Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
reach more than 3500 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors,
administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers,
Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Superintendents,
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, website, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
The Keystone State Education Coalition is pleased to be listed
among the friends and allies of The Network for Public Education. Are you a member?
Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for October
3, 2014:
Philly,
Reading, Allentown , Lebanon :
America ’s Most Financially Disadvantaged School Districts
KEYSTONE EXAMS: Not Just Another Standardized Test
What You Need to Know
About Pennsylvania’s NEW High School Graduation Requirement
Join the Radnor, Haverford, Chester County, Lower Merion & Narberth
Leagues of Women Voters October 7 @ 7:00 pm in Radnor
Blogger's Note: Video from the September
30th Basic Education Funding Commission hearing in Clarion has not been posted
yet. When it is we will post the link.
Without a formula, Pa.
allocations lack logic, predictability
Few districts
have borne the brunt of the state’s current system as much as Philadelphia.
the notebook By Dale Mezzacappa on Oct 2, 2014 10:40 AM
The point of a state
education funding formula is to be fair, help all districts reach
spending levels adequate to their needs, and adjust for demographic and other
changes. Funding should be predictable so that districts can plan. But Pennsylvania long ago abandoned such a
system for distributing education aid, according to advocates and experts. And
this has exacerbated inequities among districts and frustrated educators. While the twists and turns of Pennsylvania’s
policies have affected schools across the commonwealth, few districts have
borne the brunt as much as Philadelphia, which enrolls about 12 percent of the
state’s students.
“Philly is among the most screwed large urban districts in the
country,” said Bruce D. Baker, a professor in the Graduate School of Education
at Rutgers University who studies school finance, equity, and adequacy.
"A July 2014 report by the Center for American Progress
that Baker wrote uses national data to identify the most financially
disadvantaged districts nationwide.
His analysis concludes that:
·
In the large-city category, Chicago and
Philadelphia top this list.
·
In the midsized-city category, two other
Pennsylvania cities, Reading and Allentown, top the list, with Lebanon, Pa.,
also ranking high.
·
Pennsylvania ranks third overall in the
statewide percentage of children attending severely financially disadvantaged
districts, behind only Illinois and New Hampshire. About 15 percent of children
in the commonwealth attend such districts."
How State and Local
Governance Causes School Funding Disparities
Center for American Progress By
Bruce D. Baker July 2014
A look back: How Pennsylvania
has distributed money for education since the 1960s
By the Notebook on Oct 2, 2014 10:39 AM
Ballot Talks: Comparing
Corbett and Wolf
WHYY Radio TImes with Marty Moss-Coane October 2, 2014
runtime 52:01
Hour 1 Guests: Dale Mezzacappa, Marielle Segarra, Holly
Otterbein, Katie Colaneri
In this edition of Ballot Talks with guest host, Jeff Brady: We
compare the gubernatorial candidates on a variety of issues. First, we
talk with DALE
MEZZACAPPA from The Philadelphia Public School Notebook,
about their different approaches to education, and education funding, in the
state. We’ll then speak with WHYY reporters MARIELLE SEGARRA and HOLLY
OTTERBEIN about the two candidates and their views on taxes, jobs, and
the state’s economy. Lastly, StateImpact Pennsylvania’s KATIE
COLANERI will talk about the candidates and their differences on
energy and the environment.
Reform, Not Repeal:
Pennsylvania Can Provide Property Tax Relief and Protect Public Schools
Posted by PA Budget and Policy Center on October 2, 2014
Property taxes are a hot topic in Pennsylvania, and property
taxes are high in some Pennsylvania school districts. PBPC’s new report,
"Reform, Not Repeal: Pennsylvania Can Provide Property Tax Relief and Protect
Public Schools," may come as a surprise to many, but compared to the
national average and neighboring states, school property taxes are moderate in
most communities. High property taxes are the exception, not the norm; three of
every four school districts have a tax burden, measured as a share of district
income, that can be considered moderate.Rather than eliminate property taxes,
as some have proposed, Pennsylvania can take steps to reform its assessment
system, improve its property tax relief programs, and do a better job targeting
school property tax relief to those particular communities – and individuals –
for whom property taxes are a larger than average share of income.
PBPC New
Report on Property Taxes
Submitted by Rick Smith on October 2, 2014 - 5:07pm.
Sharon Ward, Executive
Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC) joins Rick to talk
about their new report on
property taxes that compares rates across the commonwealth, with
neighboring states, and as a share of personal income. Listen
to Sharon's interview HERE
G. Terry Madonna,
Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Politics and Public
Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College joins Rick to talk about the PA
gubernatorial race and the most recent public tirade by PA State Senator Scott
Wagner. Listen
to Terry's interview HERE
Steven
Singer, blogger joins Rick to talk about his latest entry on charter
schools, the miracle cure.Listen
to Steven's interview HERE
In Allentown, Wolf vows to
make education a priority
By Adam Clark,Of
The Morning Call October 2, 2014
Standing in the shadow of Allentown's Muhlenberg Elementary
School, Tom Wolf promised Thursday to make education a priority if he's elected
Pennsylvania's next governor. Wolf, the
York County Democrat leading incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett in the polls, said the
state's future depends on every child receiving a good education. "This is not an elective. This is not
something that has anything to do with ideology," Wolf said during a brief
appearance. "This is a practical requirement of a functional
society."
North Hills to start school
on Aug. 24 next year to gear up for state tests
Post Gazette By Sandy Trozzo October 2, 2014 10:29 PM
The proposed 2015-16 calendar for the North Hills School
District maximizes instructional days before mandatory state tests. Superintendent Patrick Mannarino said the
first day of school is proposed to be Aug. 24, 2015. Some school districts, he
said, are planning to start even earlier, on Aug. 17. “That is a trend that you are beginning to
see in this area because of the Keystone Exams and (Pennsylvania State System
of Assessment tests),” he said.
Philly District and Penn team
up to study school turnarounds
the notebook By David
Limm on Oct 2, 2014 05:30 PM
Philadelphia, distinct among large urban districts for its long
history of pursuing school turnarounds using outside management organizations,
has been a real-world laboratory of reform experiments for more than a decade. By studying the successes and failures of the
District's recent efforts to turn around academically underachieving schools, a
team of researchers wants to create a body of knowledge that all schools can
use to improve. The School District and
the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education will undertake a
two-year, federal grant-funded research partnership to examine school
remodeling efforts in Philadelphia, seeking to understand what makes them soar
or fall flat.
Chester County high schools
recognized by Newsweek
West Chester Daily
Local By Frank Otto, fotto@21st-centurymedia.com, @fottojourno on
Twitter
POSTED: 10/02/14, 10:30 PM EDT |
Limerick >> Spring-Ford Area Senior High School recently
made Newsweek’s list of top high schools in the country. “Having this national recognition tells us
what we already know: That we are on the right track,” said Spring-Ford
Superintendent David Goodin in a press release. “Now everybody else knows it,
too.” Ranking 482nd out of 500, it is
the first time Spring-Ford has made the Newsweek
annual list. Forty-two other schools
in Pennsylvania made the list. Spring-Ford ranks between Franklin Regional High
School (No. 466) in Murrysville, which is near Pittsburgh, and Wissahickon
Senior High School (No. 489) in Ambler.
Conestoga High School, in Tredyffrin, ranked highest in
Pennsylvania at 33.
All schools were graded on college readiness as well as their
college-bound student and graduation rates.
“While the nation strives for educational excellence, here at
Spring-Ford we have become a microcosm of what student achievement and
excellence in public education should truly look like,” said Spring-Ford Area
School Board President Joe Ciresi. “It is a time to celebrate the hard work our
entire district has done.”
"Administrators said they have been
working with other districts and organizations to advocate for school funding
fixes. Greensburg Salem is participating in the planned two-year “Campaign for
Fair Education Funding,” which began this week.
The campaign favors a funding formula to allocate more money to
districts in need. “Our education system
isn't broken. It's the financing of the system that's broken,” said board Vice
President Barbara Vernail."
Maximum tax hike won't be
enough in Greensburg Salem
Trib Live By Jacob
Tierney Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014, 11:06 p.m.
The state has limited the maximum tax increase for Greensburg Salem to 2.06 mills, less than enough to cover the expected jump in pension costs.
The state has limited the maximum tax increase for Greensburg Salem to 2.06 mills, less than enough to cover the expected jump in pension costs.
The district could vote to overwrite the limit but typically
has not done so.
If all salaries remain the same and no other expenses rise,
pension costs are expected to go up by more than $770,000 next year, according
to business manager Jim Meyer.
"The auditor general has no
enforcement power and can only recommend changes to policies and procedures. DePasquale said he wanted to make sure future
governors "don't give someone a job with no role to play.""
Pa. auditor general starts
new audit of Education Dept.
KATHY BOCCELLA, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Friday, October 3,
2014, 1:08 AM POSTED: Thursday, October 2, 2014, 6:40 PM
State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Thursday that he
was initiating another audit of the state Department of Education to review
oversight of contractors and consultants, including a former adviser to Gov.
Corbett who allegedly was a "ghost" employee. Ron Tomalis resigned his $140,000-a-year job
as a higher-education adviser to Corbett in August amid accusations that he had
done little to earn the money, but DePasquale said the controversy "was
not the only factor in the undertaking of the audit," his second of the
department.
Auditor
General DePasquale Concerned about Bond Rating Downgrade Impact on Students in
Philadelphia School District
Review of district’s financial condition is part of
ongoing audit
HARRISBURG (Oct. 1, 2014) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale
today issued the following statement regarding the news that Fitch Ratings
downgraded the Philadelphia School District’s bond rating: “Bond ratings and budget balances may be what
drives financial news, but we should all keep in mind that beyond those ratings
are more than 200,000 students in the Philadelphia School District trying to
get a solid education. “It is not news
that the state’s largest school district is struggling financially; nearly
every district in the state is struggling right now. What we need to focus on
is how we can help students succeed even when their school district might be
struggling.” The Department of the
Auditor General is in the midst of auditing the school district between 2009
and 2012. Among other things, the audit may include a review of the district’s
financial stability. The final audit report is expected to be completed in
2015.
Information about the start of the Philadelphia School District
audit is available online here.
Plans proceeding for
Chromebooks at Haverford High School
Delco Times By LOIS
PUGLIONESI, Times Correspondent POSTED: 09/28/14, 11:15 PM
EDT | UPDATED: 3 DAYS AGO
HAVERFORD — Plans for providing all Haverford High School
School directors approved an initiative named 1:World in May,
so that all high school students would have 24/7 use of these compact, rapid
activation/Internet access computers. Chromebooks will allow students to
conduct research in the classroom and work collaboratively in real time. School
officials also found their affordable price, just under $300, manageability and
automatic update system attractive. Greenspun
noted the initiative began with a soft rollout last year, when the district
purchased 250 Chromebooks and stationed them in the high school library to be
shared among departments. Officials also
introduced Google Drive last year, which provided students and staff access to
“Cloud” data storage. Also introduced was Canvas, an online management system.
The entire wireless network at the high school was upgraded in preparation,
Greenspun said.
Act 1 Index Update September
30 2014
PASBO youtube Video Sept. 30,
2014 runtime 1:54
The great charter school rip-off: Finally, the truth
catches up to education “reform” phonies
Fraud, financial mismanagement, lousy
results: Reports highlight awful charter schools and people are catching on
Salon.com by JEFF BRYANT THURSDAY, OCT 2, 2014 05:25 PM EDT
Last week when former President Bill Clinton meandered onto
the topic of charter schools, he mentioned something about an “original
bargain” that charters were, according to the reporter for The Huffington Post,
“supposed to do a better job of educating students.”
A writer at Salon called the remark “stunning” because it
brought to light the fact that the overwhelming majority of charter schools do
no better than traditional public schools. Yet, as the Huffington reporter
reminded us, charter schools are rarely shuttered for low academic performance. But what’s most remarkable about what Clinton
said is how little his statement resembles the truth about how charters have
become a reality in so many American communities.
‘Schools of Opportunity’ – a
new project to recognize schools that give all students a chance to succeed
We all know about the many efforts to
rate and/or rank schools by student standardized test scores and other data
points — but without any of the out-of-school factors that play an enormous
role in how well young people fare academically. Now two veteran educators are
spearheading a new pilot initiative to identify and recognize public high
schools that seek to close opportunity gaps through practices “that build on
students’ strengths” — not by inundating them with tests and not by evaluating
them with scores. The people behind the Schools of Opportunity project are
Carol Burris, principal of South Side High School in the Rockville Centre
School District in New York, and Kevin Welner, a professor at the University of
Colorado Boulder’s School of Education who specializes in educational policy
and law. Burris, a frequent contributor to The Answer Sheet on New York’s
troubled school reform efforts, was named the 2010 Educator of the Year by the
School Administrators Association of New York State, and in 2013, the same
organization named her the New York State High School Principal of the Year.
Welner is director of the National
Education Policy Center at UC Boulder, which produces high-quality
peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. The Schools of Opportunity project will start
as a pilot this year in Colorado and New York . In this post,
Burris and Welner explain why they have launched their new effort and how it
will work. This blog will exclusively publish the announcement of the schools
selected to be recognized next spring.
How to Register to Vote -
Deadline is October 6th
PA Department of State
Once you know you are eligible
to vote, the next step is to register. In Pennsylvania, you can
register in person, by mail and at various government agencies. Below you will
find information about how to register, as well as links to voting registration
forms and applications.
Upcoming PA Basic Education
Funding Commission Meetings*
PA Basic Education Funding
Commission website
Thursday, October 16, 2014 at 10
AM, Perkiomen Valley
Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 11 AM, Pittsburgh
* meeting times and locations subject to change
Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 11 AM, Pittsburgh
* meeting times and locations subject to change
Health Issues in Schools:
"Mom I can't find the Nurse"
October 21, 2014 1:00 -- 4:00 P.M.
United Way Building 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway,
Philadelphia, 19103
Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
Philadelphia has one of the worst childhood asthma rates in the
country. We need more nurses in Philadelphia's schools to aid children
suffering from this and other health issues. Join us to discuss Pennsylvania
laws governing nursing services.
Tickets: Attorneys $200
General Public $100 Webinar $50
"Pay What You Can" tickets are also
available
Click here to purchase tickets
Click here to purchase tickets
LWV Panel:KEYSTONE EXAMS
Not Just Another Standardized Test Oct 7th Radnor
What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania’s NEW High School Graduation
Requirement
Join the Radnor,
Haverford, Chester County, Lower Merion & Narberth Leagues of Women Voters
October 7 @ 7:00 pm in Radnor
In partnership with your area schools’ Parent
Organizations and supported by your area School Districts
Moderator: Susan Carty, President, League of Women Voters of PA
Panelists Will Include:
Pennsylvania State
Senator, Andy Dinniman
Lower Merion
School District Board of Directors
Member, Lori Actman
Conestoga High
School
Education Lawyer, Josh Kershenbaum, Esq.
Additional Panelists To Be Announced
Panelists Will Include:
Education Lawyer, Josh Kershenbaum, Esq.
Additional Panelists To Be Announced
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014 at 7:00 PM Radnor Municipal Building, 301 Iven Ave. ,
Radnor
Questions? Please Call 610-446-8383 or e-mail katederiel@verizon.net
Questions? Please Call 610-446-8383 or e-mail katederiel@verizon.net
What About the Schools? A
Community Forum on the Next Governor's Education Agenda Oct. 15 7:00 pm WHYY
Philly
Pennsylvania's public schools, especially in Philadelphia, are
in dire straits. Many hope that the upcoming gubernatorial election will help
shine a light on the state's education issues. But how will Harrisburg politics
and financial realities limit the next governor’s agenda for education?
Join Research for Action, WHYY, and the United Way of Greater
Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey for an interactive community forum
designed to suggest an education agenda for the next administration—and to
assess the politics of achieving it. Hear
from local educators about what they see as priorities for the schools, and
from seasoned policy practitioners on the political realities of Harrisburg. Then, make your voice heard. Discuss your
thoughts and perspectives with other event guests and interact with the
panelists. You’ll come away from this spirited discussion with a more nuanced
view of the politics of education in both Philadelphia and at the state level.
Admission
This event is FREE and open to the public, but registration is
required.
When
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Doors open at
6:30 p.m.
Where
WHYY, Independence Mall West, 150 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia,
Pa 19106
Contact
Questions? Call 215-351-0511 during regular business hours,
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Save the date: Bob Herbert
book event! Pittsburgh October 9th
Save the date – you don’t want to miss this! We are hosting the
national launch of Bob Herbert’s new book, Losing Our Way: An Intimate
Portrait of a Troubled America
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2014 Time: 5:30 – 6:30PM,
moderated discussion and Q&A.
Doors will open at 5 with student performances. Followed by book signing.
Doors will open at 5 with student performances. Followed by book signing.
Location: McConomy Auditorium,
Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh 15213. Free parking in the garage.
Hosted by: Yinzercation (we are
profiled in the book!)
Moderator: Tony Norman, columnist and
associate editor,Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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!
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; closes October 6th
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.
- See more at: http://www.psba.org/news-publications/headlines/details.asp?id=8465#sthash.faopm8Xr.dpuf
January 23rd–25th, 2015 at The Science Leadership
Academy , Philadelphia
EduCon is both a conversation and a conference.
It is an innovation conference where we can come together, both
in person and virtually, to discuss the future of schools. Every session will
be an opportunity to discuss and debate ideas — from the very practical to the
big dreams.
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