Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
reach more than 3525 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors,
administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's
staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition
team members, 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
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These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
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@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?
The Keystone State Education Coalition is an endorsing member of The Campaign for Fair Education Funding
Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for February
27, 2015:
Campaign for Fair Education
Funding Proposes Funding System to Ensure Quality Education for All Students
Education Voters of PA holding public forums on school funding
Lancaster County:
Tuesday, March 17, at 7:00 pm at Millersville University
York County: Wednesday,
March 25th, 6:30pm at the York Learning Center
Cumberland County:
Wednesday, April 1, 7:00 pm at the Grace Milliman Pollock Performing Arts
Center
Details/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
Campaign for Fair Education
Funding Proposes Funding System to Ensure Quality Education for All Students
Campaign website February 26, 2015
The Campaign for Fair Education Funding today proposed a student-driven
funding formula for basic education that strategically directs resources to
students and school districts with the greatest needs and provides the
investment necessary to enable every child to succeed academically. The campaign’s proposed formula could boost
student outcomes in all parts of the state by helping to close funding
shortfalls, improve equity, and ensure accountability and efficiency. “Pennsylvania
is just one of three states that does not have a have a predictable funding
formula for basic education. It changes every single year and students in every
district are paying a price for the uncertainty,” Joan Benso, President and CEO
of Pennsylvania
Partnerships for Children, one of the founding members of the campaign.
“The campaign’s mission is to ensure that every public school
student has access to a quality education no matter where they live and to make
that happen we need to fundamentally change how public schools are funded. That
starts with a sustainable, predictable and long-term funding formula.” The campaign, an unprecedented coalition of
educators, faith-based organizations, children’s advocates, business leaders,
and representatives of charter schools, and rural, urban and growing school
districts across the commonwealth, developed its proposal based on real costs
necessary for all students to meet state academic standards and using current,
verifiable data.
Advocacy Groups Propose
Education Funding Formula
WESA 90.5 NPR Pittsburgh
By JESSICA NATH February
26, 2015
Governor Tom Wolf releases his state budget proposal Tuesday,
and the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children has a few suggestions. The organizations unveiled its Campaign for
Fair Education Funding Thursday. “The
mission of the campaign is really to focus on this need for an equitable system
of funding in Pennsylvania that has enough resources in it to be sure every
child has an equal chance to meet our standards,” Joan Benso, PA Partnerships
for Children president and CEO, said.
Campaign for Fair Education Funding shared
its idea on Thursday for a proposed school funding distribution formula and
sets its sights on a $3.6 billion increase in the state's investment in public
education.
Coalition's proposed school
funding formula comes with $9 billion price tag
By Jan Murphy |
jmurphy@pennlive.com 26, 2015 at 6:01 PM
A coalition
of educational, business, child advocacy, faith and community groups have
crafted a school funding formula that they believe would lead to an equitable
student-driven method of distributing state dollars for public schools. The plan proposes phasing in the formula over
the next eight years, bumping up the state's $5.7 billion yearly investment now
spent on basic education and Ready to Learn grants to $9.3 billion. "We're putting this proposal out, I
would describe, as a stake in the ground not a line in the sand," said
Joan Benso, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, one of
the more than 50 coalition members.
That has educators looking forward to the governor’s budget
with more optimism than they’ve felt in years.
John Sarandrea may be uniquely qualified to make that judgment. He is
superintendent of the New Castle
Area School
District Sharon , also among the state's poorest.
Post Gazette By Harry Funk February 27, 2015 12:00 AM
"The board joined other school
directors across the state in approving a resolution provided by the Pennsylvania School Pennsylvania
Trib Live By Patrick
Cloonan Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015, 4:56 a.m.
Liquor privatization passes Pa.
By Wallace McKelvey
| WMckelvey@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on February 26, 2015 at 3:36 PM, updated February 26, 2015 at 5:45 PM
on February 26, 2015 at 3:36 PM, updated February 26, 2015 at 5:45 PM
Liquor privatization has passed the House of Representatives by
a 114-87 margin, reflecting a largely party-line vote after more
than five hours of debate. "We
have a chance to tell the people of PA that we will turn our back on the status
quo going forward," said Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana, shortly
before the vote.
Gov. Wolf's wants to lower
school property tax -- but what's the tradeoff?
Penn Live By Charles Thompson |
cthompson@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on February 25, 2015 at 6:28 AM, updated February 25, 2015 at 9:52 AM
on February 25, 2015 at 6:28 AM, updated February 25, 2015 at 9:52 AM
With campaign promises solidifying into governing plans at this
writing, Gov. Tom Wolf appears to be ready to join a long line of Pennsylvania governors
who have tried to significantly reduce property taxes. Multiple sources told PennLive this week they
expect Wolf's "tax fairness" plan to include a major slash at
residential school property tax bills, in keeping with his larger goal of
shifting more education costs to state government.
"Wolf and our lawmakers in Harrisburg
The future of Pennsylvania
Editorial: Governor must
chart bold path for Pa.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf will deliver his first budget address
Tuesday before a General Assembly in which Republicans have a 20-seat advantage
in the Senate and a 35-seat edge in the House (both numbers exclude vacancies).
Pennsylvania
government faces a $2.3 billion revenue shortfall and a $53 billion gap between
assets and benefits in its two large pension funds. The election of Gov. Wolf was a clear
call by the people of our state seeking a new vision and path for Pennsylvania . Given all the issues facing our state,
problems kicked down the road that should have been addressed long ago, and the
deep-seated partisanship in Harrisburg, there is no way the new governor can
produce a spending plan that meets all the commonwealth's needs. But now is the time for Wolf to be bold and
jump-start the state down the path of prosperity and growth.
http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/editorials/governor-must-chart-bold-path-for-pa-starting-tuesday/article_09f2233e-be0d-11e4-bda0-ebfda80018ff.html
If you would like to attend the oral
arguments in the case, you are invited to the Commonwealth Court of
Pennsylvania in Harrisburg 601 Commonwealth Avenue
Our Amicus Brief in the State
Funding Lawsuit
Did you know that there is a current lawsuit against the state
to fund our schools? The Education Law Center (ELC) and the Public Interest Law
Center of Philadelphia brought the suit last fall on behalf of six school
districts, seven parents, and two statewide associations accusing the state of
failing to uphold Pennsylvania ’s
constitutional obligation to provide a “thorough and efficient” system of
public education. The state is arguing that the case should be thrown out and
there is a key court date coming up on March 11th. Yinzercation has joined with other grassroots
organizations to submit an amicus (meaning “friend of the court”) brief
demonstrating the reasons this case ought to move forward. I will include the
full Statement of Harm we were asked to file in support of the brief below. (Click
here for the full
amicus brief,which was delivered on Tuesday.) For more information about
the lawsuit, including an easy-to-read FAQ, visit th ePennsylvania School Funding
Litigation website. .
This video covers the PA House Education
Committee's consideration of amendments and vote on HB530 Charter Reform bill
Ensuring Funding Equality
Between School Districts and Charter
Schools
RepReese
Published on Feb 26, 2015 YouTube video runtime 13:57
PA State Rep. Mike Reese discusses his legislation which
reforms reimbursement rates and methods between charter schools and school
districts, among other educational reforms.
By Sara K.
Satullo | The Express-Times Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
February 26, 2015 at 7:30 PM, updated February 26, 2015 at 8:47 PM
Trib Live By Karen
Zapf Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, 9:00 p.m.
Wade Woolford said he doesn't mind paying a bit more in taxes
if students benefit.
“I don't mind chipping in for them,” Woolford of Winchester
Drive told Plum School Board members during last week's finance committee
meeting. “I don't want to see pay to
play. I don't want to see you cut programs. The kids are first.”
"Across the state, 93 percent of
districts are paying more for health care, 91 percent are paying more for
special education programs and 85 percent have had to turn over more of their
money to charter schools since 2010-11. Along with contributions to the school
retirees’ pension fund, costs of conducting background checks on job applicants
and performing evaluations of school employees, these are costs that can’t be
avoided, officials said."
School officials sound alarm
on financial challenges
Stories of thinly spread school budgets emerge at nearly every
turn in the regular sequence of monthly school board meetings in the area. One or more days a week, reports echo school
officials’ concerns that limits on how they get money and demands on how they
spend it are putting more and more pressure on local taxpayers and on teachers’
ability to provide a sound education for students. Area school superintendents, business
managers and board members from Indiana and Armstrong counties gathered Tuesday
for a news conference to unveil results of a statewide survey of public
schools’ financial situations.
Why the SRC angered everyone
City Paper By Daniel
Denvir Published: 02/26/2015
I could have reported in advance all but the ending of last
Wednesday's grueling, five-hour School Reform Commission meeting, convened to
adjudicate 39 charter-school applications. Charter-school advocates pleaded for
salvation from failing public schools. Opponents, including experts from the Education Law Center Independence , KIPP,
Mastery, and MaST. The SRC's decisions were likely foregone, if theretofore
unknown, conclusions. My biggest surprise was that police aggressively blocked
me from photographing the resulting protest mêlée (iPhone result: fuzzy).
The School
District of Philadelphia
The Brief: Who Will the
Philly Teachers Union Support for Mayor?
And why it matters.
Philly Mag Citified BY HOLLY OTTERBEIN | FEBRUARY
26, 2015 AT 6:30 AM
image:
http://cdn.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Candidate-Conversations.jpg
The Democratic candidates for mayor of Philadelphia each tried to make their
strongest case Wednesday that the city’s teachers union ought
to endorse them. At a meeting held by the Philadelphia
Federation of Teachers in South Philly, the candidates took questions from
union members about education funding, charter schools and the School Reform
Commission.
The union won’t make an endorsement
until after the rank-and-file members’ votes are tallied in
mid-March. But Jerry Jordan, president of the PFT, says, “Once we
endorse someone, we will be totally in for that person.” That likely means
a maxed-out check from the union, but perhaps more importantly, the
American Federation of Teachers is expected to get behind whoever the city’s
teachers support. That matters because the
national group has thrown around big cash in municipal
elections before.
So, who's got the best shot at landing the teachers'
support?
Despite Hiccups, House
Nearing the Finish Line In NCLB Rewrite Debate
Education Week Politics K-12 Blog By Lauren
Camera on February 26, 2015 12:57 AM
The House adjourned late last evening before it was able to
finalize consideration of a laundry list of amendments filed to a
Republican-backed rewrite of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Working late into the night, lawmakers adopted more than a
dozen of the 44
amendments filed to the federal K-12 overhaul, including a measure that
would allow school districts to use locally designed tests in lieu of state
tests. Despite pushback from within the
GOP after the Club For Growth and Heritage Action, two powerful conservative
organizations, blasted out emails urging Republicans to block the bill,
education commitee Chairman John Kline, R-Minn. appeared to maintain control. There were rumors, however, behind the
scenes, that House leaders don't have enough support to get the bill over the
finish line tomorrow. The final vote on the measure could be very close.
The William
Penn School
District
A Workshop in Support of Fair
Funding and other Common Sense Reforms for Public Education
Saturday Feb 28th 9:30 am -
Noon Evans Elementary School Auditorium, 900 Baily Road, Yeadon, PA
Doors open at 9:00 with a continental breakfast
Speakers:
Shanee Garner, Education Policy Director, Public Citizens for
Children & Youth
Mike Wood, Research Director, Pennsylvania Budget and Policy
Center
Larry Feinberg, Co-Chairman, Keystone State Education Coalition
Questions Email rafi@thecavegroup.com
EPLC "Focus on
Education" TV Program on PCN - Sunday, March 1 at 3:00
p.m.
Topic 1: Education Voters of Pennsylvania
Susan Gobreski, Director, Education Voters of Pennsylvania
Topic 2: Preview of the 2015 Pennsylvania State Education
Budget Debate
EPLC "Focus on Education" TV shows are hosted by EPLC President Ron Cowell.
EPLC "Focus on Education" TV shows are hosted by EPLC President Ron Cowell.
Visit the EPLC and the Pennsylvania School Funding Project web sites for
various resources related to education and school funding issues.
Bucks County Forum on how to
run for school board March 2, 7 pm at Northampton library
Courier Times By Chris English Staff Writer
Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 1:00 am | Updated: 7:17 am, Tue Feb 24, 2015.
How to run for school board and what to do if you get elected
are two issues that will be explored during a forum at 7 p.m. March 2 at the
Free Library of Northampton Township. The event is free and open to the public. "Anyone in Bucks County who is
interested in school board elections is encouraged to attend," said event
organizer and Newtown Township resident Amy McIntyre.
A panel of present and former school board members from
throughout the county will lead a discussion and answer questions about the
process and requirements of running for school board, the time commitment,
responsibilities of board members and the resources available to teach new
board members about the job. Centennial
school board member and Pennsylvania School Board Association Vice President
Mark Miller will moderate.
PSBA Members Only: Annual
Pennsylvania
MAR 4, 2015 • 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Join us for a special complimentary members-only Annual Pennsylvania
Education Budget Briefing webinar, Wednesday, March 4 at noon. The webinar features Acting Secretary of
Education Pedro Rivera and PSBA Senior Director of Government Affairs, John
Callahan, who will discuss Gov. Wolf’s 2015-16 proposed budget. You will have
the option to attend live at PSBA’s Headquarters in Mechanicsburg or join us
online through your computer. Both options will allow you to ask questions
during the webinar.
Lawsuit asks the Court to ensure that all
students -- including those living in low-wealth districts -- have the basic
resources they need to meet state academic standards.
Meet Us in Court on March 11th
Education Law Center
On Wednesday, March 11th at 9:30 a.m., the
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania will hear oral arguments in our school
funding lawsuit which challenges the legislature's failure to adequately
support and maintain Pennsylvania's public school system. This historic case,
which the Education Law Center filed with the Public Interest Law Center of
Philadelphia and pro bono counsel O'Melveny & Meyers, asks the Court to
ensure that all students -- including those living in low-wealth districts --
have the basic resources they need to meet state academic standards. We ask the
court to hear this case and enforce the rights of our children to a
"thorough and efficient" system of public education as guaranteed to
them by our state constitution.
Please come and support us as we fight for vulnerable students and all public school students across the state. The hearing will be held at thePennsylvania Judicial
Center , 601 Commonwealth Avenue , Courtroom 5001
in Harrisburg , PA.
Please come and support us as we fight for vulnerable students and all public school students across the state. The hearing will be held at the
2015 Pennsylvania
Budget Summit
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Hilton Hotel, Harrisburg
Pennsylvania
PA Budget and Policy Center
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center will host its Annual
Budget Summit on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at the Hilton Harrisburg. Join us
for an in-depth look at the Governor's 2015-16 budget proposal, including what
it means for education, health and human services, and local communities. The
Summit will focus on the leading issues facing the commonwealth in 2015, with
workshops, lunch, a legislative panel discussion, and a keynote speech.
Space is limited, so fill out the form below to reserve your
spot at the Budget Summit.
The State of Public Education Funding in Pennsylvania
Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia Tuesday, March
17, 2015 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
United
Way Building, 1709 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-state-of-public-education-funding-in-pennsylvania-tickets-15816877707
Education Voters of PA will
hold a forum about public school funding in Lancaster County Tuesday, March 17,
at 7:00 pm at Millersville University
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
Education Voters of PA will
hold a forum about public school funding in York :
Wednesday, March 25th, 6:30pm to 8pm at the York Learning
Center 300 E. 7th Avenue , York
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
Education Voters of PA will
hold a forum about public school funding in Cumberland
County : Wednesday, April 1, 7:00 pm at
the Grace Milliman Pollock
Performing Arts
Center 340 North 21st Street
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
PSBA 2015 Advocacy Forum
APR 19, 2015 • 8:00
AM - APR 20, 2015 • 5:00 PM
Join PSBA for the second annual Advocacy Forum on April 19-20,
2015. Hear from legislative experts on hot topics and issues regarding public
education on Sunday, April 19, at PSBA headquarters in Mechanicsburg. The next
day you and fellow advocates will meet with legislators at the state capitol.
This is your chance to learn how to successfully advocate on behalf of public
education and make your voice heard on the Hill.
Agenda/Speakers: https://www.psba.org/event/advocacy-forum-day-hill-2015/
Sign-up for weekly email updates from the
Campaign
The Campaign for Fair
Education Funding website
PA Basic Education Funding Commission
website
Thorough and Efficient: Pennsylvania
Education Funding Lawsuit website
Arguing that our state has failed to ensure that essential
resources are available for all of our public school students to meet state
academic standards.
Sign up for National School Boards Association’s Advocacy Network
Friends of
Public Education http://p2a.co/nsbac
Register
Now! EPLC 2015 Regional Workshops for School Board Candidates and Others
The Education Policy and Leadership Center, with the Cooperation
of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) and Pennsylvania
Association of School Business Officials (PASBO), will conduct A
Series of Regional Full-Day Workshops for 2015 Pennsylvania School
Board Candidates. Incumbents,
non-incumbents, campaign supporters and all interested voters are invited to
participate in these workshops.
Harrisburg Region Saturday, March 7, 2015– 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania School Boards Association Headquarters, 400 Bent Creek Boulevard, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Pennsylvania School Boards Association Headquarters, 400 Bent Creek Boulevard, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Philadelphia Region Saturday, March 14, 2015 – 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, 2 W. Lafayette Street, Norristown, PA 19401
Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, 2 W. Lafayette Street, Norristown, PA 19401
NPE 2015 Annual Conference –
Chicago April 24 - 26 – Early Bird Special Registration Open!
January 4, 2015 NPE 2015 Annual Conference, NPE National Conference
Early-bird discounted Registration for the Network for
Public Education’s Second Annual Conference is now available at this address:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/network-for-public-education-2015-annual-conference-tickets-15118560020
These low rates will last for the month of January.
The event is being held at the Drake Hotel in downtown
Chicago, and there is a link on the registration page for special hotel
registration rates. Here are some of the event details.
There will be a welcoming social event 7 pm Friday night,
at or near the Drake Hotel — details coming soon. Featured speakers will be:
§
Jitu Brown, National Director – Journey
for Justice, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Network for Public
Education Board of Directors
§
Tanaisa Brown, High School Senior, with
the Newark Student Union
§
Yong Zhao, Author, “Who’s Afraid of
the Big Bad Dragon?“
§
Diane Ravitch in conversation with
§
Lily Eskelsen Garcia, NEA President and
§
Randi Weingarten, AFT President
§
Karen Lewis, President, Chicago Teachers
Union
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