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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup November 4, 2015:
Day 127 - PA GOP Legislature
had 1460 days to reach an agreement with a GOP Governor on pension reform and
liquor privatization
Contact
your legislator now! Demand your state
legislator and Governor Wolf take action to resolve the budget stalemate now
and provide adequate state funding to our public schools.
PA School Boards Association, PA Association of School Administrators,
PA Association of School Business Officials, PA Principals Association
Voters give Dems control
of Pennsylvania
Delco Times By Peter Jackson, The Associated Press POSTED: 11/03/15, 10:54 PM EST
HARRISBURG >>
Democrats swept all three open seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in
Tuesday’s election, locking in a majority on the state’s highest court for at
least a decade that could help shape the legislative redistricting that will
follow the 2020 census. The winners of
the seven-way race were Philadelphia Judge Kevin Dougherty and Superior Court
judges David Wecht and Christine Donohue of Allegheny County Philadelphia
trial lawyers to help sustain TV advertising. Of the record $11.5 million
contributed to the seven candidates, Democrats raised three times as much as
the Republicans. It was the first time
so many seats on the high court seats were open in an election.
Democrats sweep Pa.
judicial races, including Supreme Court
Penn Live By Wallace McKelvey
| WMckelvey@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
November 03, 2015 at 11:16 PM, updated November 04, 2015 at 12:27 AM
Pennsylvanians have
elected three Democrats to the state Supreme Court in one of the most expensive
judicial elections in U.S.
history. Tuesday's election could alter the direction of Pennsylvania's highest appellate court for
many years to come, as the justices elected Tuesday won't face reelection for
another ten years. With more than 70
percent of precincts reporting, AP called the race late Tuesday evening. The
election of Philadelphia Judge Kevin Dougherty and Superior Court judges
David Wecht and Christine Donohue, both of Allegheny County
"That could happen if
Republicans can recruit a veto-proof number of Democrats to help them pass a
so-called stop-gap budget so schools and the social-service agencies that
depend on state funding can get paid. It will be hard to resist the
Republicans’ argument with the Erie School District threatening to close shop and Philadelphia
Harold
Jackson, Inquirer Opinion
Columnist POSTED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2015, 5:11 PM
Forgive
Pennsylvanians for not realizing that the most important election in the state
last year was not the one that Gov. Wolf won. In hindsight it’s clear that the
public should have paid more attention to who Republicans were choosing to be
their legislative leaders. They’re the engineers of the five-month stalemate
that has blocked Wolf’s proposed budget.
Wolf was confident when asked during his campaign if he could handle a
legislature with Republicans in control of both chambers. But that was before
the governor had actually experienced the lack of leverage that he and his
Democratic colleagues have in Harrisburg .
His veto of an alternative GOP budget doesn’t mean they won’t try to pass
another one.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/under-the-sun/Pennsylvania-budget-fight-about-mandates.html#YTrBtS62hme1Z2ZV.99
Blogger note: Day 127 - PA
GOP Legislature had 1460 days to reach an agreement with a GOP Governor on
pension reform and liquor privatization
WHYY Newsworks COMMENTARY BY MARC STIER NOVEMBER 3, 2015 ESSAYWORKS
A third of the
fiscal year is over, and we still have no state budget. Every day there is a
new report of a school district that is worried about how to stay open. And
social service providers, who take care of the most vulnerable members of our
community are searching for the funds necessary to keep helping the infirm, the
aged and the challenged. It's critically
important that we understand why the budget is delayed and who is responsible.
And the truth is that in Harrisburg , no less
than in Washington , D.C.
"Right now, there are
approximately 861 school police and school resource officers, as well as 983
school security officers working in Pennsylvania
But there are no state
requirements that any of these officers receive any training requirements
particular to interacting with students.
And there is no evidence anywhere that school-based law enforcement
makes schools or students safer. In fact, there is ample evidence that their
presence in schools actually escalates situations that are better handled by
trained guidance counselors and educators."
After S.C. dragging case,
it's time to take a second look at cops in our schools: Deborah Gordon Klehr
PennLive
Op-Ed By Deborah Gordon
Klehr on November 03, 2015 at 1:00 PM, updated November 03,
2015 at 7:29 PM
Deborah Gordon Klehr is the executive
director of the Education
Law Center Philadelphia
The recent video
that shows a school police officer in Columbia ,
South Carolina
"Data have repeatedly
shown that Black students and other students of color are disciplined in school
at far higher rates – and given harsher penalties for the same offenses – than
White students. The result has been a rise in student arrests and what is
referred to as the school-to-prison pipeline, in which the path to prison
starts with school infractions, like truancy and defiance, that are not in
themselves criminal."
The role of police in
schools: A discussion on 'Radio Times'
the notebook By Dale
Mezzacappa on Nov 3, 2015 03:11 PM
Notebook board chair
Harold Jordan, senior policy analyst with the Pennsylvania ACLU, appeared on
WHYY's Radio Times this morning with Philadelphia Deputy
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel to discuss the role of police officers in
schools. The topic recently got renewed attention after video went viral showing a sheriff's deputy in South Carolina throwing
to the floor and arresting a Black high school girl who would not leave
her classroom. Jordan wrote
the recent report "Beyond Zero Tolerance: Discipline
and Policing in Pennsylvania Public Schools." Bethel , who is retiring, will spend the next
three years as the first Diana A. Millner Youth Justice Fellow at the
Stoneleigh Foundation. He will work from Drexel University
http://thenotebook.org/blog/159133/harold-jordan-kevin-bethel-discuss-police-schools-and-discipline-radio-times
Charter schools file to intervene in court case to
stop diversion of gaming funds
By Mary Niederberger
/ Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette November 3, 2015 11:08 PM
The Pennsylvania
Coalition of Public Charter Schools is seeking to intervene in the Commonweatlh
Court case filed recently by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association asking
that gaming revenues be redirected from charter schools to public school
districts. The school boards
association, along with two school districts, filed suit in Commonwealth Court on Oct. 21. The suit
was an attempt to stop the state Department of Education and state treasurer
from redirecting property tax reduction funds, which come to districts through
gambling revenues, to pay charter school tuition in districts that can’t pay
their charter school bills as a result of the state budget impasse. Because of the impasse, public school
districts are not getting their basic education subsidy from the state. As a
result, some have maintained they don’t have the money to pay charter bills.
KEYSEC Congratulations to
tireless public ed advocate Helen Gym on her election to Philly City
Kenney, Gym change the
education conversation
the notebook By Dale
Mezzacappa on Nov 3, 2015 09:46 PM
With the election of
Democrats Jim Kenney as mayor and Helen Gym to City Council on Tuesday, there
is a new dynamic at City Hall regarding education policy. Kenney has promised to work toward universal
preschool and has thrown his support behind community
schools as the primary reform strategy for the District. That is a
departure from Mayor Nutter's approach. Throughout his administration Nutter
supported the strategy that relied heavily on closing low-performing schools
and expanding charters with the goal of having "a great
school" in every neighborhood. Gym rode to Council
on the strength of her education activism, in which she has been severely
critical of the dominant District and city policy of closing schools, growing
charter enrollment, and primarily using test scores to decide which schools are
candidates for turnaround and privatization.
Kenney captured about 85 percent of the mayoral vote, handily defeating
Republican Melissa Murray Bailey. Gym was the leading vote-getter among Council
at-large candidates with nearly all of the vote counted.
KEYSEC Congrats to new
Shippensburg school board member Susan Spicka, tireless public ed advocate and
advocacy coordinator for Education Voters of PA!!!
Spicka takes school director seat from incumbent in
Shippensburg
Jake
Austin The Sentinel November4, 2015
SHIPPENSBURG —
Democratic candidate Susan Spicka took the single open school director seat
from incumbent Dwayne Burt in a tight race in Shippensburg Area
School District
KEYSEC Congrats to new West
Chester Area school board member Kate Shaw, public ed advocate and Executive
Director of Research for Action!!!
Tiernan, Shaw, Tabakin, Hermann win in West Chester
WEST
CHESTER >> Incumbent Democrat Sue Tiernan will remaining on the West
Chester Area School Board after taking 3,411 votes in election Tuesday. Joining
her from Region 1 of the district is fellow Democrat Kate Shaw, who received
3,282 votes, beating out Republicans Vince Paul with 2,201 votes and Debra
Maccariella with 2,273…
A bipartisan commission of lawmakers and educators recommended hundreds
of millions of dollars in new spending on the state’s K-12 education system
Monday, unveiling one of the most ambitious school finance blueprints in a
generation. The plan, which could cost a
half-billion dollars or more per year, faces substantial fiscal and political
hurdles. But proponents framed it as a vital response to years of school budget
cuts and persistent academic achievement gaps separating wealthy from poor
students and whites from blacks and Latinos. “Until now, there has been a vague agreement that there is a problem, but
not about the scope of it or about what to do about it,” said state Senator
Sonia Chang-Diaz, a Jamaica Plain Democrat who cochaired the commission, at a
news conference Monday. “Today, that is different. Today, that changes.” Lawmakers who served on the Foundation Budget
Review Commission, however, acknowledged that education is one of many
competing priorities on Beacon Hill . And
finding the money for substantial new spending will be challenging.
Students at virtual charter
schools lag significantly behind their peers in brick-and-mortar classrooms,
sparking big worries among education advocates.
Molly Hensley-Clancy BuzzFeed News
Reporter posted on Nov. 2, 2015, at 6:23 p.m.
The for-profit
online charter school industry is the target of an investigation by California
Attorney General Kamala Harris, according to a filing by
K12 Inc., the country’s largest online charter management company. K12 received a subpoena in late September
from the Bureau of Children’s Justice at the California Attorney General’s
office, the company said in its quarterly earnings report. The subpoena, K12
said, was part of an industry-wide investigation. There are 14,500 students
enrolled in virtual schools run by K12 Inc., up from just 650 in 2002.
Testing Resistance & Reform News: October 28 -
November 3, 2015
FairTest Submitted
by fairtest on November 3, 2015 - 12:46pm
Two major stories
dominated the week's news. President Obama's belated recognition of
standardized exam overkill and another federal government report documenting
academic stagnation during the "test-and-punish" era provided more
ammunition for the country's rapidly growing assessment reform movement. In
many states parents, educators, local officials and community leaders are
gearing up for major campaigns to significantly reduce testing volume,
eliminate high-stakes, and open the door to better ways to assess student
learning.
PSBA Members: Register
and Join us for Budget Action Day in Harrisburg
For more than four months Pennsylvanians have gone without a state budget, and school districts are feeling the pain. Join school directors and administrators at the Harrisburg Capitol on Monday, Nov. 16 to take action. Let the governor and our legislators know that a state budget is critical to the education of our public school children inPennsylvania . We will meet at 9 a.m. in the
Majority Caucus Room, Room 140, of the State Capitol for a briefing and
distribution of information packets. PSBA asks that you contact your legislator
to schedule your visits. This is the most effective way to reach your
legislator, and it lets them know that their constituents are making the effort
to visit at the Harrisburg Capitol.
For more than four months Pennsylvanians have gone without a state budget, and school districts are feeling the pain. Join school directors and administrators at the Harrisburg Capitol on Monday, Nov. 16 to take action. Let the governor and our legislators know that a state budget is critical to the education of our public school children in
Mark your calendars
now. Register online or send your name, school entity and
email address to Angie Garcia. For additional information, please
contact Angie at angela.garcia@psba.org or by calling (717)
506-2450, ext. 3435.
PSBA: Stay connected after
school board service
Former school directors can stay connected to public education issues through the PSBA Alumni Network! You have valuable experience and insight into the workings of public education and school boards. Legislators value your opinion as a former elected official. Put your knowledge to work for the benefit of public education. For a nominal yearly fee of $25, or $100 for a lifetime membership in the Alumni Network, you will receive:
Former school directors can stay connected to public education issues through the PSBA Alumni Network! You have valuable experience and insight into the workings of public education and school boards. Legislators value your opinion as a former elected official. Put your knowledge to work for the benefit of public education. For a nominal yearly fee of $25, or $100 for a lifetime membership in the Alumni Network, you will receive:
- Electronic access to PSBA Bulletin, the leading public education
magazine in
- Access to legislative information
pertaining to public education and periodic updates via email
To
join, register online. For more details or questions, contact Member
Engagement Director Karen Devine at Karen.devine@psba.org or (800)
932-0588, ext. 3322.
Job Announcement – Publisher, The Philadelphia Public School
Application deadline
is now November 7th
Founded in 1994, The Philadelphia Public School Notebook is
an independent, nonprofit news organization serving thousands of readers who
strive for quality and equality in Philadelphia’s public education system. A
pioneering resource and voice for the parents, students, teachers, and other
members of the community, the Notebook is Philadelphia’s go-to source for news,
information, and conversation about its public schools. With six annual print
editions and a website updated daily with news and commentary, the Notebook is
among the few resources of its kind in the U.S.
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 on
the south side. to discuss the Basic Education Funding Commission’s
proposed funding formula as well as strategies used in the state’s
history. Doors open at 6:30; forum starts at 7. It will be recorded for later broadcast. The
event is free, but space is limited; registration is recommended.Register online to attend.
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: Community Broadcast Center, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh PA 15203
COST: Free. Register to attend.
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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