of this act.’ “When Judge Shiomos took office for his second term, he was on
notice that the act applied to individuals in his position. At that point, he
accepted all of the provisions of the Pension Forfeiture Act and he forfeited
his right to all benefits arising from his public employment, including those
accrued prior to his second term of office.” Leader suggested if a “triggering
event” - which creates a new or amended contract between the public employee or
official and the Commonwealth – took place, that could afford the state with
the opportunity to then restructure the future pension benefits for existing
employees. To read all of Leader’s testimony presented during the House State
Government Committee hearing on Tuesday, CLICK HERE. And CLICK HERE to read a report from the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette about Leader’s remarks.
“The district will pay the Chester
County IU
Kristen
A. Graham, Inquirer Staff Writer POSTED: Thursday,
April 18, 2013 ,
3:01 AM
Cyber charter schools, watch
out. The Philadelphia
School District
Come September, the district -
pending School Reform Commission approval Thursday night - will launch the Philadelphia Virtual Academy
The move could net the
financially distressed district millions of dollars. This year, about 6,000
city students are enrolled in cyber charters, at a cost to the school system of
about $60 million.
"Here in Philadelphia
“Hite said enrolling a student in the Virtual Academy
by thenotebook on
Apr 17 2013
Posted in Latest news
by
Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks,
a Notebook news
partner
The Philadelphia School
District Philadelphia Virtual
Academy
Pittsburgh
Public Schools board expected to vote on expanding Online Academy
By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh April 17, 2013 9:36 pm
The board of Pittsburgh Public
Schools is expected to vote next week on expanding its new Pittsburgh Online
Academy
The funding proposal: Shorr
said the Great Schools Compact is specifically recommending that Corbett and
legislators in Harrisburg
- Increasing the
state’s subsidy for public education, paid to every traditional school
district in the state.
- Restoring some
version of the “charter reimbursement” line item, which previously
provided tens of millions of dollars to districts annually to help offset
the cost of charter schools. The charter reimbursement was eliminated by
Corbett prior to the 2011-12 school year.
- Forming a
bipartisan commission to develop and implement a “weighted student funding
formula” that is based on district’s actual enrollments and accounts for
the specific needs of individual students.
WHYY Newsworks By Benjamin
Herold, @benjaminbherold April 17, 2013
Saying it’s time for Pa. Gov.
Tom Corbett to relieve the pain caused by massive cuts in state aid to public
education over the past two years, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and a
coalition of district, charter and Catholic schools are making a push in
support of the School Reform Commission’s request for $120 million in
additional state aid for city schools.
“What’s happening at the school
level doesn’t lie,” said Lori Shorr, the mayor’s chief education officer. “Talk
to parents in a charter school or a district-managed school. They
understand what the cuts have meant.”
Nutter, along with the Great
Schools Compact, is calling on Corbett and the state legislature to increase
the state’s basic education subsidy, restore state reimbursements to districts
for money they spend on charter schools and adopt a “student-based funding
formula” as a long-term solution to the district’s chronic budget woes.
PCCY
AUDIT: MANY RENEWAL-SEEKING CHARTER SCHOOLS FALL BELOW-DISTRICT AVERAGES IN
CRITICAL AREAS
10 Recommendations for School
Reform Commission Charter Renewals
Public Citizens for Children
and Youth Press Release April 17, 2013
(PHILADELPHIA April 17, 2013 – As the Philadelphia
School Reform Commission considers whether to renew the contracts of 16 charter
schools, an audit by Public Citizens for Children and Youth shows many of the
schools do not enroll Special Education, English Language Learner and
low-income students at average District rates.
And some charters, based on
publicly available data, show consistently poor academic performance. “We cannot ignore these factors,” PCCY
Executive Director Donna Cooper said. “City-wide charters should reflect the
realities of the District’s student population. We should operate with common
goals. All schools should be accessible to all students and at a minimum
showing academic output as strong as the District.”
Prevailing
wage changes advance, over Dems' and union objections: Wednesday Morning Coffee
By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com
on April 17, 2013
at 7:55 AM
Good
Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
Even the most casual student of American letters is familiar with the tale of Moby Dick.
Even the most casual student of American letters is familiar with the tale of Moby Dick.
C'mon, you
remember: Big white whale, crazy guy with a peg-leg who hunted him to the ends
of the Earth, even though it cost him his life and his sanity. Call me Ishmael.We
know you remember. If
there's a modern day analogue for Pennsylvania Republicans, it might be their
obsession with repealing the state's prevailing wage laws, which require more
expensive union scale wages to be paid for public construction projects.
North Pocono teacher strike begins today,
teachers blast district
Academic gains in NYC, D.C., and Chicago
overstated, report contends
Submitted by thenotebook on
Wed, 04/17/2013
- 11:56 Posted in Latest
news | Permalink
This is a reprint of an article
that originally
appeared at Education Week.
by Lesli A. Maxwell
The school improvement
strategies highly touted by leaders such as U.S. Secretary of Education Arne
Duncan, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and former District of Columbia
schools chancellor Michelle Rhee have produced overwhelmingly disappointing
results for the poor and minority children in Chicago, New York, and the
District of Columbia, contends a forthcoming report written by a national group
that favors a more holistic approach to improving public schooling.
Superintendents, Business Managers, School
Board Members, Union Leaders, Any Others interested in PSERS and wanting to learn
more about Pension Reform . . .
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Registration:
6:30 p.m. Presentation: 7:00 p.m.
Allegheny Intermediate Unit 475 East Waterfront Drive Homestead , PA 15120
Jeffery B. Clay, Executive
Director for the Pennsylvania Schools Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS)
will present on the topic of pension reform. Mr. Clay’s presentation will
review the increases in retirement contributions and the Governor’s proposal on
pension reform. As one concerned about public education, we are sure that
you will find this meeting enlightening and a valuable investment of your time.
In order to accommodate those
attending and prepare the necessary materials for the meeting, please
register using the following link: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6252177431 by May 7, 2013 .
If you have any questions
regarding the registration process, please contact Janet Galaski at 412.394.5753 or janet.galaski@aiu3.net.
Sign Up
Today for PILCOP Special Ed CLE Trainings
Spots are filling up for the
final three trainings in our 2012-2013 Know Your Child’s Rights series with
seminars on ADAAA, Pro Se Parents and Settlement Agreements.
For seminar details and
registration: http://pilcop.org/sign-up-today-for-special-ed-cle-trainings/
NAACP 2013
Conference on the State of Education in Pennsylvania
A Call for Equitable and
Adequate Funding for Pennsylvania
Media Area Branch NAACP
Saturday, May
11, 2013 9:00 am
– 2:30 pm (8:30 am
registration)
Marcus Foster Student Union 2nd
floor, Cheyney University of PA, Delaware County Campus
Information and registration
at: http://www.naacpmediabranch.org/2013_conference.html
PA Charter Schools: $4 billion taxpayer dollars with no real
oversight
Charter schools - public funding without public scrutiny; Proposed
statewide authorization and direct payment would further diminish
accountability and oversight for public tax dollars
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