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, October 31, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for October 31, 2013: A new ‘no excuses’ school reform mantra

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, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, 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 and searchable 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 October 31, 2013:

A new ‘no excuses’ school reform mantra

There can be no excuse for every child in America not to have access to health and dental care.
There can be no excuse for the failure to make early childhood education available to every child
There can be no excuse for not ensuring that every child, regardless of income, has the opportunity to succeed at higher education
There can be no excuse for homelessness
There can be no excuse for lack of adequate nutrition

A new ‘no excuses’ school reform mantra

Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog BY VALERIE STRAUSS October 31 at 4:00 am

The “no-excuses” school reform movement is famous for giving short shrift to how students are affected by living in poverty and expecting teachers to be able to overcome the consequences. Here’s a different “no excuses” philosophy, by George Wood, superintendent of the Federal Hocking Local Schools in Stewart, Ohio; executive director of the nonprofit Forum for Education and Democracy, and board chair of The Coalition of Essential Schools.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/31/a-new-no-excuses-school-reform-mantra/

Lehigh Valley school leaders to fed official: Stop the mandates

Superintendents say mandates are burdening financially strapped districts.

By Margie Peterson, Special to The Morning Call 11:50 p.m. EDT, October 29, 2013

A top official from the U.S. Department of Education got an earful Monday from frustrated Lehigh Valley school superintendents and board members who feel they've been asked to do too much with too little for too long. Massie Ritsch, the department's acting assistant secretary of communication and outreach, met with school officials from around the Lehigh Valley at a two-hour roundtable discussion hosted by the Bethlehem Area School District.

School directors and administrators talked about the difficulty of sustaining high-quality programs and teachers with stagnant funds and an ever-growing burden of state and federal requirements.

"The federal contribution to our district is less than 1 percent," Ballard said. "But the cost to the district from federal and state mandates that are unfunded is many, many times that."

Ballard said districts have constraints on how much they can raise property taxes but their costs keep growing. "We're raising class sizes; we're curtailing programs," Ballard said.

When the IRRC considered the Keystone Exams in 2009, school districts all over PA passed resolutions in opposition; was your district one of them?

School Board Resolutions Opposing Keystone Exams Submitted to IRRC - 2009

http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/view_doc.ashx?file=File-13604&mod=Wed%2C+10+Mar+2010+01%3A25%3A40+GMT&IRRCNo=2696.

“Nearly one in four registered voters believes unemployment is the state's most important problem, followed closely by education.”
Gov. Tom Corbett should give up politics after 2014, half of Republican voters say in new F&M poll

Intelligencer Journal Lancaster New Era By KAREN SHUEY Staff Writer Oct 31, 2013

A big concern for Pennsylvania Republicans isn't whether Gov. Tom Corbett can win a second term; it's whether they should even give him a chance. At least that's what a new Franklin & Marshall College poll has found. The survey of state voters shows that half of those registered as Republican believe Corbett should step aside so someone else can represent the party in the 2014 election.

Franklin & Marshall College Poll - The 23rd year of consecutive polling in Pennsylvania

Below are the highlights of the October, 2013, Franklin & Marshall College Poll of Pennsylvania voters. Complete results can be found at http://politics.fandm.edu

Only one in four registered voters (25%) think Pennsylvania is headed in the right direction.
Nearly one in four (22%) registered voters believes unemployment and the economy is the state’s most important problem, followed closely by schools and school funding (21%).
One in five (19%) registered Pennsylvania voters believes Governor Tom Corbett is doing an “excellent” or “good” job as governor, which is similar the ratings he received in the August 2013, Franklin & Marshall College Poll. Only one in three (34%) Republicans rate his performance as “excellent” or “good.”
Only one in five (20%) voters believes Governor Corbett has performed sufficiently well to deserve re-election. Few Democrats (7%) or independent voters (19%) believe he deserves re-election, but, surprisingly, less than half (37%) of Republicans do.
As many registered Republicans believe the Governor should step aside (44%) so another Republican can represent the party in the 2014 election as believe he should run again (42%).
Two in five (39%) registered Pennsylvania voters believe President Obama is doing an “excellent” or “good” job as President, which is higher than his August ratings. The government shutdown appears to have helped the President’s job approval ratings in the state, but does not seem to have made a significant difference for the other officials tested.
Nearly two in three (64%) registered voters favor increasing the number of state residents who are eligible for the state’s Medicaid program. Support is even higher (72%) for the state's proposed Medicaid expansion program that includes the use of private insurance companies and work requirements.More Pennsylvania registered voters believe the Affordable Care Act should be kept (50%) than repealed (40%).

The Wrong Questions

Yinzercation Blog October 30, 2013

Pittsburgh seems to have a question problem. By that I mean, the school district and many other leaders seem intent on asking the wrong questions. Any researcher will tell you, half the battle is asking a good question, one that opens up possibilities and leads to new ways of thinking. The way you ask a question, inevitably shapes the solution you find.

http://yinzercation.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/the-wrong-questions/

Nutter buys in: Schools to raise $61 million by selling buildings

TROY GRAHAM AND KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

LAST UPDATED: Thursday, October 31, 2013, 2:01 AM
Mayor Nutter agreed Wednesday to a Philadelphia school funding plan that hinges on selling millions of dollars worth of empty school buildings, despite having expressed skepticism about the idea for months. The School District plans to post its inventory of more than 30 shuttered buildings on its website next week and start seeking bids on the properties, Nutter said.

The district would have to sell $61 million worth of buildings by the end of the fiscal year in June. That would cover the $50 million the city promised the district at the beginning of the school year, as well as $11 million that the district had already budgeted from building sales.

In the meantime, the city plans to give the district $60 million that normally would have been sent in May or June from tax collections earmarked for the schools.

West Philly’s Quest for the Automotive X Prize

In an excerpt from Jason’s Fagone’s new book, Ingenious, teacher Simon Hauger and his students build hybrid cars and race for $10 million—and a chance to change the city’s school district forever.

Philadelphia Magazine BY JASON FAGONE | OCTOBER 24, 2013

The bell rang at 3 p.m. Kids burst from their second-floor classrooms at the West Philadelphia High School Academy for Automotive and Mechanical Engineering and leapt down the stairs. Most filed past the metal detector onto the street, where a trash bin spilled colorful garbage, but a few stayed behind, making their way into a drafty garage and slapping down their backpacks with purpose. A vaguely fungal smell emanated from racks of motor fluid, tools and spare parts, and a sign straight out of the ’50s read ALL SKIRTS & SHORTS MUST BE WORN KNEE LENGTH. It was February 2010. On a wall, a lime-green banner was emblazoned with a quote from Henry Ford: “Thinking always ahead, thinking always of trying to do more, brings a state of mind in which nothing is impossible.”

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/west-philly-quest-automotive-x-prize/

The Food Column: Educators meet for healthy-foods summit

By Rebecca Sodergren / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 30, 2013 11:46 AM

Local experts will gather at a symposium next week to discuss ways to "bag the junk" from school food service, get kids exercising, and teach kids to grow and cook healthy food.

"Let's Move Pittsburgh: Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice" will offer tips and information for parents, fitness instructors, health-care workers and other professionals. But Hannah Hardy, Let's Move Pittsburgh's director of programming and operations, said her main target audience is educators because she wants Let's Move Pittsburgh to increase involvement in local schools in 2014.

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/food-column/2013/10/31/The-Food-Column-Educators-meet-for-healthy-foods-summit/stories/201310310037

Saucon Valley School Board to accept neutral party's teachers contract recommendations

By Express-Times staff on October 30, 2013 at 10:44 PM

At least one side of the ongoing teachers contract dispute in Saucon Valley School District says it will accept the terms of a neutral third party, meaning an agreement may be within reach. A majority of the Saucon Valley School Board agreed in a special meeting tonight to vote to approve the recommendations in an independent fact-finder's report at the next scheduled meeting Nov. 7, the board said in a news release. The Saucon Valley Education Association has also met to take a vote, the board's release said, but the results of that meeting were not immediately available.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2013/10/saucon_valley_school_board_to_5.html#incart_river

PP4C: Capitol Watch for Children

An update on state and federal policies affecting Pennsylvania’s children

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children October 2013

http://www.papartnerships.org/publication_files/capitol-watch-october-2013.pdf

Wisconsin Vouchers, Cyber Charters Come Under Scrutiny

Education Week Charters and Choice Blog By Katie Ash on October 30, 2013 12:30 PM

In Wisconsin, school choice advocates are facing criticism about the state's newly expanded voucher program as well as the academic performance of cyber charters in that state.

According to the Associated Press, only 21 percent of students receiving vouchers under the state's expanded program attended public school last year. Nearly three-quarters of those receiving vouchers (73 percent) attended a private school, 3 percent did not attend school, and 2.4 percent were homeschooled, says the article.

Vouchers are public funds that are doled out to families who meet certain requirements that are to be used for private school education. While proponents of voucher programs maintain that the tuition grants provide students with more choice and give low-income students and families access to better schools, critics say that vouchers essentially provide a rebate for families who would be sending their children to private schools anyway—a claim bolstered by these recently released figures.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/charterschoice/2013/10/wisconsin_vouchers_cyber_charters_come_under_scrutiny.html

“With Stanford’s reputation in technology, it is no wonder that computer science is the university’s most popular major, and that there are no longer any humanities programs among the top five. But with the recession having helped turn college, in the popular view, into largely a tool for job preparation, administrators are concerned.”

As Interest Fades in the Humanities, Colleges Worry

New York Times By TAMAR LEWIN Published: October 30, 2013

STANFORD, Calif. — On Stanford University’s sprawling campus, where a long palm-lined drive leads to manicured quads, humanities professors produce highly regarded scholarship on Renaissance French literature and the philosophy of language. They have generous compensation, stunning surroundings and access to the latest technology and techniques of scholarship. The only thing they lack is students: Some 45 percent of the faculty members in Stanford’s main undergraduate division are clustered in the humanities — but only 15 percent of the students.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/education/as-interest-fades-in-the-humanities-colleges-worry.html?ref=education&_r=0

“In the global perspective, the Finnish education system seems to be a paradox. When much of the rest of the world is implementing more oversight of schools to assure teachers meet specific goals, lengthening the school day, toughening academic standards, and increasing homework, Finnish children continue to enjoy a relatively short school day, a broad curriculum, and a light homework load. In addition, Finnish children do not attend private tutoring sessions or spend any time preparing for standardized tests, as so many of their peers around the world must.”

The Finnish Paradox

Education Week By International Perspectives on Education Reform Group on October 31, 2013

This post is by Pasi Sahlberg.
Since the release of the first OECD PISA results in December 2001, Finland has become the mecca of education pilgrimage. Some visitors wish to discover the secrets of Finland's high scores in reading, mathematics, and science. Others hope to find out how great teachers are prepared or what successful schools look like. There are also those who want to take a first-hand look at education's "ultimate slacker," as Fareed Zakaria described Finland on his CNN news program. When I ask these visitors what is the most important takeaway of the Finnish education system, a frequent answer is widespread trust exhibited by Finns in their schools. They also wonder how only a few Finns seem to be worried about whether teachers do what they are expected. What becomes obvious in school visits is not often found in visitors' own communities: Finnish parents seem to think that if there are schools that do not perform according to expectations, local authorities will find ways to help them get better.

Optimism in the Face of Federal Gridlock

First Five Years Fund Starting Point Blog OCT 30, 2013

There was a sense of relief and a hint of jubilation in our office the morning of October 17.

After 16 days of shutdown, federal government employees returned to work. More importantly, access to critical programs and services for children and families was restored. It was a difficult few weeks, making it easy to understand the cynicism surrounding the federal government and Congress in particular. But the displeasure of early October cannot overshadow a year of tremendous victories for early childhood education at the national level.

http://www.ffyf.org/blog/optimism-face-federal-gridlock

K-12 Teacher Evaluation is Broader than a Test Score

Core Education Blog Posted on October 30, 2013

Teacher evaluation systems today are more refined and useful for improving teachers’ skills and connecting teachers to student achievement than past models, a new national report that examines states’ teacher evaluation policies by the National School Boards Association‘s (NSBA) Center for Public Education (CPE) finds.

“Trends in Teacher Evaluation: How States are Measuring Teacher Performance,” offers an overview of changes in teacher evaluation systems by state. The report also describes states’ use of evaluation data for personnel decisions and continuous improvement.

http://www.coreeducationllc.com/blog2/

When Outsiders Take Over Schools: Lessons From Memphis

Tennessee's new Achievement District gives control of some public schools over to charter networks, with mixed results.

The Atlantic by SARAH CARR OCT 29 2013, 7:21 AM ET

MEMPHIS — Depending on who you talk to, Memphis is rapidly becoming one of the best cities to teach in America—or one of the worst.

For Amanda Montgomery, a 24-year-old teacher, for instance, the takeover of her elementary school by Aspire Public Schools—the California-based charter network—has brought smaller class sizes and more-consistent mentoring. “I have a lot more coaching ... and supports,” she said. But Sarah Kennedy-Harper, a veteran special-education teacher at Memphis’s Northside High School, aggressively opposed a similar takeover at Northside, knowing she could lose some job security. “I need to pay my bills,” Kennedy-Harper said. “I can’t afford to be at a school where they could hand us pink slips at any time and say, ‘We don’t need your services.’”

The city’s schools are on the vanguard of controversial changes reshaping urban education nationally, including decentralized control, more charter schools, increased use of data to determine which schools stay open, and a greater reliance on new teachers who come through alternative preparation programs such as Teach for America or the Memphis Teacher Residency.

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/10/when-outsiders-take-over-schools-lessons-from-memphis/280919/

Common Core/Keystone Exams: The PA State Board of Education (Board) has submitted the final-form regulation entitled “Academic Standards and Assessment."

The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) plans to meet and act on this regulation at our public meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2013.

Regulation #6 – 326: Academic Standards and Assessment

Amends existing regulations to reflect Pennsylvania's Common Core Standards in English language arts; address test security concerns; and require students to demonstrate proficiency on the Keystone Exams in order to graduate from high school.

The agenda and any changes to the time or date of the meeting will be posted on IRRC’s Web site at www.irrc.state.pa.us. Please note that any comments should be submitted to the Board prior to the 48-hour blackout period, which begins at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday,November 19, 2013. Please provide IRRC with a copy of any comments submitted, as well. Please note that all correspondence and documents relating to a regulation submitted to IRRC are a matter of public record and appear on IRRC’s Web site.

For a copy of the regulation or if you have any substantive questions regarding the regulation, please contact the Board at (717) 787-3787. You can also download the final-form regulation from IRRC’s Web site using the following link:

http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/regulation_details.aspx?IRRCNo=2976

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.

DISTINGUISHED LECTURER SERIES - DR. PEDRO NOGUERA, NOV 5th

Where: Abington Senior High School

When November 5, 2013 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Contact Lynn Murphy, Delaware Valley College

http://www.delval.edu/events/event/distinguished-lecturer-series-dr.-pedro-noguera#.UmUDg3BMV2g

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, 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

The National School Boards Association 74^th Annual Conference & Exposition April 5-7, 2014 New Orleans

The National School Boards Association 74^th Annual Conference & Exposition will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA. Our first time back in New Orleans since the spring of 2002!

General Session speakers include education advocates Thomas L. Friedman, Sir Ken Robinson, as well as education innovators Nikhil Goyal and Angela Maiers.

We have more than 200 sessions planned! Colleagues from across the country will present workshops on key topics with strategies and ideas to help your district. View our Conference Brochure for highlights on sessions and focus presentations.

Register now! – Register for both the conference and housing using our online system.
Conference Information– Visit the NSBA conference website for up-to-date information
Hotel List and Map - Official NSBA Housing Block
Exposition Campus – View new products and services and interactive trade show floor

Questions? Contact NSBA at 800-950-6722 (NSBA) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST.

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

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for October 30, 2013: The number of homeless K-12 students in PA increased to 19,905 in 2012 from 18,531 the previous year

These daily emails are archived and searchable 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 October 30, 2013:

The number of homeless K-12 students in PA increased to 19,905 in 2012 from 18,531 the previous year

SB1085 represents a giant leap toward the creation of a parallel, costly and largely redundant public school system in Pennsylvania, squarely on the backs of taxpayers struggling mightily to support the one we already have.

http://www.thereporteronline.com/opinion/20131028/charter-school-reform-appears-to-be-anything-but

Across U.S., a record number of homeless school-age children

By Amy McConnell Schaarsmith / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 30, 2013 12:19 AM

A record number of public school students have become homeless in Pennsylvania and the nation, putting more than 1.1 million children at increased risk of falling behind, dropping out and ultimately joining either the criminal justice system or the welfare system, according to education officials and advocates for the homeless.

In Pennsylvania, the number of homeless K-12 students increased to 19,905 in 2012 from 18,531 the previous year, an increase of 7 percent, according to data released recently by the U.S. Department of Education. In the nation, the number of homeless students increased to 1,168,354 from 1,065,794, an increase of 10 percent, with 43 states reporting increases from the previous year and 10 states reporting increases of 20 percent or more, the department reported.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2013/10/30/Across-U-S-a-record-number-of-homeless-school-kids/stories/201310300086

Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School can't have two locations, state says

By Sara K. Satullo | The Express-Times updated October 29, 2013 at 5:53 PM

The Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School's plans to expand to a second location have been scuttled by the Pennsylvania Charter Appeal Board. The charter school's board is expected to discuss the decision and its ramifications at 6 tonight at the school, 551 Thomas St. on South Side Bethlehem. The board could opt to appeal the decision to state Commonwealth Court.

Earlier this year, the Bethlehem Area School Board rejected the charter school'srequest to move its middle school students off the South Side campus to Bridle Path Road. Bethlehem issued the original charter for the school so it must sign off on any location change.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2013/10/lehigh_valley_dual_language_ch_5.html

Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School plans to appeal rejection of second location

By Sara K. Satullo | The Express-Times on October 29, 2013 at 8:21 PM

Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School plans to appeal a state Charter Appeal Board decision that prevents it from expanding to a second location. The school's board of trustees voted unanimously tonight to authorize its attorney to file an appeal with the Commonwealth Court. "I almost fell of my chair (when I learned of the decision)," said Carlos Lopez, school founder and board member. Over the summer, the school asked its chartering district, Bethlehem Area, to approve moving its middle school students to a second location. Since its inception, the charter school has added a grade annually and it has now outgrown its Thomas Street location.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2013/10/lehigh_valley_dual_language_ch_6.html#incart_river

Public school supporters protest tax abatements outside Rittenhouse highrises

ALEX WIGGLESWORTH, FOR PHILLY.COM Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 7:12 PM

Against the backdrop of tony Rittenhouse Square, protesters with the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools and like-minded organizations donned Halloween costumes Tuesday afternoon for a festive rally against the city's 10-year property tax abatement.

The abatement, which became law about 15 years ago, applies to all newly-constructed or improved properties in the city. But, according to a report released Tuesday by PCAPS, the program will deprive Philadelphia schools of millions in property tax revenue in the coming year, with three buildings in Rittenhouse Square alone accounting for $2.1 million of the loss.
"The paper we are releasing today documents two facts," activist and retired teacher Ron Whitehorne said. "One, the schools are losing significant revenue because of these abatements. We project the loss at $50 million in the coming year. "Secondly, the main beneficiaries of these tax breaks are wealthy real estate developers and owners. Of the more than 16,000 tax-abated properties, the top five properties alone account for $15 million in lost revenue to the school district. These are luxury condos and housing developments concentrated in Center City."

Call for Volunteers to help at Philly High School Expo on November 16th

A collaboration of nonprofit organizations will host this year’s High School Fair on November 16 at Drexel University’s Armory. The Fair steering committee is seeking education professionals (with some knowledge base about the high school system) to volunteer as Guides at the Fair. These Guides will help students and family to navigate the fair and answer questions about available school options and the application process. Volunteers will receive a brief training and materials to ensure they are prepared to answer questions.

If you are interested and able to volunteer for a 3-hour shift on November 16, please complete this brief form: https://highschoolfair.squarespace.com/volunteers or contact Kristen Forbriger with questions atphillyhighschoolfair@gmail.com. If your organization is interested in sharing relevant information or presenting a workshop at the fair, please submit a request here: https://highschoolfair.squarespace.com/partner

The need for seniority in schools

Philly.com by LISA HAVER POSTED: Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 12:16 AM

RECENT efforts to eliminate seniority and tenure protections for Pennsylvania's professional school employees demonstrate a lack of understanding about the benefits that an objective selection process provides to all - faculty, students, parents . . . or to anyone who wants a system free from the cronyism which once ruled the city and its school district.

There are many misconceptions about how seniority works. Seniority protects workers from being unfairly fired because of the personal biases or political interests of management. It does not prevent mediocre or incompetent teachers from being fired. The responsibility to terminate an ineffectual teacher rests with administration alone. Rather than follow the official procedure, which involves time and paperwork, many principals simply transfer the teacher to another school.

U.D. super's retirement package gets slammed by state auditor general

By Danielle Lynch, Delaware County Daily Times 10/29/13, 10:07 PM EDT |

UPPER DARBY — Upper Darby School District officials recently responded to a month old report done by Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, which called the retirement deal of a former superintendent excessive. In the 10-page performance audit report that was released in late September, DePasquale stated that the Upper Darby School Board reportedly agreed to pay “the former superintendent $356,256 in a lump sum retirement incentive, unused sick and vacation days and medical, dental, vision and prescription coverage when he retired in 2009 – two years into a three-year contract.”

http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20131029/ud-supers-retirement-package-gets-slammed-by-state-auditor-general

Easton Area School District to appeal 'I Heart Boobies' bracelet case to U.S. Supreme Court

By Peter Panepinto | The Express-Times on October 29, 2013 at 9:08 PM

The Easton Area School District is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a district student ban on “I Heart Boobies” cancer awareness bracelets. The board voted 7-1 tonight to authorize the district solicitor to file a petition to the highest court in the country.

Superintendent John Reinhart said he fully backs the decision and he hopes appealing the case will bring clarity. "The Third Circuit Court has compromised administrators' abilities to intervene in what is and what is not appropriate in school," he said.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf/2013/10/easton_area_school_district_to_9.html#incart_river

“Kerns said that Asher’s return and an agreement by Lower Merion Republican Vahan H. Gureghian, who has almost single handedly bankrolled the fractured, cash-strapped organization in recent years, to share his finance committee chairmanship with Asher shows the “new unity” of the county GOP.”

Robert Asher returns to active role in Montco GOP

Phillyburbs.com By Margaret Gibbons Staff writer October 25, 2013

Lower Gwynedd Republican Robert B. Asher, a GOP powerbroker on both the state and national levels, returned to an active role in Montgomery County GOP politics Thursday night.

The announcement of Asher as co-chair of the organization’s finance committee by a wide-smiling county GOP Chairman Robert J. Kerns drew warm applause from almost 300 party officials and foot soldiers gathered at the party’s fall fundraising dinner at the Westover Golf Club in West Norriton.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/00redesign/news/local/asher-takes-active-role-in-montco-gop/article_64167caf-21cf-5880-8bbc-3b2b22e16bbc.html?mode=jqm

More on the Corbett-Gureghian relationship in the comments posted under this PoliticsPA piece:

http://www.politicspa.com/rothenberg-moves-pa-gov-to-lean-democrat/52408/comment-page-1/#comment-807078

Grading our Schools Databases – Scranton Times-Tribune

Links to several statewide school databases

http://thetimes-tribune.com/data-center/grading-our-schools

Afterschool Programs: A prime time for learning

Politico Opinion By ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER | 10/29/13 9:49 PM EDT

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a former governor of California.
Luke Farris, a fifth-grader, says he never would have made it on the Straight-A Honor Roll without his after-school program, adding that it “gives children who don’t have computers at home extra time” to learn in the afternoons. Eighth-grader Nadia Pereida sings the praises of her “amazing” after-school program, singling out classes she’s taken in Lifetime Adventures, cooking, robotics, dance and soccer. And Axel Suastegui says simply that his after-school program “makes me feel happy and safe.”

Those three students all participate in After-School All-Stars programs in Nevada. There are millions more like them in after-school programs all over the country who are improving their grades in reading and math, attending school more regularly and getting involved in exciting extracurricular activities while their parents are at work. As founder of the ASAS, which now provides programs in 15 cities serving 92,000 children, and as honorary chair of the Afterschool Alliance, the nation’s leading voice for after-school programs, I’ve seen firsthand what reams of data have proven: These programs do remarkable things for our children, families and communities.

Common Core/Keystone Exams: The PA State Board of Education (Board) has submitted the final-form regulation entitled “Academic Standards and Assessment."

The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) plans to meet and act on this regulation at our public meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2013.

Regulation #6 – 326: Academic Standards and Assessment

http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/regulation_details.aspx?IRRCNo=2976

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

Click here for the 2013 Conference Schedule

Click here to register for the conference.

DISTINGUISHED LECTURER SERIES - DR. PEDRO NOGUERA, NOV 5th

Where: Abington Senior High School

When November 5, 2013 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Contact Lynn Murphy, Delaware Valley College

http://www.delval.edu/events/event/distinguished-lecturer-series-dr.-pedro-noguera#.UmUDg3BMV2g

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, November 21, 2013 6:00-8:00 PM

IBEW Local 380 3900 Ridge Pike Collegeville, PA 19426

The National School Boards Association 74^th Annual Conference & Exposition April 5-7, 2014 New Orleans

General Session speakers include education advocates Thomas L. Friedman, Sir Ken Robinson, as well as education innovators Nikhil Goyal and Angela Maiers.

Register now! – Register for both the conference and housing using our online system.
Conference Information– Visit the NSBA conference website for up-to-date information
Hotel List and Map - Official NSBA Housing Block
Exposition Campus – View new products and services and interactive trade show floor

Questions? Contact NSBA at 800-950-6722 (NSBA) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST.

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

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for October 29, 2013: Radnor Township School Board Passes Resolution Opposing Keystone Exams as High School Graduation Requirement

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Keystone State Education Coalition:

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for October 29, 2013:

Radnor Township School Board Passes Resolution Opposing Keystone Exams as High School Graduation Requirement

SB 1085: would drop any pretense that charter schools were intended to be laboratories of innovation that might share best practices to help improve all schools

http://educationmattersinthecv.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/bad-charter-school-legislation-on-the-move-in-harrisburg-2/

“NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of School Directors of the Radnor Township School District opposes the State Board of Education approved final-form revisions to Chapter 4 (Academic Standards and Assessment) and any other regulations or legislation that usurp the authority of local school districts to determine whether their students have earned high school diplomas. The District seeks support from other school boards, local legislators and members of the Senate and House Education Committees in petitioning the Independent Regulatory Review Commission to bifurcate approval of Chapter 4, approving language pursuant to PA Common Core and removing language requiring the unfunded mandate of passing graduation exams.”

Radnor Township School District School Board Passes Resolution Opposing Keystone Exams as High School Graduation Requirement
Radnor Township School District website October 24, 2013

Concerned Parents and Residents Can Support Cause By Sending Letters to Representatives

Taking a stand against "regulations or legislation that usurp the authority of local school districts to determine whether their students have earned high school diplomas," the Radnor Township School District Board of School Directors unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement at its Oct. 22 meeting.
Read the resolution in full.

According to the resolution: “The Keystone Exams graduation requirement will cause an increase in remediation courses which will have economic impact on districts operating under Act 1 fiscal constraints and on taxpayers across the Commonwealth, and these required expenditures have no proof of cost effectiveness and represent an unfunded mandate.” Should the requirement be enacted, it will first affect the Class of 2017.

http://www.rtsd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=1&ModuleInstanceID=1442&ViewID=047E6BE3-6D87-4130-8424-D8E4E9ED6C2A&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=24122&PageID=1

New State Bill Would Allow 2 Weeks of Transparency Before Approving Salary Contracts

WESA Pittsburgh’s NPR station By HALDAN KIRSCH October 29, 2013

A state lawmaker is proposing legislation that would help taxpayers know more about what they’re paying their teachers. State Representative Fred Keller (R - Snyder) is introducing a bill that would require a two-week period of “openness” before school boards could approve any proposed collective bargaining agreements with teachers. The board would be required to post the proposed contract details to its publicly accessible website, as well as in a local newspaper of general circulation at least two weeks before the agreement is put to a vote. Why the two weeks? Keller says that residents should know in advance where their tax dollars are going.

http://wesa.fm/post/new-state-bill-would-allow-2-weeks-transparency-approving-salary-contracts

Pension inaction hurts midstate taxpayers, teachers: Nathan A. Benefield

Patriot-News Op-Ed By Nathan A. Benefield on October 28, 2013 at 5:15 AM

Is your family ready for a tax increase of nearly $900 per year? Are you prepared to see 33,000 public school teachers in Pennsylvania—nearly one out of every three—lose their jobs? Those are the realities facing taxpayers and educators if we don’t get a handle on our public pension costs. The state's two pension systems—for state government workers (SERS) and public school employees (PSERS)—together have more than $47 billion in debt.

It's a shortfall that taxpayers must cover. Recent legislation delayed the day of reckoning, giving lawmakers time to find a real solution, but the bill is quickly coming due.

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/10/pension_inaction_hurts_midstate_taxpayers_teachers_nathan_a_benefield.html#incart_river

Philly charters without signed agreements get revocation threat

MARTHA WOODALL, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 2:01 AM

In the midst of its continuing financial crisis, the School District of Philadelphia has lowered the boom on charter schools in the city. Using new powers unleashed by the School Reform Commission's recent decision to suspend part of the state school code, the district is threatening to begin revocation proceedings against schools that have refused to sign their charters because they include enrollment caps. The district has also warned charters not to seek payment for extra students from the state.

Pittsburgh city schools' enrollment still falling

By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 29, 2013 12:01 AM

If the projections of Pittsburgh Public Schools had been right, the district this fall would have turned the corner on declining K-12 enrollment and would have seen the growth of 100 students.

But the district saw another K-12 decline this fall, this time a drop of 1.3 percent, or 324 students fewer than last fall. That makes the official fall K-12 enrollment figure 24,525 this fall, compared to 24,849 last fall.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/breaking/2013/10/28/Pittsburgh-public-schools-report-enrollment-decline/stories/20131028019

Northampton schools chief frets over cost of new state standards

District might have to add staff, Joseph Kovalchik says, and that means boosting budget.

By Kevin Duffy, Special to The Morning Call 10:00 p.m. EDT, October 28, 2013

New state evaluation standards for students, teachers and schools might have districts scrambling to figure out how to set their budgets next year. That's the fear Joseph Kovalchik, superintendent of the Northampton Area School District, relayed to the school board Monday during a presentation of the new standards being passed down from the state Department of Education. With Adequate Yearly Progress measurements being replaced by the School Performance Profile system, students must now take remedial classes if they don't receive a passing grade in assessment testing such as the PSSA and Keystone exams. That amounts to a need for more teachers and classroom space, Kovalchik said.

Some legislators recognize the need to get serious in Harrisburg. Just not these two

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Opinion By Eric Heyl Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, 9:00 p.m.

Two glaring omissions in Pennsylvania law obviously were eating away at a pair of state legislators. As a result, Rep. John Maher of Upper St. Clair is trying to ensure no one makes a meal from animals that formerly were pets. Meanwhile, Rep. Rick Saccone of Elizabeth Township is attempting to force-feed the nation's motto to public-school students.

Both Republican lawmakers should be applauded for their efforts. Rather than address the same old problems plaguing the state (infrastructure funding, for example), they are taking aim at critical problems their detractors cynically might suggest do not exist.

After 'leveling,' Philly's split-grade classes reduced by half

WHYY Newsworks BY KEVIN MCCORRY OCTOBER 28, 2013

The Philadelphia School District has been "leveled."

As a result, the district has reduced the number of its controversial split-grade classrooms, made up of students in different grades, from about 100 to 50. With leveling, the district aligns staffing projections made in the summer with enrollment realities in the fall.

If more students show up at a school than the district had projected, and fewer students show up at another school, the district shuffles faculty from one to the other in an attempt to keep student-to-teacher ratios within the contracted maximums.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/61316-after-leveling-phillys-split-grade-classes-reduced-by-half-?linktype=hp_topstory

Haverford students conduct a drive for diapers

JULIE ZAUZMER, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER POSTED: October 29, 2013, 3:01 AM

The students in Faith Irons' child development class at Haverford High School know a thing or two about toddlers. They even draft their own lesson plans and teach classes for preschoolers.

But when they read a recent article in The Inquirer, they learned about something new: the struggles of mothers who can't afford enough diapers, a problem that can lead to rashes and infections, child abuse, and depression for mothers. More important, they learned they could help. Irons' students launched a drive that collected more than 33,000 diapers.

Wendy Kopp: Do American Schools Need to Change? Depends What You Compare Them To

Compared to its own history, the U.S. education system may be doing fine. But compared to the rest of the world, it needs work—and quickly.

The Atlantic by WENDY KOPP OCT 25 2013, 9:15 AM ET

It’s no secret that America’s education debate is increasingly polarized and increasingly public. We see it every day on Twitter, in the headlines, and occasionally even on the picket line. The public discussion pits reformers who think that our education system is failing students against anti-reformers who think what’s wrong with our schools is the people trying to fix them. I've been immersed in American education for more than 20 years and have led a global education network for the last seven, and to me there’s no question that our school system must improve, and quickly. But today’s debate has become a distraction that keeps us paralyzed in old divisions and false debates, rather than uniting against common problems.

Two recent bestselling books on education, Diane Ravitch’s Reign of Error and Amanda Ripley’s The Smartest Kids in the World, shine light on the conflict—and why taking a step back and embracing a global perspective is necessary to move forward.

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/10/do-american-schools-need-to-change-depends-what-you-compare-them-to/280768/

K12 Inc. Learning Hard Management, Financial Lessons

Education Week By Michele Molnar Published Online: October 22, 2013

K12 Inc. is on a remedial course of action after learning hard lessons about managing student enrollment and addressing public criticism about the academic performance of its students.

The Herndon, Va.-based company—the largest for-profit provider of precollegiate online learning and one of the few publicly traded companies in the K-12 marketplace—showed an inability to enroll as many students as anticipated for the 2013-14 school year. That sent its stock into a nose dive earlier this month—a 38 percent drop that also came three weeks after a prominent hedge fund manager, Whitney R. Tilson, took a position that the company was overvalued.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/10/23/09k12update_ep.h33.html?tkn=MRXFHpOVz6Fj0MebtOqNbJVRruPP3vjWwVfy&cmp=clp-edweek&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mrss

Common Core/Keystone Exams: The PA State Board of Education (Board) has submitted the final-form regulation entitled “Academic Standards and Assessment."

The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) plans to meet and act on this regulation at our public meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2013.

Regulation #6 – 326: Academic Standards and Assessment

http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/regulation_details.aspx?IRRCNo=2976

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

Click here for the 2013 Conference Schedule

Click here to register for the conference.

DISTINGUISHED LECTURER SERIES - DR. PEDRO NOGUERA, NOV 5th

Where: Abington Senior High School

When November 5, 2013 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Contact Lynn Murphy, Delaware Valley College

http://www.delval.edu/events/event/distinguished-lecturer-series-dr.-pedro-noguera#.UmUDg3BMV2g

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, November 21, 2013 6:00-8:00 PM

IBEW Local 380 3900 Ridge Pike Collegeville, PA 19426

The National School Boards Association 74^th Annual Conference & Exposition April 5-7, 2014 New Orleans

General Session speakers include education advocates Thomas L. Friedman, Sir Ken Robinson, as well as education innovators Nikhil Goyal and Angela Maiers.

Register now! – Register for both the conference and housing using our online system.
Conference Information– Visit the NSBA conference website for up-to-date information
Hotel List and Map - Official NSBA Housing Block
Exposition Campus – View new products and services and interactive trade show floor

Questions? Contact NSBA at 800-950-6722 (NSBA) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST.

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

Pages

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for October 31, 2013: A new ‘no excuses’ school reform mantra

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for October 30, 2013: The number of homeless K-12 students in PA increased to 19,905 in 2012 from 18,531 the previous year

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Pennsylvania Education Policy Roundup for October 29, 2013: Radnor Township School Board Passes Resolution Opposing Keystone Exams as High School Graduation Requirement