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Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators,
legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, PTO/PTA officers, parent
advocates, teacher leaders, education professors, members of the press and a
broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies, professional associations and education
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Public education groups call for restoring $900 million in school
funding cut two years ago
Public
education groups call for restoring $900 million in school funding cut two
years ago
By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com
on April 30, 2013
at 6:15 PM
Public education groups are
calling on Gov. Tom Corbett and state lawmakers to make a three-year commitment
to restore the $900 million cut from
public school funding two years ago.
The groups say they can start
next year by approving a $270 million increase in the basic education subsidy
districts receive to cover operating costs.
At a news conference today in
the Capitol Rotunda, representatives from groups that have mounted what they
call the Pennsylvania School Funding Campaign lamented the toll
the funding cuts have had on districts.
School Funding Campaign Calls for Restoration
of State Funding for Student Programs and Services and Long-Term Plan for
School Funding Fairness
PA School Funding Campaign
Press Release April
30, 2013
today that legislators need to
prioritize funding for K-12 student programs and services by approving a $270
million increase in basic subsidy for 2013-2014, and also make a commitment to
a three-year process to restore nearly $900 million cut from school district
funding in each of the past two years.
“One speaker after another criticized Gov. Corbett and the Legislature
for reducing state aid to basic education by nearly $1 billion in the last two
years and diverting dollars to charter schools.
"It seems that in the last 10 years, our schools have been like a
medieval village that has been encircled by an outside army, put under siege,
and steadily starved of resources and support personnel until we have been
weakened for a final assault," said Ken Derstine, who retired in 2011
after 37 years as a public schoolteacher, most recently at Meredith School in
Queen Village.”
Parents: Besieged Philly schools in dire
need
Bob
Warner, Inquirer Staff Writer Tuesday,
April 30, 2013 ,
9:37 PM
Even assuming that the city
comes up with another $60 million requested by the Philadelphia School
District , the projected budget for the next
school year will be a disaster for the city and its schoolchildren, a series of
parents, teachers, civic groups and students told City Council on Tuesday. "People are the backbone of our
school," said Alison Stuart, a fifth-grade teacher at McCall School
near Washington Square ,
who bicycled to City Hall after school to testify as the last of about 50
witnesses at a Council budget hearing.
"I felt compelled to come
out for all the librarians, all the secretaries, all the band teachers,
everybody who makes our community what it is," Stuart said, beginning to
cry as she described the school nurse cleaning tables in the lunchroom.
Despite parent, teacher pleas, City Council
still not moved on District budget woes
thenotebook by Bill Hangley on Apr 30 2013 Posted in Latest news
Day two of City Council’s
education hearings was a long string of bleak predictions and passionate calls
for funding from public school supporters faced with the prospect of what one
parent called “trying to do the impossible with nothing.”
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell
called the day’s testimony “disheartening” but gave little indication that she
and her colleagues are eager to move on meeting the Philadelphia School
District ’s request for $60 million in additional
funding.
“The governor cut all this
money,” said Blackwell, a co-chair of Council’s education committee, who along
with Council President Darrell Clarke presided over the day’s testimony.
“The gap in the budget was
primarily due to an increase in special education costs of $3.2 million, net
pension liability increase of $1.7 million, and additional charter school costs
of $746,000, said business manager Ed Smith.”
Philly.com
by Kathy Bocella Tuesday, April 30, 2013 , 8:33
PM
The Upper Darby School District
released a $165 million budget that closes a $9.7 million shortfall with staff
reductions, transportation cuts, and other savings, many of them reflecting
priorities suggested in a series of community forums. Residents still face a 2.94 percent
property-tax increase, much less than the 6.6 percent that could have been
levied before going to a referendum, said Superintendent Louis DeVlieger.
"No school district
programs will be cut, no employee will lose a job, and kindergarten, art,
music, and sports will all remain intact while still reaching our goal of $9.7
million," he said in presenting the budget to the board Tuesday night.
Over 2000 people have signed
this online petition – have you?
Fund public education, not corporate tax breaks!
Fund public education, not corporate tax breaks!
http://signon.org/sign/fund-public-education-4.fb24?source=c.fb.ty&r_by=43354
Over 1000 people have signed this
online petition – have you?
PA Students are Waiting: Fund Public Ed
PA Students are Waiting: Fund Public Ed
PA has an obligation to fund a thorough and
efficient system of education for children. Stop shifting the burden to local
communities and RESTORE education funding to 2010 levels.
Comparing York City
to other schools in similar financial straits
York
Dispatch By ANDREW SHAW 505-5431 / @ydblogwork 04/30/2013
10:45:51 AM EDT
The two options are converting
to all charter schools starting in the 2014-15 school year, or allowing the
district to do an immediate internal transformation using ideas such as salary
cuts, the addition of pre-kindergarten classes, and the creation of themed
magnet schools.
But York
isn't the only Pennsylvania
district in this position.
29 Pittsburgh-area school districts get
state OK to exceed cap on tax increases
Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review By Tony
LaRussa May 1, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
State education officials have given more than a third ofPennsylvania 's
school districts — including 29 in the Pittsburgh
area — permission to raise property taxes higher than a predetermined cap would
allow. A 2006 law — Act 1 — requires
districts to keep tax increases within a so-called “index” that limits the
amount they can levy based on a formula calculated by the state.
State education officials have given more than a third of
Fewer Pa. school districts seek to exceed tax
limit
WHYY Newsworks: The Feed By Associated
Press April 30,
2013
Fewer and fewer Pennsylvania school
districts are seeking approval to raise property taxes beyond a state-imposed inflation
index without voter approval.
A state Department of Education
report released Tuesday shows 171 of the 497 districts in the report were
granted exceptions from a requirement that local voters approve tax increases
that exceed the index. Officials say this is the third straight year in which
those requests have declined. Department
spokesman Tim Eller speculated that the trend reflects boards' reluctance to
raise taxes and more innovative methods for holding down expenses.
Of the remaining districts, 311
approved resolutions declaring they would not increase taxes above the index,
and 15 others left open the possibility that they would seek voter approval for
larger increases in the May 21 primary.
Tomalis
touts Corbett's education efforts
The Greater Reading
Chamber hosted an event to highlight workforce issues.
By Teresa McMinn Reading Eagle
correspondent 4/30/2013
Finding and keeping skilled
workers is top of mind for just about any employer. The Greater Reading Chamber
of Commerce & Industry invited the state's top education official and a
panel of experts to offer insights on education and workforce development
during an event April 23 at the Green Valley Country Club in Lower Heidelberg
Township .
Education Secretary Ron Tomalis
hit on several topics, starting with No Child Left Behind, the sweeping federal
education reforms enacted in 2001 under President George W. Bush.
“This much is clear: A key Senate committee chairman
effectively pulled the plug on the House's version of privatization just two
months before a June 30 deadline for a new state budget.
"I am on record saying I will not support the House
bill," Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-Bucks, chairman of
the Law and Justice Committee, said after the hearing.”
Corbett's liquor privatization plan on life
support
As key Senate panel holds hearing, its
chairman pulls plug on House version.
By Steve Esack, Call Harrisburg Bureau 11:47 p.m. EDT, April
30, 2013
Astroturf
They’re heeeeeere! Yes, we’ve
been watching the astroturf groups set up shop in Pennsylvania ,
and now they are here in Pittsburgh .
Astroturf groups are fake grassroots organizations. They are funded by deep
pockets, manipulated to look like local efforts to give the impression that
they represent real community opinion. But they are as authentic as a field of
plastic grass. (For a great example, see this explanation of
Parent Revolution, an astroturf group in California funded by venture capitalists
interested in charterizing public schools through parent trigger laws.)
The first astroturf group
popped up here like a weed last month just as the weather started to warm.
Called “Shepherding the Next Generation,” this Washington
D.C. based group received money from the Gates
Foundation to start working in Pittsburgh .
They’re not hiding that fact – it’s right there in small print at the bottom of
the flyer they are passing out to local churches in an effort to recruit them
(though it’s not on their
web site). They call themselves an “alliance of Pittsburgh religious leaders who strongly
support community efforts to make sure our children have the best chance at
succeeding in school and later in life.” So far, sounds good, right?
Well, first of all, there is no
alliance.
Teachers at Philly charter unionize
Inquirer
Philly School Files Blog by Kristen Graham April 30, 2013 , 12:37 PM
After a significant two-year
battle, teachers at the New
Media Technology
Charter School
in West Oak Lane
have voted to unionize, the Pennsylvania American Federation of Teachers said
Tuesday. The vote was 26 to 3, and is
significant because of how it occurred. New Media's teachers had asked to
be recognized under public labor law, but the school contended that New Media
was a private entity - even though it receives more than $5 million in public
money.
The New Media vote was the
first in the state to be held according to private labor law. It was
overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.
Not a word from Obama (or White House press
corps) on education
At his Tuesday news conference,
held 100 days into his second term, President Obama spoke about the following:
“The fund, which has invested about $260 million over 15 years, receives
financing from high-profile education donors like the Broad Foundation, the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Walton Foundation. On its board are
Silicon Valley leaders including John Doerr,
partner in the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, and
Dave Goldberg, chief executive of Survey Monkey (and husband of Sheryl
Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer).”
NewSchools
Fund Attracts More Capital
New York Times By MOTOKO RICH Published: April 30, 2013
NewSchools Venture Fund, a
nonprofit that started out channeling philanthropic donations to charter schools and that
now invests in a range of education groups and businesses, is entering into a
partnership with a new venture capital fund that could result in millions more
in financing.
Common
Core: Union Chief Recommends Delay in Use of Test Scores
By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ Published:
April 30, 2013
Warning that a new set of
academic standards was on the verge of falling into the “dustbin of history,”
the leader of a national teachers’ union called on Tuesday for school systems
to postpone using new tests to evaluate teachers and promote students.
The leader, Randi
Weingarten, president of the American Federation
of Teachers, said teachers needed at least a year to master a new
curriculum and review test materials before schools should be held accountable
for results.
‘Parent trigger’ legislation fails in Florida Senate
For the second straight year,
significant parent opposition to “parent trigger” legislation in Florida has led to
defeat in the legislature despite powerful supporters, including former
governor Jeb Bush. The “parent
trigger” is intended to give parents with children at low-performing
schools the legal right to petition the state or district for a change in
school structure, with the parents getting to pick from a list of options
(which include turning the school over to a private management company). Proponents say it gives parents more options
and power in their children’s education. Opponents say it is a stealth way
of turning traditional public schools into charter schools and that it
will lead to more privately run schools
Arne
Duncan's address to U.S.
education writers to be webcast live
Who: Arne Duncan
When: Thursday,May 2, 11 :45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Webcast: edpolicy.stanford.edu/multimedia/video/
You're invited to tune in to a live webcast by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.Duncan
is a keynote speaker for the Education Writers Association's (EWA's) 66th
National Seminar. He will be addressing conference participants and the speech
will available via live webcast to a national audience. Secretary Duncan will discuss the future of
federal education reform and the new directions the Department of Education
will take during President Obama’s second term. Topics include federal No Child
Left Behind Act waivers for states and the outlook for congressional
reauthorization of that law. Following his speech, reporters attending the
event will participate in a Q&A with the secretary.
When: Thursday,
Webcast: edpolicy.stanford.edu/multimedia/video/
You're invited to tune in to a live webcast by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
PSBA Bylaws amendment proposals due May 15
PSBA
website 2/15/2013
As stated in Article XII,
proposals for amending the PSBA Bylaws must be submitted "in writing,
mailed first class and postmarked or marked received at PSBA headquarters prior
to May 15 of each year." Proposals
should be addressed to the Bylaws Committee Chair or the Executive Director and
sent to PSBA headquarters by the May 15, 2013, deadline.
The procedures for submitting
proposed bylaws changes are outlined in Article XII and can be found online atwww.psba.org/about/psba/2013_psba_bylaws.pdf.
Search underway for PSBA Executive Director
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA)
is a nonprofit statewide association of public school boards, pledged to the
highest ideals of local lay leadership for the public schools of the
commonwealth. Founded in 1895, PSBA has a rich history as the first
school boards' association established in the United States . Pennsylvania 's 4,500 school directors become
members by virtue of election to their local board -- the board joins as a
whole. Membership in PSBA is by school district or other eligible local
education agency such as intermediate unit, vocational school or community
college……..
Search
by Diversified Search, 1990 M St NW, Suite 570 , Washington , DC .
Questions may be directed to PSBA@divsearch.com. Interested
parties should email their resume and cover letter to PSBA@divsearch.com.
Please apply by June 1, 2013 for
best consideration.
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 McGuffey/Sullivan Rooms
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.
NAACP 2013
Conference on the State of Education in Pennsylvania
A Call for Equitable and
Adequate Funding for Pennsylvania 's
Schools
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
Sign Up
Today for PILCOP Special Ed CLE Trainings
Spots are filling up for the
final two 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/
Turning the Page for Change
celebration, June
11, 2013
Please join us for the Notebook’s annual Turning the Page for
Change celebration on June 11, 2013 , from 4:30 - 7 p.m. at the University of The Arts , Hamilton Hall, 320 S. Broad Street .
We will be honoring a member of the Notebook community for years of
service to our mission as well as honoring several local high school
journalists. Help us celebrate another year of achievement that included two
awards from the Education Writers Association and coverage of other critical
stories like the budget crisis and the school closing process.
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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