Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
reach more than 3900 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors,
administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's
staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition
team members, Superintendents, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher
leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations,
education professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory
agencies, professional associations and education advocacy organizations via
emails, website, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
Keystone
State Education Coalition
PA
Ed Policy Roundup September 1, 2016:
Lower
Merion SD to appeal court’s tax hike decision
Southeastern PA Regional 2016 Legislative
Roundtable: William Tennent High School (Bucks Co.) SEP 22, 2016 • 7:00 PM -
9:00 PM
More
info & Registration: https://www.psba.org/event/2016-legislative-roundtable/
COUNCILWOMAN GYM, POWER TO HOST CITY HALL
EVENTS TO SUPPORT FAIR FUNDING FOR PA SCHOOLS
SEPTEMBER 12: SING-IN; SEPTEMBER 13: FAIR
FUNDING LAWSUIT HEARING
Philadelphia
City Council
More
info and RSVP: http://phlcouncil.com/fairfundinged
Guest Column: Cyber charter schools: An
enormous waste of tax dollars
Delco
Times By Lawrence A. Feinberg, Times Guest Columnist POSTED: 09/01/16, 8:02 AM
If it sometimes seems like
“tuition-free” cyber charter ads are running non-stop, consider that in just
one year your tax dollars paid for 19,298 local TV commercials for Agora Cyber Charter,
just one of Pennsylvania’s 13 cyber charters. And far from being tuition-free,
total cyber tuition paid by Pennsylvania taxpayers from 500 school districts
for 2013, 2014 and 2015 was $393.5 million, $398.8 million and $436.1 million
respectively. Those commercials were
very effective, especially if you were an executive at K12, Inc., a for-profit
company contracted to manage the cyberschool. According to Agora’s 2013 IRS
filing, it paid $69.5 million that year to K12, Inc. According to Morningstar,
total executive compensation at K12 in 2013 was $21.37 million.
Not so effective for kids or
taxpayers, though. What the ads don’t tell you is that they are paid for using
your school tax dollars instead of those funds being spent in classrooms, and
that academic performance at every one of Pennsylvania’s cyber charters has
been consistently dismal. While the state Department of Education considers a
score of 70 to be passing, Agora’s PA School Performance Profile (SPP) scores
for 2013, 2014 and 2015 were 48.3, 42.4 & 46.4.
In fact, not one of
Pennsylvania’s cyber charters has achieved a passing SPP score of 70 in any of
the three years that the SPP has been in effect.
Letter to LMSD community regarding recent
court decision
Lower Merion School
District Website LMSD Announcements Posted: August 30, 2016
Dear LMSD Community, Yesterday,
the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas issued an injunction order that
overrules the decision-making authority of the Lower Merion Board of School
Directors and could significantly impact the quality of school programs and
financial standing of Lower Merion School District. In its decision, the Court
stripped the District of the ability to utilize “Act 1” budget exceptions to
help cover nearly $4M in mandated costs associated with special education and
retirement obligations in the current year’s tax increase. These exceptions
were previously approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as
required by law. The Court’s decision imposes legal standards upon LMSD that
are different than any other public school district in Pennsylvania and makes
the District’s budgeting even more challenging by introducing greater
uncertainty into the process. The Board of School Directors intends to appeal
the decision immediately and will vigorously defend its right – and the right
of locally-elected school boards across the Commonwealth – to approve budgets
specific to the unique educational needs of local communities.
“The decision by the court, if upheld,
will add to this fiscal uncertainty and further jeopardize educational quality.
Under Act 1, it is the Department of Education that has the exclusive responsibility
to review and approve requests for exceptions to Act 1’s base limit on school
tax increases. The Act 1 exceptions reflect the General Assembly’s recognition
that there are some kinds of school district costs that can increase much more
rapidly than others, especially in the area of special education and employee
pension contributions. A court of common
pleas has no power to issue orders that effectively overturn the Department’s
decisions and usurp its authority. The court’s decision incorrectly assumes
that the Department does not have critical information it needs to make such
decisions, when in fact all relevant information is regularly submitted and
available to the Department.”
PSBA
Statement on Lower Merion School District tax levy injunction
The injunction issued Aug. 29,
2016, by the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas requiring the Lower Merion
School District to lower its tax rate was beyond the court’s authority, and paints
an incomplete and misleading picture both of how the Act 1 Taxpayer Relief Act
operates to limit school district tax increases and the reasons that school
district fund balances are considered to be an important means of maintaining
fiscal and educational stability. he disparity in the financial
resources available to school districts around the commonwealth is well known,
as is the unpredictability of support from state sources. Last year’s
nine-month budget impasse provides a prime example of how important it is for
school districts to maintain sufficient financial reserves. In the course of
that impasse, it is estimated that school districts statewide were forced to
take out loans amounting to more than $1 billion collectively in order to
continue operating without state support, with significant unanticipated
borrowing costs. A recent study issued by the Center on Regional Politics
reports that on average, school districts have unassigned fund balances just
above the minimum 5% of budgeted expenditures recommended by the Government
Finance Officers Association, enough to pay less than three weeks operating
expenses for most. The study further reports that in 2014-15, more than 90% of
school districts had unassigned fund balances that were less than half of their
state subsidy.
At the same time, employer
contribution rates for school employee pensions are higher than ever before,
and the continuing suspension of state reimbursement for school construction is
forcing districts with deteriorating classroom facilities to fund needed
improvements without that support.
Judge orders Pa. school district to revoke
tax increase, says it misled taxpayers
Penn Live By The Associated Press on
August 31, 2016 at 2:07 PM
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Education
officials fear a judge's decision ordering a suburban Philadelphia school
district to revoke its tax hike could lead to lawsuits around Pennsylvania
challenging other school districts' tax increases. "I've never heard of this happening
before ... a judge substituting his/her judgment of financial needs of the
district in place of locally elected school board members," Jim Buckheit,
executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. He said he anticipates lawsuits against other
districts that have healthy fund balances but raise taxes above the maximum
amount allowed under state law. On
Monday, a Montgomery County judge ordered the Lower Merion School District to revoke its latest tax
increase, saying the district misled taxpayers by projecting large budget
deficits when it was socking away millions.
Common
Pleas Judge Joseph A. Smyth said in his decision that the district
could increase taxes for 2016-17 but by no more than 2.4 percent. He said he would "leave for another
day" the question of refunds and credits for those who already paid their
current school tax bills. The district
said Tuesday that it will appeal the decision.
Some days really important stories get lost in the shuffle.
They aren't especially sexy. They likely will not be splashed all over our front page. They probably won't be "trending," or amass the much-salivated over "clicks." They are just very, very important, literally the kind of story that could easily fall through the cracks if it were not for newspapers and their traditional role of "watchdogs." I refer to a story that appeared on Page 4 of Wednesday's paper. It dealt with school budgets and taxes. I know, your eyes are starting to roll back in your head as they glaze over. Think again. That might be especially true if you happen to be a school board member - or a property owner who pays the taxes that make up the bulk of school budgets.
Something a Montgomery County
judge did should have school board members all across Delaware County waking up
at 3 a.m. in a cold sweat.
The Goth election - new poll finds
Pennsylvanians in a bleak mood: Thursday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek |
jmicek@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
September 01, 2016 at 7:10 AM, updated September 01, 2016 at 8:11 AM
THE MORNING COFFEE
Good Thursday Morning, Fellow
Seekers.
A new Franklin & Marshall poll out Thursday finds Pennsylvanians about as chipper as a roomful of Smiths fans at a Joy Division listening party hosted by that guy down the row from you who arrives at work on Monday already praying for Friday to come. From a deeply held conviction that too much power is concentrated in the hands of politicians to the creeping sense that all is simply not right with America, there's enoughennui in the new survey to guarantee full-employment for psychotherapists from now until the end of the world.
A new Franklin & Marshall poll out Thursday finds Pennsylvanians about as chipper as a roomful of Smiths fans at a Joy Division listening party hosted by that guy down the row from you who arrives at work on Monday already praying for Friday to come. From a deeply held conviction that too much power is concentrated in the hands of politicians to the creeping sense that all is simply not right with America, there's enoughennui in the new survey to guarantee full-employment for psychotherapists from now until the end of the world.
Trib Live BY LIZ
HAYES | Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, 11:20 p.m.
Highlands School District
students will return to classes Tuesday without the threat of a teacher strike
looming. The school board on Wednesday
unanimously approved the five-year contract that was accepted by the district's
191 teachers Monday. “This agreement
represents a victory for the students and families of the Highlands School
District who will be assured of uninterrupted education during the length of
this contract,” board President Debbie Beale said. “It will be good to start
the school year on a very positive note.”
District Solicitor Ira Weiss said the deal provides average annual
raises of 3 percent, or $2,133. The actual amount will vary depending on the
year and a teacher's placement on the salary scale. The average Highlands teacher salary was
about $68,000 during the 2014-15 school year, the most recent available from
the state Department of Education. The
contract also requires teachers to pay more for health care.
WHYY Newsworks BY TOM MACDONALD AUGUST 31, 2016
What began as a march of protest
is transforming into an annual push to have Philadelphia dads walk their
children to school Wednesday next week.
The Million Father March is encouraging fathers to take their sons and
daughters to school on the first day of classes in Philadelphia on September
7. David Fattah of the House of Umoja is the nationwide sponsor of the
event which has spread far beyond the city.
"The thought behind it is to increase parental involvement in the
schools," Fattah said. Councilman
Curtis Jones is a major supporter of the effort. "What we want to do is encourage fathers
and male role models to pick a child, your child hopefully or a neighbor's
child and help them for the first day at least of school to let them know that
we see you we want you to be successful and when fathers are involved in
children's lives all of the outcomes are better," Jones said. He says involved dads are a big help when
boys have questions they don't feel comfortable asking their mom.
“Since 2006 the Charter School Growth
Fund has received more than $100 million in funding from the Walton Foundation,
the philanthropic organization started by the founders of Walmart, as well as
grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”
New fund would direct millions to Camden's
Renaissance schools
Inquirer by Allison Steele, STAFF WRITER Updated: AUGUST 31, 2016 — 7:14
PM EDT
George Norcross, the longtime
Democratic power broker of South Jersey and chairman of Cooper University
Health Care, on Wednesday announced the launch of a $28.5 million fund that
will pay for construction and renovation of Camden's Renaissance schools. Norcross, also an insurance executive, said
he would raise $5.7 million from local organizations and individuals, including
$1 million from his family, and that the rest of the money will come from 4-1
matching by national philanthropic foundations.
The local fund is being established by the nonprofit Charter School
Growth Fund, a national venture capital fund that invests in charter schools. Hybrids of public and charter
schools, Renaissance schools are publicly funded but privately operated. Unlike
charter schools, they guarantee seats to every child in the school's
neighborhood, and they have contracts with the district mandating services like
special education. By law they must operate in new or renovated buildings.
Improving
Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade
What Works Clearinghouse
Institute of Educational SciencesStudents who read with understanding at an early age gain access to a broader range of texts, knowledge, and educational opportunities, making early reading comprehension instruction particularly critical. This guide recommends five specific steps that teachers, reading coaches, and principals can take to successfully improve reading comprehension for young readers.
“At issue is the portion of the new federal education law that
requires school districts to use Title I dollars in addition to — not
instead of — state and local money. The outlines of that provision — known
as “supplement not supplant” — has been in place for decades, and is meant
to ensure that districts don’t underfund schools in poor neighborhoods and
then use federal aid to make up the difference.
Many school districts are living up to the law but thousands of
high-poverty schools are being shortchanged, receiving less state and local
money than more affluent schools within the same district, according to the
Obama administration.”
Obama administration to propose rules for
how school districts spend money meant for poor kids
Washington Post By Emma Brown August
31 at 8:44 AM
The
Obama administration is expected to release
draft rules Wednesday that would govern how school districts allocate
billions of Title I dollars meant to educate poor children, one of Capitol
Hill’s most hotly debated education issues since Congress passed a
new federal education law late last year.
According to a summary of the proposal released early Wednesday morning,
the draft rules reflect changes that the Education Department
incorporated after its initial proposal received a barrage of criticism, not
only from Republicans but also from teachers unions and district and state
education leaders. It’s clear that the
changes have not addressed all of those criticisms. “Schools would be forced to move resources
around at the last minute each year to try to meet a federal mandate, rather
than doing what is in the best interest of students,” Chris Minnich, executive
director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, said in a statement.
“The Every Student Succeeds Act gives states more flexibility so we can create
opportunities for all kids, and this proposed rule is not consistent with the
law.”
Massachusetts Charter Showdown
Charlie Baker asks progressives
to live up to their principles.
Wall Street Journal Aug.
31, 2016 6:46 p.m. ET
Republican Governors who face
Democratic legislatures have a tough slog, but one path to political leverage
is a referendum at the ballot box. Charlie Baker is using that route
in November to override a Massachusetts House that is bought and paid for by
teachers unions. Last October the
first-term Governor unveiled a bill to lift the state’s charter-school cap to
allow 12 new or expanded charters a year. The bill was focused on districts
with student performance in the bottom 25% of the state. Massachusetts has a better education record
than most states, thanks to relative affluence and higher testing standards.
But there is a large unmet demand for charters in the state’s low-income
districts that have rotten schools. The Bay State currently has a mere 78
charter schools with 40,000 or so students. Yet 32,000 more children are on
charter waiting lists; 12,000 are in Boston, or 20% of the city’s public school
enrollment.
Are the Republicans Abandoning Public
Education?
Education Week Opinion By Marc Tucker on September 1, 2016 6:24 AM
I ask this question, of course,
partly tongue in cheek. I have good friends—including current and former
federal and state officials—who are Republicans who continue to be strong
supporters of public education. But I ask it to make a serious point. The arc of bipartisan support for public
schooling began its rise in 1837 when Horace Mann became chairman of the
Massachusetts Board of Education. Through the rest of the 19th century,
Americans came to take enormous pride in their common schools and to see them
as the primary means by which ordinary Americans of modest means who were
willing to work hard could vault themselves into the upper reaches of the
world's most egalitarian country. It was a vision shared equally by
Republicans and Democrats.
The 2016 Arts and Education Symposium will be held on October 27 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Convention Center. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Arts Education network and EPLC, the Symposium is a Unique Networking and Learning Opportunity for:
·
Arts Educators
·
School Leaders
·
Artists
·
Arts and Culture Community Leaders
·
Arts-related Business Leaders
·
Arts Education Faculty and Administrators in Higher Education
·
Advocates
·
State and Local Policy Leaders
Act 48 Credit is
available.Program and registration information are available here.
Southeastern
PA Regional 2016 Legislative Roundtable: William Tennent High School (Bucks
Co.) SEP 22, 2016 • 7:00
PM - 9:00 PM
PSBA website August 25, 2016
Take a more active role in public
education advocacy by joining our Legislative Roundtable
This is your opportunity for a
seat at the table (literally) with fellow public education advocates to take an
active role in educating each other and policymakers. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, along with
regional legislators, will be in attendance to work with you to support public
education in Pennsylvania. Use the
form below to send your registration information!
2016 National Anthem Sing-A-Long - September 9th
American Public Education Foundation Website
The Star-Spangled Banner will be sung by school children nationwide on Friday, September 9, 2016 at 10:00am PST and 1:00pm EST. Students will learn about the words and meaning of the flag and sing the first stanza. This will be the third annual simultaneous sing-a-long event created by the APEF-9/12 Generation Project. The project aims to bring students together – as the world came together – on September 12, 2001.
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
Registration
for the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference Oct. 13-15 is now open
The conference
is your opportunity to learn, network and be inspired by peers and
experts.
TO REGISTER: See https://www.psba.org/members-area/store-registration/ (you must be logged in to
the Members Area to register). You can read more on How to Register for
a PSBA Event here. CONFERENCE WEBSITE: For
all other program details, schedules, exhibits, etc., see the conference
website:www.paschoolleaders.org.
The Early Bird Discount Deadline has been Extended to Wednesday, August 31, 2016!
PA Principals Association website Tuesday, August 2, 2016 10:43 AM
To receive the Early Bird Discount, you must be registered by August 31, 2016:
Members: $300 Non-Members: $400
Featuring Three National Keynote Speakers: Eric Sheninger, Jill Jackson & Salome Thomas-EL
PSBA
Officer Elections Aug. 15-Oct. 3, 2016: Slate of Candidates
PSBA members seeking election to
office for the association were required to submit a nomination form no later
than April 30, 2016, to be considered. All candidates who properly completed
applications by the deadline are included on the slate of candidates below. In
addition, the Leadership Development Committee met on June 24 at PSBA
headquarters in Mechanicsburg to interview candidates. According to bylaws, the
Leadership Development Committee may determine candidates highly qualified for
the office they seek. This is noted next to each person’s name with an asterisk
(*). Each school entity will have one
vote for each officer. This will require boards of the various school entities
to come to a consensus on each candidate and cast their vote electronically
during the open voting period (Aug. 15-Oct. 3, 2016). Voting will be
accomplished through a secure third-party, web-based voting site that will
require a password login. One person from each member school entity will be
authorized as the official person to cast the vote on behalf of his or her
school entity. In the case of school districts, it will be the board secretary
who will cast votes on behalf of the school board.
Special note: Boards should be
sure to include discussion and voting on candidates to its agenda during one of
its meetings in September.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.