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Keystone
State Education Coalition
PA
Ed Policy Roundup May 16, 2016:
Reach Out and Read/First Book Promote Early Literacy
and Reading
Make
the new funding formula permanent; pass a budget for 2016-17 that increases
funding for public schools by at least $400 million
Pennsylvania has the widest funding gap between wealthy & poor
schools in the country.
Contributing only 36%, PA is ranked 46th in the US for its
share of education funding.
Campaign for Fair Education
Funding Website
Legislature resumes
session, budget decisions loom
Inquirer by MARC LEVY and MARK SCOLFORO, The Associated
Press Updated: MAY 15, 2016
— 11:16 PM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)
- Pennsylvania lawmakers still fatigued from a record budget standoff with
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf may not get much of a break from the partisan battles
as the start of the new fiscal year approaches.
Both chambers of the Legislature resume session in Harrisburg on Monday,
with six weeks for Wolf and Republican majorities in the House and Senate to
iron out sharp differences over taxes and spending for the 2016-17 fiscal year,
which starts July 1. The fall election
campaign looms for most incumbents, and no one in the Capitol seems to want a
repeat of the stalled approval of a final 2015-16 spending plan that was
resolved only last month. Despite
lawmakers' talk of an improved relationship and optimism about the process ahead,
negotiating positions at this point suggest the coming weeks could be rocky. Wolf has proposed a
$33.3 billion spending plan, an 11 percent increase over the Republican-crafted
$30 billion budget package that Wolf let become law without his signature to
end the stalemate. It did not, he has said, fix a long-term deficit that has
damaged Pennsylvania's credit rating or do enough to help public school systems
that had the nation's biggest funding disparity between wealthy and poor
districts. Big increases for public
schools, pension obligations, human services and prisons would drive up the
spending, under Wolf's proposal.
Wolf, GOP at odds over
teacher layoff bill
Times Tribune BY ROBERT SWIFT, HARRISBURG BUREAU CHIEF Published: May
16, 2016
HARRISBURG — Gov.
Tom Wolf and Republican lawmakers are at sharp odds over another education
issue — teacher layoffs. Lawmakers gave
final approval last week to a bill that changes ground rules for determining
how public school administrators carry out teacher layoffs. The final action on
the House bill came with a Senate vote largely along party lines. The bill’s passage quickly drew a veto threat
from Mr. Wolf, and GOP legislative leaders urged him to reconsider that
position. This opens another front in battles over education policy between Mr.
Wolf and the Republican-controlled Legislature. The two sides have clashed over
school funding to restore earlier cuts, distribution of state subsidy aid and
charter schools since the governor took office in 2015. The bill being sent to the governor would
enable schools to lay off professional employees for economic reasons,
expanding a list that currently ties layoffs to declines in student enrollment,
changes in educational programs and school consolidation. Lawmakers have worked
on teacher furlough bills for several years, an issue highlighted when
thousands of school employees lost their jobs when a bad economy led to cuts in
state aid during 2011-12.
Did you catch our weekend
postings?
PA Ed Policy Roundup May 14: San Francisco gives TFA a
timeout; Schools react to Transgender Directive
NAACP conference at
Cheyney focuses on trauma and funding disparity
Delco Times By
Adam Farence, afarence@21st-centurymedia.com, @afarence on Twitter POSTED: 05/15/16,
8:01 PM EDT | UPDATED: 9 HRS AGO
THORNBURY >>
In an effort to address trauma and other issues affecting impoverished youth in
disadvantaged school districts, the Media branch of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Persons held a conference at Cheyney University
Saturday. Citing trauma as one of the
leading detriments children face in the classroom, Joan Duvall-Flynn, president
of the Pennsylvania State Conference of NAACP branch and the Media area unit of
the NAACP, delivered a presentation advocating a need to better prepare
teachers in the classroom to handle children who have undergone traumatic
experiences. “What we are looking for is
policy,” she said. “To address the pervasiveness of emotional and psychological
trauma being experienced by our youth, we recognize it has to begin with our
lawmakers.” Duvall-Flynn explained that
students living in impoverished areas are more likely to suffer from trauma
because of drug abuse and crime, which in turn impacts their ability to learn
in school.
“Spending would increase
by more than 4 percent over the current school year, an increase driven by a
$1.3 million spike in costs as part of the Public School Employees’ Retirement
System, the board said. “The (PSERS)
rate continues to climb each year out of our control,” said board President
Merle Esh.”
Conestoga Valley school board set to approve tax hike
Lancaster Online STAFF
REPORT May 16, 2016
Residents of the
Conestoga Valley School District would pay nearly 5 percent more in property
taxes under a 2016-17 budget proposal that has the support of a majority of
board members. The increase, which
would exceed the state’s cap on tax hikes, is necessary to cover pension costs
that have risen dramatically and prevent program cuts amid a bleak financial
picture, board members said. The increase
would cost the owner of an average home in the district — assessed at $167,121
— $119 more in the tax year that begins July 1. The total tax bill would be
$2,657. The school board is expected to
vote on the $66.6 million budget at its 7 p.m. meeting tonight at the district
office, 2110 Horseshoe Road.
Autism and education:
Flexibility helps students thrive
Philly.com by DAVIN JURGENSEN, The Associated Press Updated: MAY 14, 2016
HANOVER, Pa. (AP) -
Kaela Dutterer is a head banger. More
than a year ago, her mother, Heidi Dutterer, received concerned calls from her
teacher about this behavior in the classroom. Kaela, the teacher said, was
repeatedly banging her head against a cement floor. The calls alarmed Dutterer - not just because
she worried for her daughter's safety, but because the calls, she felt,
indicated that Kaela's teacher couldn't handle her.? Although schools around Hanover and Adams
County offer specialized services for children with autism, parents, like
Dutterer, often have to step in to advocate for their children.
Pa. legislators call for financial literacy courses in
public schools
Abc27 By Myles Snyder Published: May 13, 2016, 2:46 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa.
(WHTM) – Pennsylvania’s public high school students would have to complete a
personal finance course before graduating under legislation introduced in the
state House. ouse Bill 1961 would
mandate a course teaching money management, earning income, borrowing money,
financial services, risk management, saving and investing in the 11th or 12th
grade. Co-authoring Reps. Leslie Acosta
and Mike Driscoll (D-Philadelphia) said too many young people are entering
college and the workforce without the knowledge needed to make informed
decisions about their money. They said a
recent report found that less than half of Pennsylvania’s school districts
require a course in personal finance for graduation.
Pa. lawmaker wants mental-health checks in schools
Abc27 By Myles Snyder Published: May 13, 2016, 3:24 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa.
(WHTM) – A Pennsylvania lawmaker wants public schools to have a role in
reducing teen suicides by offering mental health checks to students. Rep. Dan Miller (D-Allegheny) has introduced
legislation that would require at least a depression screening for each student
by age 14. His bill would add brain
health/mental health screenings to the list of other medical requirements such
as vision tests, hearing exams, scoliosis screenings, and immunizations. “We need to recognize that mental health is
arguably even more important than physical health and we need to improve our
early diagnosis capabilities to get those who need treatment the help they need
to improve their quality of life,” he said in a statement Friday.
Parents would have
the right to opt their children out of the screening.
Supt. Hite to have his own
test — going before Philly City Council
WHYY Newsworks BY TOM MACDONALD MAY 16, 2016
The School District
of Philadelphia comes to City Council to testify Tuesday. This year will
be different than the past few ones.
In previous years, it wasn't if the Philadelphia School
District needed more money, it was how many millions would be
needed to balance the struggling districts budget. This year Superintendent William Hite says
the district comes to City Hall without hat in hand. "It's not giving a break because people
still have taxes, so everyone still pays taxes, but we are finishing the year
with a surplus, a small surplus," Hite said. "So we want to recognize
it's hard to ask for additional money when you have a surplus."
DN editorial: Philly School
District's structural deficit
Philly Daily News Editorial Updated: MAY 16, 2016 — 3:01 AM EDT
THE STATE auditor
general's report released last week that revealed the School District has a
structural deficit hardly qualifies as big news. It isn't even new. The words "deficit" and
"school district" have appeared next to each other for years. The
district has been running a deficit for more than five years. In the past, it
was so great that the district had to lay off thousands of workers, close
schools, and cut its budget to the bone.
The key word in Auditor General Eugene DePasquale's report is
"structural." A structural
deficit isn't caused by a once-in-a-decade incident. It is caused when your
expenses always exceed your revenue.
ABOUT REACH OUT AND READ
Giving young children a foundation for
success
Reach Out and Read
is a nonprofit organization that gives young children a foundation for success
by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read
aloud together. The Reach Out and Read
evidence-based program builds on the unique relationship between parents and
medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children,
beginning in infancy. As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics,
Reach Out and Read incorporates early literacy into pediatric practice,
equipping parents with tools and knowledge to ensure that their children are
prepared to learn when they start school.
Reach Out and Read
serves nearly 4.5 million children and their families annually. Reach Out and
Read families read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten
with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills. During the preschool
years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of
their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests. These early
foundational language skills help start children on a path of success when they
enter school.
First Book Story
First Book provides access to
new books for children in need.
To date, First Book
has distributed more than 135 million books and educational resources to
programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the
United States and Canada. First Book is transforming the lives of children in
need and elevating the quality of education by making new, high-quality books
available on an ongoing basis. We are
proud of our past success and even more excited about the future. First Book is
uniquely positioned to become a leader in providing digital resources so that
children in need don’t miss out.
No matter how
formats and technologies change, children from low-income families will still
need access to rich and varied content. First Book is helping guide the
publishing industry as it evolves so that all children can benefit from new
technologies and flourish as readers.
Joint public hearing on Every Student Succeeds Act
Wednesday May 18th
PA House and PA
Senate Education Committees
Harrisburg Wednesday
May 18th 9:00 AM Hearing Room #1 North Office Building
Join the Pennsylvania Principals Association at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at The
Capitol in Harrisburg, PA, for its second annual Principals' Lobby Day.
Pennsylvania
Principals Association Monday, March 21, 2016 9:31 AM
To register, contact Dr. Joseph Clapper at clapper@paprincipals.org by
Tuesday, June 14, 2016. If you need assistance, we will provide
information about how to contact your legislators to schedule meetings. Click here for the informational flyer, which includes
important issues to discuss with your legislators.
2016 PA Educational
Leadership Summit July 24-26 State College
Summit Sponsors:
PA Principals Association - PA Association of School Administrators
- PA Association of Middle Level Educators - PA Association of
Supervision and Curriculum Development
The 2016
Educational Leadership Summit, co-sponsored by four leading Pennsylvania education associations,
provides an excellent opportunity for school district administrative teams and
instructional leaders to learn, share and plan together at a quality venue in
"Happy Valley."
Featuring Grant
Lichtman, author of EdJourney: A Roadmap to the Future of Education,
Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera (invited), and Dana
Lightman, author of POWER Optimism: Enjoy the Life You Have...
Create the Success You Want, keynote speakers, high quality breakout
sessions, table talks on hot topics and district team planning and job alike
sessions provides practical ideas that can be immediately reviewed and
discussed at the summit before returning back to your district. Register and pay by April 30, 2016 for the
discounted "early bird" registration rate:
“NATIONAL ANTHEM “SING-A-LONG”
When: September 9, 2016, 10:00 am PST/1:00pm EST
Where: Schools across America
Sponsor: American Public Education Foundation (APEF)
The National Anthem “Sing-A-Long” is a movement to teach K-12 students the
words, meaning,
music and history of the Star-Spangled Banner. This annual event is held
each year on the
second week of September to honor 9/11 families, victims and heroes and
celebrate the historic
birthday of the National Anthem on September 14. Those who join the
“Sing-A-Long” are singing in unison at the exact same time at multiple sites
across the U.S. The APEF has also created a robust, companion curriculum
recognized by numerous State Departments of Education, available online
at www.theapef.org (see the “Educate”
tab) for free download.
The Foundation hopes to have the support of the Alabama Department of
Education as we
commemorate the 15th Anniversary of 9/11 this year. Teachers are encouraged
to sign up
before the end of the school year at www.theapef.org.
Also online is a "how-to" guide on
holding an event at your school and sample press release. If you do not
wish to hold a full
ceremony at the school, your students can simply stand up and sing
at 10 am PST/1:00pm EST.
The Star-Spangled Banner Movement is a simple, elegant way to honor 9/11
while also teaching students how the world came together in the days, weeks and
months after the September 2001 terrorist strikes. The APEF also offers a host
of other free educational material on its website, including polls, contests
and grant information.
Pennsylvania
Partnerships for Children (PPC), a statewide children's advocacy organization
located in Harrisburg, PA has an immediate full-time opening for an Early
Learning and K-12 Education Policy Manager.
PPC's vision is to be one of the top ten states in which to be a child
and raise a child. Today, Pennsylvania ranks 17th in the nation for child
well-being. Our early learning and K-12 education policy work is focused on
ensuring all children enter school ready to learn and that all children have
access to high-quality public education. Current initiatives include increasing
the number of children served in publicly funded pre-k and implementing a fair
basic education formula along with sustained, significant investments in
education funding.
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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