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Keystone
State Education Coalition
PA
Ed Policy Roundup July 18, 2016:
According
to Agora Cyber Charter’s 2013 IRS filing, it paid $69.5 million that year to
K12, Inc.
Apply Now for EPLC's
2016-2017 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program!
Districts’ only link to cyber charters:
Money
Each one pays its own per-pupil
charter rate, but oversight of the online schools is solely Pennsylvania’s
responsibility.
The notebook by Melanie Bavaria June
7, 2016 — 10:45am
Only a small percentage of U.S.
children attend school completely online, but the population that online
schools serve has increased dramatically over the last few years and it is
projected to continue to climb. In some states, the online charter school industry
has seen exponential growth in recent years.
Nationally, about 200 cyber charter schools serve 200,000 students,
according to a series of reports published in October by the Center for
Research on Education Outcomes, Mathematica Policy Research, and the Center for
Reinventing Public Education. As the
state with the second-highest cyber charter enrollment, Pennsylvania has 17
percent of the national cyber charter school population, or 35,000 students.
Dismal academic records
However, most of Pennsylvania’s
cyber schools have shown consistently dismal academic records. According to the
state’s School Performance Profile website, only three — 21st Century, PA
Cyber, and PA Virtual — had an SPP score above 60. The state considers 60 and
below to be substandard. None scored
higher than 70, which is the state’s minimum goal for all schools, and some
scored in the 30s. A national report on
graduation-rate trends in both virtual and brick-and-mortar high schools showed
that although overall rates are increasing, 87 percent of virtual schools
nationwide have an adjusted cohort graduation rate of below 67 percent, the
federal cutoff point for a “low graduation rate high school.”
In fact, the average graduation
rate for virtual schools is 40 percent.
Blogger note: this is a great collection
of articles on various aspects of Pennsylvania school funding.
Pennsylvania's School Funding
Crisis
The notebook July 5, 2016 —
4:55pm
This edition's reporting on
Pennsylvania's education funding was published as part of a collaboration
between WHYY Newsworks' Keystone Crossroads statewide public media project and
the Philadelphia Public School Notebook. The collaboration is supported by a
generous grant from the William Penn Foundation.
Intelligencer By Gary Weckselblatt, staff writer Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2016 6:00 am
As co-chairman of the bipartisan commission that helped implement a new education funding formula, state Rep. Mike Vereb believes there's a way to save money that flows into education. It has to do with cutting down on the number of school districts and their "financial inefficiencies and duplication of services." Specifically, that involves slicing the number of school districts from 500 to 67 and saving on administrative costs. "I want to look at the top," said Vereb, R-150, a Montgomery County lawmaker who represents the Collegeville area. "We spend so much time focusing on the teacher, and I'm all for that, but there's got to be a look at the administrators. You've got a superintendent, an assistant superintendent, an assistant to the assistant superintendent. I think we need to be fair and look at all levels of public education."
http://www.theintell.com/news/local/pennsylvania-school-district-consolidation-study-eyes-savings/article_e6f78472-2ce3-11e6-80e0-4726627e607d.html
Did you catch our weekend postings?
PA Ed Policy Weekend Roundup July 17,
2016:
120 American Charter Schools and One
Secretive Turkish Cleric
Once again, Pa. settles for quick-fix
budget | Editorial
Editorial By Express-Times
opinion staff on July 17, 2016 at 6:00 AM
Pennsylvania's budget drama was a
relatively painless two-act play this year — an on-time adoption by June 30,
followed by Wednesday's action to
close a $1.4 billion deficit in the spending plan. After last year's
nine-month standoff, 13 days of post-deadline debate in July seems like ... a
functional government. To the extent
that Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican legislative leadersrealized
the limits of irreconcilable strategies, this budget is a winning
proposition, helped along by the encroachment of November elections. After Wolf
retreated from his insistence on raising the state income tax or sales tax to
boost funding for schools and address a structural budget deficit, he allowed
the budget to become law without his signature. Then he left it to House and
Senate leaders to assemble a stocking of deficit-fillers. The result is a one-year,
stop-gap plan at best. The centerpiece is a $1-a-pack increase in the
state cigarette tax (boosting it to $2.60), along with a 55-cent per-ounce tax
on smokeless tobacco and a 40 percent wholesale tax on electronic cigarettes.
(Once again, the state's cigar lobby dodged a bullet.)
Times Leader By Mark Guydish - Click for more information on Mark
mguydish@timesleader.com - @TLMarkGuydish - 570-991-6112 JULY 17TH, 2016 - 4:27 PM - UPDATED:
JULY 17TH, 2016 - 5:30 PM.
A new report argues that
school districts statewide may appear to have healthy fund balances, but that a
closer look shows most — including eight of 11 in Luzerne County — have
reserves below what most experts recommend as a minimum level. Released by the Center on Regional Politics
at Temple University, the report used state data to distinguish between
district reserves that are restricted and those that are “unassigned.” While
some district may have healthy-looking reserves, much of the money is often set
aside for things like construction costs.
The analysis, done by David Davare of the Pennsylvania Economy League
noted, that during the nine-month budget battle in Harrisburg from July of last
year into March of this year, critics contended Pennsylvania’s 500 school
districts were collectively sitting on about $4.7 billion in reserves even as
many insisted they would have to close without state money.
Here’s the report referenced above…
PA School Districts’ Fund
Balances: An Update
Center on Regional Politics at
Temple University July 6, 2016
A policy brief published
by the Center on Regional Politics in July 2016 provides data on the status of
fund balances for Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts at the close of fiscal
year 2014-15. The data shows that total reserve funds for districts, charter
schools and technical schools have increased by about $400 million since
2012-2013, from $4.3 billion to $4.7 billion. But only six of the 500 school
districts have unassigned fund balances equal to or larger than their state
subsidy.
“Over the last five years, the number of school-age children in
the Lehigh Valley has shrunk by 4.6 percent, but the number of Hispanic
children in that population has increased by 15.6 percent. School districts
will need to find ways to connect with the Latino population as their numbers
grow.”
As
Latino population grows, school districts search for new ways to help student
succeed
Sarah
M. Wojcik Contact Reporter Of The Morning
Call July 17, 2016
There's one common thread among
the immigrant parents that math teacher Christa Wolak has met with during her
five years at Allentown's Newcomer Academy: They care — a lot. The vast majority of students at the special
Allentown School District facility, a school dedicated to preparing non-English
speaking students for public education, are Latino. And Wolak said the school's
staff has learned that engaging the entire family is an essential part of
helping each student succeed. From movie
nights to sprawling holiday feasts, the east Allentown school, serving students
from seventh to 12th grades, has taken an already unique
program to the next level by going beyond the classroom. "Of the families I meet with at
Newcomer, rarely do I find the parents don't care," she said. "I see
families pleased and grateful and thankful that their children are getting a
good education." It's an
educational philosophy that could prove essential for more and more districts
as an increasing number of Latino children fill classrooms across the Lehigh
Valley.
Lawsuit brewing over refugee education in
Lancaster
WITF BY EMILY PREVITI, WITF JULY 18, 2016
About 17,000 school-aged refugees
move to the U.S. in an average year, an estimate that's a few years old and
likely growing along with overall resettlement activity. But no one is tracking how young refugees
fare in school here. Georgetown
University released a study earlier this year looking at education access by
students with limited English proficiency.
It
focused on undocumented immigrants. But
researcher Zenandeh Booi says some trends apply to refugees; specifically,
schools discouraging or denying enrollment, particularly to older children, and
failing to provide translation when communicating with families. "It could be, in some cases, a lack of
resources to adequately accommodate these kids. And in some other instances,
it's, essentially, they don't want these kids in their schools," Booi
says. "So, to a large extent, districts are dealing with a lot in trying
to accommodate these kids. But at the same time, it can't be used for a reason
why you completely exclude a child from being able to access education." Actually, federal law prohibits it. But it's
happening anyway, as documented by the Georgetown study and lawsuits in
multiple states. Several school
districts in New York settled related lawsuits this spring, just
before another was filed in Florida. And
one Pennsylvania district is next.
The ACLU of
Pennsylvania's filing a lawsuit this week against the public school district in
the city of Lancaster, long known as a hub
for refugee resettlement.
Pages on Pedals offers a
vital service to children in Lancaster city
Lancaster Online The LNP
Editorial Board July 18, 2016
THE ISSUE: In June, The Mix at
Arbor Place collaborated with The Common Wheel to organize Pages on Pedals, a program in which volunteers brought
books via bicycles to local children. The program reached 100 kids in Lancaster
city, and will return next year.
For some kids, getting a new book
during the summer is similar to getting a present under the tree in December. Just ask 9-year-old Jaqaya Smith. Jaqaya would set an alarm to greet Pages on
Pedals volunteers who brought books once a week to her Lancaster city home, her
mother said. The girl unlocked the
screen door so she could hear them knocking on the front door. After a few knocks, Smith and her
brother greeted the bicyclists on their porch, both itching to find out which
book they would receive. It was
Christmas in June. Minus the milk and cookies, Santa and snow. The Mix at Arbor Place and The Common Wheel
deserve much credit. Studies show that
kids, especially low-income students, are at great risk of falling into a
“summer slide.” Research
from Johns Hopkins University shows that during the summer, low-income
students often lose two to three months of learning, particularly in reading.
The Republican National Convention and
Education: What to Watch For
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on July 17,
2016 4:45 PM
Cleveland - The Republican National
Convention kicks off July 18 and culminates with the nomination of the party's
candidate on July 21. And both halves of Politics K-12 are in Cleveland. We
will be blogging, tweeting, taking video, interviewing folks with a connection
to K-12, and giving you breaking analysis of how education is playing out here. So what should you be watching for this
week?The list of speakers includes some folks with a background on K-12
policy, like Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and Gov. Chris Christie of New
Jersey, and some not so much, like pro-golfer Natalie Gulbis or Tiffany Trump,
the daughter of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. K-12 education has played fifth-fiddle to
pretty much every issue this election cycle, and even long-time Washington hands are stumped
as to where Trump might go on the issue. But here are five speakers who might give us
a sense of where the party's heart is: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2016/07/rnc_and_education_what_to_watc.html
“Charter schools in the U.S. also have
raised questions about possible ties to Gulen. A loosely affiliated group of
Turkish educators organized about 100 publicly funded schools in 25 states with
as many as 35,000 students, according to a 2010 investigation by USA TODAY. The
schools have recruited thousands of teachers from Turkey.”
Turkish exile sparks questions
about Congress travel, charter schools
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY8:38 p.m. EDT July 17, 2016
WASHINGTON – The Muslim cleric
who is accused of organizing the attempted coup in Turkey also has
sparked questions about the motivation behind congressional travel and
charter schools in the U.S. Fethullah
Gulen, 75, lives in exile in rural Pennsylvania. But Turkey’s President Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan contends Gulen was behind the attempted coup Friday that
left hundreds dead and 6,000 detained, and has demanded Gulen’s
extradition.
Fethullah Gulen: The Islamic scholar
Turkey blames for the failed coup
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Blog By Valerie
Strauss July 16
The man
that Turkey’s leaders have blamed for a failed coup attempt by a group of army
officers is an Islamic scholar named Fethullah Gulen, who lives in
self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania and who has inspired a network said to
include more than 160 charter schools in the United States. Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan says that the coup attempt Friday was the work of army officers
who are followers of Gulen, who had once been an ally but whose movement has
become critical of the increasingly authoritarian regime. The Gulen movement denied involvement in the
coup, but Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Saturday was quoted as saying the
United States would support investigations to determine who instigated
the attempted coup and where its support originates. He said he
anticipates questions will be raised about Gulen.
PSBA
2016-17 Budget Update JUL 22, 2016 •
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Please join PSBA’s Assistant
Executive Director of Public Policy and Chief Lobbyist John Callahan for an
in-depth dive into Pennsylvania’s budget. In this complimentary member webinar,
see what is behind the numbers, get the trends and analysis for the 2016-17
fiscal year. Find out what is in the school code and policy changes to come.
Participate in a question and answer period.
Register online with PSBA’s webinar host
GoToWebinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/7915829886509395715
Education Policy and Leadership Center
Applications are available now for the 2016-2017 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP). The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC). Click here for the program calendar of sessions. With nearly 500 graduates in its first seventeen 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, 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 15-16, 2016 and continues to graduation in June 2017. Click here to read more about the Education Policy Fellowship Program, or here to see the 2016-2017 program calendar.
Applications are being accepted now.
Appointment
of Voting Delegates for the October 15th PSBA Delegate Assembly
Meeting
PSBA Website June 27, 2016
The governing body boards of all
member school entities are entitled to appoint voting delegates to participate
in the PSBA Delegate Assembly to be held on Saturday,
Oct. 15, 2016. It is important that school boards act soon to appoint
its delegate or delegates, and to notify PSBA of the appointment.
Voting members of the Delegate
Assembly will:
1. Consider and act upon proposed
changes to the PSBA Bylaws.
2. Receive reports from the PSBA
president, executive director and treasurer.
3. Receive the results of the
election for officers and at-large representatives. (Voting upon
candidates by school boards and electronic submission of each board’s votes
will occur during the month of September 2016.)
4. Consider proposals recommended by
the PSBA Platform Committee and adopt the legislative platform for the coming
year.
5. Conduct
other Association business as required or permitted in the Bylaws, policies or
a duly adopted order of business.
The 2016 Delegate Assembly will meet on Saturday,
Oct. 15, at the conclusion of the regularly scheduled events of the
main PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference.
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:
PA Supreme Court sets Sept. 13 argument
date for fair education funding lawsuit in Philly
Thorough
and Efficient Blog JUNE 16, 2016 BARBGRIMALDI LEAVE A COMMENT
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