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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for
November 6, 2014:
Education a deciding factor
in the Pa.
Next Basic Education
Funding Commission hearing is scheduled for Harrisburg
today, November 6th, 10 am North Office
Building
Thursday at 10:00 am: Basic
Education Funding Commission Meeting
PCN By broller on Nov 05, 2014
Basic Education Funding Commission Meeting
The Basic Education Funding Commission will hold its sixth
meeting at the state capitol. Created by Act 51 of 2014, the 15-member commission
is tasked with developing and recommending to the General Assembly a new
formula for distributing state funding for basic education to Pennsylvania school districts.
Testifiers include:
10:00 am: Opening remarks – Co-Chairs, Sen. Pat Browne and Rep. Mike Vereb
10:05 am: John L. Winn, Former Commissioner of Education of the State of Florida
11:05 am: Jesse Levin, Principal Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research; and Bruce Baker, Professor of Education Theory, Policy & Administration at Rutgers University
10:00 am: Opening remarks – Co-Chairs, Sen. Pat Browne and Rep. Mike Vereb
10:05 am: John L. Winn, Former Commissioner of Education of the State of Florida
11:05 am: Jesse Levin, Principal Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research; and Bruce Baker, Professor of Education Theory, Policy & Administration at Rutgers University
State to release school
performance data on Thursday
By Mary Niederberger / Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette November 5, 2014 12:09 PM
The state Department of Education today released School
Performance Profiles internally to public schools throughout the state and
intends to make those profiles public tomorrow, according to an email sent to
school superintendents. School officials
have been awaiting for the past month for the release of the profiles, which
give each school a single academic score based on such factors as test scores,
growth of test scores, graduation rates and other factors, for the past month. Last year scores for the majority — 2,300
public schools — were released in early October, followed by the release of the
remaining 600 others in December. A data glitch prompted the delay of the
second set of scores. This year, the
Department of Education has blamed the delay of the release of the scores on
the review and correction process for the data.
School and teachers union officials, however, have suggested
the department was delaying the release until after the governor’s election.
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com on November 05, 2014
at 2:55 PM
Report card on Pennsylvania
schools is set for Thursday barring any unforeseen issues arising at the last
minute, according to the state Department of Education. The department is expected to release the School Performance
Profiles that provide parents, taxpayers, educators and
students with a look at how well their school performed in 2013-14 on various
measures.
The profiles provide information on graduation rate,
attendance rate, promotion rate, student's academic growth and various other
measures. Along with that, each school will receive an academic score. New to this year's profiles is a trend line
that will include information about a school's performance on the various
indicators from the 2012-13 school year. The plan is to ultimately show a
five-year trend line on each school's performance, said department spokesman
Tim Eller.
What will Tom Wolf's win mean
to Pennsylvania
WHYY Newsworks BY KEVIN
MCCORRY NOVEMBER 6, 2014
Education advocates got exactly what they wanted in Pennsylvania 's
gubernatorial election Tuesday: a progressive Democrat who puts education at
the top of his priority list.
Gov.- elect Tom Wolf has big plans for providing relief to
resource-strapped classrooms across the commonwealth, but onlookers and
lawmakers on both sides of the aisle concur that Wolf's agenda faces a very
steep climb. Despite a fervent effort to
push incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett out of office, Wolf supporters aren't so naive
to think the York
county businessman can wave a magic wand and give schools all the resources
they need immediately.
What Governor Tom Wolf Means
for Philadelphia
All he has to do is
save the schools, social services and the economy.
BY PATRICK KERKSTRA | NOVEMBER
5, 2014 AT 12:07 PM
Four years of Tom Corbett have, to put it mildly, been rough on
Philadelphia .
Chaos in the state-managed and largely state-funded school district. Cuts to
social services that Philly’s high-poverty population rely on heavily. A
general sense that the city’s worries and challenges were not a priority for a
Republican governor from the other side of the state.
Well, Corbett is finished, in significant part
because 88 percent of Philly voters cast their
ballots for Wolf. So how will the city
fare with Governor Tom Wolf, a progressive Democrat, running Pennsylvania ? Better, probably, but not nearly as well as
many imagine.
Wolf win seen as victory for
Philly schools
SOLOMON LEACH, DAILY
NEWS STAFF WRITER LEACHS@PHILLYNEWS.COM, 215-854-5903 POSTED: Thursday,
November 6, 2014, 3:01 AM
TOM WOLF'S official victory party took place in central Pennsylvania , but thousands of teachers and education
advocates in Philadelphia
also celebrated, hoping the change in power will signal a win for the city's
ailing public schools. Education was the
top issue during the governor's race and Wolf pledged to increase the state's
investment in public schools, while hammering Republican Gov. Corbett for cutting
$1 billion. While Wolf - something of a
political novice - must deal with a Republican-controlled Legislature, some
expect city schools to benefit from increased funding, though it is too early
to say how much.
"In no other state did education play
the role it played in the Pennsylvania
Here, a Republican governor lost in a state
where:
- Unemployment declined from 8.1 percent
when he took office in January 2011 to 5.7 percent in September.
- Obama's job approval rating sat at 32
percent late last month, according to a Franklin
& Marshall College
One in five Pennsylvania
ANALYSIS: Education a
deciding factor in the Pa.
Towanda Daily Review BY
BORYS KRAWCZENIUK (TIMES-SHAMROCK WRITER) Published: November 5, 2014
As a Republican takeover of the U.S. Senate loomed Tuesday
night, the party's governor in Pennsylvania
got exactly what his critics hoped was coming to him. A solid beating.
Gov. Tom Corbett lost badly to Democratic governor nominee Tom
Wolf in an election that really didn't tighten up at the end as much as
Republican-leaning polls showed, and whose outcome never seriously seemed in
doubt. As of 11 p.m., Corbett trailed by 11 percentage points with 81 percent
of precincts reporting.
Corbett went from being one of the handful of statewide
candidates ever to garner 3 million votes when he ran for a second term as
attorney general in 2008, to being the first governor to lose his re-election
bid, also ending the streak of electing governors of the same party to
consecutive terms that dated to 1946.
He lost across the board, according to exit polling.
Wolf won almost every demographic - men and women, black and
white, almost every age group, independents, high school and college graduates,
poor, rich, Catholic, almost every part of Pennsylvania and among the four in
10 voters who thought Corbett's handling of the Jerry Sandusky case at Penn
State was very or somewhat important.
Corbett tied among people 65 and over, decisively won
Republicans and won among non-Catholic Christians and in central Pennsylvania .
This election might never have turned out this way if not for
his first budget.
Yinzercation: Diagram of
a Victory
And that, my friends, is how you win an election. For three
long years we have been fighting the devastation wrought by Gov. Corbett on our
public schools. But last night we helped unseat the first incumbent governor in
Pennsylvania
history, to elect Tom Wolf, who ran on a strong public education platform! In
fact, I dare say that we here in the grassroots are largely responsible for
this victory. The political analysts all
over the news this morning have missed this point. Although they are quick to
highlight that Gov. Corbett’s budget cuts made him deeply unpopular, most have
failed to mention the authentic, bottom-up movement that formed around
Pennsylvania’s public schools. For instance, Terry Madonna of Franklin
& Marshall College
Madonna & Young: Death
from A Thousand Cuts
Politically
Uncorrected Column by G. Terry Madonna & Michael L.Young November 5,
2014
The historic scope of Tom Corbett’s loss on
Tuesday must be understood to place it in any meaningful perspective. In
losing to Democrat Tom Wolf, he became the first Pennsylvania governor in 40 years to fail to
win reelection--and his party became the first party in 60 years to fail to win
two consecutive gubernatorial terms. Even
worse for purposes of comparison--except Dick Thornburgh (1979-87) who won
reelection narrowly during a deep recession--Corbett’s predecessors were
reelected by an average of 23 percentage points. Corbett lost by 10 points. If
you are keeping track at home, that’s an astounding 33 point difference between
Corbett and his predecessors. But
against this historically massive rejection of Corbett, the titular leader of
the Republican Party, there is little evidence that the GOP itself was
affected. State Republicans increased their control of the state House as well
as the state Senate, and every one of 12 Republican congressional incumbents
running for reelection was reelected.
In short--and certainly not sweet for Corbett--his loss was mostly his own, but his defeat was aided and abetted by a Republican-controlled legislature that gave him few of his major policy priorities. The larger failure was Corbett’s. He failed to grasp the challenges confronting him or to tackle them effectively, making his reelection virtually impossible.
In short--and certainly not sweet for Corbett--his loss was mostly his own, but his defeat was aided and abetted by a Republican-controlled legislature that gave him few of his major policy priorities. The larger failure was Corbett’s. He failed to grasp the challenges confronting him or to tackle them effectively, making his reelection virtually impossible.
PoliticsPA Election Recap
Written by PoliticsPA
Staff November 5, 2014
Tom Wolf cruised to a double-digit win and Gov. Tom Corbett to
a historic loss Tuesday. Below the top ticket race, a Republican wave swept
bigger GOP majorities into the state House and Senate. Here are all the
election results you need to know.
Union officials
said they will look to resume negotiations with the school board
By Angie Mason amason@ydr.com @angiemason1 on Twitter 11/05/2014
10:49:39 PM EST
The York City Education Association will look to resume
negotiations with the school board, the union president said, after the
teachers voted Wednesday to reject a report from a state fact finder. The report was overwhelmingly rejected by
union members, according to Bruce Riek, union president. In a news release, the union cited several
issues, including that the report was unclear about how savings from teacher
salary cuts would be used to benefit students. The report also left open the
door for a charter operator to be brought in to run schools at some point, the
release says.
By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette November 6, 2014 12:00 AM
If the latest projections hold up, Pittsburgh Public Schools is
poised to finish this calendar year with an operating surplus for the fifth
consecutive time. The district still is
projecting long-range financial challenges, but they have been pushed farther
into the future. With this projection, the district, once expected to go
bankrupt in 2015, now is expected to run out of money in 2018.
“When you have those years of positive closings, those are
putting more money in your fund balance but not necessarily solving your
structural problems,” said Ron Joseph, chief operations officer.
Advocacy group seeks to
challenge School Reform Commission vote
THE EDUCATION advocacy group Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools has
taken legal steps to challenge the School Reform Commission's decision last month
to cancel the teachers' contract. Retired
teacher Lisa Haver, a member of the alliance, alleges the SRC was "in
clear violation" of the state's Sunshine Law when it called the Oct. 6
meeting to impose conditions on the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. The
action would have forced PFT members to begin paying for health-care benefits
next month, but subsequent filings by the district and the PFT has stayed the
decision. Lawyer Mark Zecca filed the
writ on behalf of the organization in Common
Pleas Court on Tuesday as a way to preserve the
group's right to challenge the decision under the Sunshine Act. Zecca yesterday
served the district's Office of General Counsel with a copy of the writ, he
said.
Hanover Evening Sun By
Jennifer Wentz jwentz@eveningsun.com @jenni_wentz on Twitter POSTED: 11/04/2014 02:30:00 PM
EST
Palmer charter consultant
says finances precarious
MARTHA WOODALL, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, November 5,
2014, 10:59 PM POSTED: Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 6:26 PM
As the charter-revocation hearing for the Palmer charter school
ended Wednesday, a consultant said he believed the embattled school could
continue to operate but indicated that its finances were so precarious, it
might not be able to stay afloat through June.
John L. Pund Jr., noting that the school's current budget was based on
revenue from 1,250 students, said the charter has made adjustments every day
since recent court decisions held it was only entitled to be paid for 675. The state Supreme Court ruled in June that Walter D.
Palmer Leadership
Learning Charter
School
"Although Imhotep, which has 525
students in grades nine through 12, has been praised for sending a high
percentage of its graduates to college, the school's records show that in 2013,
only 9 percent of Imhotep students scored proficient on the state's Keystone
exams in Algebra 1 and 5 percent in Biology 1. In literature, 37 percent were
proficient."
Imhotep Charter sued by related nonprofit
Imhotep Charter sued by related nonprofit
MARTHA WOODALL, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED:
Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 1:08 AM POSTED: Tuesday, November 4, 2014, 7:05 PM
When Imhotep Institute Charter High School opened its new
building in East Germantown five years ago, officials dubbed the $10 million
facility "the Miracle on 21st Street." Now, as the school with an African-centered
curriculum fights to keep its charter, the building at 6201 N. 21st St. is at
the center of a tug-of-war. Sankofa
Network Inc., a related nonprofit that owns Imhotep's campus, filed a Common
Pleas Court lawsuit last week alleging the charter owes $1.2 million in rent,
interest, and fees. The court action
comes after the school, which opened in 1998, was rocked by months of turmoil,
including the ouster in late June of M. Christine Wiggins, Imhotep's founding
chief executive.
As GOP celebrates win, no
sign of narrowing gender, age gaps
Yesterday’s elections brought a widespread win for the
Republican Party, which will increase its share of seats in the House in the
next Congress, and take over the Senate, with a net gain of at least seven
seats. Nationally, 52% of voters backed
Republican candidates for Congress, while 47% voted for Democrats, according to
exit polls by the National Election Pool, as reported byThe New York Times. The overall vote share is similar to the
GOP’s margin in the 2010 elections, and many of the key demographic divides
seen in that election — particularly wide gender and age gaps — remain.
Wall Street has a good
election
Politico By MJ LEE |
11/5/14 12:39 PM EST
For Wall Street, the 2014 midterms is a return to business as
usual — in the best way possible.
After serving as a political punching bag for the past few
election cycles — first for the tea party right, and then for populist
Democrats — the industry is feeling like it has finally drawn a set of winning
candidates that it can peacefully work with next year.
One by one, a handful of Senate candidates backed by the GOP
establishment and overwhelmingly favored by the banking industry started to
claim victory as polling stations closed across the country on Tuesday
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/wall-street-2014-midterm-elections-112588.html#ixzz3IHcEZeMN
Philadelphia City Council Hearings
on High-stakes Testing and the Opt-Out Movement, Wednesday, November 19, 2014,
3—5 PM
Education Committee of Philadelphia City Council
Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 3—5 PM, Room 400 City Hall
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, Councilman Mark
Squilla and The Opt-Out Committee of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public
Schools urge all who care about the future of education to attend: Parents, students and educators will testify
on the effects of over-testing on students and teaching, including the crisis
of the Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement.
Information: Alison McDowell or Lisa Haver
at: philaapps@gmail.com
DelCo Rising: Winning for
Education Nov18
7:00PM - 9:00PM
601 N. LANSDOWNE AVENUEDREXEL HILL, PA 19026
Delaware County students and taxpayers have sacrificed enough.
The state is not paying its fair share. Rising property taxes and school
budget cuts are not acceptable–help us change that.
Join your neighbors for a community workshop: Delco
Rising: Winning for Education
Learn about Pre-K for PA and the
Statewide Campaign for Fair Education Funding and how they can help your
community
Practice winning strategies to
advocate for your community
Create an advocacy plan that works
for you—whether you have 5 minutes or 5 days per month
This non-partisan event is free and open to the public.
Click here to download a PDF flyer to
share.
Webinar: Arts Education - Research Shows Arts Education Boosts
Learning, So Where's the Rush to Teach Arts?
Education Writers Association NOVEMBER 12, 2014
- 1:00PM - 2:00PM
Decades of research suggest that some types of arts education
can lead to academic improvements. But even though No Child Left Behind
designated arts a core subject, student access to dance, theater and visual
arts declined between 2000 and 2010. What are the challenges educators
face in teaching a discipline many researchers say spurs student achievement,
reduces absences and boosts graduation rates? This webinar will look at
state-level arts education policy and student access to arts programs, the arts
education research landscape, and offer a spotlight on city programs that are
galvanizing arts education.
Panelists:
James Catterall, Centers for
Research on Creativity, Professor Emeritus, UCLA
Sandra Ruppert, Director, Arts
Education Partnership
Moderator:
Mary Plummer, Southern California
Public Radio
Children with Autism - Who’s Eligible? How to get ABA services?
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 1:00 – 4:00 P.M.
Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
United Way Building 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway,
Philadelphia, 19103
Join us on November 19th, 2014 to discuss eligibility services for children with Autism. This
session will teach parents, teachers, social workers and attorneys how to
obtain Applied Behavioral Analysis services for children on the autism
spectrum. Presenters include Sonja Kerr (Law Center), Rachel Mann
(Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania), Dr. Lisa Blaskey (The Children's
Hospital of Pennsylvania), and David Gates (PA Health Law Project).
Registration: bit.ly/1sOY6jX
Register Now – 2014 PASCD
Annual Conference – November 23 – 25, 2014
Please join us for the 2014 PASCD Annual Conference, “Leading
an Innovative Culture for Learning – Powered by Blendedschools Network” to
be held November 23-25 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in
Hershey, PA. Featuring Keynote Speakers: David Burgess - - Author
of "Teach Like a Pirate: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your
Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator", Dr. Bart Rocco,
Bill Sterrett - ASCD author, "Short on Time: How do I Make
Time to Lead and Learn as a Principal?" and Ron Cowell.
This annual conference features small group sessions (focused
on curriculum, instructional, assessment, blended learning and middle level
education) is a great opportunity to stay connected to the latest approaches
for cultural change in your school or district. Join us for PASCD
2014! Online registration is available by visiting www.pascd.org
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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