Keystone State Education Coalition

Established in 2006, the Keystone State Education Coalition is a growing grass roots, non-partisan public education advocacy group of several hundred locally elected, volunteer school board members and administrators from school districts throughout Pennsylvania. Our mission is to evaluate, discuss and inform our boards, district constituents and legislators on legislative issues of common interest and to facilitate active engagement in public education advocacy.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for September 26, 2013: If PA funded its fair share of education we probably would not need tax reform.

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 3000 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

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

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 September 26, 2013: If PA funded its fair share of education we probably would not need tax reform.

Pennsylvania contributes a smaller share of the cost of educating its students than most states, leaving local taxpayers to contribute more.

Good morning folks – just a quick heads-up that after publishing the Keystone State Education Coalition’s Education Policy Roundup 6 days a week since November 2010 we will be taking a brief hiatus beginning this Friday morning.

House Bill 618 “Charter School Reform” approved by the House 133-62.

Roll call vote: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/RC/Public/rc_view_action2.cfm?sess_yr=2013&sess_ind=0&rc_body=H&rc_nbr=711

“The ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee, Rep. James Roebuck of Philadelphia, has said the bill does not include enough taxpayer savings or financial reforms. He argues the change in pension funding should be extended to brick-and-mortar charter schools, not just cyber charter schools, and that charter schools should be banned from using public money for advertising.”
Pa. bill proposes review of charter school funding

House plan calls for commission to study regulations

By Karen Langley / Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau September 26, 2013 12:05 am

HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania House on Wednesday sent the Senate a package of revisions to charter school regulations, including a temporary change in payments to cyber charter schools while a commission examines charter funding.

The funding structure for cyber charter schools is frequently criticized for delivering disproportionate reimbursement for pension costs and for including expenses, such as cafeteria costs, that do not apply to online learning.

The House proposal, which passed 133-62, would allow school districts for the next two school years to deduct the full cost of their pension contributions and food service when calculating their per-pupil expenses for the purpose of tuition to cyber charter schools. The change would not apply to tuition payments to charter schools that students attend in person.

Clymer Applauds Passage of Charter, Cyber Charter School Reform Bill

PA House Republican Caucus website 9/25/2013

HARRISBURG – State Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks), chairman of the House Education Committee, today applauded House passage of legislation aimed at instituting much-needed reforms for Pennsylvania’s charter and cyber charter schools in order to ensure greater accountability, transparency, academic performance and cost savings to Pennsylvania taxpayers.

“With the rapid increase in the amount of charter and cyber charter schools available to students in Pennsylvania, we are now facing some very real and challenging funding issues,” said Clymer. “Basically, the state provides a per-pupil funding amount which follows the student, whether he or she attends a traditional public school, charter school or cyber charter school. However, not all schools are created equal. Cyber charter schools most of the time do not provide transportation or food services and do not have facility maintenance obligations like traditional public and charter schools have. It is because of these types of expenditure differences that modifications to the funding formula are needed.”

House Bill 618 would create a Charter School Funding Advisory Commission to explore funding issues related to charter and cyber charter schools and make appropriate recommendations to the General Assembly and the governor by March 30, 2014.

http://www.pahousegop.com/NewsItem.aspx?NewsID=18568

“The scores are so bad, especially at the largest and most high-profile cyber schools, that even fervent advocates of online learning have begun to worry.”
Cyber schools flunk, but tax money keeps flowing

Politico By STEPHANIE SIMON | 9/25/13 11:14 PM EDT

Taxpayers send nearly $2 billion a year to cyber schools that let students from kindergarten through 12th grade receive a free public education entirely online.

The schools, many managed by for-profit companies, are great at driving up enrollment with catchy advertising. They excel at lobbying. They have a knack for making generous campaign donations. But as new state report cards coming out now make clear, there’s one thing they’re not so good at: educating kids.

PA Special Education Funding Formula Commission Public Meeting Sept 26^th at Alvernia College in Reading from 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

To consider charter and cyber special education funding

Property Tax Elimination Bill Threatens Long-term Public School Funding

PA Budget and Policy Center Posted by Sharon Ward on September 25, 2013

Pennsylvania contributes a smaller share of the cost of educating its students than most states, leaving local taxpayers to contribute more. This makes the resources available to public education highly dependent on local wealth and property taxes burdensome for some individuals.

Restoring the state’s commitment to fund 50% of the cost of public schools would go a long way toward solving both problems — ensuring that students who live in modest and lower-wealth districts get the same high-quality education as their wealthier counterparts, and reducing the pressure on property taxpayers.

http://pennbpc.org/property-tax-elimination-bill-threatens-long-term-public-school-funding

"The majority of funds distributed for the current school year were based upon statistics from the 1989-90 school year. An additional $30 million was distributed to just 21 of our 500 school districts. Thirty-three of the 37 lawmakers who represent those 21 districts are legislative leaders, committee chairs, vice chairs or secretaries," said KSEC's Larry Feinberg.”

Advocates press for Pennsylvania public education funding formula

Chambersburg Public Opinion Online September 25, 2013

Parents, teachers, administrators, community members and other advocates of education on Monday urged state lawmakers to consider a data-driven, transparent school funding formula that is appropriately funded to ensure student success. Those gathered at the Capitol reminded lawmakers that the only service Pennsylvania is required to provide per the state Constitution is a "thorough and efficient system of education." Supporters came from a wide range of school districts, including local Greencastle-Antrim, Shippensburg Area and Fannett-Metal, as well as Camp Hill, Cumberland Valley, Gettysburg, and others around the state.

The school funding formula in place was set aside in 2011, and the Keystone State Education Coalition contends that state legislators now allocate funding to school districts based on deal among themselves rather than a formula.

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/local/ci_24168272/advocates-press-pennsylvania-public-education-funding-formula?source=rss

“They worry, as we all should, about the quality of education programs. Said Mark Miller, vice president of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, “Some school districts have closed libraries, some school districts have ... cut athletics. The sizes of classes are going up, extracurricular activities are going down.”

Courier Times Editorial: Finding a fair funding formula

Bucks County Courier Times Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 12:00 am

When people in Harrisburg sit down in a back room to cut deals, you know nothing good will come of it — at least not for the folks missing from the table. And so it was that 21 Pennsylvania school districts recently were awarded a split of $30 million in so-called “supplementary funds.” Lucky them.

Not so lucky were the 479 districts that didn’t get a nickel.

And that’s why Pennsylvania needs a school funding formula that “fairly” divvies up state education money — what little there is. And “little” is an accurate description considering the state has long stiffed school districts by failing to meet its constitutional obligation of providing enough funding for a “thorough and efficient” school system. That, in part, is why local school taxes are out of control

http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/opinion/editorial/finding-a-fair-funding-forumla/article_622fd6df-13a0-5869-90ac-e137cd326400.html

“Sharon Ward, with the left-leaning Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, opposes efforts to eliminate the property tax, arguing that it incorrectly regards rapidly rising property taxes as the fault of school districts, when the indirect cause is that they are receiving less money from the state. She warns that replacing the property tax with other levies could "lock in" low state funding levels for education.”

Anti-property tax sentiment passionate, but diffuse

WITF Written by Mary Wilson, Capitol Bureau Chief | Sep 24, 2013 7:27 PM

Calls to eliminate school property taxes in Pennsylvania stretch back decades, but the latest effort is moving at cross-purposes with other bills. More than 100 people rallied on the steps of the state Capitol Tuesday in support of a plan to eliminate school property taxes in Pennsylvania once and for all.

http://www.witf.org/state-house-sound-bites/2013/09/anti-property-tax-sentiment-passionate-but-diffuse.php

Sen. Dinniman calls for eliminating property taxes

By Frank Otto, The Pottstown Mercury POSTED: 09/24/13, 8:29 PM EDT

HARRISBURG — When supporters of legislation aimed at eliminating school property taxes stepped onto their Harrisburg-bound buses early Tuesday morning, they believed they were three senators away from achieving a majority. Before lunchtime, state Sen. Andrew Dinniman, D-19th Dist., told The Mercury he was ready to sign on by the end of the week.

“My key thing is I wanted to understand whether things were revenue neutral,” Dinniman said. “And it appears they can be.”

http://www.pottsmerc.com/government-and-politics/20130924/sen-dinniman-calls-for-eliminating-property-taxes

PlanCon: Franklin County school districts face dwindling state reimbursement

Chambersburg Public Opinion Online By JIM HOOK @JimHookPO

Paying for school construction projects is falling squarely on the shoulders of local taxpayers.

The state Department of Education has frozen reimbursement for school construction projects.

School districts are looking at how to do major construction without an estimated 25 percent reimbursement from the state. They are already paying out of pocket what they thought the state would cover for the $14 million Franklin County Career and Technology Center. Some are footing the total bill for projects in their own districts.

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/local/ci_24174553/franklin-county-school-districts-face-dwindling-state-reimbursement

Pa. lawmaker proposes to create website to increase transparency of school spending

By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com on September 25, 2013 at 6:23 PM

Citing the charges filed against officials associated with the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools as a call for action, Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, wants public schools to put be more transparent about how they handle taxpayer dollars. Christiana is proposing legislation that would create a SchoolWATCH website that would allow the public to sift through district and building-level data detailing revenues and expenditures.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/09/pa_lawmaker_proposes_to_create.html

Pew: School crisis defining Nutter's term as mayor, depressing the hell out of Philadelphians

CityPaper By Ryan Briggs Published: 09/25/2013

According to a study released today by the Pew Charitable Trusts, Philadelphians' love for their city and their mayor has plummeted, erasing years of positive momentum built on political reforms and population gains. A survey of 1,605 city residents revealed that despite a locally robust housing market and a recovering economy, only 37 percent of Philadelphians thought the city was headed "in the right direction," the lowest percentage recorded in five years. Only 25 percent of those surveyed thought the city "had become a better place to live in the last five years". Mayor Michael Nutter's approval rating also hit an all time low of 39 percent, down from a high of 60 percent, with decreases recorded in every racial and socio-economic demographic surveyed. City Council's approval rating also fell to 30 percent, although this was not as dramatic of a decrease over past years.

http://citypaper.net/article.php?Pew-School-crisis-defining-Nutter-s-term-as-mayor-depressing-the-hell-out-of-Philadelphians-16310

Philadelphia Seeks Salvation in Lessons from Model School

Education Week By Benjamin Herold Published Online: September 24, 2013

In little more than two years, the Philadelphia school district has stripped $400 million out of its annual budget, closed 30 schools, eliminated nearly 7,000 jobs, and lost more than 20,000 students. The teetering city system, said Superintendent William R. Hite Jr., desperately needs "to show a win."

So Mr. Hite is placing a controversial bet: Although scores of schools opened here this month without regular guidance counselors, nurses, or basic supplies, the superintendent is pouring millions of dollars into expanding what he considers to be three of the city's most innovative schools. They include Science Leadership Academy, an acclaimed magnet high school at the forefront of the national effort to marry educational technology with so-called "deeper learning." "We have to have an investment conversation about the types of schools we would love to see in our district," Mr. Hite said in an interview. "This whole conversation cannot just be about what we're taking away, what we are starving, what we are eliminating."

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/09/25/05techschool_ep.h33.html

Drexel eyes purchase of University City High School

Philly.com by JARED BREY , PLANPHILLY September 25, 2013, 2:50 PM

Drexel University has its eye on University City High School. The school at 36th and Filbert streets in West Philadelphia was just one of 23 Philadelphia public schools shuttered in June, but it may be the one that’s least likely to sit empty for very long. The Office of Property Assessment put its value at nearly $23 million, and according to a number of sources, Drexel is not the only entity ready to make an offer on the empty property. But it may be the only entity ready to make an offer that includes opening a new public school. Last year, the Philadelphia School Partnership made a grant to Powel Elementary, a small K-4 school near 38th and Poweltown Ave., to plan for its expansion and possible relocation. The planning involved Drexel University and Science Leadership Academy, a public high school that is itself a partnership between the School District and the Franklin Institute.

Now on PennLive Opinion: Susquehanna School Strife

By Patriot-News Editorial Board on September 25, 2013 at 10:09 AM

From allegations of mismanagement to concerns about declining academic standards and the criminal charges filed against an administrator, it's been a controversial couple of weeks for the Susquehanna School District. To make it easier for you to find our op-Eds, letters, columns and editorials about this ongoing story, we've created a special section "Susquehanna School Strife." That's where you'll find all of the ongoing coverage by PennLive's Opinion section.

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/09/now_on_pennlive_opinion_susquehanna_school_strife.html

Nobody's talking about Midland superintendent's role in Trombetta probe

By J.D. Prose jprose@timesonline.com Posted: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 8:00 pm

MIDLAND -- Although he is quoted and mentioned several times in the affidavit related to Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School founder Nick Trombetta's indictment, Midland School Superintendent Sean Tanner is not publicly talking and neither are other district officials.

Tanner, who is not charged, has not responded to requests for comment made by The Times since Friday, and Midland School Board President Richard Corradi and district solicitor Robert Masters have not returned calls. That silence leaves Tanner's status with the district, where he has been superintendent since 2006, unclear.

His photo on the school district's website was gone as of Thursday, but a school board member and Tanner's secretary both said Friday he was still the superintendent.

http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/nobody-s-talking-about-midland-superintendent-s-role-in-trombetta/article_8b2ed8a5-1e21-5b1e-be76-19ca31453cd4.html

¡Turn it Around!

EduShyster.com Blog Posted on September 23, 2013

What if there was a way to turn schools around without turning them upside down?

It’s field trip time, reader — and today we’re off to visit a real live school success story. FYI: it’s not the Massachusetts miracle turnaround school that got a shout-out at the Democratic National Convention, merited a visit by Yo Yo Ma, or whose students recently traveled to theWhite House in order to recite a Martin Luther King speech to President Obama. In other words, we’re NOT headed to Orchard Gardens, which has received more adulatory press coverage than any other public school in Massachusetts…

http://edushyster.com/?p=3296#more-3296

Business Leaders Rally Around Early Childhood Education

First Five Years Fund SEP 25, 2013

The chairman of PNC Financial supports it. The former CEO and chairman of Macy’s backs it. The former CEO of Procter & Gamble is for it. And so is the CEO of Kaiser Permanente. So what is it that all these business industry leaders support? Early childhood education.

Business leaders are finding that employees entering the workforce have not learned many of the skills necessary to succeed. Too many employees lack the essential capabilities that allow an individual to be persistent on the job and collaborate effectively with a team––skills that are fostered in the first five years of life and developed through high-quality early learning.

http://www.ffyf.org/blog/business-leaders-rally-around-early-childhood-education

New SAT Results Show No Change in Average Scores

Education Week By Caralee J. Adams Published Online: September 26, 2013

SAT scores remained flat for students in the class of 2013, with just 43 percent performing well enough to be considered college-ready—the same proportion as last year, according to new results issued Thursday. Yet, African-American and Latino students in this year’s graduating class saw slight gains. Also, a record share of students taking the college-entrance exam (46 percent) were minorities.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/09/26/06sat.h33.html?tkn=SVSFuQAMu4hI2604Z8tFEHet6r%2BSb1Rr9LN4&cmp=clp-edweek&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mrss

The Federal Fiscal Face-Off

Education Week September 25, 2013 Reporting & Analysis: Alyson Klein | Visualization & Design: Megan Garner and Doris Nhan

The budget uncertainty that education advocates and school districts have lived with for the past two years doesn't seem likely to go away anytime soon. The across-the-board cuts known as "sequestration" that went into effect last March are still in place. And now, a spending showdown driven by conservative Republicans in Congress over whether to defund the president's landmark health-care law means a government shutdown could be in the offing. Plus, there's likely to be yet another fight in October over raising the federal debt ceiling. Here's a handy guide to what's happened so far and what to watch for.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/fiscal-face-off.html?cmp=clp-edweek&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mrss

Interested in keeping the “public” in public education? Sign up for text grassroots alerts from the Network for Public Education.

Join NPE's NIXLE Group by texting "4NPE" to 888777. After sending the initial text, NIXLE will ask for a "zipcode" - providing a zipcode will limit messages to local interest of each subscriber. Leave the zipcode blank if you want to receive all grassroot alerts from NPE.

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.

PASCD Annual Conference ~ A Whole Child Education Powered by Blendedschools Network November 3-4, 2013 | Hershey Lodge & Convention Center

We invite you to join us for the Annual Conference, held at an earlier date this year, on Sunday, November 3^rd, through Monday, November 4^th, 2013 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center. The Pre-Conference begins on Saturday with PIL Academies and Common Core sessions. On Sunday and Monday, our features include keynote presentations by Chris Lehmann and ASCD Author Dr. Connie Moss, as well as numerous breakout sessions on PA’s most timely topics.

Click here for the 2013 Conference Schedule

Click here to register for the conference.

Philadelphia Education Fund 2013 EDDY Awards November 19, 2013

Join us as we celebrate their accomplishments!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm WHYY, 150 North 6th Street, Philadelphia
Invitations coming soon!

http://www.philaedfund.org/news-events/special-events/eddy-awards

Building One Pennsylvania

Fourth Annual Fundraiser and Awards Ceremony
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 6:00-8:00 PM

IBEW Local 380 3900 Ridge Pike Collegeville, PA 19426

Building One Pennsylvania is an emerging statewide non-partisan organization of leaders from diverse sectors - municipal, school, faith, business, labor and civic - who are joining together to stabilize and revitalize their communities, revitalize local economies and promote regional opportunity and sustainability. BuildingOnePa.org

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

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/.

Proposed Amendments to PSBA Bylaws available online

PSBA website 9/17/2013

A special issue of the School Leader News with the notice of proposed PSBA Bylaws amendments has been mailed to all school directors and board secretaries.

This issue also is available online in the Members Only section by clicking here. Voting on PSBA Bylaws changes will take place at the new Delegate Assembly on Oct. 15, 2013, at the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center from 1-4 p.m. All member school entities should have appointed their voting delegates and submitted names to PSBA. Details on selecting an entity's voting delegate can be found in previous issues of the School Leader News.

- See more at: http://www.psba.org/news-publications/headlines/details.asp?id=6170#sthash.ezkO8nkH.dpuf

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for September 25, 2013: Ed Policy Roundup Hiatus

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

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

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 September 25, 2013: Ed Policy Roundup Hiatus

Pennsylvania 2013 Blue Ribbon Schools

September 24, 2013

http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2013/09/pennsylvania-2013-blue-ribbon-schools.html

HB618 Charter School reform bill being considered in PA House

You can follow status/comments on twitter using the hashtag #HB618

PA Special Education Funding Formula Commission Public Meeting Sept 26^th at Alvernia College in Reading from 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

To consider charter and cyber special education funding

Wind behind alternative property tax bill

Scranton Times-Tribune BY ROBERT SWIFT (HARRISBURG BUREAU CHIEF) Published: September 24, 2013

HARRISBURG - A House Republican leader gave a strong plug Monday for a new optional school property tax reduction bill shortly after a key committee approved it.

The statements by Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-28, Pittsburgh, at the Pennsylvania Press Club reflect ongoing pressure on lawmakers from constituents in some parts of the state, including Northeast Pennsylvania, to tackle the perennial property tax issue.

Mr. Turzai described the measure giving school districts the choice of shifting partially or completely away from relying on property taxes to a mix of an additional earned income tax and a tax on business gross receipts as a very good bill that's getting real wind in the House.

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/wind-behind-alternative-property-tax-bill-1.1557418

PBPC Statement: Tax Shift Proposal Would Hurt PA Students

Posted by PA Budget and Policy Center on September 24, 2013

HARRISBURG, PA (Sept. 24, 2013) — Sharon Ward, Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, issued the following statement in response to today’s Capitol event on property tax legislation (HB 76): “This property tax plan will do irreparable damage to a generation of Pennsylvania students. It pulls the rug out from under our public education system and ignores the real problem — that too few state dollars support our schools.

“Years of state funding cuts have already diminished the long-term prospects for Pennsylvania students. Schools have had to lay off 20,000 teachers and staff, which has resulted in increased class sizes and cuts to full-day kindergarten, music, and the arts.

http://pennbpc.org/statement-tax-shift-proposal-would-hurt-pa-students

Taxpayers swarm Harrisburg to demand property tax relief

By Frank Otto, The Mercury POSTED: 09/24/13, 3:15 PM EDT

HARRISBURG — Hundreds of frustrated taxpayers boarded buses Tuesday morning to take their demand for property tax relief to the people who can make it happen — the members of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Gathering early in the morning in empty parking lots across Pennsylvania, residents geared up for the trip to the state Capitol hoping to sway a few more legislators into supporting a bill that eliminates funding public education through property taxes.

http://www.pottsmerc.com/government-and-politics/20130924/taxpayers-swarm-harrisburg-to-demand-property-tax-relief

Turzai: Cyber charter school formula should be scrutinized

By Natasha Lindstrom Calkins Media September 23, 2013 5:31 pm

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania lawmakers should consider taking action this fall to address flaws in the way cyber charter schools are funded and held accountable, House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-28, Bradford Woods, said Monday. The Allegheny County legislator's remarks come a month after the U.S. attorney's office filed charges against Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School founder Nick Trombetta for allegedly funneling public money from the Midland school to organizations under his control. If convicted on 11 counts involving tax fraud, Trombetta could face up to 100 years in prison, a fine of $3.25 million or both.

http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/turzai-cyber-charter-school-formula-should-be-scrutinized/article_ad986adf-c6ec-53ae-9db9-5ea4ad1b3594.html

Education Policy and Leadership Center

EPLC Education Notebook – Friday, September 20, 2013

Schools wonder: If they build, will state reimburse?

The Intelligencer By Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer September 24, 2013

A state moratorium on reimbursements for approved school construction costs has some districts concerned the money might not come. “You kind of worry about the future,” said Bob Riegel, Quakertown’s business manager, “and whether the money’s going to really be there for reimbursement.” The worry stems from a moratorium of the state’s so-called PlanCon reimbursement. PlanCon refers to the Education Department’s $300 million a year “Planning and Construction Workbook,” a complicated review that runs from justifying the need for a project to designing it, acquiring the land, building it and paying for it.

Schools, under financial pressure from growing pension obligations, are concerned the moratorium could lead to the program’s elimination.

http://www.theintell.com/news/local/schools-wonder-if-they-build-will-state-reimburse/article_5d37b34e-40e0-5cbc-a228-084b0118eb79.html

Harrisburg appeals board rejects renewal for Lawrenceville's Career Connections Charter High School

By Karen Langley / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette September 24, 2013 3:48 pm

HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board this afternoon upheld a Pittsburgh Public Schools decision against renewing the charter of Career Connections Charter High School in Lawrenceville. The Pittsburgh school board voted in March 2012 against renewing the charter. Acting education secretary Carolyn Dumaresq, who chairs the state appeals board, recommended the board deny the appeal effective Jan. 24, the end of the school's first term. "Career Connections violated terms of its charter, made changes to its charter commitments without the school district's approval and failed to meet student performance requirements," Ms. Dumaresq said.

The state appeals board vote was unanimous.

“When philanthropists pour money into alternatives, like individual charter schools or the privately run Philadelphia School Partnership, they erode the development of a healthy public system that equitably serves all. Funding private alternatives supports small-scale interventions that do nothing to address the root causes of inequality. It also weakens the democratic process. Philanthropists should not be the ones deciding what is best for public schools. That decision belongs equally to all the city's community members.”

Letter: Philanthropy won't save Philly schools; rich people should pay more taxes

WHYY Newsworks Opinion SEPTEMBER 24, 2013 ESSAYWORKS

With our severely underfunded public schools now open, it is important to examine the causes of this crisis. We are a group of people in our 20s and 30s with inherited wealth and class privilege who believe that philanthropy has played a role in contributing to the crisis. Current forms of philanthropy are not leading to the transformation of public schools our city needs.

Will Bunch wrote a blog post recently critiquing philanthropic efforts to "fix" Philadelphia's public education. We agree: When philanthropists pour money into alternatives, like individual charter schools or the privately run Philadelphia School Partnership, they erode the development of a healthy public system that equitably serves all. Funding private alternatives supports small-scale interventions that do nothing to address the root causes of inequality. It also weakens the democratic process. Philanthropists should not be the ones deciding what is best for public schools. That decision belongs equally to all the city's community members.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/component/flexicontent/item/60160-letter-philanthropy-wont-save-philly-schools-rich-people-should-pay-more-taxes&Itemid=219&linktype=hp_speakeasy

Grable Foundation gives another $5M to Pittsburgh Promise

By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette September 24, 2013 12:16 pm

The Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program is about two-thirds of the way toward its goal of $250 million, with its latest large gift coming from the Grable Foundation.

Saleem Ghubril, executive director of the Promise, Tuesday announced Grable has pledged another $5 million, bringing Grable's total contribution to $10 million.

Parkland among nation's best high schools, U.S. News says
By Margie Peterson, Special to The Morning Call 10:10 p.m. EDT, September 24, 2013

Parkland High School won a silver medal as one of U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools in America. The magazine ranked Parkland 55th out of 687 high schools in Pennsylvania based on class-size ratios, state standardized test scores in math and reading, and the percentage of students who take and pass Advanced Placement courses and tests.

Nationally, Parkland High was 1,834th out of more than 21,000 schools reviewed by the magazine, according to Rodney Troutman, assistant superintendent of the Parkland School District.

Column: Quiet voices heard on improving education

Delco Times Opinion By JOSEPH P. BATORY, Times Guest Columnist POSTED: 09/24/13, 9:29 PM EDT | UPDATED: 6 HRS AGO

Joseph P. Batory of Philadelphia is a former Upper Darby School District superintendent.

Politicians and media talking heads now have become the “self-anointed” experts on public education improvement. However, conclusions are often over-simplified and filled with half-truths and inaccuracies. And in most cases teachers and school administrators — those closest to reality — have been allowed little or no input into this discussion.
With 50 million students attending more than 98,000 public schools in our diverse American society, analysis is not simple. Below are five commonly heard but questionable statements about public education. Each statement is followed by some commentary which is not usually heard.

http://www.delcotimes.com/opinion/20130924/column-quiet-voices-heard-on-improving-education

To save our schools: Improvement districts?

Philly.com Opinion by KEN STEIF POSTED: Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 3:01 AM

Ken Steif is a Doctoral Fellow in the City & Regional Planning Department at the University of Pennsylvania
ONE OF the motivations for then-Mayor John Street's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI) was that blight removal would increase the value of land in struggling neighborhoods and spur new investment. While this may have been the case, recent evidence shows that providing increased local-school quality can play an even greater role in the process of neighborhood revitalization. Philadelphia floated a $300 million dollar bond to pay for NTI, convinced that the benefit of blight removal in the form of new real-estate values and tax revenues would outweigh the costs of the bond. Although no one actually did the comparison, belief among planners and the media is that the benefits of the program were marginal at best. Research I conducted in West Philly, however, showed that the real-estate benefits of the Penn Alexander School outweighed the costs by a factor of 3 to 1.

Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools protests Eric Cantor’s charter school speech in Philadelphia

El Sol on 9/24/2013, 11:40 p.m.

Ralliers chant “Public schools yes, austerity no” and hold signs giving Cantor an “F” for failing to support public schools and social programs. Thirty activists and parents with the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools protested House GOP Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s visit to a Philadelphia charter school on Monday. Cantor delivered a speech at the Freire Charter School calling for “school choice” that would take money from public schools and redirect it towards unproven charters. He also called on the Department of Justice to cease a suit against New Orleans schools for a voucher program alleged to violate federal desegregation orders.

http://elsoln1.com/news/2013/sep/24/schools-protests-philadelphia/

Philly's Top Tax Deadbeats

NBC Philadelphia By Karen Araiza Tuesday, Sep 24, 2013 | Updated 7:25 PM EDT

The NBC10 Investigators look at how much the top property tax scofflaws owe the city of Philadelphia. Property owners across the City of Philadelphia owe about $200 million in unpaid taxes. That's enough to prop up the School District of Philadelphia financially this year and hence enough to make education advocates like Gerald Wright downright angry.

"We have to be clear that the city has not done its job in collecting the taxes," says Wright, who is with the group Parents United for Public Education. "We are beyond crisis. We are at the point where some schools just can't do any of what they used to do."

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politics/Philadelphia-Top-Property-Tax-Scofflaws-Deadbeats-225083862.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_PHBrand

Was Budget Secretary Trying to Stir the Pot?

Inquirer by Troy Graham @troyjgraham POSTED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2013, 6:16 PM

Charles Zogby, Gov. Corbett’s budget secretary, said he wasn’t really expecting to make news when he told a reporter earlier this week there was talk of giving taxing authority to the unelected members of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission.

He said the idea had arisen because of the stalemate between Mayor Nutter and City Council over extending the city’s extra 1 percent sales tax for the benefit of the schools.

Council has refused to even introduce the mayor’s bill to extend the tax. If Council won’t act, Zogby said, maybe the taxing authority should go to the members of the SRC.

Southmoreland Elementary recognized as National Blue Ribbon School

Tribune-Review By Paul Paterra Published: Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, 12:46 a.m.
National recognition has come the way of Southmoreland Elementary School.

It was announced Tuesday that the school was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School — one of just 286 schools in the country to be so recognized and one of just 15 in Pennsylvania.

The announcement was made by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are being made in student levels of academic achievement.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Announces 286 National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2013

Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov SEPTEMBER 24, 2013

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced 286 schools as the 2013 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools, based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in improving student academic achievement. Secretary Duncan made this year's announcement live via the Department's USTREAM channel http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/39189722, viewed by recognized principals, teachers, and students assembled across the country.

The Department will honor 236 public and 50 private schools at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 18-19 in Washington, D.C. In its 31-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this coveted award on nearly 7,500 of America's schools.

http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-secretary-education-arne-duncan-announces-286-national-blue-ribbon-schools-20

NSBA president wins Bammy Award for school board leadership

NSBA School Board Mews Today by Alexis Rice|September 24th, 2013

The Academy of Education Arts and Sciences presented David A. Pickler, President of the National School Board Association (NSBA), with a Bammy Award in the school board category.

….According to the organizers, “the Bammy Awards were created in response to the relentless national criticism of America’s public schools. The negative perception of public education has led to a decrease in public confidence, calls for reductions in financial support and intense scrutiny of educators, while all that is right in American education is largely ignored.”

http://schoolboardnews.nsba.org/2013/09/nsba-president-wins-bammy-award-for-school-board-leadership/

Hedge Fund Manager to Investors: K12 Inc.'s Stock Is Overvalued

Education Week Marketplace K-12 Blog by Sean Cavanaugh September 24, 2013

Whitney Tilson, a hedge fund manager with a strong interest in school issues, had this message for investors recently: Don't bet on the for-profit, online education provider K12, Inc.

In a presentation last week at the Value Investing Congress, Tilson, who manages Kase Capital, offered a sweeping dissection of why he believes the publicly traded company is overvalued.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/marketplacek12/2013/09/hedge_fund_manager_to_investors_k12_incs_stock_is_overvalued.html