Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
reach more than 3600 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, faith-based organizations, labor organizations,
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
Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for June 12, 2015:
Advocates Demonstrate
Locally For Better Education Funding Across Pennsylvania
COMMUNITY MEETING: PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING
IN BERKS COUNTY
Berks County IU June 23, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Come to Harrisburg on June 23rd for an All for
Education Day Rally!
Education Voters PA website June 1, 2015
House Democrats report
more inclusion in budget discussions
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Wednesday, June
10, 2015
In an exclusive
interview with The PLS Reporter, House Minority Leader Frank
Dermody (D-Allegheny) said his caucus is more involved with budget discussions
and negotiations on other major pieces of legislation than at any other time in
his caucus leadership. “We are in the
room and that’s very, very important,” he said. “I think the governor has made
it clear that he’s not going to move forward without us.” He stated he believes the budget and related
legislation will not be passed without Democratic votes. “Everybody recognizes that,” he said. “That
being the case, we need to be in the room, in the negotiating process.” Rep. Dermody said House and Senate Democrats
have a standing meeting with the governor on Mondays and Republicans are
meeting with the governor on Tuesdays.
Budget cold war continues
between Wolf, GOP
CAITLIN MCCABE AND
BEN FINLEY, INQUIRER STAFF
WRITERS LAST UPDATED: Friday, June 12, 2015, 1:08 AM
POSTED: Thursday, June 11, 2015, 8:05 PM
After meeting behind
closed doors in Harrisburg earlier this week, Gov. Wolf and state House Speaker
Mike Turzai said little about their talks to find common ground on a new
budget. But as both swung
through the Philadelphia region Thursday, they left little doubt their gap was
as wide as ever. Turzai, an Allegheny
County Republican, used a stop in Delaware County to rip Wolf's plan to tax
natural-gas drillers, a key plank in the Democratic governor's budget proposal. Fifty miles away, in
Doylestown, Wolf and his wife sat with school officials extolling his plan to
levy a 5 percent tax on extracted natural gas, which they say would raise about
$1 billion for schools. He also has proposed a per-cubic-foot fee on the gas
produced. "The point I'm trying to
make is that we can save education across the commonwealth, because it's
morally the right thing to do," Wolf said during a forum at Central Bucks High
School East. "Not only is that true, but it's smart."
"If I were in the state
Legislature, I wouldn't be making any big plans for the July 4th weekend."
Delco Times Heron's
Nest Blog by Editor Phil Heron Friday, June 12, 2015
Welcome to Harrisburg , Mr. Wolf.
So, you think you're
having a bad week? Consider yourself lucky. You could be governor of the Keystone State Harrisburg . Last week he saw his much-hyped budget plan
get shot down by the House, 193-0. Yes, it was unanimous, even his own
Democrats voted against it. Of course, as with everything that goes down in the
capital, it's not exactly what it appears. Republicans, who control both the
House and Senate, put the entire package of tax hikes Wolf wants to fund his
budget, out on the line. Of course, all these people who must run for office
every two years gave it a thumb's down. Wolf and the Democrats called it a
"political stunt."
Senate questions Wolf's plan to broaden state sales
tax
By Karen Langley /
Post-Gazette Harrisburg
Bureau June 11, 2015 12:00 AM
"Consider, first, that
the state Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) concluded in a March 2014 report the
money Pennsylvania
For schools and the future
- here's why lawmakers need to support a shale tax: David Fillman
PennLive Op-Ed By
David Fillman on June 10, 2015 at 2:00 PM, updated June 11, 2015 at
10:54 AM
David Fillman is
the executive director of Council 13 of the American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees. He writes from Swatara Twp.
Gov. Wolf's energy tax
plan would drive industry away, discourage growth: PennLive letters
Penn Live Letters to the Editor by GEOFF FIX, Spring Garden Twp., York County on June 11,
2015 at 3:00 PM
As a York County York County
"The United Way said in 2014 that it is ramping up
its community schools efforts in the Lehigh Valley
By Sara K. Satullo | For
lehighvalleylive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on June 11, 2015 at 10:03 PM,
updated June 12, 2015 at 1:13 AM
The Allentown School Board will
vote later this month to establish another community schools site in
partnership with the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley,
St. Luke's University Health Network, the Boys and Girls Club in Allentown , PPL Corp. and Communities in Schools of the Lehigh Valley United Way
acts as the intermediary, pairing schools with a lead and corporate partner. Allentown is expected to
pay a $5,000 match. The district is hoping to soon have both of its high
schools and two more elementary schools designated as community schools, said
Jacqulyn Scott, district director of community and student services. The United
Way provides funding to the lead partner to hire a
coordinator who will design annual plans to boost educational outcomes. Typically,
the lead and corporate partners also help pay the coordinator's salary.
A play and pleas for Pa.
WHYY Newsworks BY SARA HOOVER JUNE 11, 2015
The debate over how
to fund Pennsylvania 's
schools is heating up as the governor and lawmakers face a June 30 budget
deadline. The advocacy organization Public Citizens for Children & Youth
held press conferences demanding a fair school funding formula today at various
spots around southeast Pennsylvania .
On the steps of the Montgomery County Courthouse, Norristown superintendent
Janet Samuels said Pennsylvania
is one of only three states in the country without an education funding
formula. She says the Keystone
State
Advocates Demonstrate
Locally For Better Education Funding Across Pennsylvania
CBS Philly By Jim Melwert June 11, 2015 1:49 PM
NORRISTOWN, Pa.
(CBS) — Advocates for better state funding for education in Pennsylvania took
their cause to the steps of the courthouses today in Montgomery, Chester, and
Delaware counties. Norristown school
district superintendent Janet Samuels pointed out that Pennsylvania
is one of only three states in the United States that doesn’t have a
basic formula to distribute resources fairly and consistently to districts
across the state. “Pennsylvania has one of the widest gaps
between the wealthy and less-endowed, or poorer, school districts as compared
to any other state in this country,” she said.
And that, she says, forces her district, like so many others in the
state, to rely heavily on local resources such as real estate taxes.
By Brendan Wills,
The Times Herald POSTED: 06/11/15,
2:16 PM EDT
NORRISTOWN >>
The day after the Basic Education Funding Commission extended its deadline to
deliver a recommendation for a funding formula for Pennsylvania basic education
to the Legislature, public school administrators and teachers across the
commonwealth took to their local courthouse steps to urge the legislature to
fairly fund schools. Norristown Area
School District Superintendent Janet Samuels stood on the steps of the
Montgomery County Court House Thursday in front of education advocates to ask
that all legislators think of students attending school districts that struggle
to come up with funds to adequately educate their children. Samuels noted how
economic advancement is directly linked to educational achievement, and that
despite education being the great equalizer, Pennsylvania has no formula to distribute
equally the funding provided by the state.
Superintendents Call for Fair School
WeAreCentralPA by Christian
Heilman June 11, 2015
EBENSBURG, CAMBRIA COUNTY Johnstown . I saw it in a better time and I
knew that there were kids there if they had more attention, would've done
better." He set up a rally in the
shadows of the Cambria County Courthouse -- calling for Harrisburg to change what he calls unfair
funding. "It's not adequate,” he
said. “There's not enough money put into children's education based on a
legislative study done about eight years ago." He thinks the state should change how they fund schools - including using money
from shale fees, a property tax increase and a broader sales tax. He says the
return on the money will be people getting jobs and an education. "So we either do it right in the first
quarter of life or we sponsor people for the last three quarters of their
life,” Zahorchak said. “We're asking to get it right and it begins by building
a great public education system."
"The number of findings
and recommendations indicates a systemic breakdown in accountability,
effectiveness and transparency," he said. "Our audit shows not only a
clear need for changes within this charter school, but for legislative reforms
of the charter school laws and the Department of Education's regulations,
guidelines, and policies."
State auditor general:
'There is no way to account for every dollar' at York charter school
By Candy Woodall | cwoodall@pennlive.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
June 11, 2015 at 10:15 AM
A state audit shows
a York City charter school double billed students, didn't have enough certified
staff and failed to keep proper financial and health records. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale on Thursday
said the record keeping at Helen Thackston Charter School was so deficient it
was "nearly impossible to draw sound conclusions" on how the
institution functioned and spent money. "In
the Thackston charter school's case, there is no way to account for every
dollar, or to know if the school operated as intended because a breakdown of
internal controls," he said. The 63-page report reveals a
potential ethics violation, issues with teacher certifications, concerns about
reimbursements and double billing for tuition reimbursements from local school
districts. DePasquale's audit reviewed
school operations from 2010 to 2013 and includes 12 findings, two observations
and 52 recommendations for improvement.
State audit shows multiple
concerns at York City's Thackston Charter
A state audit on a York City Helen Thackston
Charter School
"Those are all
of our tax dollars..." he said. "We owe it to parents, taxpayers, and
especially the students to make sure that every education dollar is focused on
improving learning opportunities."
Audit finds 'systematic
breakdown of accountability' at charter school
State
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale announced the findings on Helen Thackston
Charter School
Thursday in York
York Daily Record By Dylan Segelbaum dsegelbaum@ydr.com
@dylan_segelbaum on Twitter 6/11/2015
Describing the
report as a "Reader's Digest for how to have bad governance,"
Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale on Thursday released the results
of a 63-page audit of Helen Thackston Charter School, which documents
record-keeping so poor that it's almost impossible to account for every dollar
it spent. "The number of findings
and recommendations indicates a systematic breakdown in accountability,
effectiveness and transparency," he said at a news conference. The audit includes 12 findings and states
that Helen Thackston Charter
School
West Shore School Board
approves a more than 5 percent tax increase for Cumberland, York
Penn Live ` By Rachel Bunn | rbunn@pennlive.com Email
the author | Follow on Twitter on June 11,
2015 at 7:20 PM, updated June 11, 2015 at 8:09 PM
The West Shore
School Board approved a more than 5 percent increase in
its tax rate in both Cumberland and York counties to fund the $105,662,739
budget for next school year Thursday. The tax increase is
5.15 percent for Cumberland County to 10.1788 mills; in York County, the
increase is 5.26 percent to 13.2522 mills, according to the district's budget information. Under the new rates,
a Cumberland County resident with a $100,000 property
assessment will pay $985.40 per year; a York County resident
will pay $1,282.
Bald Eagle Area school
board approves budget
Centre Daily Times BY CLAYTON OVER cover@centredaily.com June
11, 2015
Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2015/06/11/4790154_bald-eagle-area-school-board-approves.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
By Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com Email
the author | Follow on Twitter on June 11,
2015 at 1:42 PM, updated June 11, 2015 at 3:01 PM
The Saucon Valley School Board says
that its teachers union's contract proposal is at least $3.9 million more
expensive than the board's best offer.
The school board and Saucon Valley Education Association both
released their final, best contract offer this week ahead of a July nonbonding
arbitration hearing.
"It would seem the most
likely impact of this legislation on the city, if it should pass, would be to
accelerate — perhaps dramatically — the conversion of traditional neighborhood
public schools into charters. That prospect alarms Superintendent Bill Hite, because of the stranded
costs created by charter conversions."
The Brief: State Moves Closer to Taking Over Philly Schools — Again
The Brief: State Moves Closer to Taking Over Philly Schools — Again
Philly Mag Citified BY PATRICK KERKSTRA | JUNE
10, 2015 AT 7:34 AM
1. A state Senate
committee approved a bill that would put low-performing Pennsylvania schools
into a state-run system.
The gist: The Inquirer’s Chris Palmer
reports that the Senate Education Committee moved the
legislation, which would give the lowest-performing five percent of
schools statewide two to three years to improve, and compel those
that don’t to convert to charter schools or contract with outside
education providers. If enacted, Palmer
reports, about 100 Philadelphia public schools could be impacted. They’d join a
state takeover district, or “achievement district,” which would be overseen by
a statewide board. Republican Education
Committee Chair Lloyd Smucker says the bill has bipartisan backing, but it’s
not clear which Democrats are supporting it. Philadelphia State Senator Vincent
Hughes will introduce a rival bill ordering up a different set of reforms for
low-performing schools, including smaller class sizes, more school hours and
enhanced social services, Palmer reports.
Why it matters: It seems
unlikely the Republican-controlled state legislature will approve significant
new funding for schools without tying some big, thick strings to the cash. This
certainly qualifies.
Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/citified/2015/06/10/state-takeover-district/#wq3l2FWdgGkEq0rb.99
COMMENTARY: The Opt-Out
Movement Is Gaining Momentum
Education Week By Michael P. Evans & Andrew Saultz Published Online: June 9, 2015
Michael P. Evans
is an associate professor of family, school, and community connections at Miami University
in Ohio Miami University
While addressing a
group of state schools superintendents in 2013, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
described opposition to the Common Core State Standards as
driven by "white suburban moms" whose primary concern was that
"their child isn't as brilliant as they thought they were, and their
school isn't quite as good as they thought." In essence, Secretary Duncan dismissed
parental opposition as the byproduct of self-interested parents who were more
concerned about solidifying their social status than with the quality of
education their children received. Unfortunately, this line of thinking has been
all too common in education circles and has resulted in families being pushed
to the margins when it comes to education policymaking.
Two years later,
opposition to both the common core and its affiliated assessments has grown
exponentially.
Testing Resistance & Reform News: June 3 - June 9,
2015
The Center for Fair
and Open Testing Submitted by fairtest on June 9, 2015 - 12:36pm
With stories from
more than half of the 50 states, this week's news clips show the expanding
breadth, depth and clout of the assessment resistance and reform movement. You
can help strengthen support for grassroots activism by making contributing to
the campaign for Less Testing, More Learning
"Religious leaders,
including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, are pushing for the measure. So is an
assemblage of wealthy financiers, including several billionaires, who have
helped fund the Coalition for
Opportunity in Education, which has run an elaborate lobbying campaign to
persuade lawmakers. A version of the
proposal, released last month by Mr. Cuomo, offers tax credits for people and
businesses that donate money to nonprofit organizations to pay for scholarships
for students at private schools, including religious ones. Donors would receive
a tax credit for 75 percent of their donation, with a maximum credit of $1
million. Their tax bill would be reduced by the amount of the credit, making it
much more valuable than a charitable deduction."
Cuomo
Seeks to Link Bills on Rent Regulation and Private School Tax Credits
New York Times By THOMAS KAPLAN JUNE 11, 2015
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on
Thursday that he was trying to get two contentious legislative issues — rent
regulations and a
tax credit meant to expand access to private schools — approved by the
Assembly and the Senate by linking the fates of both. In an interview with The New York Times, Mr.
Cuomo said he was trying to play “a mediation role” in the final days of this
year’s legislative session, which is scheduled to end Wednesday. “Part of my job is to get both parties to
agree to a solution, right?” Mr. Cuomo said, explaining that the Senate “badly”
wants the education tax credit, and the Assembly “badly wants rent regulations
increased.”
EPLC "Focus on
Education" TV Program on PCN - Sunday, June 14 at 3:00
p.m.
Part 1:
Marcus S. Lingenfelter discusses the National Math & Science Initiative and
how it supports improved math and science education in Pennsylvania and other
states.
Marcus Lingenfelter
is the Vice President of State & Federal Programs with the
National Math + Science Initiative
Topic 2: Dr. Terry Madonna discusses
Pennsylvania's political and legislative landscape, and implications for
funding for public education.
Dr. G. Terry Madonna
is the Director of the Franklin & Marshall College poll, Professor of Public
Affairs, and Director of the Center for Politics & Public Affairs
All 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.
Rally in West Chester for
a State Budget Chester County Kids Deserve
Tuesday, June 16th
at Noon Location: Old Courthouse Steps
in West Chester Corner of High and Market Streets
Join parents, teachers, students, school staff, community advocates, and
local leaders to demand a state budget that invests in your community, your
students, and your schools.
Speakers include: Carolyn Comitta, Mayor of West Chester
Dr. Robert Langley,
Lincoln University,
Lincoln-AAUP
President
Dr. Curry Malott, West
Chester University
College of Education
Dr. Kenneth Mash, East
Stroudsburg University,
APSCUF President
Susan Carty, President, PA
League of Women Voters, Retired Educator
Contact Doug Brown at 717-236-7486 for more information
Come to Harrisburg on June 23rd for an All for
Education Day Rally!
Education Voters PA website June 1, 2015
On June 23 at the Capitol in Harrisburg, Education Voters will be
joining together with more than 50 organizations to send a clear message to
state lawmakers that we expect them to fund our schools in this year’s
budget. Click
HERE for more information and to register for the June 23 All for Education Day
in Harrisburg. Join us as we speak up for the importance of
funding our schools fairly and at sufficient levels, so that every student in
PA has an opportunity to learn. Community,
parent, education advocacy, faith, and labor organizations will join together
with school, municipal, and community officials to hold a press conference and
rally at 12:00 in the main rotunda and to make arrangements to meet with
legislators before and after the rally. We
must send a strong message to state lawmakers that we are watching them and
expect them to pass a state budget that will fund our schools this year. Please
come to Harrisburg on June 23 to show broad support for a fair budget for
education this year.
Register Now – PAESSP
State Conference – Oct. 18-20 – State College, PA
Registration is now
open for PAESSP's State Conference to be held October 18-20 at The
Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA! This year's
theme is @EVERYLEADER and features three nationally-known keynote
speakers (Dr. James Stronge, Justin Baeder and Dr. Mike Schmoker), professional
breakout sessions, a legal update, exhibits, Tech Learning Labs and many
opportunities to network with your colleagues (Monday evening event with Jay
Paterno). Once again, in conjunction
with its conference, PAESSP will offer two 30-hour Act 45 PIL-approved
programs, Linking Student Learning to Teacher Supervision and Evaluation
(pre-conference offering on 10/17/15); and Improving Student Learning
Through Research-Based Practices: The Power of an Effective Principal (held
during the conference, 10/18/15 -10/20/15). Register for either or both PIL
programs when you register for the Full Conference!
REGISTER TODAY for
the Conference and Act 45 PIL program/s at:
Apply
now for EPLC’s 2015-2016 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program
Applications are
available now for the 2015-2016
Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).
The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The
Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC).
With more than 400 graduates in its first sixteen years, this
Program is a premier professional development opportunity for educators, state
and local policymakers, advocates, and community leaders. State Board of
Accountancy (SBA) credits are available to certified public accountants. Past participants include state policymakers,
district superintendents and principals, charter school leaders, school
business officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide
association leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education
and community leaders. Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer
or another organization. The Fellowship
Program begins with a two-day retreat on September 17-18, 2015 and
continues to graduation in June 2016.
Click here to read about the Education Policy
Fellowship Program.
Sign up here to receive a weekly
email update on the status of efforts to have Pennsylvania adopt an adequate,
equitable, predictable and sustainable Basic Education Funding Formula by 2016
Sign up to support fair funding »
Campaign for Fair
Education Funding website
Our goal is to
ensure that every student has access to a quality education no matter where
they live. To make that happen, we need to fundamentally change how public
schools are funded. The current system is not fair to students or taxpayers and
our campaign partners – more than 50 organizations from across Pennsylvania -
agree that it has to be changed now. Student performance is stagnating. School
districts are in crisis. Lawmakers have the ability to change this formula but
they need to hear from you. You
can make a difference »
COMMUNITY MEETING: PUBLIC
SCHOOL FUNDING IN BERKS COUNTY
Berks County IU June 23,
7:00 - 8:30 pm
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 Time:7:00 – 8:30 p.m. | Registration begins
at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Berks County Intermediate Unit, 1111 Commons Boulevard,
Reading, PA 19605
Local school district leaders will discuss how state funding issues are
impacting our children’s education opportunities, our local taxes, and our
communities. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn how you
can support fair and adequate state funding for public schools in Berks County. State lawmakers who represent Berks County
have been invited to attend to learn about challenges facing area schools.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.