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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup October 29, 2015:
Dems kill GOP veto override; Corman: R's recognize
that they need to offer something Wolf will sign
HARRISBURG (OCTOBER 21, 2015) – The Campaign for Fair Education
Funding today submitted a formal request to Gov. Tom Wolf and members of the
General Assembly, urging them to promptly reach a budget agreement that enacts
the funding formula adopted by the state Basic Education Funding Commission
(BEFC) and increases basic education funding by at least $410 million.
Read the letter here: http://fairfundingpa.org/news/cfef-letter-to-legislators-a-budget-agreement-that-puts-students-first
Editorial: Time to level
education funding field
The William Penn
School District in Delaware County Lancaster , Panther Valley ,
Greater Johnstown, Shenandoah and Wilkes Barre who finally had to go to court
in an attempt to get what Pennsylvania
was unable to deliver. A fair shake when
it comes to how education funding is shared in this state.
Too often children
in struggling towns – like those in William Penn and the others – are penalized
simply because of their zip code. They all share something: A disproportionate
number of their students who live in depressed economic conditions, and a local
economy that fails miserably to raise the kind of revenue needed to put them on
a par with other districts just a few miles away.
In other words,
students in William Penn and the other districts don’t get the same bang for
their buck when it comes to education funding. When they raise taxes, which
they have been forced to do repeatedly because of shortfalls in the funding
delivered by the state, they don’t raise the same amount of money as those in
more well-to-do districts. For families
in William Penn, it means watching as a tax hike in Springfield or Haverford delivers much more
revenue than when they do likewise. In
other words, an unlevel playing field, leaving parents, students and staff in
impoverished districts constantly trudging uphill simply to achieve the same
level of education.
The districts
finally decided to ask the court to do what the governor and Legislature – both
Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat Tom Wolf – have failed to do: Fix this
system.
"Every day, the negative
impact on school districts becomes more widespread," said William LaCoff,
president of the Pennsylvania
School
As budget impasse effects
continue to be felt, another funding effort fails
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Wednesday, October
28, 2015
As legislators
Wednesday learned about the impact of the state budget impasse on schools and
the Auditor General continued to provide updates on the costs of the budget
impasse to Pennsylvania’s school districts, the Senate failed to gain the
two-thirds majority needed to override the governor’s veto of a stopgap funding
measure passed in September. The Senate
Democratic Policy Committee began Wednesday’s budget-related discussions by
hearing from schools on the impact of the ongoing state budget.
"For now, House and
Senate GOP leaders are working privately to deliver a compromise, and it is
proving difficult. A smaller counteroffer to the $2.4 billion tax package Wolf
sought earlier month is under construction, but Republicans also recognize that
they need to offer something Wolf will sign, Corman said.
“So we’re trying to achieve
that, whether we can or not, remains to be seen,” he said."
Democrats kill GOP’s veto
override in Pennsylvania Senate
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)
- Democrats in the Pennsylvania Senate blocked a GOP bid to override Gov. Tom
Wolf’s veto of a short-term spending plan Wednesday, as attention began turning
to a compromise being worked on by top Republicans in a bid to break a
four-month stalemate. The Senate’s vote
came on the 120th day of a partisan budget battle between the first-term
Democratic governor and the Legislature’s huge Republican majorities. A successful override of Wolf’s Sept. 29 veto
of a short-term, $11 billion Republican-written spending package would have
required at least three Democrats to join all 30 Republicans in voting “yes.”
Instead, in a show of solidarity with Wolf, all 19 Democrats opposed the
override. Senate Majority Leader Jake
Corman, R-Centre, beseeched Democrats to support a four-month infusion of money
for schools and social services providers while policymakers work out their
differences. In his floor comments, he singled out superintendents from
Democrats’ districts who were in Harrisburg
on Wednesday.
"He noted a difference
in trying to come up with a plan now and a plan before June 30th has
to do with trying to recognize some of the governor’s priorities and how they
fit in with key Republican concepts in terms of pension reform, liquor
privatization, and property tax relief all while keeping the burden on
Pennsylvania taxpayers as low as possible and dealing with the structural
deficit. “Now we’re trying to recognize
some of the governor’s priorities, now we’re entering a new world here,” he
stated. “That has its own layer of discussions.”
Corman: “We’re trying to
put something together that deals with not only this year’s budget, but next
year’s budget as well”
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Wednesday, October
28, 2015
Following
Wednesday’s failed stopgap veto override vote, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman
(R-Centre) briefed a small group of reporters on the status of budget
discussions. While he said the House and
Senate Republicans haven’t agreed on a plan yet, they recognize “the ball is in
our court” in trying to come up with a plan since the governor’s plan failed. “We’re trying to come up with a comprehensive
plan that would keep the spirit of what we’re trying to accomplish through
pension reform, keeping the tax burden down, while at the same time recognizing
some of the governor’s priorities,” he said.
Penn Live By Charles Thompson |
cthompson@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on October 28, 2015 at 10:45 PM
That plan, several
sources familiar with the talks said but asked not to be identified in order to
discuss details, would be a "budget-plus" package that would also
address reforms to the state's two major public pensions plans, liquor
privatization and significant school property tax relief.
"When it comes to who is
responsible for the overdue state budget, 51 percent of voters say the
blame lies with the state legislature, while 32 percent say Wolf is
responsible. "
Two-thirds of Pa.
Penn Live By Lisa Wardle |
lwardle@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
October 29, 2015 at 4:30 AM, updated October 29, 2015 at 4:31 AM
The October poll of Pennsylvania registered voters, released today by Franklin & Marshall
College , shows widespread
dissatisfaction with state politicians and the general state of Pennsylvania politics. Nearly two-thirds of registered voters
believe the state is "on the wrong track," up from 54 percent in
August. Meanwhile, 39 percent say that government and politicians are the
biggest problems facing the state. Thirty-six
percent of registered voters believe Gov.
Tom Wolf is doing an "excellent" or "good" job as
governor, down from 39 percent in August. Wolf's approval
rating is higher among Democrats, with 57 percent of those in his own party
approving of his performance. Overall, his ratings are similar to Gov. Ed
Rendell and Gov. Tom Corbett at this point in their first terms.
GOP’s budget veto override
fails in Pennsylvania
Delco Times By Marc Levy, The Associated Press POSTED: 10/28/15, 11:42 AM EDT
HARRISBURG >>
Democrats in the Pennsylvania Senate aren’t going along with a Republican bid
to override Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto of a short-term spending plan designed to
break a four-month stalemate. Wednesday’s
vote in the Senate came on the 120th day of a partisan budget battle between
the first-term Democratic governor and the Legislature’s Republican majorities. The override
required 33 of the Senate’s 49 members, but all 19 Democrats voted against it.
Wolf on Sept. 29 vetoed the $11 billion Republican spending package that sought
to release billions in federal dollars. Meanwhile,
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reports that borrowing by Pennsylvania ’s school districts is on the
rise. DePasquale says school districts have borrowed more than $430 million to
keep their doors open, a number that could hit $1 billion in early December.
At the Capitol, a
predictable #PaBudget dance - and they wonder why there's no results?: John L.
Micek
Penn Live By John L. Micek |
jmicek@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
October 28, 2015 at 3:01 PM, updated October 28, 2015 at 5:00 PM
So here, 120 days
into the budget impasse, is a look inside the funhouse that is the state
Capitol. At 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, state Auditor
General Eugene DePasquale held a press conference to talk about the serious,
budget-related cash crunch confronting Pennsylvania 's
500 school districts. Stalemate-related
borrowing is set to hit a staggering $500 million, the visibly upset York
Democrat said. The interest rates and
fees associated with the borrowing could hit an eye-watering $14 million, he
noted. That's $14 million that's going straight
to the banks, not to kids, not to classrooms, not to programs. Just banks.
The situation
confronting the districts is "bad now," but will become
"borderline disastrous," if Republicans who control the General Assembly and Gov. Tom Wolf
don't cut a deal by Thanksgiving, he said.
Budget impasse-related
school borrowing approaches $500 million
Penn Live By Jan Murphy |
jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
October 28, 2015 at 2:05 PM, updated October 28, 2015 at 2:58 PM
The picture that
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale paints of the impact that the state
budget impasse is having on school districts isn't pretty. A month ago when he reported at least 17 school districts and two intermediate units had
borrowed $346 million to meet expenses while waiting on state dollars to
arrive. Since then, 10 more districts – including Fairfield
Area School
District in Adams County and Steelton-Highspire
School District in Dauphin County
Auditor: Budget crisis
could push school debt to $1 billion
CHRIS PALMER, INQUIRER HARRISBURG BUREAU LAST
UPDATED: Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 3:07 PM POSTED: Wednesday,
October 28, 2015, 11:05 AM
HARRISBURG - More
than two dozen school districts across Pennsylvania have borrowed $431 million
to stay afloat during the state's budget crisis, and the total could exceed $1
billion if a deal is not reached by December, the state auditor general said
Wednesday. "We go from bad to
borderline disastrous if something isn't done before Thanksgiving,"
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said at Capitol news conference. He spoke on the 120th day of Pennsylvania 's budget
stalemate - and just hours before another sign of gridlock emerged. The state
Senate, led by a united Republican majority, tried and failed to override a
previously-vetoed stopgap budget, which would send cash to schools and human
services agencies while a final deal is negotiated.
Democrats
unanimously rejected the measure, echoing Gov. Wolf's sentiment that their
energy should be spent discussing a final accord.
VIDEO: DePasquale gives
second update on how budget impasse is impacting schools
The PLS Reporter Author: Alanna Koll/Wednesday, October 28,
2015 Video runtime 5:01
This afternoon in
the Capitol Media Center
The state budget
stalemate began on July 1.
Pittsburgh schools approve partnership with
Wilkinsburg
By Clarece Polke / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
October 28, 2015 11:29 PM
Pittsburgh Public
Schools have joined the Wilkinsburg
School District Wilkinsburg board unanimously
approved the letter of intent. In Pittsburgh , board directors debated for more than an hour
Wednesday night over various terms within the agreement, including the tuition
rate and Wilkinsburg student access to magnet
programs during the first year of the agreement.
Philly NAEP scores below
average for urban areas; nationally, scores slip
the notebook By Dale
Mezzacappa on Oct 28, 2015 04:01 PM
Students nationwide
showed a marked dip in math performance and a somewhat smaller decline in
reading proficiency, according to 2015
results of the only standardized achievement test administered across
the country by the federal government.
It was the first reversal of a steady upward trend that held for the
more than two decades that U.S.
students have been taking the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or
NAEP. Philadelphia students continue to score below
the national average for big cities, according to analysis of the scores from
21 urban areas. Both nationally and in the city, there arehuge
achievement gaps among racial and ethnic groups.
Here are some key
facts on the NAEP and its significance.
Marple Newtown School
District teachers, school board remain at odds
By Leslie Krowchenko, Delco Times Correspondent POSTED: 10/28/15, 10:19 PM EDT
MARPLE >>
Approximately 100 members of the Marple Newtown Education Association, many
wearing shirts reading “I support the children of Marple Newtown,” attended
Tuesday night’s school board meeting as a visual reminder of their current
contract status. The teachers, who
signed a two-year agreement in June 2013, have been working without an
agreement since it expired June 30. Despite the situation, the 299 MNEA members
have continued their in-class and extra-curricular activities without
interruption.
NPE Action Fund Endorses
Helen Gym for Philadelphia
City
Diane Ravitch's Blog
By dianeravitch October
28, 2015 //
The Network for
Public Education Action Fund endorses
Helen Gym, a fighter for public schools and children. NPE Action is proud to join the growing list
of organizations endorsing Helen Gym in the Primary Election for a City Council
At-Large seat in the city of Philadelphia . NPE President Diane
Ravitch has lauded Helen as a hero of public education and an inspiration for
us all. When asked about Helen’s candidacy, Diane said she is “a great advocate
for children and education. Philadelphia
needs her eloquent voice on the City Council.” Helen is the mother
of three Philadelphia public school students, a
former public school teacher, and a fierce advocate for public education in Philadelphia and beyond.
She has been a dedicated community activist for two decades; her work has
touched on issues regarding taxation, civil rights, criminal justice, jobs,
labor, and neighborhood development. She is a founding member of Parents Across
America, and the co-founder of Parents United for Public Education, a
nationally recognized group of public school parents advancing broad causes for
social justice in the Philadelphia
public schools. Helen also serves on the editorial board of Rethinking Schools,
a social justice education journal. Philadelphia principal Chris Lehmann, founder of the
renowned Science Leadership
Academy , said, “Helen Gym has been a
champion for the children and the teachers of Philadelphia . She is a tireless advocate who
will work to improve public education in our city, and therefore, help Philadelphia become the
city we all know it can be.”
http://dianeravitch.net/2015/10/28/npe-action-fund-endorses-helen-gym-for-philadelphia-city-council/
"For the most part, fans
of subtle discussions about complex K-12 education policy issues have gone
begging this presidential debate season.
The Democratic debate earlier
this month, for example, featured some talk about higher education access and
early learning, but just a few passing
nods to K-12.
And aside from a few extended
remarks about the Common Core State Standards and school choice, public school policy
hasn't really made waves in the two GOP debates so far in the
2016 cycle either. "
Vocational Education,
Arming Teachers, Block Grants Get Air Time in GOP Debate
Education Week
Politics-K12 blog By Andrew Ujifusa on October 28, 2015 10:23 PM
If you were hoping
that the release of test
scores on "The Nation's Report Card" would spur any
notable discussion of K-12 policy at the Republican presidential debate
Wednesday night, you got just a few scraps.
In the main ten-candidate GOP debate, hosted by CNBC and held at the University of Colorado ,
Boulder , Ohio
What the national drop in 2015 NAEP test scores really
means
The 2015 scores for
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are out, and the news
isn’t good for those who think standardized test scores tell us something
significant about student achievement. NAEP
is often called the nation’s report card because it is the only measure of
student achievement given periodically to a sampling of students around the
nation. It is seen by many as a high-quality test though it has many critics,
too, some of whom say that the NAEP definition of “proficiency” is unnaturally
high, and that the test cannot measure many of the qualities students must
develop to be successful.
Gülenists face
white-collar crime charges in United
States
DAILY SABAH WITH
ANADOLU AGENCY ISTANBUL
October 27, 2015
Followers of
Fethullah Gülen are allegedly operators of Concept
Schools and several other charter
schools in the United States Turkey
With an inquiry
into defrauding state funds and abuse of visa applications, the FBI has turned
up the heat on schools linked to the controversial Gülen Movement of retired
Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gülen, a prime suspect in terror
investigations in Turkey
Fethullah Gülen, a
notable resident of Saylorsburg , Pennsylvania and a prime suspect in a number of terror
investigations in Turkey ,
faces further troubles in his adopted country. The Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) is investigating a school chain linked to his shady Gülen
Movement for charges of fraud. The investigation is looking into allegations
that the charter school chain diverted state funds it acquired to individuals
and institutions tied with the movement, which faces terror charges in a number
of investigations in Turkey ,
where it is formally called the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization or FETÖ. The investigation is likely to boost Turkey 's cause
in its fight against the organization accused of overthrowing the Turkish
government. Turkey
had already employed an international law firm to assist in a global
investigation into the activities of the Gülen Movement, which operates a
worldwide network of schools and companies.
WESA Public Forum:
Equitable Education Funding Nov. 9, 7 pm
Pittsburgh
WESA By EBAISLEY • October
27, 2015
Governor Tom Wolfe
has proposed spending 6.1 billion dollars on basic education, yet Pennsylvania is one of
just three states that does not use a formula to distribute funding to local
school districts. What is the best and most equitable way to allocate state
education funding? How can educators and lawmakers ensure a fair education for
all students?
90.5 WESA will convene a "Life of
Learning" community forum November 9 at the Community Broadcast
Center
Panelists include State Senator Jay Costa, member of the Basic Education Funding
Commission; Ron Cowell, President of the Education Policy and Leadership
Center; Linda Croushore, Executive Director of the Consortium for Public
Education; and Eric Montarti, Senior Policy Analyst for the Allegheny
Institute for Public Policy; and Linda Lane, superintendent of Pittsburgh
Public Schools. 90.5 WESA’s Larkin Page-Jacobs will moderate.
WHAT: Community Forum on Equitable Education
Funding
WHEN: November 9, 2015, 7 PM
WHERE:Community Broadcast Center 67 Bedford Square , Pittsburgh PA 15203
COST: Free. Register to attend.
WHEN: November 9, 2015, 7 PM
WHERE:
COST: Free. Register to attend.
SCHOOL CHOICE: THE ROLE OF THE
CONSTITUTION AND THE COURTS IN IMPROVING EDUCATION
Free for
Members • $7 teachers & students • $10 public
Become a Member today for free admission to this program and more!
Click here to join and learn more or call 215-409-6767.
Become a Member today for free admission to this program and more!
Click here to join and learn more or call 215-409-6767.
Does the
Constitution guarantee an “equal education” to every child? What do the U.S.
and Pennsylvania Constitutions say about school choice, teacher tenure,
standardized testing, and more? The Constitution Center hosts two conversations
exploring these questions.
In the
first discussion, education policy experts—Donna Cooper of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, Mark Gleason of the Philadelphia School
Partnership, Deborah Gordon Klehr of the Education Law
Center, and Ina Lipman of the Children's
Scholarship Fund Philadelphia—examine the state of Philadelphia public
education, what an "equal education" in Philadelphia would look like,
and their specific proposals for getting there. They also explain what, if
anything, the Pennsylvania state constitution says about these questions, and
how state government interacts with local government in setting education
policy.
In the
second discussion, James Finberg of Altshuler Berzon
and Joshua Lipshutz of Gibson Dunn—two
attorneys involved in Vergara v. California, a landmark dispute
over the legality of teacher retention policies—present the best arguments on
both sides and discuss what's next in the case. They also explain what the U.S.
Constitution and major Supreme Court cases like Brown v. Board of
Education, San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez and Parents
Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 say
about education and our national debates.
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/>
NSBA Advocacy
Institute 2016; January 24 - 26 in Washington ,
D.C.
Housing and meeting registration is open for Advocacy Institute 2016. The theme, “Election Year Politics & Public Schools,” celebrates the exciting year ahead for school board advocacy. Strong legislative programming will be paramount at this year’s conference in January. Visit www.nsba.org/advocacyinstitute for more information.
Housing and meeting registration is open for Advocacy Institute 2016. The theme, “Election Year Politics & Public Schools,” celebrates the exciting year ahead for school board advocacy. Strong legislative programming will be paramount at this year’s conference in January. Visit www.nsba.org/advocacyinstitute for more information.
PASBO 61st Annual
Conference and Exhibits March 8 - 11, 2016
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
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
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