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Education Coalition now reach more than 3250 Pennsylvania education
policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and
congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of
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professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies,
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Keystone State Education Coalition
Another student dies after
falling sick at Philly school with no nurse on duty
Another student dies after
falling sick at Philly school with no nurse on duty
Citypaper By Daniel
Denvir Published: 05/21/2014
A first-grade student died today after falling ill at Jackson Elementary School
in South Philadelphia , where no school nurse
was on duty. Philadelphia
schools have suffered dramatic staffing cuts to nurses and other positions in
recent years. "We had a very tragic
day at Jackson Elementary," says School District of Philadelphia Hospital
of Philadelphia
First-grader at Jackson School
in South Phila . dies after becoming ill at
school
KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER
STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 8:08 PM POSTED: Wednesday,
May 21, 2014, 7:21 PM
A 7-year-old student died suddenly after becoming ill at a city
public school on Wednesday.
The child, a first grader at Jackson
School in South
Philadelphia , experienced a medical emergency and appeared to stop
breathing. Classroom staff administered CPR and called 911, and the child was
taken to Children's Hospital
of Philadelphia
"It's shocking, and it's tragic, and we extend our deepest
sympathies to the family," said School District
spokesman Fernando Gallard. There was no
nurse at Jackson
at the time the child, whose name was not released, became ill, Gallard said.
The school of 450 students has a nurse every Thursday and every other Friday.
"While this hearing was going on,
unbeknownst to participants, a 1st
grader collapsed in a school without a nurse on duty and later
died, triggering new outrage that conditions in the District caused by underfunding
are not just just inadequate, but lethal."
Officials plead again with
City Council for funds to avert a new round of layoffs
the notebook by Dale
Mezzacappa on May 21 2014 Posted in Latest news
City Council summoned School District
leadership Wednesday to answer more questions on the needs of the schools and
to argue over what the city can and should provide.
But after three hours of sharp verbal sparring, they seemed no
closer to a breakthrough that could get the District enough money in time to
avoid triggering hundreds of layoffs and planning for class sizes next
September of 40 students or more.
District continues push
for funding in Council
SOLOMON LEACH, DAILY
NEWS STAFF WRITER LEACHS@PHILLYNEWS.COM,
215-854-5903 POSTED: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 12:16 AM
At the request of City Council, district officials were in
Council chambers to answer questions regarding the $216 million the district
says is needed to keep schools at current "inadequate" levels. The
district is asking the city for an extra $195 million, including $120 million
from the extension of the sales-tax hike and an additional $75 million,
possibly from a cigarette tax.
Superintendent William Hite said the clock is ticking because,
under state law, the district would have to send out layoff notices to
employees by June 30. Even if the employees were called back, he said, the
district would incur costs it cannot recoup.
"In addition to that, we have now many families, students and
faculty members who are rightfully so concerned about what our schools will
look like," said Hite, noting that safety could be compromised for
students.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140522_District_continues_push_for_funding_in_Council.html#7OwfpvFQj8QV62Ij.99
KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 1:08 AM
POSTED: Wednesday, May 21, 2014,
8:32 PM
After three tense hours
of questioning by City Council on Wednesday, the Philadelphia School
District
Blogger's note: Here's
a bit more background on the founder of the Chester Community
Charter School
http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/06/follow-money-contributions-by-vahan.html
Alums thank Chester
KATHY BOCCELLA, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 1:08 AM
POSTED: Wednesday, May 21, 2014,
5:04 PM
About 70 former students
of Chester Community Charter
School Neumann University ,
who had attended Cardinal
O'Hara High
School Chester , the
kindergarten-to-eighth-grade school has faced state scrutiny for testing
irregularities and low test scores. In August, the state auditor general said
it had received more than $1.2 million in improper lease reimbursements over
three years. The school has disputed the findings.
"Last week, 66 percent of the teachers union voted to
accept the two-year salary freeze that saved 72.6 positions from being
eliminated. The district will lose 29 positions next year, but 24 will be
through retirements and five from resignations."
Easton Area School District
Average property owner
in school district to pay about $130 more.
By Jacqueline Palochko, Of The Morning Call 10:35 p.m.
EDT, May 21, 2014
The Easton
Area School
District
Voters in the State College Area
School District
VOTER APPROVED: State High
Renovation Project Wins Overwhelming Support
StateCollege.com by Jennifer
Miller on May 20, 2014 10:56
PM UPDATED at 12:04 a.m. Wednesday
No one was sure quite what to expect when voters went to the
polls in Tuesday's primary election. But
it wasn't even close. Voters in the State College Area School District
With all 90 precincts reporting, including in State College
Borough, Harris Township ,
Ferguson Township ,
Patton Township ,
Halfmoon Township
and a portion of Benner
Township
“These figures back up what we have been saying all along,”
Dinniman said. “In imposing these exams on local schools, the Pennsylvania
Department of Education and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission
completely ignored the substantial cost burden they are putting on the backs of
our local school districts, costs that would surely be passed on to taxpayers
in the form of significant property tax hikes.”….“Multiply that by the 500
school districts across the Commonwealth for an idea of how massive this
unfunded mandate would have been had we not succeeded in limiting the Keystones
to three tests,” Dinniman said.
Limits on Keystone exams will
save money - Dinniman
WEST CHESTER — State Sen. Andrew E. Dinniman praised the
efforts to limit the Keystone Graduation Exams to the three required by the
federal government, which he said will save Chester County schools millions in
taxpayer dollars. Dinniman, D-19th of West Whiteland , co-chairman of the Education Committee,
supported the fight to limit the Keystone Graduation Exams. He said that
preliminary estimates from five of Chester
County ’s 12 school districts,
including Downingtown, Owen J. Roberts, Spring-Ford, Tredyffrin-Easttown and West Chester , indicate that adding two more tests would
have a total cost more than $1 million.
District officials recently provided Dinniman with approximate
figures showing how much their respective schools would have spent on staffing,
textbooks and materials and curriculum restructuring in preparation for the two
additional tests.
“Strong local governance matters. It cannot and should not
be excluded from education reform initiatives. To give America ’s schoolchildren strong accountability
centered on student outcomes, the National
School
Gentzel calls for school
board oversight of charters in USA
NSBA School Board News Today Joetta Sack-Min May 21st, 2014
Thomas J. Gentzel, executive director of the National School
Boards Association (NSBA) said that federal legislation on charter school law
should recognize the need for accountability for student performance in
charters, given the low performance of the majority of charter schools. His
letter to the editor was published in the May 21, 2014 issue of USA
“How Public School Funding Works in
Pennsylvania—Or Doesn’t: What You Need to Know” When: Friday, May 30,
2014, 9 am to 12 pm Where: Marriott Hotel in Conshohocken, PA
Session I: "Funding Schools: What Pennsylvania Can Learn from Other States"
Key Pennsylvania legislators and public officials will respond to a presentation by Professor Robert C. Knoeppel of Clemson University, an expert on emerging trends and ideas in public school finance.
Session I: "Funding Schools: What Pennsylvania Can Learn from Other States"
Key Pennsylvania legislators and public officials will respond to a presentation by Professor Robert C. Knoeppel of Clemson University, an expert on emerging trends and ideas in public school finance.
Introduction: Representative Steve Santarsiero
Moderator: Rob Wonderling, President and CEO, GreaterPhiladelphia Chamber of Commerce
Panel:
Charles Zogby, Secretary of the Budget, Commonwealth of PA, Senator Patrick Browne, Senator Anthony Williams, Representative Bernie O'Neill, Representative James Roebuck
Session II: "Why Smart Investments in Public Schools Are Critical toPennsylvania
Moderator: Rob Wonderling, President and CEO, Greater
Panel:
Charles Zogby, Secretary of the Budget, Commonwealth of PA, Senator Patrick Browne, Senator Anthony Williams, Representative Bernie O'Neill, Representative James Roebuck
Session II: "Why Smart Investments in Public Schools Are Critical to
A discussion with a panel of CEOs who are major employers in
the region.
Introduction: Rob Loughery, Chair, Bucks County Commissioners
Panel (confirmed to date):
Michael Pearson, President and CEO, Union Packaging, Philip Rinaldi, CEO, Philadelphia Energy Solutions, Bryan Hancock, Principal, McKinsey & Company, and author: "The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America's Schools"
You can register for this free event here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-public-school-funding-works-in-pennsylvania-or-doesnt-what-you-need-to-know-tickets-11527064761?ref=ebtnebregn
Introduction: Rob Loughery, Chair, Bucks County Commissioners
Panel (confirmed to date):
Michael Pearson, President and CEO, Union Packaging, Philip Rinaldi, CEO, Philadelphia Energy Solutions, Bryan Hancock, Principal, McKinsey & Company, and author: "The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America's Schools"
You can register for this free event here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-public-school-funding-works-in-pennsylvania-or-doesnt-what-you-need-to-know-tickets-11527064761?ref=ebtnebregn
2014 CONFERENCE ON THE STATE OF
EDUCATION IN PENNSYLVANIA
60 YEARS AFTER BROWN HOW ARE THE CHILDREN? WHAT ARE THE
ISSUES?
Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 9:00 AM
– 3:00 PM (8:30 Registration)
MARCUS FOSTER STUDENT UNION 2ND
FLR. CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, DE Co. Campus
Keynote
Speaker: Dan Hardy – Retired Reporter -Philadelphia Inquirer
Distressed Schools: How Did it
Come to This?
PANELS:
- The State of Education in Pennsylvania 60
Years after Brown
- Keystones and Graduation: Cut the
Connection
- How Harrisburg Cut District Funding,
Poured on the Keystones, and Connected them to Graduation
- Financing Our Schools: What Does it Cost
to Educate a Child in 2014 and How Should We Fund It?
- Effective Advocacy – How to be
Heard in Harrisburg - And - What We Need to be Saying
For
more info and registration: http://www.naacpmediabranch.org/#
Education
Policy and Leadership Center
Click
here to read more about EPLC’s Education Policy Fellowship Program, including:
2014-15 Schedule 2014-15 Application Past Speakers Program Alumni And More
Information
PCCY invites you to get on
the School Spirit Bus to Harrisburg on Tuesday
June 10th for Fair and Full
School
Public Citizens for Children and Youth
On Tuesday June 10th, Public Citizens for Children
and Youth (PCCY) will be going to Harrisburg .
Join committed parents, leaders, and community members from around state to
make it clear to Harrisburg
that PA students need fair and full funding now! We are providing free
transportation to and from Harrisburg
as well as lunch. Please arrive at the United Way Building 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway no later
than8:15am. The bus will depart at 8:30am sharp! Reserve your
seat today by emailing us at info@pccy.org or
calling us at 215-563-5848
x11. You can download and share our flyer by clicking here. We hope to see you there!
PA Business-Education Partnership
Featuring:
Welcome By Governor Tom Corbett (invited)
Remarks Acting Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq
(confirmed)
Perceptions & comments of business leaders, educators,
college presidents, and advocacy groups
Full agenda here: http://www.bipac.net/pbc/2014-PA-Education-Summit-Agenda.pdf
Registration: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/pennsylvania-education-summit-tickets-11529363637?aff=eorgf
2014 PA Gubernatorial Candidate Plans for Education
and Arts/Culture in PA
Education Policy and Leadership Center
Below is an alphabetical list of the 2014
Gubernatorial Candidates and links to information about their plans, if
elected, for education and arts/culture in Pennsylvania. This list will be updated, as more
information becomes available.
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