Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
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administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers,
Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, PTO/PTA
officers, parent advocates, teacher leaders, business leaders, education
professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies,
professional associations and education advocacy organizations via emails,
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These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for
September 12, 2014:
Corbett-ordered review of PA
Core Standards to start with taking the public pulse of them
Concerned with adequate,
equitable, predictable, sustainable #paedfunding? Follow new @PACircuitRider and @CircuitRiderSE accounts on
twitter
Corbett-ordered review of PA
Core Standards to start with taking the public pulse of them
By Jan Murphy |
jmurphy@pennlive.com on September 11, 2014 at 4:22 PM,
Gov. Tom Corbett's call for a re-examination of the state-specific English and math standards has buoyed
critics' hope that the controversial learning goals may be on their way out.
But not so fast. Acting Education Secretary Carolyn Dumaresq
told the State Board of Education on Thursday that what she hopes emerges from
this governor-ordered review is a comfort level with the set of grade-level learning
expectations known as Pennsylvania Core Standards.
To do that, the department plans to roll out on its Standards Aligned System
website parent-friendly information about the standards, including
content statements about what students are expected to learn and be able to do
in each grade and examples of how that information is assessed on state tests.
The third-grade content statements will appear by Oct. 15 with the other grades
to be added by Nov. 15 on the
On that site, the public will be able to offer input and make
suggested changes that the State Board would then vet at public hearings.
"We want to demystify these conversations about what
Common Core is and what Pennsylvania Core standards are. If we need to make
changes, we will," Dumaresq said. "But let's first make sure we
understand what we're talking about."
Trailing by 24 points in new
poll, Corbett says he'll call pensions special session if re-elected: Thursday
Morning Coffee
By John L. Micek |
jmicek@pennlive.com on September 11, 2014 at 8:18 AM
Good Thursday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
Gov. Tom Corbett on Wednesday vowed to call a special session on pension reform if voters hand him a second term in November, warning that retirement costs will consume an ever-greater portion if state spending if they remain unaddressed. Speaking to The Inquirer's editorial board, the Republican governor took a pop at Democratic challenger Tom Wolf, warning that if he is not "re-elected for four more years, there will be nothing done about this, because Mr. [Tom] Wolf says there is not a pension problem." The conversation came on the eve of a new Quinnipiac University poll showing Wolf leading Corbett by a 24-point margin. It was the latest escalation of tensions between the two Toms. Corbett took to the airwaves this week to defend his record on education spending.
Gov. Tom Corbett on Wednesday vowed to call a special session on pension reform if voters hand him a second term in November, warning that retirement costs will consume an ever-greater portion if state spending if they remain unaddressed. Speaking to The Inquirer's editorial board, the Republican governor took a pop at Democratic challenger Tom Wolf, warning that if he is not "re-elected for four more years, there will be nothing done about this, because Mr. [Tom] Wolf says there is not a pension problem." The conversation came on the eve of a new Quinnipiac University poll showing Wolf leading Corbett by a 24-point margin. It was the latest escalation of tensions between the two Toms. Corbett took to the airwaves this week to defend his record on education spending.
Pollster: Gov. Tom Corbett is
'dead man walking'
By Steve
Esack,Call Harrisburg
Bureau September 11, 2014
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Corbett — whose blitz of television
commercials has done nothing to shield him from an angry electorate — may stand
virtually no chance of fending off his Democratic rival Tom Wolf on election
day, according to the latest poll released Thursday.
Corbett is down 24 percentage points to Wolf, according to a
Quinnipiac University Poll of 1,161 likely voters. With less than two months
until the Nov. 4 election, Corbett has virtually no chance of closing the gap
that shows 59 percent of voters support Wolf, compared with 35 percent of
voters who support Corbett, said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the
Quinnipiac poll.
"He is dead man walking," Malloy said.
The Quinnipiac
poll is the latest survey to show Corbett with a double-digit deficit
of 11 to 30 percentage points. The Corbett campaign has criticized some of the
polls that show a higher deficit, and has touted polls that show the race
tightening.
On Thursday, the Corbett campaign dismissed the Quinnipiac
phone survey results, pointing to the latest New York Times/CBS News online
poll, released Wednesday, that showed Corbett down 11 percentage points. That
poll uses a different and largely untested method.
Lt. Governor and Acting
Secretary of Education Kick Off Governor’s Jobs1st STEM Competition: Building a
Stronger Pennsylvania; Open to Students in Grades 9-12
PDE Press Release September 10, 2014
Lancaster – Lt. Governor Jim Cawley and Acting Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq today visited Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology inLancaster to
kick off the statewide Governor’s Jobs1st STEM Competition: Building a Stronger
Pennsylvania.
PDE Press Release September 10, 2014
Lancaster – Lt. Governor Jim Cawley and Acting Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq today visited Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in
The competition is open to public, nonpublic and private school
students in grades 9-12 to showcase their skills and expertise in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“STEM and related careers are important to the long-term
stability of Pennsylvania ’s
economy, and this competition will introduce students to the diverse employment
opportunities that exist in their communities,” Lt. Gov. Cawley said.
“Students participating in the competition will gain an understanding of the
concepts and skills needed for these high value occupations.”
"Feinberg noted that Pennsylvania
Haverford school director
Larry Feinberg serving with education leaders as “Circuit Rider”
Delco Times By LOIS
PUGLIONESI, Times Correspondent POSTED: 09/12/14, 1:24 AM
EDT |
HAVERFORD — Township school director Larry Feinberg announced
he has been appointed to an 11-member corps of education leaders, called
Circuit Riders, who will disseminate information and build support for a new
public education funding formula in Pennsylvania .
Speaking at last week’s school board meeting, Feinberg noted
Gov. Tom Corbett has acknowledged the need for a fair and adequate funding formula.
The legislature has voted to establish a Basic Education Funding Commission,
charged with recommending a new way to distribute state funds to school
districts. With support from a William
Penn Foundation grant, more than 35 organizations united to form the Basic
Education Funding Campaign, with the “goal of seeing this through,” Feinberg
said.
The process has not been updated in
decades, Grove said, a fact best demonstrated by the requirement that documentation
must still be submitted in microfilm form.
"If you are not familiar with microfilm, it was state of the art
technology in the 1920 under the Hoover
PlanCon: PA school
construction reimbursement program under microscope
Lebanon Daily News By
John Latimer johnlatimer@ldnews.com @johnmlatimer on Twitter
UPDATED: 09/11/2014 02:25:38 PM EDT
HARRISBURG >> Lebanon School District business manager Curt
Richards was among a handful of education officials who spoke Wednesday in
support of legislation that would improve how school districts seek and receive
state reimbursement for construction projects.
Richards spoke at a Capitol news conference held by Rep. Seth
Grove of York, the sponsor of House Bill 2124. The bill, which has already
passed the House, would streamline and automate what's known as the PlanCon
process — which stands for Planning and Construction Workbook — an antiquated
and time-consuming reporting system that school districts are required to
follow in order to receive reimbursement from the Pennsylvania Department of
Education for a portion of their construction costs.
PlanCon: Pottsgrove gets
$350K in back payment for Ringing Rocks, more could come for high school under
pending bill
By Evan Brandt, The Mercury POSTED: 09/10/14,
6:13 PM EDT
LOWER POTTSGROVE — The state has informed the Pottsgrove School
District that after nearly four years of delay, it will begin making payments
to reimburse district taxpayers for the $16 million cost of renovating and
expanding Ringing Rocks Elementary School.
The news, combined with the district’s recent support for a
bill that would ease the process by which districts are reimbursed for
construction, puts the spotlight on a bureaucracy best known to educators as
“Plan-Con.” Business Manager David
Nester made the announcement about the Ringing Rocks reimbursement at the end
of Tuesday night’s Pottsgrove School Board meeting.
Nineteen school districts
receive construction reimbursement; hundreds more wait for vote on PlanCon
reform bill.
Capitolwire.com — Under The Dome™ Thursday, September 11, 2014
The state Department of Education — for the first time in
over three years — approved reimbursement payments Wednesday for 19 school
construction projects stuck in the Planning and Construction (PlanCon) Workbook
process. The news comes three months after lawmakers pushed an additional $10
million into the program and tweaked language in the Fiscal Code to free up
another $70 million by passing over districts on the cusp of receiving temporary
reimbursements in Part H of the process that failed to submit complete
paperwork within the new 90-day deadline. For more about the school districts
getting construction reimbursements, along with what many lawmakers and school
officials would like to see done to improve that process, CLICK HERE (paywall) to read Capitolwire Staff Writer
Christen Smith’s report.
Parents sue state over Philadelphia
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent September 10, 2014
A group of parents whose children attend Philadelphia public schools are asking state
courts to step in after the secretary of education ignored complaints about the
district.
A
lawsuit filed in Commonwealth Court on Tuesday claims the parents have
submitted more than 800 complaints to the Department of Education since
September 2013 documenting “dire school conditions.” Because the Philadelphia School District
According to the lawsuit, the parents’ concerns are related to
“staff layoffs and reductions of supplies,” along with “curriculum
deficiencies” like the lack of physical education classes and foreign language
classes.
We will not be silent: What
parents want around state accountability
the notebook Commentary By Helen
Gym on Sep 11, 2014 09:38 AM
A child dealt with the death of a parent with no counselor
available during a time of extreme distress.
A high school student started each period searching for desks and
chairs, because her classes were so overcrowded. A 7-year-old with emotional and learning
needs began regressing and scratched himself bloody during class, because a
classroom aide and full-time counselor were no longer available like they were
the year before. A Bartram High parent
filed a complaint in October about multiple assaults, disruptions, and a lack
of staffing, while her honors student struggled: “I have serious concerns about
my child’s safety,” she wrote, presaging violence at Bartram that would make
national news later in the year.
These are just a handful of examples among the 825 complaints
filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) by parents,
educators, and students last year as the District’s “doomsday budget” unfolded.
None of these earned an investigation from state officials.
City Council will not put measure
on SRC to voters
CLAUDIA VARGAS, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Friday, September 12,
2014, 1:08 AM POSTED: Thursday, September 11, 2014, 7:31 PM
Gov. Corbett might not get the memo after all. Despite 40,000 signatures on a petition from
school reform advocates and a morning rally outside City Hall, Philadelphia
City Council on Thursday killed an effort that would have asked the governor to
dissolve the School Reform Commission. In
its first meeting since returning from summer recess, Council introduced a
flurry of bills but also passed on some legislation left over from the spring
term, including a resolution to put a question on the November ballot asking
voters if they support abolishing the SRC and returning schools to local
control. The primary sponsor of the
bill, Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, said she did not think she had the
two-thirds vote required to put the nonbinding resolution on the ballot. "Their concerns were that if we didn't
get the cigarette tax, they would have said it's because we introduced this. .
. . They thought we should not create a controversy with the state,"
Blackwell said.
National arts leader tours
Cultural District, urges inclusion of arts in education
By Clarece Polke / Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette September 12, 2014 12:00 AM
Piano lessons for Jane Chu were just a fun activity when she
began as a child.
The recently appointed chairwoman of the National Endowment for
the Arts was 9 years old when her father died, transforming the hobby into her
“source of refuge.” “Music gave me the
language to express what I felt,” she said. “I didn’t necessarily have the
vocabulary in English, but I had music.”
Speaking Thursday at the opening ceremony of the Arts Education
Partnership National Forum, Ms. Chu told the hundreds of attendees about her
experiences growing up in Arkansas
as the child of Chinese immigrants and how music helped her relate to Chinese
and American cultures. The two-day forum
with more than 300 educators at the Marriott City Center Hotel will examine the
role of the arts in education and in closing the opportunity gap for minority
students. The Washington, D.C.-based Arts Education Partnership was formed in
1995 by the National Endowment for the Arts, National Assembly of State Arts
Agencies, Council of Chief State School Officers and U.S. Department of
Education.
Leaders and Laggards
A State-by-State Report Card
on K-12 Educational Effectiveness
See how Pennsylvania
The Washington State Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state legislature is in contempt for
failing to identify a long-term plan for substantially increasing funding for
public schools, but has given lawmakers until the 2015 legislative session to
submit such a plan before imposing any sanctions. In its Sept. 11 ruling, the court justices
said that they would take lawmakers at their word that they would come up with
a strategy for overhauling Washington's K-12 funding next year. But the
justices did not specify what punishments it might impose if lawmakers failed
to do so.
EPLC "Focus on
Education" TV Program on PCN - Sunday, Sept. 14 at 3:00 p.m.
Two Panels: 1) "Paying for College InPennsylvania
Two Panels: 1) "Paying for College In
The next EPLC "Focus on Education" episode
will air this coming Sunday, September 14 at 3:00 p.m. on PCN
television. This September 14 show will be comprised of two
30-minute panels. The first will cover "Paying for College
In Pennsylvania
Panel 1: "Paying for College in Pennsylvania
·
Ron Cowell, President of The Education
Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC) and Host of the "Focus on
Education" programs;
·
Gregory L. Gearhart, Past President, PA
Association of Student Financial Aid Advisors and Director of Financial Aid, Messiah College
·
Sonya Mann-McFarlane, Higher Education
Access Partner, PHEAA Division of PA School Services; and
·
Kathleen F. McGrath, Esq., Bureau
Director, PA 529 College Savings Program, Pennsylvania Treasury Department
Panel 2: "School Employees Pension Crisis" will
include:
·
NO thanksRon Cowell, President of The
Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC) and Host of the "Focus
on Education" programs;
·
Jeffrey B. Clay, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Public School
·
Jay D. Himes, CAE, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association
of School Business Officials
·
State Representative Mike Tobash, 125th
Legislative District - Schuylkill/Berks Counties, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
PUBLIC Education Nation October
11
The Network for Public Education will hold a historic event in one month's time.
The Network for Public Education will hold a historic event in one month's time.
PUBLIC Education Nation will deliver the
conversation the country has been waiting for. Rather than featuring
billionaires and pop singers, this event will be built around intense
conversations featuring leading educators, parents, students and community
activists. We have waited too long for that seat at someone else's table.
This time, the tables are turned, and we are the ones setting the agenda. This event will be livestreamed on the web on
the afternoon of Saturday, October 11, from the auditorium of Brooklyn New
School, a public school. There will be four panels focusing on the most
critical issues we face in our schools. The event will conclude with a
conversation between Diane Ravitch and Jitu Brown.
Please join us for a symposium
on:
“Funding
Pennsylvania's Public Schools: A Look Ahead”
This event is co-sponsored by the
University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics and the Temple University
Center
When: Friday, October 3, 2014, 8:30 am to 12 pm
Where: Doubletree Hotel Pittsburgh in Green Tree, PA
Session I:
"Forecasting the Fiscal Future of Pennsylvania's Public
Schools"
A panel of legislators and public
officials will respond to a presentation by Penn State Professor William
Hartman and Tim Shrom projecting the fiscal trajectory of Pennsylvania’s 500
school districts over the next five years and by University of Pittsburgh
Professor Maureen McClure discussing the implications for school finance of an
aging tax base.
Session II: "Why Smart
Investments in Public Schools Are Critical to Pennsylvania's Economic
Future"
Following an address by Eva Tansky
Blum, Chairwoman and President of the PNC Foundation, a panel of business
and labor leaders will discuss the importance of public school funding
reform to the competitiveness of regional and state economies.
We look forward to your
participation!
Back to School
Special Education Boot Camp Saturday, September 20, 2014 8:30 A.M.- 3:00 P.M.
Public Interest Law Center of
Philadelphia
United Way Building 1709 Benjamin
Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, 19103
Join presenters from: Temple University · McAndrews Law
Offices · ARC
PA Education for All
Coalition · Delaware Valley Friends School
PA Dyslexia and Literacy Coalition
Attend workshops on: Early
Intervention · Dyslexia · Discipline · Charter
Schools
Inclusion · Transition
Services
Details and Registration: http://bit.ly/1nSstB7
Education Law
Center Celebrating Education Champions 2014
On September 17, 2014 the Education
Law Center will hold its annual event at the Crystal Tea Room in the Wanamaker
Building to celebrate Pennsylvania’s Education Champions. This year, the event
will honor William P. Fedullo, Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association;
Dr. Joan Duvall-Flynn, Education Committee Chair for the Pennsylvania State
Conference of NAACP Branches; and the Stoneleigh Foundation, a Philadelphia
regional leader on at-risk youth issues.
Pennsylvania Arts Education
Network 2014 Arts and Education Symposium
The 2014 Arts and Education Symposium will be
held on Thursday, October 2 at the State Museum
of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, PA. Join us for a daylong convening of
arts education policy leaders and practitioners for lively discussions about
the latest news from the field.
The Symposium registration fee is $45 per person.
To register, click
here or follow the prompts at the bottom of the page. The Symposium will include the following:
Register Now – 2014 PAESSP
State Conference – October 19-21, 2014
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.
PASA-PSBA School Leadership
Conference (Oct. 21-24) 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)
Voting for PSBA officers
and at-large representatives opens Sept. 9
PSBA Website 9/8/2014
The slate of candidates for 2015 PSBA officer and at-large
representatives is available online. Photos, bios and
videos also have been posted for candidates. 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 open Sept. 9 and closes Oct. 6. One person from the school
entity (usually the board secretary) is authorized to register 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 received an email on Aug. 13 and a
test ballot was sent to them on Aug. 28. In addition, a memo from PSBA
President Richard Frerichs will be mailed in the coming days to all board
secretaries and copied to school board presidents and chief school
administrators.
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