Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for August 13, 2013: "The scary part is that I believe that they don’t think that we, the students of the Philadelphia School District are going to succeed. So they take money away from us and they put it into other things…..”

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 2650 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, 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

These daily emails are archived at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

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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?

Keystone State Education Coalition:

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for August 13, 2013:

"The scary part is that I believe that they don’t think that we, the students of the Philadelphia School District are going to succeed.  So they take money away from us and they put it into other things…..”

Well funded American public schools with poverty levels of less than 25% lead the world on international tests.  The problem is poverty.  The common core will do nothing to address disadvantaged kids who show up for kindergarten never having been read to.  If they are not reading on grade level by third grade the game is over.

IMHO, the enormous investment of time, money and political capitol in the common core would be much better spent on early education and early literacy programs.  If you want to strengthen US education that's where the focus should be.

LAF

Column | Common Core brings benefits to both education and our economy

Centre Daily Times By Thomas J. Donohue and John Engler Published: August 12, 2013 

Thomas J. Donohue is president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (www.uschamber.com) and John Engler is president of the Business Roundtable.

America’s public K-12 education system isn’t making the grade.

It’s not adequately preparing our students to succeed in college or the modern workforce. It’s not delivering the skilled workers that businesses need to drive stronger economic growth. It’s not helping advance America’s ability to compete and lead in the global economy. In short, it’s setting our nation up to fail.  Although there are exceptions, American public schools are generally producing fewer students with the skills they need for long-term success. Proficiency in fundamental disciplines is slipping.

Among the 34 leading industrialized countries, the United States ranks 14th in reading literacy, 17th in science and a dismal 25th in math. It should surprise no one that we’ve fallen from No. 1 in the world in the percentage of young adults with college degrees to No. 10.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2013/08/12/3731956/column-common-core-brings-benefits.html#storylink=cpy

Chester County Editorial: Common Core hysteria is testing the limits

While a debate is proper, muddying the waters with lies doesn’t help

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times of Chester County August 11, 2013 | 0 Comment

Tuesday night, there’s a big meeting planned at the Kennett Fire Company’s Red Clay Room, to talk about the issues with the proposed Common Core curriculum.

And while there are issues with Common Core, ranging from questions about the nature of the curriculum to who should pay for it, the attacks on Common Core from some groups have gone right through absurd to flat out lies. Based on the materials being sent out, you can expect to hear some mixture of both, Tuesday night.

http://chescotimes.com/?p=1977

Pittsburgh teacher evaluations have promise, schools group says

By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette August 12, 2013 1:31 pm

A+ Schools, an education advocacy group, has evaluated the new teacher evaluation system in Pittsburgh Public Schools and concluded it can be used to improve teaching.

In a web-based news conference today, Amy Scott, director of research and data analysis at A+ Schools, noted that the quality of teaching is the school-controlled factor that makes the most difference in children's academic success.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/pittsburgh-teacher-evaluations-have-promise-schools-group-says-699050/#ixzz2bmxS7t00

New evaluation process set to begin in Pittsburgh schools

By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette August 13, 2013 12:12 am

Teacher evaluation systems can determine who keeps a job and who goes, but what can such systems do to improve all teachers in the classroom?

The new evaluation system developed by Pittsburgh Public Schools includes so much help that A+ Schools, an education advocacy group, is calling it the new "teacher improvement system."

On Monday, A+ Schools released a report examining the complex evaluation system that will take effect in the 2013-14 school year.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/new-evaluation-process-set-to-begin-in-pittsburgh-schools-699126/#ixzz2bq0UHeGC

Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School expansion rejected

By Sara K. Satullo | The Express-Times  on August 12, 2013 at 9:00 PM

When the Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School kicks off the school year Aug. 26, there will be no kindergarten students roaming the halls.  opThe Bethlehem Area School Board tonight unanimously shot down the charter's application to expand the South Bethlehem charter school to a second middle school location on Bridle Path Road in the city.

Bethlehem Area solicitor Don Spry advised the board that a state law prohibits charter schools outside of Philadelphia from operating at more than one location. 

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2013/08/lehigh_valley_dual_language_ch_2.html#incart_river

Distressed Districts: Enrollment spike spares two Chester Upland facilities

Delco Times By JOHN KOPP jkopp@delcotimes.com @DT_JohnKopp August 10, 2013

An increase in student enrollment will enable the Chester Upland School District to maintain two elementary schools previously expected to close.  Superintendent Gregory Shannon said the district anticipates an enrollment of 2,800 students, enough to keep the Chester Upland School of the Arts and Main Street Elementary School in operation this fall. Both schools were tabbed for closure under the building reconfiguration plan district officials unveiled in the spring.
District officials announced last month that Main Street would remain open, but the fate of CUSA remained unclear. Thanks to increased enrollment, CUSA also was saved.  Chester Upland has increased its 2013-14 projected enrollment by about 600 students, Shannon said.

http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2013/08/10/news/doc520703008884d980782355.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Distressed Districts: Harrisburg school library staff eliminated with recent layoffs

By Emily Previti | epreviti@pennlive.com  on August 12, 2013 at 9:10 PM

HARRISBURG – The capital city's public school district started classes Monday without any staffing for their libraries.   Officials say they plan to engage volunteers trained to check out and organize books and other materials.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/08/harrisburg_school_library_staf.html

Distressed Districts: Philly District's lowest-performing seats

Inquirer opinion By Eileen M. DiFranco  Monday, August 12, 2013, 1:08 AM

Contrary to popular opinion, the lowest-performing "seats" in the School District of Philadelphia are not located at Pastorius or Alcorn or any of the city's many recently shuttered schools. The lowest-performing seats - the ones that have driven the School District into despair and disrepair - are the padded swivel chairs at 440 N. Broad St. that are occupied by the School Reform Commission. The members of the SRC sat comfortably in those seats two years ago while Superintendent Arlene Ackerman implemented her poorly attended summer-school program - even though they knew they would be faced with the mother of all budget crises the following year. They sat by while Renaissance schools and Promise Academies created a separate and unequal school system. And they remained seated while Gov. Corbett imposed budget cuts that would dismantle public education as we know it.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20130812_District_s_lowest-performing_seats.html#fvyBHPLceFzplbgo.99

Philly to Corbett: We'd like that $45 million now, please

SEAN COLLINS WALSH, Daily News Staff Writer walshSE@phillynews.com, 215-854-4172 POSTED: Tuesday, August 13, 2013, 12:16 AM

WITH A LOCAL solution to the school district's funding crisis proving elusive, city leaders are calling on Gov. Corbett's administration to release a $45 million grant that could allow schools to open on time next month. Some Harrisburg Republicans, however, say the release of the grant is contingent on the teachers' union agreeing to concessions, which - if it happens at all - would not take place until later this month.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130813_Philly_to_Corbett__We_d_like_that__45_million_now__please.html#vlG3e0uAEqFwJVPh.99

As Philly schools await $50M, activists want more and principals meet

August 12, 2013

By Kevin McCorry @bykevinmccorry and Dale Mezzacappa for The Notebook

As Mayor Nutter and City Council worked on plans to put $50 million in the School District's coffers by the end of this week, a coalition of education activists and the faith-based organizing group POWER planned to demand more than that minimal amount, which Superintendent William Hite has described as "necessary but not sufficient."

The groups say that the patchwork funding package worked out in Harrisburg is far from sufficient for the District to meet its long-term needs.  They are demanding a more long-term solution to the District's funding, one that can sustain a level of resources necessary to provide city students with the "thorough and efficient" education they are entitled to under the state constitution.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/58476-as-philly-schools-await-50m-activists-want-more-and-principals-meet?linktype=hp_topstory

"The scary part is that I believe that they don’t think that we, the students of the Philadelphia School District are going to succeed. So they take money away from us and they put it into other things. The hardest part about this whole thing is getting it through to these politicians. We have to make them believe that we’re people We have to give them our stories. We have to let them see that we’re human. I think they see us as being inferior to other students — and changing a person’s beliefs is one of the hardest things you can do."

Philly high school seniors: We're being set up to fail

Citypaper by Samantha Melamed  MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2013, 1:19 PM

The gravity of her situation struck Crystal Arim, 17, a couple weeks ago, when she was at a college-prep summer program at Columbia University, chatting with directors of admissions from Harvard and Yale. "It was a program with girls from all over the world, from the UK, from South Africa and from the United States. And it was just embarrassing to openly say to the director of admissions, ‘Hey, I don’t have a [school guidance] counselor,'" she says. "I didn’t feel prepared. I felt like I was set up to fail. What am I supposed to do? I’m competing against girls who have fencing in their school, who play the violin."

For ambitious students like Arim, going into their junior and senior years with hopes of attending elite colleges on competitive scholarships, news of the potential delayed start of classes in the Philadelphia School District pending $50 million in additional funding felt like the latest in a string of betrayals by state and local politicians.

http://www.citypaper.net/blogs/nakedcity/219274501.html

Open Letter, August 12, 2013 Regarding Funding Crisis in Philadelphia Schools

Lisa Kallas and Emily Adeshigbin, Co- Presidents Central High School Home and School Association August 12, 2013

We write again on behalf of the Home and School Association of Central High School of Philadelphia. Central is one of the premiere magnet schools of the School District of Philadelphia, and one of its largest, educating 2,400 young people from every zip code in the City.

But all the City schools, regardless of their size, history, mission or successes are facing an enormous crisis years in the making, and if the current trajectory is not reversed, the potential to irreparably damage the future of the City. Simply put, the City schools and the 150,000 children they serve have been systematically victimized by politicians at every level of state and city government for far too long, and it must stop. Indeed, damage has already been done; our city’s young people are watching and have gotten the message loud and clear that they are not a priority.

https://centralhomeandschool.info/letter-to-leaders-aug-12-2013

Beyond the $50 million deal: What about the schools our children deserve?

ParentsUnitedPhila Posted on August 12, 2013 by HELENGYM

Alfie Kohn’s 2000 book titled The Schools Our Children Deserve has become a visionary slogan for public education advocates across the country.  It was the phrase I was thinking of as I listened to last week’s dueling press conferences between the Mayor, the District and City Council about the lack of funding that threatened the opening of school.

It wasn’t because I heard the phrase echoed by our public officials. I heard the opposite. Instead of funding the schools our children deserve, they talked about funding the schools we can minimally afford, or funding the least we can get away with, or funding schools not in gross legal violation of basic educational standards.  

http://parentsunitedphila.com/2013/08/12/beyond-50-million-its-about-the-schools-our-children-deserve/

NBC10 @ Issue: Philly School Budget Crisis

By NBC10 - Steve Highsmith - Catherine Brown  Aug 11, 2013 Video runtime: 21:53

NBC10's Steve Highsmith sits down with Bill Green, Philadelphia City Councilman At-Large, and Helen Gym, Co-Founder of Parents United for Public Education, to talk about the current school budget crisis that may delay the opening of Philadelphia public schools.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/video/#!/news/politics/NBC10---Issue--School-Budget-Crisis/219034251

Philadelphia Schools Should Remain Closed Until Fully Funded, Some Parents Say

By Joy.resmovits@huffingtonpost.com Posted: 08/12/2013 3:22 pm EDT 

The parents of Philadelphia are in limbo. While back to school season has come to be reviled, Philadelphians are praying that it'll arrive in their city as planned.

Philadelphia's Superintendent William Hite said Thursday if he doesn't get an additional $50 million by Aug. 16, the city's beleaguered 218 public schools will be unable to open their doors on schedule on Sept. 9. At the time, Hite said, $50 million would be "not sufficient, but necessary" for starting the school year. His comments were the culmination of massive layoffs, state budget cuts, financial mismanagement and pension liabilities. Sources say Hite is meeting with Gov. Tom Corbett (R) Monday evening in Harrisburg to hash out a resolution. (Corbett spokesman Tim Eller said later in an email he could not confirm the meeting).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/12/philadelphia-schools-closed_n_3744751.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

“The 21st Century charter was opened in 2001 at the behest of the directors of the Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery County Intermediate Units and the 64 school districts in those counties. At the time, the educators expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of virtual school options. Eleven area school superintendents and three parents make up the current governing board.”

Philly District enrolling for new virtual school scheduled to open in September

thenotebook By Connie Langland on Aug 12 2013 Posted in Latest news

The District is rolling out the Philadelphia Virtual Academy (PVA), a new online initiative that it hopes will stem the loss of students and tuition to cyber charter schools.

David Anderson, who is experienced in developing online learning programs in city alternative schools, has been named PVA director, and the District has stocked up on MacBook Air laptops for the 6th to 12th graders who will enroll.

The 21st Century Cyber Charter School, the vendor that will provide most of the curriculum and instruction at the virtual school, is geared up to expand, with a plan to hire more teachers depending on enrollment numbers from Philadelphia and other area school systems now experimenting in online education.

http://ht.ly/nRNOa

Parents fear less learning for their kids, face more child care costs: Cuts in kindergarten

By Barbara Miller | bmiller@pennlive.com  on August 12, 2013 at 9:00 AM

After staying home with her two children during their preschool years, Windy Kuntz was looking forward to returning to the workforce.  But she didn't accept a nearly $50,000-a-year job, when she learned her daughter, the last of her children to enter school, wasn't attending full-day kindergarten at East Pennsboro Area School District. Kuntz said her prospective employer couldn’t work around the half-day kindergarten schedule.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/08/kindergarten_cuts_parents_see.html#incart_flyout_news

Several links to Barbara Miller’s “Cuts in Kindergarten” series are included in this posting from August 6^th:

http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2013/08/pennsylvania-education-policy-roundup_6.html

Pa. House committee to discuss prevailing wage reforms

Central Penn Business Journal By Jason Scott August 12, 2013 at 11:22 AM

The state House Labor and Industry Committee has scheduled four hearings to discuss legislation that would reform the commonwealth's prevailing wage law.  Monroe County Republican Mario Scavello, the committee's chairman, announced hearings for Aug. 22 and Aug. 29 in State College and Stroudsburg, as well as two others on Sept. 10 and Sept. 16 in Williamsport and Johnstown.  The committee has already approved two bills related to prevailing wage. House Bill 796 would raise the threshold to $100,000 from $25,000 for which projects would be subject to the law. H.B. 665would establish a clear definition for maintenance work.

The NCTQ was created by the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Foundation in 2000 in order to promote alternative teacher certification and try to diminish the influence of education schools.

Are reformers reviving ‘reading wars’?

By Valerie Strauss, Published: August 13 at 4:00 am

In June a group called the National Council on Teacher Quality published ratings of teacher education schools that garnered a lot of attention — and a good deal of criticism. Why? The NCTQ was created by the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Foundation in 2000 in order to promote alternative teacher certification and try to diminish the influence of education schools. Its largely negative results were hardly unexpected. In this post, Stanford Professor Linda Darling-Hammond, an expert on teacher training, critiqued the NCTQ’s methodology and said the ratings did not reflect the work of ed schools:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/13/are-reformers-reviving-reading-wars/

Here’s a reprise of a February NYT piece worth repeating; Fixing schools: high expectations and adequate investments equal great student outcomes. 

Ask school officials to explain Union City’s success and they start with prekindergarten, which enrolls almost every 3- and 4-year-old. There’s abundant research showing the lifetime benefits of early education. Here, seeing is believing. …..What makes Union City remarkable is, paradoxically, the absence of pizazz. It hasn’t followed the herd by closing “underperforming” schools or giving the boot to hordes of teachers. No Teach for America recruits toil in its classrooms, and there are no charter schools. ……That these schools are generously financed clearly makes a difference — not every community will decide to pay for two years of prekindergarten — but too many districts squander their resources.

The Secret to Fixing Bad Schools

New York Times By DAVID L. KIRP Published: February 9, 2013

WHAT would it really take to give students a first-rate education? Some argue that our schools are irremediably broken and that charter schools offer the only solution. The striking achievement of Union City, N.J. — bringing poor, mostly immigrant kids into the educational mainstream — argues for reinventing the public schools we have.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/the-secret-to-fixing-bad-schools.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Pennsylvania’s mixed results are included in this report….

Early-Childhood Spending on the Upswing in Several States

By Christina Samuels on August 12, 2013 4:00 PM

A survey of 21 states by the National Conference of State Legislatures shows that spending on early-childhood programs is rising slightly, as states make investments in home-visiting programs and state preschool.  The report, which was released this month, compiles information that was gathered from states in December 2012. And while it shows that early-childhood spending in the surveyed states jad increased collectively by $127 million since fiscal 2012, the increases were not uniform. For example, prekindergarten appropriations increased by an overall $65.6 million, with 10 states reporting increases. But five reported decreases and three said their was no change.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/early_years/2013/08/early_childhood_spending_on_the_upswing_in_many_states.html

The CAN Vulture Arrives in North Carolina

Diane Ravitch’s Blog By dianerav August 12, 2013 //

Supporters of public education in North Carolina are reeling as a result of the sustained assault by the Legislature in this session, but in comes a Gates-funded project to claim that defeats are actually victories and to lobby for merit pay.  The CAN idea is supported by hedge fund managers and Gates to promote charter schools, evaluating teachers by test scores, awarding higher pay to those whose students get higher test scores (merit pay).  CAN is closely aligned with the ALEC-style effort to privatize public education and to dismantle the profession of teaching.

http://dianeravitch.net/2013/08/12/the-can-vulture-arrives-in-north-carolina/

Pennsylvania ALEC Politicians

The Center for Media and Democracy

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pennsylvania_ALEC_Politicians

“Twenty-four months ago, most observers would have assumed that Jeb’s stance on education would be a slam-dunk winner for him if he chooses to run in 2016,” said Frederick Hess, a conservative education analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. “But all of a sudden, he’s looking like Romney did on health care in 2012 – an area that could have been a real strength for him is either up in the air or a real weakness.”
Jeb Bush’s education legacy loses luster

Politico By STEPHANIE SIMON | 8/12/13 5:06 AM EDT

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has built his political career on a relentless drive to improve public schools – or, as he likes to put it, to help all children achieve their “God-given potential.”

But in a startling turnabout, an education record that has looked to be an unvarnished plus for Bush may now be a liability.

Long viewed as a potential contender in the 2016 presidential race, Bush has taken considerable heat from activists on the right in recent months for his support of the Common Core, academic standards that have been promoted by the Obama administration and adopted by 45 states and D.C. Several of his potential rivals for a GOP nomination, among them Senators Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, have outflanked him by coming out against the Common Core, which many tea-party activists see as a heavy-handed federal intrusion into local control of education.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/jeb-bush-education-2016-95401.html#ixzz2blL0yLRa

Charter grade scandal could slow growing movement

Fox11 Published : Friday, 09 Aug 2013, 2:25 PM CDT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — For charter school supporters, there were few better champions than Tony Bennett.  As Indiana's schools chief, he installed a school grading system that shortened the time it took to sweep aside a failing public school in favor of a charter. In Florida, he backed a bill — though unsuccessfully — that could have made it easier for parents to get charters in place at failing schools. He also pushed through a rules change that benefited both charter schools and traditional public schools by limiting how far any school's rating could drop in a single year.

Now, Bennett has them nervous.

Last week, Bennett resigned as Florida's education commissioner after The Associated Press uncovered emails detailing his efforts in Indiana to change the formula used to grade that state's schools to ensure a charter school he had held up as one of the state's best scored an "A."

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/national/Charter-grade-scandal-could-slow-growing-movement_68205592

Did you miss the Perseid meteor shower?

Here’s some pix via the Washington Post August 12, 2013

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/perseid-meteor-shower/2013/08/12/05fb0aae-034f-11e3-88d6-d5795fab4637_gallery.html

Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee Public hearing on Keystone Exams

Monday, August 26, 2013, 9:30 AM, Tredyffrin-Easttown School District

105 W. Walker Rd. Wayne, PA

Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee Public hearing on Common Core

Thursday, August 29, 2013, 9:30 AM Capitol, Hearing Room 1, North Office Bldg.

Harrisburg

Save the Date: Diane Ravitch will be speaking in Philly at the Main Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library on September 17 at 7:30 pm..

Diane Ravitch | Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools
When: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 7:30PM 
Where: Central Library
Cost: $15 General Admission, $7 Students
Ticket and Subscription Packages 
Tickets on sale here at 10:00 a.m. on August 23, 2013

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/authorevents/index.cfm?ID=40337&type=2

Yinzers - Save the Date: Diane Ravitch will be speaking in Pittsburgh on September 16^th at 6:00 pm at Temple Sinai in Squirrel Hill. 

The lecture is being hosted by Great Public Schools (GPS) Pittsburgh, which is a new coalition of community, faith, and labor organizations consisting of Action United, One Pittsburgh, PA Interfaith Impact Network, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, SEIU, and Yinzercation.  Co-sponsors for the event include the University of Pittsburgh School of Education, the PA State Education Association, Temple Sinai, and First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh Social Justice Endowment.  More details to come.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=504288506307495&set=oa.155123638016809&type=1&theater

Join the National School Boards Action Center Friends of Public Education

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

http://nsbac.org/?page_id=1873

PILCOP 2013 Symposium on Equality: Privatization

Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia Thursday, September 12, 2013

This year’s day-long Symposium will be held on Thursday, September 12th and will explore the debate over privatizing government services such as healthcare, land management and education.  The Symposium on Equality annually convenes thought leaders and outstanding advocates  to engage in meaningful discussion and exploration of the day’s most pressing civil rights and social issues. This year’s event will foster conversation, collaboration and exploration of the debate over privatizing government services such as healthcare, land management and education.

http://www.pilcop.org/2013symposium/

PILCOP Know Your Child’s Rights! 2013-2014 Special Education Seminars

Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia July 9, 2013

The Law Center’s year-long Know Your Child’s Rights! seminar series on special education law continues in 2013-2014 with day and evening trainings focused on securing special education rights and services.  These seminars are intended for parents, special education advocates, educators, attorneys, and others who are in a position to help children with disabilities receive an appropriate education. Every session focuses on a different legal topic, service or disability and is co-led by a Law Center staff attorney and a guest speaker.

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.

http://www.pilcop.org/know-your-childs-rights-2013-2014-special-education-seminars-in-progress/

PSBA is accepting applications to fill vacancies in NSBA's grassroots advocacy program. Deadline to apply is Sept. 6.

PSBA members: Influence public education policy at the federal level; join NSBA's Federal Relations Network

The National School Boards Association is seeking school directors interested in filling vacancies for the remainder of the 2013-14 term of the Federal Relations Network. The FRN is NSBA's grassroots advocacy program that provides the opportunity for school board members from every congressional district in the country who are committed to public education to get involved in federal advocacy. For more than 40 years, school board members have been lobbying for public education on Capitol Hill as one unified voice through this program. If you are a school director and willing to carry the public education message to Washington, D.C., FRN membership is a good place to start!

More info: http://www.psba.org/issues-advocacy/advocacy-services/frn.asp

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:

http://www.psba.org/news-publications/headlines/details.asp?id=5787

Electing PSBA Officers: 2014 PSBA Slate of Candidates

Details on each candidate, including bios, statements, photos and video are online now

PSBA Website Posted 8/5/2013

The 2014 PSBA Slate of Candidates is being officially published to the members of the association. Details on each candidate, including bios, statements, photos and video are online at http://www.psba.org/elections/.

PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference
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 and offers an impressive collection of professional development opportunities for school board members and other education leaders.

See Annual School Leadership Conference links for all program details.

Registration: https://www.psba.org/workshops/?workshop=17

PAESSP State Conference October 27-29, 2013

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).

 Click Here To Register Now!

Click Here To View and Print the Conference Registration Brochure.

School Choices: Are your PA tax dollars, intended for the classrooms of Chester Upland, funding this 20,000 sq.ft. mansion on the beach instead?

http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/06/follow-money-contributions-by-vahan.html

Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School FAST FACTS

Quakertown Community School District March 2013

http://www.markbmiller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Pennsylvania-Cyber-Charter-School-FAST-FACTS-1.pdf

"They don't feel they should be subject to this law, or, candidly, subject to you," Mutchler told senators on the state government committee, which is considering legislation to amend the five-year-old law. "They are a cancer on the otherwise healthy right-to- know-law."

Pa. official: Charter schools flout public-records law

By Amy Worden, Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau POSTED: May 15, 2013

HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania's 180 charter schools routinely ignore the state's Right-To-Know Law even though as publicly funded institutions they are bound to comply with it, the chief of the state's Office of Open Records told a Senate committee on Monday.  Executive director Terry Mutchler said her office had received 239 appeals in cases in which charter schools either rejected or failed to answer requests from the public for information such as budgets, payrolls, or student rosters. She said her office ruled in favor of the schools on just six of those appeals.

http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-15/news/39258122_1_open-records-public-charter-schools-ken-kilpatrick

PA Charter Schools: $4 billion taxpayer dollars with no real oversight

Keystone State Education Coalition Prior Posting

Charter schools - public funding without public scrutiny

http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2012/05/pa-charter-schools-4-billion-taxpayer.html