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Grassroots Non-Partisan
Public Education Advocacy
PA Ed Policy Roundup for
August 7, 2014:
Accountability: Should
charter school ads paid for with tax dollars be required to include their PA
School Performance Profile scores?
TribLive By Brad
Bumsted Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, 10:57 p.m.
HARRISBURG — If Pennsylvania Department of Education officials “delete and cleanse” emails nightly, as the agency's head acknowledged, the practice does not pass a “gut check” for proper email retention policy, the director of the state's Office of Open Records said on Wednesday.
HARRISBURG — If Pennsylvania Department of Education officials “delete and cleanse” emails nightly, as the agency's head acknowledged, the practice does not pass a “gut check” for proper email retention policy, the director of the state's Office of Open Records said on Wednesday.
Terry Mutchler, who helped establish the office six years ago
when lawmakers amended the Right-to-Know Law, said ordinary citizens would not
consider nightly email deletions to be reasonable for a government agency. “Any of us in public service who believe it's
OK to delete email after a day, we ought to rethink it,” Mutchler said. Acting state Education Secretary Carolyn
Dumaresq told ABC/27 TV in Harrisburg
about the practice in an interview defending the Corbett administration's
decision to keep former Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis on the payroll since
July 2013, paying him a $139,542 salary. Critics have questioned how actively
engaged Tomalis has been as Gov. Tom Corbett's adviser on higher education.
Tomalis has sent five emails and made about one phone call a
day during that period, records show.
PHILADELPHIA (August 6th, 2014) – Philadelphia’s leading public
school advocacy organizations joined in calling for the Governor to back up his
words with actions, this morning. In response to Governor Corbett’s call
for the legislature to return to vote on the legislation authorizing the
Philadelphia cigarette tax increase for schools, advocates expressed the need
for a definitive agreement by the House and Senate leadership with Governor’s
call for the lawmakers to return to work and vote the legislation before school
starts on September 8th.
"Hite thanked the governor for "providing some
certainty," but said the advance was "just another piece of
information that we will use in our consideration for an announcement about
schools leading up to the 15th of August."
Hite says that if the school district's $81 million deficit hasn't been
significantly closed by that date, he would choose between two bad options:
Either layoff an additional 1,300 staffers, making some class sizes balloon to
41 students per teacher, or save money by truncating the school year. Since the $265 million advance does nothing
to close the district's gap, Hite said he still couldn't guarantee that schools
would open as scheduled on Sept. 8."
Corbett advances cash to
Philly schools; Hite says on-time opening still not guaranteed
WHYY Newsworks BY KEVIN
MCCORRY AUGUST 6, 2014
Governor Tom Corbett is authorizing a $265 million advance to
the Philadelphia
school district.
This is an early disbursement of money that the district was
already scheduled to receive, and thus does not erase the district's $81
million budget gap.
Corbett, speaking at a press conference Wednesday at his
southeastern regional office on South
Broad Street , said his goal is to prevent further
school layoffs and ensure that city schools open on time on Sept. 8. "Financially this action will assist the
district with their cash-flow needs in the short term," Corbett said.
"[It will] reduce the amount that the district will have to borrow, and as
a result save the district $4-to-$5 million in borrowing costs."
The district says it asked for this advance in June, and has
already included any borrowing related savings in its budget. (Most
school districts routinely do short-term borrowing early in a school year to
cover costs until tax revenues begin trickling in.)
At the presser, Corbett was flanked by Superintendent William
Hite, School Reform Commissioners Farah Jimenez and Feather Houstoun, as well
as Rep. Bill Adolph, R-Delaware County , who has been a major champion of the Philadelphia cigarette
tax which Mayor Nutter and other local school advocates have touted as a source
of new cash.
Corbett to advance $265M to
Philly schools
KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER
STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, August 6, 2014, 4:52 PM POSTED: Wednesday,
August 6, 2014, 10:59 AM
Gov. Corbett said Wednesday that he will advance the troubled Philadelphia school
system $265 million, but officials said that action - which represents no new
revenue or savings - does not avert layoffs or guarantee schools that will open
on time. Corbett traveled to Philadelphia to make the
announcement, standing at a news conference flanked by officials including
Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. and School Reform Commissioners Feather
Houstoun and Farah Jimenez. Hite said he
appreciated Corbett's affirmation, but underscored that the governor's advance
does not touch the school district's $81 million shortfall. The district has
planned on the $265 million since June, when it asked for that sum. Layoffs, a shortened school year and class
sizes of 40 and more are all still possible, the superintendent said.
Corbett OKs $265M to help
Philly schools, but superintendent won't guarantee on-time opening
By KATHY MATHESON Associated Press Posted: August 06, 2014 -
5:24 pm Last Updated: August 06, 2014 -
5:26 pm
"It changes nothing about what we're considering,"
Hite said, adding the schools need funding "not just to start the year,
but to ensure that the people we carry on payroll are still on payroll at the
end of the year." The up-front
funding authorized by Corbett represents early disbursement of cash the schools
would normally receive throughout the academic year. Corbett contends it will
save the district up to $5 million in short-term borrowing costs and allow
buildings to open as planned Sept. 8.
Gov. Corbett Advances $265
Million to Help Philadelphia District
Education Week District Dossier Blog By Denisa R.
Superville on August 6, 2014 6:20 PM
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has committed to advancing $265
million to help the financially strapped Philadelphia
school district open schools on time. Corbett's
announcement on Wednesday comes as the legislature declined
to return to Harrisburg ,
the state capital, to vote on legislation allowing the city to levy a $2-a-pack
cigarette tax that would have provided the schools with about $80 million in a
full year and stave off the possibility of massive layoffs this year.
Both houses preliminarily approved the tax in July, but the
proposal became mired in amendments and other issues unrelated to Philadelphia 's schools.
The legislators went on break without giving final approval to the bill.
Rep. Brownlee: Corbett’s
front-loading of cash not enough to save Philly schools
Rep. Brownlee's Website PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 6 – Gov.
Tom Corbett’s announcement today to front-load money already promised to the
School District of Philadelphia does not live up to an adequate state
commitment when the city has already done so much to help itself, said state
Rep. Michelle Brownlee. Brownlee pointed
to several developments that Philadelphia ,
its teachers and the federal government have contributed over the past three
fiscal years:
·
The Philadelphia City Council has done its part
by dedicating $120 million in increased sales-transfer tax revenue for schools
and by approving $30 million in bond funds for this school year. For the past
three years, City Council has increased taxes to help the school district
address its fiscal difficulties.
·
Last year, the federal government – not the
state government – provided $45 million in forgiveness of a past debt owed to
them.
·
The district has closed 24 schools and
eliminated over 3,500 employees – including assistant principals, guidance
counselors and instructional aides – and has cut extracurricular activities.
·
Taxpaying members of the Philadelphia Federation
of Teachers have done their part by shouldering the brunt of these cutbacks in
jobs and in stepping in to fill the holes left from program cutbacks, including
maximum class sizes of 30 students in elementary schools and 33 students in secondary
schools.
Brownlee said that in addition to front-loading the $265
million for the schools, Corbett should do more to encourage leadership in his
own party to help pass not only the authorization for a cigarette tax in
Philadelphia, but real reform – including a basic education funding formula –
to dedicate future revenue based on districts’ unique needs and not just
enrollment numbers.
Pittsburgh Schools Unlikely
to Follow Path of Troubled Philadelphia
School District
WESA NPR Pittsburgh By DEANNA GARCIA August 6, 2014
As state lawmakers continue to work with Philadelphia officials on getting school to
start on time this year, Pittsburgh Public Schools are slated to start on time,
and with no layoffs. Philadelphia 's
school system faces a $81 million budget gap, and officials there say it could
delay the start of the year and lead to layoffs and larger class sizes. Pittsburgh School Board President Thomas
Sumpter said the schools are not in crisis mode, but the system does face
challenges.
“It’s not so much the budget as the financial wherewithal that
confronts the district as far as accelerated costs for pensions, other costs
going up and trying to make sure we have enough cash on hand in reserve, and
trying to find where we can cut cost in all areas, looking at any possible way
to reduce expenditures,” Sumpter said.
Gov. Tom Corbett on defense
over his education spending record amid criticisms from opponent Tom Wolf
Wolf hammers at claims governor cut $1 billion.
By Steve Esack and
Samantha Marcus, Of The Morning Call 11:50 a.m. EDT, August 6, 2014
As polls have predicted for more than a year, education funding
has become the most tangible issue for voters in the upcoming governor's
election. The candidates know it, as
evidenced by commercials and news conferences across Pennsylvania .
For the past week, Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, his campaign team and supporters have been
on a mission to change Corbett's image among many voters who remain angry at $1
billion in cuts he imposed on schools and universities in 2011-12.
At the same time, Democrat Tom Wolf, his campaign team and backers have orchestrated
TV ads, emails, and public events critical of Corbett's 4-year-old budget
decisions.
That messaging war continued Wednesday in the Lehigh Valley
TribLive Opinion By Paul Clymer & David Maloney Wednesday,
Aug. 6, 2014, 9:00 p.m.
State Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, chairs the House Education Committee. State Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks, is a member of the House Education Committee and a former member of theOley Valley
School
State Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, chairs the House Education Committee. State Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks, is a member of the House Education Committee and a former member of the
The Tribune-Review's investigative article “Pennsylvania
near top of list for teacher impropriety” on sex abuse and misconduct
cases among teachers and school employees in Pennsylvania reinforces our determination
that further legislative action is critical to protect kids.
While state attorneys across the nation have registered 450 sex
abuse cases against teachers this year, the Pennsylvania Department of
Education recorded an astounding 482 in 2013 alone, according to the article.
This is a crisis in our commonwealth, but one important piece of pending
legislation will help close a loophole that allows sexual abuse to continue.
Read more:http://triblive.com/opinion/featuredcommentary/6543516-74/pennsylvania-abuse-education#ixzz39h6gTCtP
Seven charter school groups
submit York City
Officials at the York
City School
District York City
Programs, staff at risk as Scranton
Times-Tribune SARAH
HOFIUS HALL, STAFF WRITER Published: August 7, 2014
Faced with a 2015 deficit of at least $7.5 million, the Scranton School District
After approving the fact finder’s report last week, members of
the school board now have a better idea of what a new teachers contract will
cost, and the tough decisions that will have to be made. A tax increase will
not even come close to covering the deficit.
“I think it’s a crisis,” board President Kathleen McGuigan
said. “It’s obvious it means we will have to cut programs, cut costs.” The 2014 budget of $126 million, balanced
largely with one-time revenue sources, including borrowed money and the sale of
property, helped create the deficit for next year. With increased pension costs
of almost $3 million and a new teachers contract that will cost about $2.9
million, the deficit continues to grow.
Attorney: Monday 'deadline'
for Saucon Valley
Teachers union attorney Andrew Muir said if contract isn't
reached by Monday, teachers could strike.
By Jacqueline Palochko, Of The Morning Call 9:09 p.m. EDT, August
6, 2014
If Saucon
Valley
Maybe. Andrew Muir, the
attorney representing the teachers, said the union and the school district will
negotiate Thursday night and Monday. Muir is looking at Monday as a
"deadline," he said, but would not say for certain that teachers will
strike if they don't have a contract.
Muir would only say that teachers have the right to strike and
"could go on strike."
"I'm going to make some big announcements if something
isn't worked out by Monday," Muir said. "We're definitely running out
of time here."
Teachers, who went on strike in 2008 and 2009 during contract
negotiations, have been without a contract for more than two years.
Gleason, recently named a “Reformer to
Watch” by the Walton Foundation, declined Notebook requests for an interview, preferring to submit a
written statement.
The path forward: A statement
from PSP's Mark Gleason
the notebook By Bill
Hangley Jr. on Aug 6, 2014 12:18 PM
As the head of the Philadelphia School Partnership, Mark
Gleason sits at the heart of the school reform movement in Philadelphia .
PSP is the conduit for tens of millions in philanthropic dollars, which
it deploys to support what it calls “the transformation, expansion and startup
of high-performing schools.” It measures success by “the number of
students in Philadelphia
who move out of failing schools to better-quality school options.”
PSP also staffs such collaborative efforts as the “Great
Schools Compact” and lobbies elected officials behind the scenes. Among other
things, it actively supported Bill Green for chair of the School Reform
Commission, lobbying state legislators to support his candidacy.
The Top Twitter Feeds in
Education Policy 2014
Education Next By Michael J. Petrilli August 2014
It’s August, which can only mean one thing: it’s time for our
annual list of top education-policy Twitter feeds. (Click for the 2013, 2012, and 2011 versions.) Klout scores are the
primary metric (with ties broken by the number of Twitter followers); a main
focus on K–12 education policy is the only eligibility requirement.
Schools 'holding breath' as
immigrant children arrive
Schools across the USA are bracing for as many as
50,000 immigrant children who would start school this fall, most of them
unaccompanied by their families. "We
haven't started school yet, so we are all just holding our breath to see what's
going to come on the first day of school," says Caroline Woodason,
assistant director of school support for Dalton Public Schools in Georgia .
Under federal law, all children are entitled to a free public
education, regardless of their immigration status. It's nothing new for public schools to serve
immigrant students. But Francisco Negron, general counsel for the National
School Board Association, says, "One of the challenges here, though, is
the large number of unaccompanied minors."
"This is a whole new wave of immigrant students that are
coming without any guardians whatsoever," Negron says.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/08/06/public-schools-immigrant-children/13661353/
These Are The States With The
Best And Worst School
The Huffington Post | By Rebecca Klein Posted: 08/04/2014
2:53 pm EDT
A new education ranking released this week found that students
in New Jersey are receiving a much better
education than students in Mississippi . The ranking, from the personal finance site Wallethub,
outlines the best and worst states for K-12 education, given the
connection between one's education and future earning potential. The ranking
was based on 12 factors, including student dropout rate, pupil/teacher ratio,
test scores, rates of bullying and school safety measures.
Save the Date 2014 PAESSP State
Please join us for the 2014 PAESSP State Conference, “PRINCIPAL
EFFECTIVENESS: Leading Schools in a New Age of Accountability,” to be
held October 19-21 at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel, Pittsburgh , Pa.
Featuring Keynote Speakers: Alan November, Michael Fullan &
Dr. Ray Jorgensen
This year’s conference will provided PIL Act 45 hours,
numerous workshops, exhibits, multiple resources and an opportunity to network
with fellow principals from across the state.
Interested in education
policy? CPE has got the internship for you!
The EDifier August 6, 2014
The Center
for Public Education seeks a policy research intern to work
closely with CPE’s senior policy analyst in conducting education policy
research. CPE is a national resource for accurate, timely, and credible
information about public education and its importance to the well-being of our
nation. CPE provides up-to-date research, data, and analysis on current
education issues and explores ways to improve student achievement and engage
public support for public schools. Primary
duties include: Complete a major project such as a research report or
writing a research article for NSBA’s magazine American School Board
Journal. Other responsibilities include summarizing findings of significant
education reports, updating CPE’s previous reports, and attending
briefings/conferences in the Washington ,
DC
TOWN MEETING ON LOCAL CONTROL
OF PHILLY SCHOOLS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14TH 6:30 P.M. MONUMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCH
Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools Posted
on August 4, 2014by wearepcaps
Forty Thousand Philadelphia
registered voters signed a petition this Spring to put the question of
returning our schools to local control and abolishing the School Reform Commission
on the ballot in the form of a non-binding referendum. But before this can
happen City Council and the Mayor and have to approve. Come to the town meeting
to find out how returning our schools to local control can improve education
and how can bring pressure on our elected officials to let the people vote on
this important question.
Upcoming meetings on Philly
District's school redesign initiative
the notebook By Marilyn Vaccaro on Jul 30, 2014 05:14 PM
The School District is planning a series of meetings and
discussions about its new
school redesign initiative, which was announced last week. Two informational sessions will be held, with
the second on Aug. 12. Those who participate will be able to
learn more about the application process and the specifics of the initiative
itself. Through the initiative,
the District is calling on teams of educators, parents, community groups, and
other outside organizations to propose their own school turnaround plans. Ten
winning design teams will be chosen in October and will receive grants of
$30,000 to support planning costs.
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
PASA-PSBA School Leadership
Conference registration forms now available online
PSBA Website
PSBA Website
Make plans today to attend the most talked about education
conference of the year. This year's PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference promises to be
one of the best with new ideas, innovations, networking opportunities and
dynamic speakers. More details are being added every day. Online
registration will be available in the next few weeks. If you just can't
wait, registration forms are available online now. Other
important links are available with more details on:
·
Hotel registration (reservation deadline extended
to Sept. 26)
·
Educational Publications Contest (deadline Aug.
6)
·
Student Celebration Showcase (deadline Sept. 19)
·
Poster and Essay Contest (deadline Sept. 19)
Slate of candidates for PSBA
offices now available online -- bios/videos now live
PSBA Website August 5, 2014
PSBA Website August 5, 2014
The slate of candidates for 2015 PSBA officer and at-large
representatives is now available online. Photos, bios and videos also have been
posted for each candidate. According to recent PSBA Bylaws changes, each
member school entity casts one vote per office. Voting will again take place
online through a secure, third-party website -- Simply Voting. Voting will openSept.
9 and closes Oct. 6. One person from the school entity (usually
the board secretary) is authorized to cast the vote on behalf of the member
school entity and each board will need to put on its agenda discussion and
voting at one of its meetings in September. Each person authorized to cast
the school entity's votes will be receiving an email in the coming weeks to
verify the email address and confirm they are the person to cast the vote on
behalf of their school entity.
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