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PA Ed Policy Roundup for April 14, 2015:
Yo - PA legislators! How much do you know about education in Philadelphia ? Take this test….
Lehigh Valley Forum on School Funding April 22, 7:00-8:30
Penn State Lehigh Valley , 2809
Saucon Valley Rd , Center Valley , PA 18034
The entrance is at the back of the building and parking is available in lots by the school.
The entrance is at the back of the building and parking is available in lots by the school.
Confirmed panelists include:
Dr. Bill Haberl, superintendent, Pen Argyl Area SD
Dr. Joe Roy, superintendent, Bethlehem Area SD
Mr. Rich Sniscak, superintendent, Parkland SD
Mr. Russ Giordano, school board director, Salisbury Township SD
Dr. Russ Mayo, superintendent, Allentown SD
Ms. Stacy Gober, CFO, Bethlehem Area SD
Ms. Susan Gobreski, Executive Director, Education Voters of PA
Moderator: Roberta Marcus, School Board Director, Parkland SD
Dr. Bill Haberl, superintendent, Pen Argyl Area SD
Dr. Joe Roy, superintendent, Bethlehem Area SD
Mr. Rich Sniscak, superintendent, Parkland SD
Mr. Russ Giordano, school board director, Salisbury Township SD
Dr. Russ Mayo, superintendent, Allentown SD
Ms. Stacy Gober, CFO, Bethlehem Area SD
Ms. Susan Gobreski, Executive Director, Education Voters of PA
Moderator: Roberta Marcus, School Board Director, Parkland SD
Register HERE to attend
the Lehigh Valley education forum.
“The biggest hurdle for all
of us is at what point is the administration going to understand what the
General Assembly is willing to lift,” he said. “You got an $8 billion tax
increase on the table, which—we’re nowhere near that—we’re not even in the same
ballpark. You really can’t start off their document and work back because we
are nowhere near went.” Sticking to
previous comments, Sen. Corman said pension reform legislation still must come
first and projected a Senate pension reform bill could be considered within the
month. “Pension reform is the most
pressing problem we have, unfortunately it’s also the most complicated bill to
write, so we’re still in the process of it,” he said. “We certainly hope to get
that done in the next month or so, so that we can get it out and it’ll be part
of the discussion.” Like House Majority
Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana), Sen. Corman will be meeting with the governor
tomorrow to discuss the budget."
Corman previews meeting
with Gov. Wolf, Senate GOP spring agenda
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Monday, April 13,
2015/Categories: News and Views
Following a nearly
two hour Senate GOP caucus, The PLS Reporter caught up with
Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre) and he provided a preview of the Senate
GOP’s spring agenda and what he hopes to see during a scheduled meeting with
Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday. During Monday’s
caucus, Senate Republicans heard a presentation from Sen. Mike Folmer
(R-Lebanon) on medical marijuana, something Sen. Corman said still has a lot of
support in the Senate. “He’ll have a
bill out of committee before too long and my guess is we’ll address it,” he
said. “The Senate has quite a few new members, so I’m not sure what the changes
might be, but I think it was 43-7 last time, so I suspect something will get
through the Senate.” As far as a broader
goal for the spring and coming budget talks, Sen. Corman said the biggest thing
for Senate Republicans will be finding compromise from the governor.
Senate Democratic leaders
discuss budget strategy, property tax relief with governor
The PLS Reporter
Author: Jason Gottesman/Monday, April 13,
2015/Categories: News and Views
Upon their leaving a
meeting with Gov. Tom Wolf, The PLS Reporter caught up with
two members of Senate Democratic leadership who discussed its contents and
their views of the conversation. “It was just a general
meeting, that’s all,” said Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny).
“We’re back after a long legislative break, through the budget hearings and now
we’re sort of getting coordinated in learning what we learned over the last
several weeks and how we move forward.” While
Sen. Costa did say the budget came up in the conversation, it was only in the
context of a broad discussion following budget hearings. “Where we’re at and how we move forward,” he
said. Senate Appropriations Minority
Chairman Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) agreed that the only discussions
around the budget were general.
How much do you know about
education in Philadelphia ?
Test your knowledge with this 10-question quiz:
How educated are you about
Philly education?
Philly.com REPORTING BY TOM FERRICK JR. / THE NEXT MAYOR
INTERACTIVE BY OLIVIA HALL / PHILLY.COM
INTERACTIVE BY OLIVIA HALL / PHILLY.COM
Voters tell
pollsters that education is the No. 1 issue in this year's mayoral election. Yet,
most Philadelphians don't have much firsthand knowledge about the district.
How much do you know
about education in Philadelphia ?
Test your knowledge with this 10-question quiz:
Greater Johnstown School District
has starring role in play about education funding
Johnstown Tribune Democrat By John Finnerty jfinnerty@cnhi.com Saturday, April 11, 2015
The producers of a
play intended to highlight the crisis caused by school funding cuts didn’t want
the audience to mistakenly believe this problem is confined to Philadelphia . So, they spent three days interviewing people
in Johnstown .
Subjects include schools Superintendent Gerald Zahorchak, who laughed when
acknowledging that the finished product features a character modeled after him. “I think they cast that guy who plays
‘Batman’ for the role,” he joked. While
the idea of seeing himself represented onstage made Zahorchak chuckle, the
message of the production and many of its heartwrenching stories are painfully
serious. The play grew from an event two
years ago when 20 parents traveled from Philadelphia to Harrisburg to present
4,000 letters from students pleading for more money for their schools, said
Donna Cooper, executive director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, the
advocacy group putting on the play.
By Sara K. Satullo | The Express-Times
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on April 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, updated April 13, 2015 at 4:54 PM
on April 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, updated April 13, 2015 at 4:54 PM
A community forum on
public education funding is scheduled for Wednesday April 22 at Penn State
Lehigh Valley . Lehigh
Valley school district
officials and school board members will discuss how state funding issues are
impacting their district's educational offerings, school taxes and the
community. Education Voters of PA will
offer tips on how to advocate on education issues and attendees will be able to
ask panelists questions. The forum runs
from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Penn State Lehigh
Valley , 2809 Saucon Valley Road in Upper Saucon
Township . The entrance is
to the rear of the building and parking is available in the school's lots.
"District director of
business services Jeremy Melber said that of the 4.5 percent jump in spending,
2.4 percent will go toward paying increased costs of employee benefits such as
pensions and health insurance. The
district's fund balance, which is similar to a savings account, has $18.8
million, of which Melber said $15.2 million will be withdrawn to cover the
$11.2 million increase in employee benefits cost."
Property taxes hold the line in Southern Lehigh School District 's preliminary budget
By Charles Malinchak Special
to The Morning Call April 13, 2015
School taxes are set
to remain steady for the third consecutive year in the Southern Lehigh School
District The school under a preliminary $60.7 million budget for 2015-2015. The school board unanimously approved the
preliminary spending plan Monday night that shows spending up by 4.5 percent
from the current $58.4 million budget and keeps the property tax rate at 15.37
mills. The owner of an average property
assessed at $200,000 will continue to pay $3,074 in school property taxes next
year.
Saylor introduces property
tax relief bill
A York County
representative has introduced a bill in the House that promises to, on average,
halve school property taxes by increasing earned income and sales taxes. Rep. Stan Saylor, the bill's author, said the
increases in income and sales taxes would generate an additional $4.3 billion
annually that would then be distributed dollar-for-dollar to property owners. The bill calls for increasing the personal
income tax rate 20 percent, from 3.07 to 3.70 percent, and sales tax from 6 to
7 percent. But Saylor said "not
everyone is going to be happy" with the bill. Some legislators want
property taxes fully eliminated, while others want the taxes to remain in
place.
"What would Stevens,
savior of Pennsylvania public schools, say if
he were to witness today’s debate over education funding in Harrisburg ? He would redeliver his Free
Schools Act speech, word for word, of course! He would add, quoting the
Commonwealth’s Constitution, “The General Assembly shall provide for the
maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public
education.” He would note that Pennsylvania ,
in 2015, is spending a third less per child in poor school districts than in
wealthy ones. He would call attention to the steady decrease in the percentage
of state support over the past 40 years.
Who will speak for Stevens in
today’s Pennsylvania General Assembly, to ensure a quality free public
education is available to all of our children?"
The statesman championed
cause of education funding
Kathy Brabson,
Ph.D., a Manor Township resident and an adjunct instructor in Educational
Foundations at Millersville University, is the author of “Life of Thad Stevens:
What Part of ‘All Men Are Created Equal’ Do You Not Understand?”
Given the battle
over Gov. Tom Wolf’s call for increased funding for public education, what would
Thaddeus Stevens likely say if he were to witness the current debate? Stevens, a 19th century Pennsylvania
legislator, widely regarded as savior of the state’s public schools, certainly
would weigh in if he were in Harrisburg
today. More accurately — if history can be trusted as a predictor — the
outspoken, brilliant, uncompromising orator would control the debate, fully
impacting the results.
Diane Ravitch's Blog
By dianeravitch April 12, 2015 //
Tom Wolf, the newly
elected Governor of Pennsylvania, may turn out to be true friend of public
education. In a landscape crowded with foes of public education, like Scott
Walker, John Kasich, Doug Ducey, Rick Scott, and Andrew Cuoo, this is quite a
distinction for Governor Wolf. After years of
devastating cuts by Governor Tom Corbett, Wolf has vowed to fund public
schools. He appointed a one-time rival, John Hanger, as secretary of policy and
planning (Hanger is strongly pro-public schools). Governor Wolf recently
visited a public school in Philadelphia .
At a time when so many governors have sworn their fealty to charter schools, it
is refreshing to read about a governor who recognizes public responsibility for
public schools. John Hanger told
the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry that the Wolf administration
would focus on public education and economic development in its spending plan. Governor Tom Wolf could build a national
reputation if he reverses the school privatization and defusing of public
schools that Corbett encouraged .
Good schools are good for the whole community
Observer-Reporter
Editorial April 13, 2015
In states where
voters decide whether a millage rate should be increased to support public
services like libraries and schools – neighboring Ohio is among them – proponents often fear
an inordinately high turnout of senior citizens at the polls. The questions are often placed on the ballot
in off-year or special elections, when turnout tends to be abysmal in the first
place, and, of course, seniors are invariably the most devoted voters no matter
the season. But many seniors tend to vote against increased revenue for
schools, arguing that they are on fixed incomes and can’t abide increased
property taxes on homes they have lived in for decades, and perhaps paid off
years ago. Those concerns are not
without validity. But, just as often, you hear seniors complain that, hey, they
finished school in the 1950s or 1960s, their kids graduated decades ago, and
their grandkids attend school elsewhere. What difference does it make to them
if their local school district is good, bad or indifferent?
The Brief: How Some Charter Schools Keep Out the
Riff-Raff
Philly Mag Citified BY PATRICK KERKSTRA | APRIL
10, 2015 AT 6:00 AM
1. How Some Charter Schools Keep Out the
Riff-Raff
The Gist: This is an
important, well-reported story
from WHYY’s Kevin McCorry, that’s not easily condensed into a
sentence or two. Be sure to check out it out. In summary, McCorry explores how
some charter schools inflate their numbers—graduation rates, college placement,
test scores and so on—by not replacing the large volume of kids who drop out.
Why It Matters: A lot of
reasons. One of the biggest is that this story—and the practices it
documents—reveals what Kelly Davenport, head of school at Freire Charter,
calls a “central tension” of public education. McCorry quotes Davenport
saying: “Is the city calling Freire
charter school to educate all kids, every kid, and provide a basic, standard
education that will fit all of their needs—sort of a one-size fits all, with a
basic graduation diploma?” she said. “Or is the city asking us to produce kids
that have the grit and tenacity and ability to persevere through rigor and
really challenging academic work?” Davenport says, ideally,
she aims to run a school that gives all students that ability. But she
acknowledged that, so far, ditching the neighborhood school enrollment model
has been a part of Freire’s success. A
lot of charter operators think charters should do as district schools do, and
fill openings immediately from their (often long) waiting lists. Other charter
operators, like Davenport ,
disagree. More than anything, the story makes it clear that stacking
up charter schools like Freire against district schools is in no way
an apples-to-apples comparison.
Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/citified/2015/04/10/brief-charter-schools-riff-raff/#PFpsx8SG1ihsiGP1.99
New chief recovery officer
meets with York
school district
Fox43 POSTED 11:05
PM, APRIL 13, 2015, BY MELANIE ORLINS, UPDATED AT 11:08PM, APRIL 13, 2015
The York City School
Board met tonight for the first time since the governor announced a new chief
recovery officer, Dr. Carol Saylor. Saylor will work with the mayor and the
public to come up with a recovery plan for the district. Saylor told FOX43 that out of all of her jobs
in education, turning around the York
City School
District will be the toughest job of her career.
Saylor’s resume includes time as a superintendent at Fairfield Area and Manheim Central School Districts .
Monday night she listened as some district schools presented academic data and
where they rank this year compared to prior years. Superintendent Eric Holmes
talked about restructuring the high school for incoming freshmen as part of the
district’s recovery process.
"The pendulum has swung
a little too far” toward too many standardized tests in school"
Congressman Costello seeks
input from Pottstown schools on too much
testing
West Chester Daily Local By Evan Brandt, ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com,
@PottstownNews on
Twitter POSTED: 04/11/15, 6:05 PM EDT | UPDATED: 2 HRS
AGO
POTTSTOWN >>
“The pendulum has swung a little too far” toward too many standardized tests in
school and U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-6th Dist., has a bill to do something about it, he told a group of
Pottstown educators Thursday. His
timing could not be better, given that Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
(PSSA) tests begin next week. The SMART
Act is also an amendment to an existing bill to re-authorize the No Child Left
Behind act, Costello said during a Thursday visit to the high school
— during which he also visited an early education classroom and took questions
from students in a social studies class.
SMART stands for Support Making Assessments Reliable and Timely and it
is co-sponsored by Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Oregon .
Costello, whose parents and brother are all educators, joked that his
votes “do not fit the profile you might expect from my party.” His observation that students today endure
too much testing and “significantly more” than when he was attending Owen J.
Roberts High
School in the 1990s, was seconded by every
educator in the room where they gathered to present their views.
Protesters speak out
against standardized tests
MICHAELLE
BOND, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST
UPDATED: Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 1:08 AM POSTED: Monday, April 13,
2015, 5:06 PM
After school let out
Monday, the first day of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, a
half-dozen people - students, parents, and grandparents - picketed outside the Olney Transportation
Center to protest the
standardized tests. Standing on the
medians at Broad Street
and Olney Avenue ,
they held signs that read, "No PSSA for Me," and, "I Am Not a
Score!!" They passed out forms for parents and guardians to sign and give
to their children's principals to opt their children out of the tests. Groups that oppose the PSSA and Keystone
exams also launched the statewide www.talesfromthetest.org Monday
to encourage parents, students, and educators to show how state testing has
affected them, and what opting out looks like at their schools.
"Overall, our
goal is to make sure parents are more aware of how testing is impacting our
classrooms and create a space for people to share that information," said
Alison McDowell, parent of a Philadelphia
student and a state representative of United Opt Out National.
The protesters' main
goal Monday, they said, was to make sure parents knew they could opt their
children out of testing.
The Religious Reasons My
Kids Won’t be Taking the Test
As we head into
several weeks of high-stakes-testing here in Pennsylvania , I would like to share with you
the religious reasons my children will not be taking the state mandated PSSAs.
Here is an open letter I sent to Dr.
Linda Lane , Superintendent of Pittsburgh Public
Schools; Dr. Lisa Augustin, Director of Assessment; Ms. Jamie Kinzel-Nath,
Pittsburgh Colfax K-8 principal; and all of our children’s wonderful teachers.
https://yinzercation.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/the-religious-reasons-my-kids-wont-be-taking-the-test/
Some
Parents Oppose Standardized Testing on Principle, but Not in Practice
New York Times By KYLE SPENCER APRIL 13, 2015
This past winter,
Nicholas Gottlieb, the father of a third grader and a sixth grader in
Manhattan, helped organize a citywide forum against standardized testing during
which more than 200 parents and teachers talked about ways to “attack the issue
from different angles.”
Just last month, he
led chants at a rally to protest Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s education platform,
including a plan to make teacher evaluations more dependent on test scores.
But on Tuesday, when
more than a million third through eighth graders in New York State sit for the
first of six English and math testing sessions, Mr. Gottlieb’s two daughters,
who attend Public School 3 in the West Village and the Clinton School for Writers and Artists in
Chelsea, will be opting in. “I would
like to think that I would have the courage of my convictions,” he said. “But
can I really do that when it means I’m gambling with my kids’ futures?”
"John Hamilton, who has
given private violin and viola lessons in his Lancaster city home for many
years, says he sees the future of classical music as “about the same as it is
today.” Hamilton, who plays the viola
for Lancaster Symphony Orchestra and for Lancaster’s Allegro Chamber Orchestra,
credited programs in the public schools for keeping it alive."
Teaching kids to love
classical music
Bonnie Witmer was in
church recently when she heard a little girl nearby humming Mozart’s “Eine
Kleine Nachtmusik.” The piano teacher
took heart. “So parents are still
introducing classical music to their kids,” says Witmer, of Millersville, who
has been giving private lessons here since 1966. One meaning of the word “classical” is
timeless, and some private music teachers here say they believe the state of
classical music is, and will continue to be, healthy — with some reservations.
Pittsburgh-region school district rankings 2015
Teachers unions on the
rise again in New Orleans ,
10 years after charters pushed them out
Hechinger Report by MARTA JEWSON April 13,
2015
Teachers sporting
“proud to be charter and union” buttons filled almost every seat in Morris Jeff Community School ’s
library on Tuesday in anticipation of the New
Orleans campus’ board of directors vote to recognize
their union. The room buzzed with
excitement, and the audience was rewarded with a unanimous board
acknowledgement of the union, putting the five-year old charter school onto a
barely blazed trail. Like most urban
districts, teachers in the New Orleans Public Schools for decades worked under
union-negotiated contracts. But after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with
devastated infrastructure and too few students, the school year was effectively
cancelled and the city’s teachers were eventually laid off.
Hillary Clinton and
Education: What's Her Record? What Will She Campaign On?
Education Week By Alyson Klein on April
12, 2015 3:30 PM
It's been pretty
clear for quite a while now that former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton was going to run for president. But what's less clear, even now that she's announced:
Where would Clinton take the nation—and a divided Democratic Party—when it
comes to testing, the Common Core State Standards, accountability, charter
schools, and education funding?
It's too early to
say for sure. But Clinton's edu-record holds a lot of clues.
DISTRICT TO HOLD SEVEN
COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETINGS
Wednesday,
April 15
Wednesday,
April 22
Tuesday,
April 28
Wednesday,
May 6
Tuesday,
May 12
Thursday,
May 14
Congreso, 216 West Somerset St .
Wednesday,
May 20
Nominations for PSBA
offices closes April 30
PSBA Leadership Development Committee seeks strong leaders for the association
Members interested in becoming the next leaders of PSBA are encouraged to complete an Application for Nomination no later than April 30. As a member-driven association, the Leadership Development Committee (LDC) is seeking nominees with strong skills in leadership and communication, and who have vision for PSBA. The positions open are:
PSBA Leadership Development Committee seeks strong leaders for the association
Members interested in becoming the next leaders of PSBA are encouraged to complete an Application for Nomination no later than April 30. As a member-driven association, the Leadership Development Committee (LDC) is seeking nominees with strong skills in leadership and communication, and who have vision for PSBA. The positions open are:
- 2016 President Elect (one-year term)
- 2016 Vice President (one-year term)
- 2016 Eastern Section at Large
Representative - includes Regions 7, 8, 10, 11 and 15 (three-year
term)
Complete details on
the nomination process, including scheduled dates for nominee interviews, can
be found online by clicking here.
Please join Education Voters, school
officials, community leaders and guest legislators at upcoming community forums
in the Lehigh Valley, central PA, and Southeastern PA to discuss school
funding and state funding policy. Click HERE for more details.
Pre-registration for the forum is recommended, but not necessary.
Lehigh Valley Forum April 22,
7:00-8:30
Penn State Lehigh
Valley , 2809 Saucon Valley Rd , Center Valley , PA 18034
The entrance is at the back of the building and parking is available in lots by the school.
The entrance is at the back of the building and parking is available in lots by the school.
Confirmed panelists
include:
Dr. Bill Haberl, superintendent, Pen Argyl Area SD
Dr. Joe Roy, superintendent, Bethlehem Area SD
Mr. Rich Sniscak, superintendent,Parkland SD
Mr. Russ Giordano, school board director,Salisbury
Township SD
Dr. Bill Haberl, superintendent, Pen Argyl Area SD
Dr. Joe Roy, superintendent, Bethlehem Area SD
Mr. Rich Sniscak, superintendent,
Mr. Russ Giordano, school board director,
Ms. Stacy Gober,
CFO, Bethlehem Area SD
Ms. Susan Gobreski,
Executive Director, Education Voters of PA
Moderator: Roberta
Marcus, School Board Director, Parkland
SD
Register HERE to attend the Lehigh Valley
education forum.
Central PA education forum
Tuesday,
April 28, 6:30-8:30
Grace Lutheran
Church (in Harkins Hall), 205 S. Garner Street ,
State College
Panelists
Dr. Cheryl Potteiger, superintendent, Bellefonte Area School District
Ms. Kelly Hastings, superintendent, Keystone Central School District
Mr. James Estep, superintendent, Mifflin County School District
Mr. Sean Daubert, CFO, Mifflin County School District
Dr. Robert O’Donnell, superintendent, State College Area School District
Mr. David Hutchison, school board member, State College Area School District
Ms. Cathy Harlow, superintendent, Tyrone Area School District
Mrs. Linda Smith, superintendent, Williamsburg Community School District
Dr. Cheryl Potteiger, superintendent, Bellefonte Area School District
Ms. Kelly Hastings, superintendent, Keystone Central School District
Mr. James Estep, superintendent, Mifflin County School District
Mr. Sean Daubert, CFO, Mifflin County School District
Dr. Robert O’Donnell, superintendent, State College Area School District
Mr. David Hutchison, school board member, State College Area School District
Ms. Cathy Harlow, superintendent, Tyrone Area School District
Mrs. Linda Smith, superintendent, Williamsburg Community School District
Register HERE to attend the central PA education forum.
Southeastern PA Regional
Meeting on School Funding
Wednesday April 29th 7:00 pmSpringfield High School Auditorium, 49
West Leamy Avenue, Springfield ,
PA 19064
Wednesday April 29th 7:00 pm
Local school
district leaders will discuss how state funding issues are impacting our
children’s educational opportunities, our local taxes and our communities.
Hosted byDelaware County School
Boards Legislative Council, Education Voters of PA, the Keystone State
Education Coalition and Public Citizens for Children and Youth
Hosted by
Panelists:
Mr. Frank Agovino, school board president, Springfield
School District and Board of Directors, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce
Dr. James Capolupo, superintendent, Springfield School District
Dr. Wagner Marseille,
Acting Superintendent, Lower Merion School District
Mr. Joe Bruni, superintendent, William Penn
School District
Dr. Richard Dunlap, superintendent, Upper Darby School District
Mr. Stanley Johnson.
Executive Director of Operations, Phoenixville Area School District
Ms. Susan Gobreski, Executive Director, Education Voters of
PA
Moderator: Mr. Lawrence Feinberg, Chairman, Delaware County School
Boards Legislative Council
Registration info to be
provided soon.
All are invited for a screening of the
documentary:
STANDARDIZED: Lies, Money
& Civil Rights—How Testing is Ruining Public Education Monday,
April 27, 7-9PM
The Saturday Club, 117 West Wayne Avenue , Wayne ,
PA
Standardized testing
has long been a part of public education. Over the last ten years however,
education reform has become an increasingly heated political issue and
seemingly a highly profitable target market for private enterprise resulting in
expanded and high-stakes testing. While some hold the view that testing is an
effective assessment of student ability and teacher and school effectiveness,
many feel these exams are instead undermining our students, teachers and
schools. Daniel Hornberger’s STANDARDIZED documentary raises issues
about this model of education reform and
the standardized testing that goes along with it. The film includes interviews
with prominent educational experts and government officials who take aim at the
goal of standardization that is being promoted and imposed by our federal and
state governments. It sheds light on the development, nature and use of these
assessments, the consequences of high-stakes testing, and the ostensible
private enterprise and government agendas behind them.
A Q&A session with a panel
of informed parents, teachers and experts will follow.
This screening is made possible
through a collaboration of Radnor, Tredyffrin/Easttown and Lower
Merion concerned parents and PTOs.
Your Right to a Fair Shot: Discrimination Claims,
Post-Secondary and the Professions
Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia Tuesday,
April 21, 2015 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
United Way Building 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway , Philadelphia ,
19103
Attendees will learn
about discrimination claims, post-secondary schools and the professions in this
session. You'll learn how federal law aids students with disabilities who
do not qualify for special education services, hear about recent cases, and
understand strategies for getting students services. This session is co-sponsored by the
University of Pennsylvania School of Policy and Practice, a Pre-approved
Provider of Continuing Education for Pennsylvania
licensed social workers.
Tickets: Attorneys
$200 General Public $100 Webinar $50
"Pay What You Can" tickets
are also available
Who will be at the PSBA Advocacy Forum April 19-20 in
Mechanicsburg and Harrisburg ?
- Acting
Ed Sec'y Pedro Rivera
- Senate
Ed Committee Majority Chairman Lloyd Smucker
- House
Ed Committee Majority Chairman Stan Saylor
- Senate
Appropriations Committee Chair Pat Browne
- Diane
Ravitch
- House
Majority Leader Dave Reed
- House
Minority Leader Frank Dermody
- 2014
PSBA Tim Allwein Advocacy Award winners Shauna D'Alessandro and Mark
Miller
How about You?
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.
·
Registration is only $25! We don't want cost
to be a factor. That's how important public education advocacy is!
·
Can't make the two days? Register and come to
either day that works into your schedule.
Details and Registration for PSBA members (only $25.00) https://www.psba.org/event/advocacy-forum-day-hill-2015/
Register for the April 18 Education Voters
Advocacy Summit in Harrisburg
Education Voters of Pennsylvania
will be holding a half-day advocacy summit for public education advocates on
Saturday April 18 from 10:00-2:00 in Harrisburg ,
PA.
During the summit we
will:
- Get an update on Governor Wolf’s budget
from John Hanger, secretary of planning and policy,
- Develop successful advocacy techniques
and strategies to maximize our impact on public policy,
- Receive organizing and communications
training
- Network with other advocates from
throughout the state, and
- Leave prepared to support fair and
adequate state funding for schools this year!
Event Location: Temple University
Harrisburg 234 Strawberry Square Harrisburg ,
PA 17101
Lunch will be
provided. Please register today! Space is limited.
Curmuducation Blog Saturday, March 21, 2015
I don't get out much. I'm a high school English teacher in a
small town, and kind of homebody by nature. When I leave town, it's for family
or work. But in just over a month, on the weekend of April 25-26, I am taking a
trip to Chicago
for neither. The Network for Public
Education is the closest thing to an actual formal organization of the
many and varied people standing up for public education in this modern era of
privatizing test-driven corporate education reform. NPE held a conference last
year, and they're doing it again this year-- a gathering of many of the
strongest voices for public education in America today. Last year I
followed along on line-- this year I will be there.
Beyond a New School Funding
Formula: Lifting Student Achievement to Grow PA's Economy
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM (EDT) Harrisburg , PA
7:30 am: Light breakfast fare and registration; 8:00 am:
Program
Opening Remarks by Neil D. Theobald, President, Temple University
SESSION I: THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN
PENNSYLVANIA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS with introduction by Rob Wonderling,
President, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and Member, Center on
Regional Politics Executive Committee.
Presentation by Lynn A. Karoly, Senior Economist, RAND
Corporation
SESSION II: WHAT CAN PENNSYLVANIA
LEARN FROM THE WORLD’S LEADING SCHOOL SYSTEMS? with introduction
by David H. Monk, Dean, Pennsylvania
State University College
of Education .
Presentation by Marc S. Tucker, President and CEO, National Center on Education and the
Economy
Sessions to be followed by a response panel moderated
by Francine Schertzer, Director of Programming, Pennsylvania Cable
Network
Program presented by the University Consortium to Improve
Public School Finance and Promote Economic Growth
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