Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
reach more than 3750 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 September 30, 2015:
Wolf Vetos Stopgap; PSSA Scores released
"We hope that this
Supreme Court will step up because the disparities between wealthy and poor
school districts in Pennsylvania are the greatest in the country, with the
wealthiest school districts spending 33 percent more per pupil than the poorest,"
said Jennifer Clarke, executive director of the Public Interest Law
Center, in a statement."
School-funding advocates appeal to Supreme Court
The lawsuit involving School
District of Lancaster Commonwealth
Court
LANCASTERONLINE | Staff Septeember 29, 2015
The School District
of Lancaster and five other Pennsylvania school
districts are seeking a full trial with the state Supreme Court in a lawsuit
that contends the state's school-funding system is broken and needs to be fixed
to comply with the state constitution. A
brief was filed Friday in the state Supreme Court after the Commonwealth Court dismissed the lawsuit
against the governor, the secretary of education, the State Board of Education
and legislative leaders. When dismissing the case in April, the Commonwealth Court said that a legal
challenge to the state's system of funding public schools involves political
questions that were outside the jurisdiction of courts. Judge Dan Pellegrini
had said it is up to the Legislature to determine how much money each district
needs. The lawsuit is seeking a
school-funding model that is not over-dependent on local property taxes and
complies with the state constitution, which guarantees a "thorough and
efficient system of public education" for all children.
Stalemate's cost to Pa.
WHYY Newsworks BY MARY WILSON SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
For more than a dozen school districts in Pennsylvania , the state budget impasse
already has a cost: $11 million in interest payments just to stay open. State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale
trumpeted the debtors' names Tuesday as part of his mission to deliver regular
updates on how schools are faring as Harrisburg's gridlock stretches on. DePasquale
said his office has already heard from more than half of the state's 500 school
districts. "One school district
official told us that dipping into the district's reserves and taking out loans
to deal with the lack of the state's subsidy payments is 'like we're
essentially being forced to borrow our own money,'" said DePasquale during
a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda. According to state auditors, 16 school districts and two
regional intermediate units have reported taking out loans for $10 million or
less. The Philadelphia
City School
District
Budget impasse could cost schools $11.2M in interest,
fees
By Kate Giammarise and Karen Langley / Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau
September 29, 2015 11:02 PM
Governor Wolf Vetoes Republican Stopgap, Calls on
Republican Leaders to get Serious about Pennsylvania
"Instead of seriously negotiating a final budget that
funds education with a commonsense severance tax, fixes our deficit without
gimmicks and provides property tax relief for middle-class families and
seniors, Republican leaders passed a stopgap budget that once again sells out
the people of Pennsylvania to oil
and gas companies and Harrisburg special
interests. Republican leaders are intent on Harrisburg politics
as usual and embracing a failed status quo that is holding Pennsylvania back.
Just like their sham budget in June, this stopgap budget makes it clear
that Republican leaders not only want to do nothing to move the
commonwealth forward, but they are intent on taking us backwards. If the
Republican budget became law, our deficit would balloon to $3
billion, and instead of restoring education funding, even further cuts would
become necessary, and our credit rating would become junk status – that's
unacceptable.
"Throughout negotiations, I have tried hard to
compromise, and recently, I offered historic reforms to the liquor and pension
systems, two areas Republicans say are priorities, and in return, I have
received nothing on education, a severance tax or fixing the deficit. Despite
the political posturing and blatant obstruction by Republican leaders, I know
there are rank and file Republican legislators who understand the
importance of investing in education and there are rank and file
Republican legislators who support a commonsense severance tax. Now is the time
to come together to accomplish that goal – Pennsylvania cannot wait any longer.
"At every turn, Republican leaders have prevented
serious negotiations because they are unwilling to take on oil and gas
companies and Harrisburg special
interests to make the long-term investments in education and
the changes needed to help Pennsylvania
families."
For a copy of Governor Wolf's veto message, click here.
With stopgap budget
vetoed, negotiators resume pointing fingers for failed budget agreement
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Tuesday, September
29, 2015
Gov. Tom Wolf didn’t offer any surprises Tuesday as he
followed through on his promise to veto the stopgap budget plan passed by the
Republican controlled General Assembly.
Gov. Wolf said he vetoed the bills as soon as they were
delivered to him on Tuesday.
“All of us want a budget, we don’t want stopgaps, we don’t
want continuing resolutions, Pennsylvanians deserve a budget and one that
actually works and funds schools,” he told a small gaggle of reporters awaiting
his exit from the Capitol Tuesday afternoon.
“If we don’t do this right, we’re going to have a $3 billion
deficit next year and we’re not going to be able to fund schools, we’re going
to have huge cuts, and that’s not going to work.”
The veto of the stopgap came on the same day as Auditor
General Eugene DePasquale provided an update on the progress of his look into
how the budget impasse is negatively impacting the finances of Pennsylvania ’s public
schools.
Surprising no one, Gov.
Tom Wolf has vetoed GOP-crafted stopgap budget
Penn Live By Christian Alexandersen |
calexandersen@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on September 29, 2015 at 12:29 PM,
updated September 29, 2015 at 1:09 PM
Gov. Tom Wolf has said over and over
again that he would veto the Republican-crafted stopgap budget
unless significant movement was made to finalize a complete budget. On Tuesday,
he kept his word. Wolf vetoed the $11 billion stopgap budget that
originated with Republicans in the Pennsylvania Senate. In a fiery statement on
Tuesday, Wolf called on Republicans leaders to get serious about negotiating a
final budget that moves the state forward.
Republican leaders say
Gov. Tom Wolf's veto holds 'vital services hostage'
Penn Live By Christian Alexandersen |
calexandersen@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on September 29, 2015 at 1:05 PM
Senate Republican leaders criticized Gov. Tom Wolf's decision to veto the
GOP-crafted stopgap budget, saying that it leaves struggling school districts
and social service providers without emergency funding. Wolf announced Tuesday that he vetoed the
$11 billion stopgap budget proposal, something he has said he would do if significant movement was not made in
finalizing a complete budget. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman and
Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati said
in a statement that Wolf's veto was him saying "no to vital funding for
schools and community organizations."
Let's call Tuesday's
budget collapse what it is - an embarrassment: John L. Micek
Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com Email
the author | Follow on Twitter on
September 29, 2015 at 3:48 PM, updated September 29, 2015 at 3:50 PM
About an hour after Gov. Tom Wolf surprised exactly no one by vetoing a
Republican-authored stopgap funding plan, Rep. Seth Grove had just one word to describe the state of
affairs under the Capitol dome. "Catastrophe,"
the winded York County Republican said as he raced toward the state House
chamber on Tuesday afternoon. Why Grove was in such a hurry is
anyone's guess. Nothing's going to be
solved any time soon. Never mind the fact nonprofits are borrowing money to
stay afloat. And the already
cash-strapped Steelton-Highspire School District is among dozens on the verge
of running out of cash. In
fact, the slow-motion car crash that passes for a budget debate in Pennsylvania is now such
a tangled mess of smoking wreckage and such a crossfire of recriminations that
it does a disservice to honest, hardworking slow-motion car crashes across this
great land of ours.
Department of Education
Releases Results From New PA Core-Aligned Pennsylvania
PDE Press Release 09/29/2015
The results on the new assessment show fewer students are scoring advanced or proficient, particularly in mathematics. However,
2015 PSSA data can be found at: http://www.education.pa.gov/Pages/PSSA-Information.aspx
Curmuducation Blog by Peter Greene Thursday, July 9, 2015
Brace yourself, Pennsylvania
teachers. The cut scores for last years tests have been set, and they are not
pretty. Yesterday the State
Board's Council of Basic Education met to settle their recommendations to
the State Board of Education regarding cut scores for the 2014-2015 test
results. Because, yes-- cut scores are set after test results are in, not
before. You'll see why shortly. My
source at the meeting (don't laugh-- I do actually have sources of information
here and there) passed along some of the results, as well as an analysis of the
impact of the new scores and the Board's own explanation of how these scores
are set. The worst news is further down the stage, but first I have to explain
how we get there.
PSSA Scores Tank;
Researchers from the National Center for Educational Statistics rank PA
students as among the best in the nation.
PA Ed Policy Roundup September 27, 2015:
As scores plummet, Lehigh Valley
By Jacqueline Palochko, Sarah M. Wojcik, Christina Tatu and Eugene Tauber Of The
Morning Call contact the reporters
September 29, 2015
As expected, scores on the state's standardized tests
plummeted across the state and in the Lehigh Valley, leaving school leaders
frustrated over what they see as an overrated measure of student achievement. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
scores, released Tuesday, saw an average 35 percent dip in math and a 9
percent drop in English/language arts scores across the state. Lehigh Valley school districts followed that trend,
with the urban school districts posting particularly low scores in math.
This was the first time tests were aligned with the
Pennsylvania Core Standards, the state's version of Common Core. The Core
Standards were adopted by the state in 2013.
State officials told districts in the summer to brace for
sagging scores, so the results Tuesdaywere not shocking. Still, school
leaders are not masking their dissatisfaction.
"State test results are not the sum and substance of our students'
knowledge," Parkland Superintendent Richard Sniscak said. "Our
students did not change in their ability level, our teachers haven't changed in
their dedication or commitment to their craft, but the assessment has
changed."
How Lehigh Valley schools
scored on the new PSSAs
By Sara K. Satullo | For
lehighvalleylive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on September 29, 2015 at 7:38 PM, updated September 29, 2015 at 8:01 PM
on September 29, 2015 at 7:38 PM, updated September 29, 2015 at 8:01 PM
After weeks of cautions about falling standardized test
scores, the Pennsylvania Department of Education Tuesday
released the 2015 scores for elementary and middle schools.
On average, Pennsylvania
saw the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced on the reading
PSSA dropped by 9.4 percent and in math by 35.4 percent. Students in third through eighth grade are
tested annually in math and reading. The science tests given to students in
fourth and eighth grade were unchanged. Sixty
percent of Pennsylvania
students who took the PSSAs scored proficient or advanced on the tests. Only 40
percent scored at or above grade level for the math tests. The department held off on releasing Keystone
Exams for high schools or issuing report cards for the high schools as it is
checking the scores, said Matthew Stem, deputy secretary for the Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education.
State education
department: PSSA scores reflect new start
Education
department attributes low scores to new exam, increased difficulty
York Daily Record By
Angie Mason amason@ydr.com @angiemason1
on Twitter UPDATED: 09/29/2015 05:42:32 PM EDT
New, more difficult PSSA tests translated to 2015 scores that
are lower than most schools are accustomed to seeing, but state education
officials said results released Tuesday should be seen as a new
starting point. The Pennsylvania
Department of Education released 2015 PSSA results on Tuesday. Students in
grades 3 through 8 take the tests in English language arts and math. In 2015, about 60 percent of students
statewide scored proficient or better on the English language arts test, and
about 40 percent did so on the math test.
Those are significant decreases — about 9 percent points for English
language arts and about 33 percentage points for math — from the tests given in
2014. But the state education department has repeatedly cautioned that
comparisons aren't fair this time around.
State PSSA test scores released
With new standards put in place for exams, fewer students are scoring
in proficient range
By Eleanor Chute, Mary Niederberger and Clarece Polke / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
September 29, 2015 11:05 PM
With new academic standards in place and new tests
reflecting them, many expected lower scores on state tests given in math and
English language arts in spring 2015. But
the overall numbers from the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests —
coupled with school-by-school results released by the stateTuesday — paint
a fuller picture of the difficult task ahead to move students toward the new
standard.
State test scores take a
dip, blame is placed on core standards
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email
the author | Follow on Twitter
on September 29, 2015 at 7:12 PM, updated September 30, 2015 at 6:03 AM
on September 29, 2015 at 7:12 PM, updated September 30, 2015 at 6:03 AM
The results of the 2015
state math and reading exams come with a warning this year:
Don't compare them to the prior year's scores or you likely will come away
disappointed.
State Department of Education officials said the
Pennsylvania System of School Assessments math and English language tests
administered in the spring were different tests than the ones given in previous
years. They say that is what led to the
decline in statewide scores for last year's third-through-eighth
graders.
In Pa.
KATHY
BOCCELLA, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 30, 2015, 1:08 AM POSTED: Tuesday,
September 29, 2015, 3:52 PM
Marcie Lichtman says her 14-year-old daughter had always
scored in the "advanced" range on the Pennsylvania System of School
Assessment (PSSA) tests, administered to third through eighth graders. But when last year's scores in
English/Language Arts and math arrived in the mail last week, the now-ninth
grader was surprised to see she scored only "proficient." "I needed to administer a little first aid to her
self-esteem by showing her an article and video explaining what is going
on," said Lichtman, who lives in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia . A lot of parents are getting out the psychic Band-Aids as
the state Department of Education releases drastically lower scores in Pennsylvania 's main
school-achievement exam. Under new, more
rigorous guidelines, only 42.5 percent of students in the state scored
"proficient" in English/Language Arts, and in math, 26.1 percent, the
department said Tuesday. Overall, the
state reported that math scores were 35 percent lower, and English scores 9
percent lower, than last year's.
State officials announce
drop in PSSA scores, plans for improvement
the notebook By Fabiola Cineas on Sep 29, 2015 07:53 PM
As the state’s Department of Education released statewide
and school-by-school PSSAresults today,
officials reiterated their view that the plunge in scores is a direct result of
a new test that demands more high-order thinking than before. Statewide, 40 percent of students scored
proficient or advanced in mathematics, and 60 percent of students scored
proficient or advanced in English language arts. These numbers are down from 2014 results of
72 percent proficient or advanced in math and 70 percent proficient or advanced
in English language arts. Responding to the results, the state's largest teachers'
union is calling for a three-year pause in the use of test scores in teacher
evaluations and school performance ratings – beyond the one-year
pause that is already in place.
PSSA scores for District,
charter schools: Philly students struggled in math
the notebook By Paul
Socolar on Sep 29, 2015 06:02 PM
As has happened across the state, math scores in grades 3-8
for both District and charter schools in Philadelphia sank this year on the
new, tougher PSSA exam, which was aligned for the first time with
Pennsylvania's more rigorous core standards.
The School District released test score
results for each school weeks ago, but charter school results on the 2015 PSSA
were released for the first time today by the Pennsylvania Department of
Education. Both statewide and in Philadelphia ,
English language arts proficiency rates were also down this year, though not
nearly as low as rates on the math PSSA. Officials have advised not to compare
this year's results to previous years because of the new exam. School-by-school results show that only 10
public schools in the city, seven of them District schools, managed to have a
majority of their students score proficient on last spring's PSSA math test. In
six of those 10 schools, economically disadvantaged students are in the
minority.
"While
the PSSA has been one measure of assessing student progress in PA since 1999. I
believe the number of tests and the time we are devoting to them is excessive,
and the manner in which the state is using them is often not helpful or fair.
We need to continue to work with our legislators to make changes. I am working
to do that and will continue to send our school community communications about
those efforts."
Letter to Parents - PSSA
Scores
Dear Parents, Earlier
this month, the PA Department of Education announced that the number of
students passing the Pennsylvania System of Student Assessment (PSSA) test is
significantly lower than last year. That is because the test was changed
last year to reflect assessment of the new academic standards implemented in
2013 (PA’s version of Common Core). To read the letter from the PA Secretary of
Education, Pedro Rivera, please click here. I am writing to inform you that we anticipate West Chester scores to be significantly lower than last
year, as well. Typically our scores are among the highest in the state,
and I expect them to remain high relative to state averages. However, the
state anticipates that 70% of its 8th grade students will not
be considered proficient in math and 41% of its 4th grade
students will not be proficient in Reading . Here
is a table summarizing information released by the PA Department of Education
"multiple measures, “not
just how our children performed one day, on one test.”
Haverford prepares for
release of PSSA scores
Delco Times By Lois
Puglionesi, Times Correspondent POSTED: 09/30/15, 5:02 AM EDT
HAVERFORD >> Superintendent Maureen Reusche paved the
way for upcoming release of 2015 PSSA results with a presentation at a recent
school board meeting. Reusche said she
was addressing the subject earlier than usual due to articles that appeared in
the press over the summer, anticipating sharp declines in test scores. The district was notified over the summer of
the statewide drop in scores, and on Sept. 8 received a press release from the
Pennsylvania Department of Education “cautioning us that it’s not a valid
comparison to look at a 2014 score and compare it with scores for 2015 because
the assessments are two very different tests,” Reusche said. She further noted that the U.S. Department of
Education approved a waiver allowing for a one-year pause in use of the state’s
School Performance Profiles for elementary and middle schools because of these
developments. PSSA results are used to calculate SPP and teacher effectiveness
ratings. Reusch has issued a message to
parents explaining that Haverford students, like those across the state, “saw a
decrease in some test scores. The test changed. Our students did not change,”
she said. Reusche went on to explain to
school directors that 2015 PSSA content was based on Pennsylvania Common Core
standards approved in late 2013. School districts have begun aligning
instruction to the new Common Core content. However, “that alignment process
does take time,” she said. Additionally,
the 2015 PSSAs were “more rigorous” in terms of a transition to more complex,
multi-step questions. And, different cut scores were used to determine basic,
proficient and advanced levels.
Among the 10 largest
cities, Phila. has highest deep-poverty rate
ALFRED
LUBRANO, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 30, 2015, 1:08 AM
KRISTEN A.
GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 30, 2015, 1:08 AM POSTED: Tuesday,
September 29, 2015, 7:42 PM
Requiring the Philadelphia
School District
Craig D. Mills, arguing for the district, said the system
was under no obligation to recall laid-off counselors in seniority order after
it let them go in the severe budget crunch of 2013.
Many of the nearly 300 counselors were ultimately recalled
to their jobs, but not in seniority order. Principals were allowed to choose the
counselors they wanted in their schools, and the Philadelphia Federation of
Teachers swiftly filed a grievance.
Blended Learning Report
The Philadelphia
Education Research Consortium Blended Learning Phase II September 2015
Lessons from Best Practice Sites and the Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Education Research Consortium’s (PERC’s)
inaugural project is centered on the emerging concept of Blended Learning. The first brief,
published in September 2014, examines the research base, identifies a
definition of this emerging concept, and presents a set of literature-based
conditions for implementation that can be used to successfully integrate
blended learning approaches into instructional improvement strategies. The
second brief, published in September 2015, builds on the initial study to
examine on-the-ground perspectives about blended learning implementation. These briefs were developed, written, and
refined in consultation with partners from the School District of Philadelphia School
District of Philadelphia
PEEK INSIDE A CLASSROOM: JOSE
Lucid Witness Blog SEPTEMBER
25, 2015 DAUN
KAUFFMAN 3
COMMENTS
Jose was one of the calmest, quietest, most peaceful
boys in the classroom. The kind of boy everybody loves.
Jose had thick, coal-black hair and matching black-marble
eyes. He was always in an immaculate, crisp school uniform, often with a
warm sweater around his sturdy frame. Jose’s family never adjusted to the cool
northeastern temperatures in winter. They were from a small town in Panama ,
emigrated here shortly before Jose’s birth and now live in a quiet, clean,
working class neighborhood. Jose lived
with two cousins, an uncle, an aunt, Mom, baby brother and sometimes Dad. He
had been an only child until October of second grade, when his brother was
born. Jose is very proud of “his
country”, Panama .
His passion is soccer. He loved everything about soccer. If there
was a televised soccer game involving Panama , Jose knew all about it. Jose’s strong academic performance had begun
in first grade. His reading level in September, at the start of second
grade, was about half-year ahead, in the top 10% of the class and his math
results were in the top quarter of the class.
Looks great so far, right ?
Brewster's state Senate
legislation would keep charter schools in line
Trib Live By Patrick
Cloonan Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, 3:21 a.m.
State Sen. James R. Brewster wants to know more aboutMcKeesport 's second charter school. “The local taxpayer
who pays the bills for (Young Scholars of McKeesport) should be able to examine
the financial records and determine if their tax dollars are being used
wisely,” Brewster, the city's former mayor, said in a statement issued Monday
morning. Brewster said he will file a
formal request within two weeks with the state Department of Education for full
disclosure of financial information, including bank loans, debt arrangements,
lease payments, consultant contracts, curriculum-vendor relationships,
management fees, a list of board members and minutes of meetings. “Local taxpayers need protection from the
proliferation of charter schools that sap resources and deprive public
schools,” Brewster said. “I support charter schools provided there is a finite
number and they are providing excellent education opportunities.”
State Sen. James R. Brewster wants to know more about
Why do more than half of
principals quit after five years?
New principal
struggles to find balance in ever-changing role
Hechinger Report by PEG TYRE September 26,
2015
Principal Krystal
Hardy talks to students during a ‘community meeting’ at Sylvanie Williams
College Prep elementary school, on January 16, 2015 in New Orleans , Louisiana
“Tuck in that
shirt,” Hardy says to another. The young boy hastily shoves his green polo
shirt into his khaki pants. “We need you to be ready to learn, so you need to
look like you’re ready to learn,” says Hardy.
It’s the second full week of instruction at the start of the second year
of Hardy’s tenure as principal. The administrator, a wiry, intense young woman,
is cautiously optimistic. This time last year, she and thousands of other
public school principals around the country began their first year in the front
office and stepped directly into what many consider one of the toughest jobs in
America .
Testing Resistance & Reform News: September 23-29,
2015
Fairtest Submitted
by fairtest on September 29, 2015 - 11:27am
Though pundits are
already predicting many more victories for assessment reformers, activists know
that winning will not be automatic. The keys to success are grassroots
organizing, public education and building coalitions with political clout. That
is how we will end test misuse and overuse.
PSBA launches an alumni
network
Are you a former school director or in your final term? Stay connected through the PSBA Alumni Network. Your interest in public education continues beyond your term of service as a school director. And as a PSBA alumnus, you have years of experience and insight into the workings of public education and school boards. Legislators value your opinions as a former elected official. Take that knowledge and put it to work as a member of the PSBA Alumni Network.
For a nominal yearly fee of $25 a year or $100 for a lifetime membership, you will receive:
Are you a former school director or in your final term? Stay connected through the PSBA Alumni Network. Your interest in public education continues beyond your term of service as a school director. And as a PSBA alumnus, you have years of experience and insight into the workings of public education and school boards. Legislators value your opinions as a former elected official. Take that knowledge and put it to work as a member of the PSBA Alumni Network.
For a nominal yearly fee of $25 a year or $100 for a lifetime membership, you will receive:
- Electronic access to the PSBA
Bulletin, the leading public education magazine in Pennsylvania
- Access to legislative information
pertaining to public education and periodic updates via email.
To join, complete
the registration below. For more details or questions, contact Member
Engagement Director Karen Devine at Karen.devine@psba.org or (800)
932-0588, ext. 3322.
SPECIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT: School Play is going on tour! Click below for more
information about tour dates in your county. All performances are FREE!
School
Play, a documentary-based live theatre piece, is here to put school funding
center stage. Compiled from a series of interviews, the play premiered in Philadelphia in April,
2015 and is now available for free for performances around the
Commonwealth.
"This will be an opportunity for the
community to discuss its collective aspirations for our next
superintendent. We hope you'll join us for an evening of learning and
discussion about how we as a community can support our Board in its search for
our schools next leader."
Getting a Great
Superintendent
Pittsburgh, PA Wednesday, October 7, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EDT)
A+ Schools and its partners are hosting a community discussion
about innovative talent search models that have attracted high quality
leadership to key roles in the City of Pittsburgh
and Pittsburgh Public Schools
The John Stoops Lecture
Series: Dr. Pasi Sahlberg "Education Around the World: Past, Present &
Future" Lehigh University October 8, 2015 6:00 p.m.
Baker Hall |Zoellner Arts
Center | 420 E. Packer Avenue | Bethlehem , PA 18015
Baker Hall |
Free and open to the
public! Ticketing is general admission -
no preseating will be assigned. Arrive early for the best seats. Please plan to stay post-lecture for an open
reception where you will have an opportunity to meet with students from all of
our programs to learn about the latest innovations in education and human
services.
School Leadership Conference
online registration closes Sept. 25
Register Now for PASA-PSBA
School Leadership Conference Oct. 14-16, 2015 Hershey Lodge & Convention
Center
Save the date for the
professional development event of the year. Be inspired at more than four
exciting venues and invest in professional development for top administrators
and school board members. Online registration is live at:
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:
Registration is open for the 19th Annual
Eastern Pennsylvania Special Education Administrators’ Conference
on October 21-23rd in Hershey.
Educators in the
field of special education from public, charter and nonpublic schools are
invited to attend. The conference offers rich professional development
sessions and exceptional networking opportunities. Keynote speakers are
Shane Burcaw and Jodee Blanco. Register at https://www.paiu.org/epaseac/conf_registration.php
Register Now for the Fifth
Annual Arts and Education Symposium Oct. 29th Harrisburg
Thursday, October
29, 2015 Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Convention Center 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Act
48 Credit is available. The event will be a daylong convening of arts education
policy leaders and practitioners for lively discussions about important policy
issues and the latest news from the field. The symposium is hosted by EPLC and
the Pennsylvania Arts Education Network, and supported by a generous grant from
The Heinz Endowments.
Register now for the
2015 PASCD 65th Annual Conference, Leading and Achieving in an Interconnected World, to be
held November 15-17, 2015 at Pittsburgh Monroeville Convention
Center.
The Conference
will Feature Keynote Speakers: Meenoo Rami – Teacher and Author “Thrive:
5 Ways to (Re)Invigorate Your Teaching,” Mr. Pedro Rivera, Pennsylvania
Secretary of Education, Heidi Hayes-Jacobs – Founder and President of
Curriculum Design, Inc. and David Griffith – ASCD Senior Director of Public
Policy. This annual conference features small group sessions focused on:
Curriculum and Supervision, Personalized and Individualized Learning,
Innovation, and Blended and Online Learning. The PASCD Conference is
a great opportunity to stay connected to the latest approaches for innovative
change in your school or district. Join us forPASCD 2015!
Online registration is available by visiting www.pascd.org <http://www.pascd.org/>
Interested in letting our
elected leadership know your thoughts on education funding, a severance tax,
property taxes and the budget?
Governor Tom Wolf,
(717) 787-2500
Speaker of the
House Rep. Mike Turzai, (717) 772-9943
House Majority Leader Rep. Dave Reed, (717) 705-7173
Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Joe Scarnati, (717) 787-7084
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Jake Corman, (717) 787-1377
House Majority Leader Rep. Dave Reed, (717) 705-7173
Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Joe Scarnati, (717) 787-7084
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Jake Corman, (717) 787-1377
