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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for September 12, 2015:
Local school
officials seeing immediate, potential long-term impact from state budget
stalemate
Make your voice heard at
Education Action Day, Sept. 21
School directors
and administrators from across the state will be converging on the State
Capitol on Monday, Sept. 21 for Education Action Day – your opportunity to push
for a state budget and pension reform. Join PSBA in the Main Capitol-East Wing under the
escalators at 10 a.m. A news conference will be held from 11 a.m.-noon, and
from 1-3 p.m. you may visit with legislators. There is no charge for
participation, but for planning purposes, members are asked to register their
attendance online below. We look forward to a big crowd to impress upon
legislators and the governor the need for a state budget and pension reform
now!
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
“The state’s delay in passing
a budget only aggravates the current education inequities in Pennsylvania
Local school
officials seeing immediate, potential long-term impact from state budget
stalemate
Pottstown Mercury By Jarreau Freeman, jfreeman@21st-centurymedia.com, @JarreauFreeman on Twitter POSTED: 09/11/15, 1:17 PM
EDT
FRANCONIA
>> Educators from across the state are scheduled to rally in Harrisburg
Sept. 21 to urge legislators to end the budget impasse — Souderton Area School
District might be joining the crusade. School
board member Donna Scheuren asked Superintendent Frank Gallagher to attend the
event and represent the district at an August board meeting, to which he nodded
in agreement. Other districts will be
involved in the event, such as the Spring-Ford
Area School
District
With the
2015-16 school year now in progress, this delay could have long-term effects on
school districts and various educational programs throughout the commonwealth.
Without a budget, schools are being denied more than $1 billion in state
funding.
'Quiet crisis'
as Pennsylvania
Lots of talk,
no breakthrough moments yet on Pa.
Penn
Live By Charles Thompson |
cthompson@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
September 11, 2015 at 6:14 PM
Democrat
Gov. Tom Wolf is looking for the magic keys that will unlock the doors to a big
state budget deal with Pennsylvania 's
Republican-dominated General Assembly. This
just in: He hasn't found it yet. Wolf
has continued his peach season series of out-of-the-Capitol, face-to-face
meetings and phone calls with legislative leaders so conversations can be had
in relative political seclusion – i.e. unannounced to the press. Sources familiar with the progress of those
talks say there has been continued movement from the administration in concept.
But until more details are filled in it's hard to say whether there's been
actual progress. The
roadblocks, however, seem as high as ever.
Republicans
Senators to propose stop-gap budget to fund schools, social services
Penn
Live By Christian Alexandersen |
calexandersen@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on September 11, 2015 at 4:10 PM,
updated September 11, 2015 at 4:11 PM
The long
budget impasse between Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican
lawmakers may finally be broken in Pennsylvania
next week. At least, temporarily. Republican
Senators plan to introduce a stop-gap budget proposal when they come back into
session on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The stop-gap budget will provide a portion of
the state's yearly funding for social service providers and schools. Senate Republican Caucus Spokeswoman Jennifer
Kocher said she's not sure what form the stop-gap budget will take -- whether
it will be an all new proposal, an already-proposed bill or a combination of
both. "We're still ironing the
final details along the way," Kocher said. The stop-gap budget comes more
than two months after Wolf vetoed the Republican-crafted budget proposal. As a
result, state agencies and services have slowly begun running out of money to
operate. While Republican leaders have
indicated that the governor's administration has been kept in the
loop about the stopgap planning, Wolf's office has been coy about their
reaction to date. "The governor has
made no decisions on a stop-gap [budget plan] and has no details on what it is
[Republican legislative leaders] are proposing," said Wolf Spokesman Jeff
Sheridan.
"Along with budget
concerns, superintendents remain frustrated with standardized testing,
specifically with changes made to tests taken in the spring. With the switch to
a more rigorous curriculum and a new standard for proficiency, school districts
statewide saw significant declines in passing rates on the Pennsylvania
Superintendents
call for changes to testing, funding
ARCHBALD
— From standardized testing requirements to paying the bills during the budget
impasse, area educators looked to local legislators for help on Friday.
At a
superintendents’ meeting at the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit,
regional school leaders discussed some of the issues that are taking time — and
money — away from education. Joined
by Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, and Reps. Mike Carroll, D-118, Avoca, Frank
Farina, D-112, Jessup, and Sid Michaels Kavulich, D-114, Taylor,
superintendents called for a resolution to the budget impasse, now in its third
month. Senate and House leadership plan serious budget negotiations on
Monday, and pension reform has remained an obstacle, Mr. Blake said. Along
with having to take out loans to pay bills during the impasse, some districts
have received downgrades to their bond ratings. Districts also struggle to make
future pension payments without state funding. The Public School Employees’
Retirement System warned that late payments will be subject to a 6 percent
penalty. The NEIU has an $800,000
payment due and will be out of cash in six weeks, Executive Director Robert
McTiernan said. Carbondale Area does not have the money to make its payment,
Superintendent Joseph Gorham said.
Letter to the
editor: There’s only one solution for Chester Upland
Delco Times Letter By Michael Churchill, Times
Guest Columnist 09/11/15,
6:58 PM EDT
Michael Churchill
is of counsel for the Philadelphia-based Public Interest
Law Center
In 2012,
the state took over the Chester
Upland School
District
What was
remarkable about the judge’s request was that it seemed to be the first time
anyone had demanded that the state provide some real answers about what could
and should be done with the perennial deficits.
To give the state some credit, it had recognized earlier this summer
that nothing could be done without fixing the twisted formula which pays
charter schools $40,000 for each special-education student when the schools’
own numbers showed they had no students who cost even as much as $25,000 and
where the state estimated that the average cost was $17,000. In August, it
asked Judge Kenney to lower the special-education tuition rate paid by the
district to the charters to $17,000 per student, saving $22.4 million this
year. Judge Kenney, however, said not until he had a comprehensive solution to Chester ’s financial
problems.
That has
put the state on the hot spot about what a true solution would cost. Given how
they stumbled for answers, it appears officials had been trying to avoid adding
up the numbers. Unfortunately, everyone is still in denial about the scope of
the state’s obligation to the students in Chester
or any other recovery district. As Judge
Kenney pointed out, the Financial Recovery Act states that the “commonwealth
shall ensure the delivery of effective educational services to all students” in
a recovery district. Effective educational services must mean ones that will
enable students to meet state standards. Currently, less than 25 percent of Chester ’s students meet
state standards. Clearly substantial enhancement of services is necessary.
District's bid
to outsource substitute teachers falters
the
notebook By Kevin McCorry for NewsWorks on Sep 11, 2015 10:43 PM
The Philadelphia School District Cherry Hill
based Source4Teachers promised to fill 90 percent of absences, but it's rate
through the first week of school hasn't come close. Finding enough subs has been a problem in the
district for years, where the fill-rate averaged about 60 percent. It was that
number that pushed district leaders to ink a $34 million contract in June with
Source4Teachers. That group promised to
lift the fill-rate to more than 75 percent on day one of classes and 90 percent
by January. But, after a week of classes
with the private firm in charge, district officials say they are
"concerned.
The
fill-rate has plummeted to just 11 percent — alarming principals across the
district.
"I'm
hopeful that the percentage increases dramatically next week, because it's been
a challenge this week," said Tim McKenna, principal of Central High School
So was
outsourcing a bad idea?
Curmuducation
Blog by Peter Greene Friday, September 11, 2015
“We must close or transform
charters that consistently underperform."
Better Isn't Good Enough: The Path to
Improving Philadelphia 's Charter School
Position
Paper by Philadelphia School Advocacy Partners and Philadelphia Charters for Excellence
September 2015
Schools are
starving for arts education
the
notebook By Donna Cooper and Maud Lyon on Sep 11, 2015 03:33 PM
On Sept.
16, the drama surrounding education funding will take center stage as the
Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Wilma Theater, and Arden Theatre Company will
partner to stage a reading of School Play, a theater piece about Pennsylvania ’s education
crisis that was commissioned by Public Citizens for Children & Youth
(PCCY). The evidence is clear: When we
fail to provide access to arts and culture for Philadelphia students, we put them at a
severe disadvantage not just now, but also in a ripple effect that will
continue the rest of their lives. That is the story that School Play tells. This free, one-night-only performance at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre
88 keys to
bringing music back to Philly schools
the
notebook By Brianna Spause on Sep 11, 2015 02:28 PM
Jazz
pianist and singer Tony DeSare serenaded a small crowd in front of the Sounds
of Philadelphia Mural in South Philly on Wednesday to launch a new School District campaign to innovate music education in
city schools. The free performance at
the Philadelphia Horticultural Society’s Pop-Up Garden
Secretary of Education Introduces
Governor's STEM Competition: Improving Pennsylvania through STEM; Open to PA
High School StudentsCompetition to be held in May 2016; up to $3,000 in
scholarships to be awarded
Secretary
of Education Pedro A. Rivera today announced the opening of the
Governor's 2016 STEM Competition, this year named "Improving Pennsylvania
through STEM", and invitedPennsylvania's high school students to
participate. The annual themed
competition is open to public, nonpublic and private school students in grades
9-12 to showcase their skills and expertise in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM).
"The
Governor's STEM Competition is truly unique and worthwhile because these are
the fields that will provide the high-priority, in-demand jobs of
tomorrow," said Secretary Rivera. "By encouraging students to engage
in activities that hone their skills in these areas, we're not only encouraging
them to set themselves up for future success but to also have fun while
learning. This competition provides a great opportunity for students to forge
deeper connections with their communities while increasing knowledge and
strengthening their skill sets." Teams of
five students will be selected from each interested school and will explore
STEM opportunities available in their local communities. Students will engage
with their local communities to learn about STEM-related careers and the skills
necessary to be successful. To culminate the experience, students will be asked
to present their findings and explain the practical applications of their
device to a panel of judges. The challenge will test teams' communication,
problem solving, and critical thinking skills while providing a unique
opportunity to share their creativity with students from across the state.
Approximately 170 teams (limit one team per high school) are expected to
participate.
Activists urge
Comcast to contribute toward tech education
ROBERT MORAN, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Saturday, September 12,
2015, 1:06 AM POSTED: Friday, September 11, 2015, 7:33 PM
About 80
activists marched Friday afternoon from City Hall to the Comcast
Center to call on the cable and media
giant to contribute funds to improve technology education in Philadelphia schools. "Comcast got the tower, but the people
have the power," the marchers chanted as they proceeded west on John F. Kennedy Boulevard
to Comcast's corporate headquarters. The
group rallied peacefully outside the city's tallest skyscraper and then
delivered a sign to the company that read: "Comcast, we need affordable
Internet for all, tech education in all public schools, protections for workers
and consumers." Specifically, the
Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools and the Comcast Corporate
Accountability Project called for Comcast to contribute as much as $35 million
to fund a new technology teacher and modernize computer equipment in every school.
Taxpayers spent $23,500 on
taxi rides for Pittsburgh
Trib Live By Melissa
Daniels Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, 12:57 p.m.
A Pittsburgh-based charter school spent nearly $240,000 in tax money over four years to transport five special education students to and from school, including $23,504 to pay for taxi rides for one student, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Thursday.City Charter
High School
A Pittsburgh-based charter school spent nearly $240,000 in tax money over four years to transport five special education students to and from school, including $23,504 to pay for taxi rides for one student, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Thursday.
Back to school: Almost 20 million kids are getting
free lunch
CNN By Jordan
Malter @jmalt87 September
10, 2015
School lunch: Is
$1.50 a child enough?
About 50 million
children returned to school this week, and nearly 20 million of them are
getting free lunch. The number of
children fed through the National School Lunch Program has expanded dramaticallyin the last few decades. This is
partly due to the growing number of children living in poverty. In 2013, 21% of
kids were living in poverty compared with 15% in 2000, according
to the National Center Chicago ,
Dallas and Philadelphia
have decided to do just that in an attempt to reduce paperwork and any stigma
associated with the free lunches.
Shock Waves Reverberate
From Wash. State
Education Week By Andrew
Ujifusa Published Online:
September 11, 2015
The Washington State
Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this month holding the state’s charter school
law unconstitutional has sent shock waves through Washington ’s educational establishment,
handed charter critics a high-profile victory, and left the schools’ supporters
scrambling to keep the state’s small, relatively young charter school sector
alive. In its 6-3 ruling in League of Women Voters v. Washington,
the court found that the law approved by voters through a 2012 ballot measure,
Initiative 1240, improperly designated charters as “common schools,” and that
the schools were not therefore entitled under the state constitution to certain
state funds they presently draw on. Despite
the prominent setback for charters, it might be difficult for skeptics of the
autonomous, publicly funded schools to create any momentum outside Washington from the
decision. For example, in the majority opinion, the justices relied heavily on
state precedent regarding the definition of common schools set down in a 1909
state high court ruling. In addition, translating a victory in one state into
other states’ legal and political systems won’t necessarily be easy. All the same, the court’s Sept. 4 ruling
delivered a clear rebuke to the state’s charter law that might provide charter
critics elsewhere some ammunition.
Andy Spears: Is Tennessee Sick of the (Low) Achievement School District
Diane Ravitch's Blog
By dianeravitch September
11, 2015 //
Corporate education
reform specializes in grandiose promises, hype, and spin. No reformer was
bolder than Chris Barbic. Reflecting his self-confidence, he took over Tennessee ’s Achievement
School District
Tune
in this Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m.: EPLC’s “Focus on Education” Show on PCN –
PA Auditor General Eugene DePasquale will discuss public education finance
reform and 2) representatives of the PA School Boards Association will discuss
the work of school boards and school board directors
Part 1:
Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale will discuss public education
finance issues.
Part 2: The
work of school boards and school board directors, featuring: Steve Robinson, Senior Director of Communications, Pennsylvania School
Boards Association Kathy Swope, President-Elect, PA School Boards Association
and President, Lewisburg Area School Board
All EPLC “Focus
on Education” TV shows are hosted by EPLC President Ron Cowell.
SCHOOL PLAY - It's a touchy subject
School Play explores
our attitudes toward public education using the real voices of Pennsylvanians
from across the Commonwealth
The performance will
be held next Wednesday, September 16th at 7:00 pm at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre 480 S. Broad St. , Philadelphia
Help fund the statewide
tour of a live documentary play about the struggle to save public education in Pennsylvania
After
standing-room-only shows at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center in
April, we’re taking this compelling play about the precarious state of public
education back to the people who lent us their voices and stories. This
October, we’re traveling across the state, putting on free performances to
spark conversations and engage citizens.
School Play is a work of grassroots theatre, woven from the
narratives of hundreds of Pennsylvanians affected by our state’s school funding
crisis. The play is entirely crowd-sourced; the script is derived from the
words of students, parents, educators and legislators, and is available online
for anyone to perform. Artists Arden
Kass, Seth Bauer and Edward Sobel created School Play out of
our personal concern for our kids and our communities. The result is a funny,
sad, straight-talking documentary theatre piece, told through the words of real
people. You can read more about School
Play here, here, here and here.
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.
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.
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/>
Slate of
candidates for PSBA offices now available online
PSBA website July 31, 2015
PSBA website July 31, 2015
The
slate of candidates for 2016 PSBA officer and at-large representatives is now
available online, including bios, photos and videos. According to
recent PSBA Bylaws changes, each member school entity casts one vote per
office. Voting will again take place online through a secure, third-party
website -- Simply Voting. Voting will
open Aug. 17 and closes Sept.
28. One person
from the school entity (usually the board secretary) is authorized to register
the vote on behalf of the member school entity and each board will need to put
on its agenda discussion and voting at one of its meetings in August or
September. Each person authorized to register the school entity's votes has
received an email on July 16 to verify the email address and confirm they are
the person to register the vote on behalf of their school entity.
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:
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.
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