Daily postings from the Keystone
State Education Coalition now reach more than 2250 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 advocacy organizations via
emails, website, Facebook and Twitter.
The Keystone State Education
Coalition is pleased to be listed among the friends and allies of The Network for Public Education. Are you a member?
These daily emails are archived at
http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at
@lfeinberg
More than 2250 PA education
policymakers have the Education Policy Roundup from the Keystone State
Pennsylvania Education Policy
Roundup for July 16, 2013:
"How do we make
sure we're not in a situation where we're begging for funds school district by
school district, but actually working together to support a new school funding
formula?"
"How do we make
sure we're not in a situation where we're begging for funds school district by
school district, but actually working together to support a new school funding
formula?"
Pa. House
approves $45 million more for Philly's schools
WHYY Newsworks By Holly Otterbein,
@hollyotterbein July 15, 2013
The Pennsylvania House passed a bill Monday that
directs $45 million in additional state aid to Philadelphia's cash-starved
schools, but only under certain conditions.
One of those conditions is that the money actually materializes.
The state has apparently persuaded federal officials
to forgive a years-old debt, freeing up millions of dollars for public
education. However, Gov. Tom Corbett's
office said that negotiations between the state and feds over the debt have not
been finalized. Corbett spokesman Jay Pagni declined to provide more details.
Pa. House
returns to approve fiscal code The final bill related to the 2013-14
Angela Couloumbis and Martha Woodall, Inquirer Staff
Writers July 16, 2013, 1:08 AM
HARRISBURG - They came, they voted, they left. So it
went Monday in the Capitol, where the 203-member state House made a rare
midsummer return to vote on a small but critical part of the state budget: the
fiscal code, which had been in legislative limbo for two weeks because of a
dispute between the two chambers of the legislature.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130716_Pa__House_returns_to_approve_fiscal_code.html#CBLG0OOGGwwkJriD.99
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130716_Pa__House_returns_to_approve_fiscal_code.html#CBLG0OOGGwwkJriD.99
Commonwealth
Foundation ignores pension data that don't support its agenda: PennLive letters
By Letters to the
Editor by GEORGIA SMEE on July 15, 2013 at 10:30 AM
The Commonwealth Foundation tries to promote itself
as an advocate for fiscal conservatism. So it’s strange that their president
Matthew Brouillette actually promotes changes to public employee pensions which
would increase costs to Pennsylvania’s taxpayers by at least $42.4 billion over
the next 30 or so years.
That estimate isn’t mine; it comes from actuarial
cost notes issued by two major national actuarial consulting firms: the Hay
Group and Buck Consultants. These numbers were then reviewed and determined to
be reasonable by Cheiron, a McLean, Va.-based firm with no ties to either the
Public School Employees' Retirement System or the State Employees' Retirement
System. Cheiron was working as consulting actuary for the Public Employee Retirement
Commission, an independent commission responsible for analyzing the fiscal
impact of pension legislation.
Crisis
feared as pension costs skyrocket, education funding falls
Scranton Times-Tribune BY SARAH HOFIUS HALL (STAFF
WRITER) Published: July 14, 2013
Northeast
Pennsylvania school districts have a math problem to solve: How to absorb
$143.8 million in funding cuts and pay $82.6 million more for pensions, a
Sunday Times analysis reveals.
The
sharp decline in state funding since Tom Corbett became governor and
skyrocketing pension costs have districts depleting reserves, calling for
reform and fearing more layoffs will be needed.
Database:
School Pension Costs
Scranton Times Tribune DATACENTER Published: July
14, 2013
While
school districts across Pennsylvania have seen state funding cut drastically
since 2010-11, pension costs have skyrocketed. This database includes the total
compounded amount of pension increases since 2010-11 (after reimbursement from
the state) and the total loss in state funding over three years, compared to
2010-11 funding levels.
Dollars
and Sense: Tax hikes down in Delaware County districts (With Video)
Delco Times By TIMOTHY LOGUE tlogue@delcotimes.com @timothylogue July 14, 2013
When
Eric Zajac joined the school board in Radnor Township in December 2005, there
was no question which way taxes were headed when it came time to vote on the
budget.
“When I first ran for the school board, the historical pattern was pretty much a 5 percent tax increase every year,” he said. “There were exceptions to that; some years they were a little bit higher or a little bit lower, but if you look at the five to 10-year average before Act 1 they were roughly 5 percent tax increases.”
This budget season, the Radnor board was the only one in Delaware County that voted to cut taxes. The half percent reduction translates to about $108 on $100,000 of assessed property.
“When I first ran for the school board, the historical pattern was pretty much a 5 percent tax increase every year,” he said. “There were exceptions to that; some years they were a little bit higher or a little bit lower, but if you look at the five to 10-year average before Act 1 they were roughly 5 percent tax increases.”
This budget season, the Radnor board was the only one in Delaware County that voted to cut taxes. The half percent reduction translates to about $108 on $100,000 of assessed property.
Tragedy of
black education on display
Tribune-Review By Walter Williams Published: Friday, July 12, 2013,
8:57 p.m.
As if more evidence were needed about the tragedy of black education, Rachel Jeantel, a witness for the prosecution in the George Zimmerman murder trial, put a face on it for the nation to see.
As if more evidence were needed about the tragedy of black education, Rachel Jeantel, a witness for the prosecution in the George Zimmerman murder trial, put a face on it for the nation to see.
Some
of that evidence unfolded when Zimmerman's defense attorney asked Jeantel, 19,
to read a letter that she allegedly had written to Trayvon Martin's mother. She
responded that she doesn't read cursive — and that's in addition to her poor
grammar, syntax and communication skills.
Jeantel
is a senior at Miami Norland Senior High School. How in the world did she
manage to become a 12th-grader without being able to read cursive writing?
That's a skill one would expect from a fourth-grad
Read
more: http://triblive.com/opinion/featuredcommentary/4325471-74/black-basic-education#ixzz2Z9uETNsZ
Tom
Quigley: Pa.’s budget and school property tax myth
Pottstown Mercury By Tom Quigley Guest columnist Posted: Sunday,
07/14/13 12:01 am
Tom
Quigley, the former mayor of Royersford, represented the 146th District in the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2005-2012.
The
2013-14 state budget was recently approved by the Pennsylvania General Assembly
and signed by Gov. Tom Corbett before the June 30 deadline and without an
increase in state taxes. This budget establishes a record high of $10 billion
total state dollars invested in K-12 education while also providing $22.5
million for distressed school districts. It continues the increase of $6.4
million for Head Start and Pre-K counts early childhood programs. This year’s
budget is a balanced, fiscally responsible plan that lives within in its means,
while addressing the most important priorities of Pennsylvania taxpayers who
are responsible for paying the bill.
In
the aftermath of this budget’s passage, some legislators who voted against it
are citing as their primary reason, the notion that local property taxes will
be increased at a greater rate due to the “inadequate” school funding contained
in this budget. While the merits of the current funding formula for driving
state tax dollars out to the school districts has been and will continue to be
the subject of debate, the idea that more state funding will lead to a lower
rate of property tax increase is flawed. A review of a report from the
Independent Fiscal Office would indicate just the opposite.
Teachers
or ‘Quantitative Learning Gains Facilitators?’
Washington
Post By Valerie Strauss, Published:
July 16 at 4:00 am
David
Lee Finkle is a middle-school teacher in Florida who draws the comic strip “Mr.
Fitz” for the Daytona Beach News-Journal. He is also the author of books for
teachers on student writing and of three young adult novels: “Making My Escape”
as well as “Portents” and “Portals” (co-authored with his son, Christopher).
The comic strip can be found online at www.mrfitz.com and
at the Facebook page Mr.
Fitz Comic Strips, and you can follow him on Twitter @DLFinkle. He blogs at The
Real Mr. Fitz, where a
version of this appeared.
By
David Lee Finkle
There
is a myth going around our country that goes something like this: American
schools have been dumbed down, bad teachers have been given free reign, our
educational system is failing, and we will fail to be competitive in the new
global economy.
Actually,
American schools are more rigorous than they have ever been. What used to be
high school topics and subjects have been moved into middle school (Algebra 2
in 8th grade, anyone?). High school students can take multiple college-level
courses while still in high school for college credit, and even graduate with a
two-year college degree along with a high school diploma.
Our
educational system is not failing. When people compare our test scores to those
of other countries, they fail to take into account that some “high-scoring”
nations do not, as does the United States, test or even attempt to educate all
their students.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD – JOIN
FRIENDS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TODAY
National
School Boards Action Center July 2013
Join the Friends
of Public Education and participate in a voluntary network to
urge your U.S. Representatives and Senators to support federal legislation on
Capitol Hill that is critical to providing high quality education to America’s
schoolchildren. Federal legislation has direct policy and financial impact
on your local public schools and students, and federal legislators need to hear
the local impact – directly from you, their constituent. By becoming a
part of the Friends of Public Education, you are joining a national
campaign to support a strong public education for all students. When you sign up, you will receive
information on critical education legislation and NSBAC will ask you to
contact your members of Congress at key strategic times during the legislative
process. NSBAC will notify you through calls to action and provide sample
letters that you can personalize so you can easily communicate with your
elected federal leaders.
So, join today.
(…And recruit your friends and family to do the same).
Thank
you for your support for America’s schoolchildren.
Yinzers - Save the
Date: Diane Ravitch will be speaking in Pittsburgh 6:00
pm . Location and details to
come.
Save the Date: Diane
Ravitch will be speaking in Philly at the Main Branch of the Philadelphia 7:30
pm . Details to come.
Know Your Child’s Rights! 2013-2014
Special Education Seminars
The
Law Center Law Center
This
year’s topics include Tips for Going Back to School; Psychological Testing,
IEEs and Evaluations; School Records; Children with Autism; Transition
Services; Children with Emotional Needs; Discipline and Bullying; Charter
Schools; Children with Dyslexia; Extended School Year; Assistive Technology;
Discrimination and Compensatory Education; and, Settlements. See below for
descriptions and schedules of each session.
PSBA
members will elect officers electronically for the first time in 2013
PSBA 7/8/2013
Beginning
in 2013, PSBA members will follow a completely new election process which will
be done electronically during the month of September. The changes will have
several benefits, including greater membership engagement and no more absentee
ballot process.
Below
is a quick Q&A related to the voting process this year, with more details
to come in future issues of School Leader News and at
www.psba.org. More information on the overall governance changes can be found
in the February 2013 issue of the PSBA Bulletin:
October 15-18, 2013 | Hershey Lodge & Convention Center
Important change this year: Delegate Assembly (replaces the
Legislative Policy Council) will be Tuesday Oct. 15 from 1 – 4:30 p.m.
The
PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference is the largest gathering of elected
officials in Pennsylvania
Registration:
https://www.psba.org/workshops/?workshop=17
The Penn Stater Conference Center
Hotel, State College , PA
The
state conference is PAESSP’s premier professional development event for
principals, assistant principals and other educational leaders. Attending will
enable you to connect with fellow educators while learning from speakers and
presenters who are respected experts in educational leadership.
Featuring
Keynote Speakers: Charlotte Danielson, Dr. Todd Whitaker, Will Richardson &
David Andrews, Esq. (Legal Update).
EPLC
Education Policy Fellowship Program – Apply Now
Applications are available now
for the 2013-2014 Education
Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP). The
Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania
With more than 350 graduates in
its first fourteen years, this Program is a premier professional development
opportunity for educators, state and local policymakers, advocates, and
community leaders. State Board of Accountancy (SBA) credits are available
to certified public accountants.
Past participants include state
policymakers, district superintendents and principals, school business
officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide association
leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education and community
leaders. Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer or another
organization.
The Fellowship Program begins
with a two-day retreat on September 12-13, 2013 and continues to
graduation in June 2014.
Building
One America 2013 National Summit July 18-19,
2013 Washington , DC
Brookings Institution to present
findings of their “Confronting Suburban Poverty” report
Building One America’s Second
National Summit for Inclusive Suburbs and Sustainable Regions will involve
local leaders and federal policy makers to seek bipartisan solutions to the
unique but common challenges around housing, schools and infrastructure facing America America
Lineup of speakers: https://buildingoneamerica.org/summit/speakers
Information and registration: https://buildingoneamerica.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=1
James
H. Shelton III is confirmed to participate in a White House panel at the Building One America
Summit, to be held July 18-19 at Georgetown
Law School
in Washington D.C.
PA
Charter Schools: $4 billion taxpayer dollars with no real oversight
Charter schools - public funding without public
scrutiny
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