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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for July
29, 2014:
Pa. not alone in having
pension woes, Pew notes
"This year, a study released by the
National Association of College Admission Counseling found almost no difference
in college GPAs and graduation rates between students who submitted SAT scores
and those who did not at colleges where scores are optional."
Temple
SUSAN SNYDER, INQUIRER
STAFF WRITER Tuesday, July 29, 2014, 1:08 AM
In an effort to cultivate talented students who don't test
well, Temple University Philadelphia
School District
For years, critics have called the SAT an unreliable predictor
of college readiness that discriminates against minority students and those
from low-income families.
"We cannot ignore the mounting evidence that standardized
test scores inject socio-economic bias into the admissions and financial-aid
equations," said Hai-Lung Dai, Temple 's
provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
William Penn Foundation
leader departing after six months
PETER DOBRIN, INQUIRER
CLASSICAL MUSIC CRITIC LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, July 29, 2014, 1:08
AM POSTED: Monday, July 28, 2014,
9:58 PM
The William Penn Foundation's new leader will leave Aug. 31
after six months on the job.
Peter J. Degnan, who came to William Penn as managing director
at the beginning of March from his post as vice dean of finance and administration
at the Wharton School
As $50B pension debt weighs
on Pennsylvania
TribLive By Debra
Erdley Saturday, July 26, 2014, 8:42 p.m.
The future of public pensions has become a bone of contention
in this year's Pennsylvania
gubernatorial race, and public employees fear they're the ones who will get
bitten.
Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, who is trailing in the polls,
insists underfunded state and school public employee retirement plans are
causing hardships for taxpayers. He wants the Legislature to reduce the size of
the lifetime pension guarantee for future hires and supplement it with a
401(k)-style benefit that shifts some of the risk to workers. Corbett's Democratic opponent, Tom Wolf,
claims the governor hasn't looked hard enough for new sources of revenue to
fund state retirement systems. Like most
states, Pennsylvania
offers lifetime pensions to employees. The plans require employees to
contribute a portion of their pay — 6.25 percent for most state employees and
7.5 percent for most school employees. State and local school district taxes
pay the employer contribution. Those payments, coupled with fund investment
gains, furnish the pool for retiree payments.
“First, Pennsylvania has to commit to
paying the current bill; second, we think they should establish a funding task
force or study commission to come up with a comprehensive and transparent
solution to this long-standing problem; and third, if that solution is some
kind of hybrid plan design, that they consider a simple and proven hybrid
model,” Mennis said.
Pa. not alone in having pension
woes, Pew notes
West Chester Daily
Local By EVAN BRANDT, ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com
POSTED: 07/28/14, 4:55 PM EDT
Nationwide, total debt facing state pension plans is $915
billion, according to the Public Sector Retirement Systems project of the Pew
Charitable Trusts. “Only 15 states have
consistently made at least 95 percent of the full actuarially required
contributions for their pension plans from 2010 through 2012; the remaining 35
states (including Pennsylvania) fell short in at least one year,” according to
the project website. And since last
fall, the director of that project, Greg Mennis, has been trying to help Pennsylvania solve its
pension problems.
State budget worries halt
plans
By Karen Langley and Kate Giammarise / Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau July 28,
2014 12:00 AM
These and more Allegheny County programs were flagged to
receive funding in legislation accompanying the new state budget, but Gov. Tom
Corbett maintains that legislators were optimistic in their projections for
state revenue this year, and he has put the designated spending — earmarks, in
the administration’s words — on hold.
Mr. Corbett cited the gap in revenue projections earlier this
month when he vetoed $65 million in funding for the General Assembly and $7.2
million in other appropriations. He indicated, too, that he would use his
authority to hold appropriations in budgetary reserve, meaning the money, at
least for now, will not be available for spending. The administration has decided to divert all
but a few of the legislative-designated spending items into budgetary reserves,
said Charles Zogby, Mr. Corbett’s budget secretary.
Attack ad on Corbett’s
education funding record 'a damned lie,' Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley says
By Jan Murphy |
jmurphy@pennlive.com on July 28, 2014 at 1:42 PM, updated July
28, 2014 at 1:50 PM
Gov. Tom Corbett has been criticized for making a billion
dollar cut to education funding since his first year in office and did little
to fend off those attacks. Lt. Gov. Jim
Cawley admitted as much at a Monday morning news conference, saying the
administration was focused on "doing our job" instead of taking the
"time to effectively explain what it is we are doing." But now that PA Families First, a
coalition of the Democratic Governors Association and labor unions are
airing a political ad attacking the Corbett administration's record on
education spending, Cawley says enough is enough. "For three and a half years, they have
lied through their teeth and shame on us for not being louder in calling it
what it is: a damned lie," said Cawley, during the news conference at the
Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association's Harrisburg headquarters.
But a third of the money cut was state
funding, as the Morning
Call has reported.
The roughly $355 million cut had, in years
prior, gone into grants for early education and police officers, as well as
reimbursements to school districts losing students to charter schools.
Campaign ad returns Pa.
WHYY Newsworks BY MARY
WILSON JULY 29, 2014
Education funding cuts are front and center once again in a
tiff between Pennsylvania 's
candidates for governor. A
television attack
ad that surfaced last week highlights the issue, which has dogged
Republican incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett in the polls for years.
In the spot, a narrator says Corbett "cut nearly a billion
dollars from education, forcing schools districts to fire 20,000 teachers and
staff." On Monday, Lt. Gov. Jim
Cawley denounced the television attack ad and the administration's opponents. "For three and a half years they have
lied through their teeth," Cawley said. "And shame on us for not
being louder and calling it exactly what it is -- a damn lie." The Corbett administration maintains that the
money cut from education in 2011 was simply federal stimulus dollars that
weren't replaced because the governor was sticking to a no-tax promise.
More bad news for Gov. Tom
Corbett
Tom Corbett is (still) the most vulnerable governor in the
country.
At least that’s how The Washington Post’s political blog The
Fix sees things.
The site has been highlighting the top 15 gubernatorial races
of 2014, and for the 13th month in a row Corbett has been voted the incumbent
most likely to lose his job come November.
Few records found of work
done by Corbett adviser
Education Week by AP Published Online: July 28, 2014
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A former state education secretary under Gov.
Tom Corbett remains on the state payroll, but a newspaper says there's limited
evidence of the work he's performing.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Sunday
(http://bit.ly/WITiRS ) that records concerning Ron Tomalis, in the 14 months
since he stepped aside as education secretary, include a work calendar with
weeks of little or no activity, phone logs that barely average a call a day and
five outgoing emails. Tomalis gets a
$140,000-a-year salary and benefits as a special adviser with a focus on
post-secondary education.
The newspaper says several key players in higher education
report little or no contact with Tomalis in his advisory role. Acting Education Secretary Carol Dumaresq
says Tomalis works 40 hours a week and is in regular contact with staff.
Information from: Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com
Ethics panel asked to
investigate former Pa.
ANGELA COULOUMBIS AND GIDEON BRADSHAW, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
POSTED: Monday, July 28, 2014, 6:36 PM
Hite: Help schools join
region's renaissance
Inquirer Opinion By William R. Hite Jr. POSTED: Tuesday,
July 29, 2014, 1:08 AM
The Philadelphia
region is on the rise. We celebrate economic and population growth, expansions
by our world-class cultural institutions, and achievements in medical research.
There's a positive vibe about the city and what we have to offer. Yet, while there is widespread recognition
that the key to our continued regional success is providing our young people
high-quality educational opportunities that prepare them for college and
career, we are falling short in delivering for our Philadelphia public school
students. That's why now is the time to
make sure the children served by Philadelphia 's
public schools can enjoy the benefits of the city's improving outlook and can
help to keep the region thriving tomorrow.
The path forward: Q&A
with Donna Cooper of Public Citizens for Children and Youth
the notebook By Bill
Hangley Jr. on Jul 28, 2014 04:25 PM
Equitable education funding has long been one of Donna Cooper’s
top priorities. As Gov. Ed Rendell’s chief of policy, in 2008 she was
instrumental in establishing the state’s most recent stab at creating a
workable and predictable education funding formula. That formula didn’t survive the arrival of
Gov. Tom Corbett. But Cooper, now in her second year at the helm of Public
Citizens for Children and Youth, believes that with the right political
pressure, another version might not be too far off. “A school funding formula is not brain
surgery,” she says. “If the legislature feels the heat … they’ll do it..” But creating a formula is one thing; getting
the funds to back it is another. We asked Cooper to reflect on this year’s
budget process, the strategic approach that could establish a fully funded
formula, and the prospects of long-term stability for Philadelphia ’s schools.
Phila. school budget cuts eat
into college admissions
KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST
UPDATED: Monday, July 28, 2014, 1:07 AM POSTED: Sunday, July 27,
2014, 11:02 PM
Christine Donnelly used to knock on students' doors when they
stopped showing up at school. The counselor at Academy at Palumbo, a South Philadelphia magnet school, sat with seniors to
make sure they were choosing colleges that were a good fit. She helped them
puzzle through financial-aid forms. Philadelphia School District
Through bonds of mentorship,
Philly student defies culture of low expectations
WHYY Newsworks BY KEVIN MCCORRY JULY 28, 2014
According to the most recent longitudinal study of Philadelphia graduation rates, a mere 10 percent of
students who begin ninth grade in Philadelphia
While the school district continues to grapple with
systemic, recurring and devastating funding shortfalls, students and parents
currently find themselves desperately hoping that schools will be able at least
to retain last year's admittedly insufficient levels of staff and resources.
In the face of these shortcomings – with faculty and school
support-staff levels at dreadful lows – students now more than ever must rely
on their relationships with family members and other adults outside of the
school system.
This is the story of the power of one such relationship.
Tucked into Pa.
By Angela Couloumbis, Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau POSTED: July 27, 2014
They are among the several dozen projects worth tens of
millions of dollars that the legislature has designated for special funding
this year. The money was tucked into a relatively obscure budget bill known as
the fiscal code, and written in opaque language replete with legalese.
Some call it legislative pork; others, just another form of Harrisburg 's infamous
so-called WAMs (walking around money) - special funds for pet projects chosen
by legislative leaders.
And though such projects have been tucked into the fiscal code
for several years, they are getting special attention now because Gov. Corbett
decided to veto some of them when he signed a $29 billion budget earlier this
month. And now the legislature is considering suing him over it.
In Pa.
JOHN BAER, DAILY
NEWS POLITICAL COLUMNIST Monday, July 28, 2014, 12:16 AM
LET'S TALK pension costs.
And let's talk using corruption - arguably our most common public-sector
commodity - to bring them down. I'm
semi-serious.
An overlooked benefit to paying taxes for public pensions in
one of the nation's most corrupt states is that wrongdoing saves us money. Think about it. Many forfeit pensions after convicted of
crimes under Pennsylvania Act 140 of 1978.
Through a Right-to-Know request, I got numbers on some of our more
high-profile perps in order to show the sorts of savings available. Remember, this is just a taste from the
buffet of bad behavior, a sliver from a large pie of potential. For instance, just five fairly recent
legislators whose evil ways put them away save us more than $440,000 every
year.
Increase in state funding
still below local schools' expectations
TribLive By Jeff
Himler Friday, July 25, 2014, 12:39 p.m.
Local schools will see increases in state funding in the
recently approved 2014-15 budget. But, in some cases, state dollars have fallen
short of what local districts were anticipating when they approved their fiscal
spending plans last month. Overall, the
state budget allocates more than $10 billion in funding for support of Pennsylvania 's public
schools. That represents an increase of $305 million over the previous year. For area school districts, the increased
state funding will come primarily through more money provided for special
education and the Ready to Learn Block Grant initiative that supports programs
and services that increase student achievement.
Pre-K for PA Forum with
Governors Rendell, Schweiker
Greater Philadelphia
Chamber of Commerce Posted Monday, June 30th, 2014
Submitted by: Barbara Saverino, Director of Public Policy,
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
Former governors, democrat Ed Rendell and republican Mark
Schweiker, crisscrossed Pennsylvania on June 9
traveling from Erie to Philadelphia for an event held at the offices
of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. They endorsed the Pre-K for PA
campaign and encouraged business and civic leaders to advocate expanded access
to high-quality pre-kindergarten as a key strategy to strengthen Pennsylvania ’s economy
and competitiveness.
“If we can unite on this issue, we can make a positive change
for Pennsylvania ,”
said former Governor Ed Rendell. “Study after study shows the proven benefits
of quality early learning, from lower drop out and crime rates to stronger
communities and businesses. The time has come for our state elected officials
to generate the political will to invest in our human capital by offering
high-quality pre-k to all Pennsylvania
children.”
Former governor and Chamber CEO Mark Schweiker noted, “This is
not just an education issue – this is an economic issue. As governor, I laid
the groundwork for expanding early learning and Governor Rendell advanced it
significantly because we knew that access to high-quality pre-k is imperative
if Pennsylvania
is going to grow and thrive. Progress continues, but Pennsylvania still lags behind. This is an
issue that has support on both sides of the aisle.”
"Under federal law, they are entitled
to a free public education regardless of their immigration status."
For Schools With Child
Immigrants, What Resources Are Available?
Education Week Learning the Language Blog By Lesli A.
Maxwell on July 28, 2014 9:30 AM
While the Obama administration takes action to stem the flow of
unaccompanied minors across the Southwest border and contain the mounting
political blowback, many
of these children have already turned up in public schools and will
continue to do so in the months ahead. Under
federal law, they are entitled to a free public education regardless of their
immigration status. Just two months ago, the U.S. Department of Education
reminded school districts of their legal
obligations when it comes to undocumented students. Some districts may get so few of these young
immigrants that they will absorb the costs of educating them with relative
ease. But others have already seen a significant uptick in their numbers and
anticipate more, so the impact on their resources could be greater. (The school
board and superintendent in Miami-Dade, for instance, have already made it
clear that they are after more help from the federal government to help
cover the costs of hundreds of students from the wave or young immigrants.)
Those dynamics are raising questions among educators and
advocates for school districts about what, if any, kind of help the feds might
provide to schools as tens of thousands of children from El Salvador , Guatemala
and Honduras
continue settling into communities while awaiting deportation proceedings.
Community Schools: A
Bipartisan Argument for Full-Service Community Schools
Education Week COMMENTARY Published Online: July 28, 2014
By Steny H. Hoyer & Aaron Schock
One of the most important jobs Congress has is to ensure that
our nation’s children have access to a quality education and the opportunities
it brings. A strong education is critically important to secure a place in our
middle class. However, we are not doing enough as a country to provide all of
our children with the educational foundation they need to succeed. That’s why
we joined together last week to introduce the Full-Service Community Schools
Act of 2014, bipartisan legislation that would create a competitive-grant
program to expand the number of full-service community schools around the
country. Full-service community schools
provide support and resources to children and their families in order to
encourage the future success of all students. Too often, students from
low-income households don’t have the necessities that are critical to their
success in the classroom, including proper nutrition and health care. As we
learn more about the links between students’ health and well-being and their
performance in reading and math, tackling the interrelated challenges of
education, nutrition, and health care has become a top priority.
ALEC Does Dallas :
ALEC Agenda in Dallas
PR Watch Posted by REBEKAH WILCE on July 28, 2014
ALEC holds its 41st annual meeting in Dallas , Texas
Draft bills to be voted on by lobbyists alongside state
legislators at the coming annual meeting include:
Changing Laws Providing for Public Education
·
The "Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act" would enrich
companies invested in online college degree programs and materials -- like
Pearson (whose subsidiary Connections Education has been a prominent member of
ALEC's Education Task Force), which sells the LearningStudio platform used by
many universities like Arizona State University's popular and much-hyped online degree program. It would
"require all pubic [sic] four-year universities to offer bachelor's
degrees costing no more than $10,000, total, for four years of tuition, fees,
and books. The Act would require that ten percent of all public, four-year
university degrees awarded reach this price-point within four years of passage
of this act." The bill instructs universities to focus on online and
blended learning "to achieve this price-point."
·
The "Public Charter Schools Act" would expand on ALEC's
pre-existing "Next Generation Charter Schools Act" and enrich ALEC
members like K12, Inc., the nation's largest provider of online charter
schools or cyber schools. It would allow privately-operated charter schools to
continue taking public funds, but without public accountability. The bill would
give charter schools carte blanche to operate without being
"subject to the state's education statutes or any state or local rule,
regulation, policy, or procedure relating to non-charter public schools within
an applicable local school district..."
·
The related "Public Charter Schools
Funding Act" restates charters' autonomy from the rule of law and
democratically-elected school boards while still giving each charter school
"one hundred percent" of the state and federal education funding
"calculated pursuant to the state's funding formula for school
districts."
EPLC Education Issues
Workshop for Legislative Candidates, Campaign Staff, and Interested Voters - Harrisburg
Register Now! EPLC will again be hosting
an Education Issues Workshop for Legislative Candidates, Campaign Staff,
and Interested Voters. This nonpartisan, one-day program will take place
on Thursday, July 31 in Harrisburg. Space is limited. Click
here to learn more about workshop and to register.
Bucks Lehigh
EduSummit Monday Aug 11th and Tuesday Aug 12th
Location: Southern Lehigh High School5800 Main Street , Center Valley , PA
18034
Time: 8 AM - 3 PM Each Day(Registration starts at 7:30 AM. Keynote starts at 8:00 AM.)
Location: Southern Lehigh High School
Time: 8 AM - 3 PM Each Day(Registration starts at 7:30 AM. Keynote starts at 8:00 AM.)
The Bucks Lehigh EduSummit is a
collaboratively organized and facilitated two day professional learning
experience coordinated by educators in the Quakertown Community School District , Palisades School District, Salisbury
Township School District, Southern Lehigh School District, Bucks County IU, and Carbon Lehigh IU, which are all located in
northern Bucks county and southern Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Teachers in
other neighboring districts are welcome to attend as well! The purpose of the
EduSummit is to collaborate, connect, share, and learn together for the benefit
of our kids. Focus areas include: Educational Technology, PA Core, Social
Media, Best Practices, etc.
http://buckslehighedusummit2014.wikispaces.com/Home
http://buckslehighedusummit2014.wikispaces.com/Home
Educational Collaborators
Pennsylvania Summit Aug. 13-14
The Educational Collaborators, in partnership with the Wilson School
District
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