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Daily postings from the Keystone State
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Keystone State Education Coalition
In God We Trust? How about a bill that would require charter
and cyber schools to post their PA School Performance Profile scores prominently
in any advertising paid for with public tax dollars?
Blogger Rant:
In God We Trust? Budget; Pension Reform; Charter
School Reform; Special Ed Funding;
Plancon - "Fiddling While Rome
At a recent school board meeting I voted against
authorizing a payment to Agora
Cyber Charter
School
Instead of posting "In God We
Trust", how about a bill that would require charter and cyber schools to
post their PA School Performance Profile scores prominently in any advertising
paid for with public tax dollars?
The state House of Representatives on Monday approved
legislation encouraging schools to post the national motto, “In God We Trust,”
and the Bill of Rights. The bill passed
the chamber 172-24. It originally would have required school districts to
display the motto, but the House unanimously amended it to say that schools
“may” display “In God We Trust,” along with the Bill of Rights. Its sponsor, Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Elizabeth Township
"Governors and lawmakers create one-time revenue
sources via accounting tricks, like pushing certain bills back to another
fiscal year or dipping into specialty accounts, to cover shortfalls. But
Corbett's proposed 2014-15 budget already uses some of those tricks to boost
spending by 3 percent to $29.4 billion, which includes an additional $400
million for public schools and $25 million in college scholarships for
middle-class students."
Tax hikes, spending cuts and
other ideas considered to close state budget gap
Revenue for the month
came in $108 million below estimates.
By Steve Esack,
Call Harrisburg
Bureau 11:47 p.m. EDT, June 2, 2014
"But, as state Budget Secretary Charles Zogby
reaffirmed Monday, every new monthly shortfall pushes those and any other
hoped-for 2014-15 spending increases a little (or a lot) further out of reach. "If you just did a budget within the
existing revenues.... you'd have no new funding for basic education
(k-12), no new funding for higher education, no new funding to reduce waiting
lists for those with intellectual disabilities, and we'd still probably have to
go back and look at further cuts to balance," Zogby said."
Home stretch in Pennsylvania
By Charles Thompson |
cthompson@pennlive.com on June 02, 2014 at 5:52 PM, updated June
02, 2014 at 6:45 PM
This story was updated at 6:45 p.m. with some information
from a Monday meeting of legislative leaders.
Corbett shuns tax increases
amid worsening outlook
BY MARC LEVY Associated Press June 2, 2014 Updated 11
hours ago
GOP lawmaker offers own
budget
CItizen's Voice BY
ROBERT SWIFT Published: June 2, 2014
DiGirolamo wants to tap new revenue for state coffers from
business taxes, including a severance tax on natural gas production; accept a
federally funded expansion of the Medicaid program and restore cuts to the
county-run human service programs. DiGirolamo
plans to push in the weeks ahead to see which of his ideas could be included in
the fiscal 2014-15 budget.
It's Wolf 51-31 percent over
Corbett in new Rasmussen poll: Monday Morning Coffee
By on
June 02, 2014 at 8:22 AM
Good Monday Morning, Fellow
Seekers.
In case you're wondering what kind of bounce a 40-point primary victory gets you, look no further than the first Rasmussen poll ofPennsylvania 's general election race for
governor. There, York County
In case you're wondering what kind of bounce a 40-point primary victory gets you, look no further than the first Rasmussen poll of
"More than one-third of Pennsylvania
Beware, taxpayers - zombie
pensions are eating your bacon: Stephen Bloom
By Rep. Stephen Bloom on June 02, 2014 at 11:06 AM
For reasons that remain
obscure, everyone loves talking about zombies. For reasons a bit more obvious,
everyone loves loving bacon. Meanwhile, if there's one thing nobody loves
talking about and nobody loves loving, it's pension reform. But zombie pensions
are eating your bacon, so listen up! The
Commonwealth operates two pension programs for state workers and educators: the
State Employees Retirement System (SERS) and the Public School Employees Retirement
System (PSERS). The systems were supposed to be fed a steady diet of employer
and employee contributions and investment earnings. But now, due to years of
skimpy feeding and overly generous benefits, they have become insatiable
zombies with massive appetites for taxpayer bacon. And the amount necessary to
satisfy their hunger grows with each passing minute.
Report calls hybrid pension
proposal a bad deal for future hires and taxpayers
A proposed hybrid
pension plan would lead to draconian pension benefit cuts for new state and
school employees and produce little savings while potentially triggering a
spending spree for the next few years, according to a
report issued today from the
labor-supported Keystone Research Center of Harrisburg. The center's executive director Steve
Herzenberg said the
defined benefit-defined contribution retirement savings program, proposed
by Rep. Mike Tobash, R-Schuylkill, is not the answer to addressing the $47
billion unfunded liability that the pension systems have accrued for benefits
owed to current and past employees.
If lawmakers lower pension
payments to balance budget, ratings agencies will not be pleased
By on
June 02, 2014 at 9:30 AM
When a state is facing
a budget shortfall of more than $1 billion -- like
Pennsylvania does right now --
it's going to have to make a lot of tough choices. Here's one lawmakers face this month as they
craft a balanced budget: If they overhaul the pension system for newly hired
teachers and state workers, which would reduce the state's future pension bill,
should they direct less money to paying what is already owed? Right now, Pennsylvania is paying less than what
actuaries say it should be into its pension fund, thanks to what is called a
collared rate. By "tapering the collars," that is continuing to pay
less for a longer period of time, the state and school districts would save
money next fiscal year. That would make
balancing a budget easier. Gov. Tom Corbett's budget proposal calls for saving
by $170 million next year by putting less money toward the state's pension debt
of nearly $50 billion. But
"tapering the collars" comes with potential hazards. Namely, the
ratings agencies that go a long way to determining how expensive it is for
states to borrow do not like collars. They want to see a state is putting the
kind of money actuaries say is necessary toward pension expenses.
PhillyDeals: Plan to stall
growing gap in state pension
By Joseph N. DiStefano,
Inquirer Staff Writer POSTED: June 01, 2014
How to get out of a $50
billion hole? First, stop digging,
reasons State Rep. Mike
Tobash (R., Pottsville ). Tobash has a plan - a moderate plan, by
today's standards - to stall the growing gap between the billions
Pennsylvania's politically appointed pension trustees have invested, in hopes
the money will magically grow very fast, and the tens of billions actually
needed to keep future pensions flowing to ex-teachers, prison guards,
legislators, and other public servants.
Avon Grove plan to outsource custodial
jobs angers workers
MICHAELLE BOND, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: June 2, 2014, 1:08 AM
The Avon Grove School District
http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20140602_Avon_Grove_plan_to_outsource_custodial_jobs_angers_workers.html#thD9hEkydGSJ00Q3.99
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED AS
THE BUDGET BATTLE BEGINS
The Bravo Group BY SARAH
BATTISTI JUNE 2, 2014
A $1.8 billion deficit,
a pension system that needs to be addressed, drilling on state lands, an
outdated liquor delivery system, paycheck protection, civil rights and above
all else (just ask anyone) a severance tax…the holy grail to fix the
Commonwealth’s fiscal problems. As the
legislative session returns today, there will be plenty to talk about. But
which card is played first and who wins? When we discuss winning issues in Pennsylvania this time
of year can be like building a house of cards. You can build an entire
neighborhood, but in the end there may be one house left standing or none at
all.
Are These Marcellus Shale
Drillers Being Taxed Too Much? Or Not Enough?
June 1, 2014
Over the past few years,
surging shale gas production from Pennsylvania 's
Marcellus shale has propelled the state to become the second largest
gas-producing state in the country, recently inching ahead of Louisiana
and behind only Texas .
In addition to its positive impact on the state's economy, surging shale
gas output from the Marcellus is also lining the state's coffers with hundreds
of millions of dollars from so-called drilling impact fees. Yet some argue that
Marcellus shale drillers should pay the state even more money. Are they right?
DN Editorial:
Inaction/proactive
Philly Daily News
Editorial POSTED: Tuesday, June
3, 2014, 3:01 AM
THE SCHOOL Reform
Commission did the right thing last week in delaying a vote on the district's
budget for next year.
By failing to pass a
budget by June 1, the district is in technical violation of the city charter,
but Superintendent William Hite, SRC chairman Bill Green and other members of
the commission could not in good conscience pass the document before them. Had
they done so, formal steps would have to be taken to send out notices laying
off more than 1,000 teachers and school staff, cut more into scarce services in
the schools and hobble the district's ability to provide even the most basic of
education. "Our severely
under-resourced school system threatens the future of one of America 's
greatest cities," Hite said. He is
right, of course. Philadelphia
cannot hope to advance and revive without an educated workforce - and without a
functioning school system that educates them.
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20140603_DN_Editorial__Inaction_proactive.html#cJGFeAySHf3s1uQj.99
Editorial: Glimmers of
optimism
the notebook Summer 2014
With a bleak financial
predicament facing Philadelphia
public schools, it is hard to maintain optimism about the future of public
education here. As the Notebookreflects on 20
years of publishing in pursuit of educational quality and equity, we cannot say
students are better off than they were in 1994. But we do see encouraging
trends – both growing wisdom and evidence that an informed, engaged community
can make a difference.
For example, we know now
that the early years are critical for child development and that high-quality
pre-K can help ensure success in school. In 1994, full-day kindergarten still
was missing from most high-poverty schools here. That fight has been won, and
now the public campaign has moved to expanding access to quality pre-K for 3-
and 4-year-olds. With most state legislators and the governor up for election
this year, the “Pre-K for PA” campaign is positioned to win a statewide
commitment to new investments in early education.
The Notebook is
proud of the gains that have been made on another key equity issue – building
awareness of how harsh disciplinary practices lead to unequal punishment of
Black and Brown students and the criminalization of young people. In 2002
Tragedy resonates
beyond Philadelphia
Education Week By Denisa
Superville and Evie Blad
Published Online: June 2, 2014
The death last month of a Philadelphia elementary student who
fell ill at a school that did not have a full-time nurse on duty has reignited
debate in the city and nationwide over the importance of school nurses and the
reasons why they are among the first to go when money becomes scarce. Sebastian Gerena's death has been attributed
to a congenital heart defect, but that hasn't stopped some from wondering
whether the outcome would have been different if a full-time nurse had been
stationed at the school. The student's death came eight months after Laporshia
Massey, 12, died after an asthma attack at a different Philadelphia public school that also did not
have a full-time nurse. The two deaths
have led some parents and residents to call for an end to years of budget cuts
that have reduced the number of nurses in the district from 289 in 2011 to 179
in the 2013-14 school year, according to the local union.
Education Week By on June
2, 2014 5:43 PM | No
comments
A Chicago charter school operator was charged
Monday in federal court with defrauding investors in a $37.5 million bond
offering for school construction, according to a statement from the Securities
and Exchange Commission, which filed the complaint. The UNO Charter School Network, Inc. and
United Neighborhood Organization of Chicago made "materially misleading
statements about transactions that presented a conflict of interest,"
according to the commission's release based on its charging
documents. The issue came to light
after the Chicago Sun-Times produced a series of articles about the neighborhood organization
receiving a $98 million grant for charter school construction, and how much of
that went to well-connected allies of the organization.
What’s Lost as Handwriting
Fades
New York Times By MARIA KONNIKOVA JUNE 2, 2014
Does handwriting matter?
Not very much, according to many educators. The Common Core
standards, which have been adopted in most states, call for teaching legible
writing, but only in kindergarten and first grade. After that, the emphasis
quickly shifts to proficiency on the keyboard.
But psychologists and neuroscientists say it is far too soon to declare
handwriting a relic of the past. New evidence suggests that the links between
handwriting and broader educational development run deep.
Children not only learn to read more quickly when they first
learn to write by hand, but they also remain better able to generate ideas and
retain information. In other words, it’s not just what we write that matters —
but how.
PSBA opens nominations for
the Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award
The nomination process is now open for the Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award. This award may be presented annually to the individual school director or entire school board to recognize outstanding leadership in legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of public education and students that are consistent with the positions in PSBA’s Legislative Platform. Applications will be accepted until July 16, 2014. The July 16 date was picked in honor of Timothy M. Allwein's birthday. The award will be presented during the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference in October. More details and application are available on PSBA's website.
The nomination process is now open for the Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award. This award may be presented annually to the individual school director or entire school board to recognize outstanding leadership in legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of public education and students that are consistent with the positions in PSBA’s Legislative Platform. Applications will be accepted until July 16, 2014. The July 16 date was picked in honor of Timothy M. Allwein's birthday. The award will be presented during the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference in October. More details and application are available on PSBA's website.
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 Funding!
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!
Pennsylvania Education Summit
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM (EDT) Camp Hill, PA
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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