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Keystone
State Education Coalition
PA
Ed Policy Roundup Jan 23, 2017
Flush
with Cash; .@BetsyDeVos vote delayed until
Jan 31
It's
National School Privatization Week: Ask your members of Congress to stop the
takeover of your public schools today.
Network
for Public Education
Politico website January 20, 2017
Politico By MICHAEL STRATFORD 01/20/17 09:21 PM EST
Sen. Lamar Alexander,
chair of the Senate education committee, has delayed by a week a planned
committee vote on Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trump’s nominee for
Education secretary. The vote, which was
originally slated for this Tuesday, has been rescheduled until Jan. 31,
Alexander announced Friday evening. The
delay comes as Democrats have argued that they haven’t had enough time to
examine DeVos’ complicated financial holdings or ask her questions. Patty Murray,
the top Democrat on the committee, has said she’s concerned that the committee
was moving too fast with DeVos’ nomination.
Earlier today, the Office of Government Ethics released DeVos’ financial
disclosure and ethics paperwork. Alexander had previously said that if those
documents were finalized by the end of this week, he would hold a committee
vote on her nomination next Tuesday. Instead
the committee vote is now set for the following Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m.
Senate Education Committee Delays Vote on
Betsy DeVos' Nomination
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Andrew Ujifusa on January 20, 2017 9:00 PM
A vote in the Senate education
committee on Betsy DeVos' nomination for education secretary tentatively
scheduled for next Tuesday has been delayed by one week. On Friday,
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the committee chairman, announced that the
vote will now take place on Jan. 31 at 10 a.m.
DeVos' confirmation hearing,
held on Tuesday, got rocky at several points. She appeared
confused that there was a federal law covering students with disabilities, and
baffled Democratic senators—and many teachers on social media—when she said
that a remote rural school might need guns to keep out grizzly bears. The vote's delay comes one day after
DeVos completed and filed a
lengthy financial disclosure of her assets with the Office of
Government Ethics. DeVos also sent a letter to a designated ethics official at
the U.S. Department of Education outlining how she will move to avoid any
actual or potential conflicts of interest due to her investments. Democrats on
the committee have kept up a steady drumbeat of concerns about DeVos' potential
conflicts because of her family’s various holdings.
“Now you are in the position of
selecting a new Secretary of Education. I watched the hearings, and it was
evident to all but the most extreme partisans that Ms. DeVos is unqualified,
unprepared, and unfit for the responsibility of running this important agency. When asked direct questions about important
federal issues, she was noncommittal or evasive or displayed her ignorance. She
thinks that the Individuals with Disabilities Act should be left up to the states
to decide whether or not to comply; she does not know it is a federal law and
is not optional. When asked about higher education, she was stumped. She was
unfamiliar with the terminology of education issues. Her lack of experience leaves her ill-equipped
to address the needs of the vast majority of America’s schools. I understand
that she doesn’t like public schools and much prefers religious schools and
privately managed charter schools, including those that operate
for-profit. Frankly, it is
unprecedented for a Secretary of Education to disapprove of public schools. At
least eighty-five percent of American school children attend public schools.
She has no ideas about how to improve public schools. Her only idea is that
students should enroll in nonpublic schools.”
An Open Letter To Senator Lamar Alexander About Betsy DeVosHuffington Post by Diane Ravitch Research Professor of Education, New York University; Author, ‘Reign of Error’ 01/22/2017 12:46 pm ET
From 1991 to 1993, I worked for
Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander in the administration of
President George H.W. Bush. I was Assistant Secretary in charge of the Office
of Education Research and Improvement and also Counselor to the Secretary of
Education. Lamar Alexander is now Senator from Tennessee and Chairman of
the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), which is
evaluating the qualifications of Betsy DeVos to be U.S. Secretary of Education.
Dear Lamar,
I hope you don’t mind my taking
the liberty of writing you a public letter.
I was just reading your book of
sayings, the Little Plaid Book. For those who don’t know, this
is your book of “311 rules, lessons, and reminders about running for office and
making a difference whether it’s for president of the United States or
president of your senior class.” The
main lesson of the book for me is that you should be honest with people. You
shouldn’t bore them. You shouldn’t lecture them or try to impress them. You
should get to know them, listen to them, respect their concerns, and try to
understand their problems. Rule 151 is
very important at this time in our national life. It says, “When stumped for an
answer, ask yourself, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ Then do it.” Rule 168 says, “Read whatever Diane Ravitch
writes about education.” It doesn’t say that anyone should agree with what I
write, it just says you should read it.
So I am writing you this letter
in hopes that you will read it and that I can persuade you to do the right
thing. When I worked for you in the
early 1990s in the Department of Education, I absorbed important lessons about
character and ethics in public life. You were a model of dignity, integrity,
and respect for others. You never raised your voice. You smiled and laughed
often. You were always well informed. You picked the best person for whatever
job was open.
Blogger note: Have an opinion about the
appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education? Call these three senators today.
1. Senator Lamar Alexander, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions CommitteeWashington, D.C. Phone:(202) 224-4944
2.
Senator Toomey's Offices
Washington, D.C. Phone: (202) 224-4254
Senator Casey is a member of the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
3.
Senator Casey’s Offices
Washington, D.C. Phone: (202) 224-6324
Toll Free: (866) 802-2833
Michael Moore calls for mass opposition to
Betsy DeVos as pushback against Trump’s education pick grows
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Blog By Valerie
Strauss January 21 at 12:10 PM
Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore
told the crowd assembled for the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday
morning that they should make their top priority opposing the confirmation of
President Trump’s nominee to run the Education Department, Michigan billionaire
Betsy DeVos. “On Monday, call (202)
225-3121. Call your representative and your two senators, and,number one, we do
not accept Betty DeVos as our secretary of education,” said Moore, who, at the
age of 18, was elected to school board in Davison, Michigan, as the youngest
person at that time to be elected to office in the United States. “That’s day one,” Moore said. “Make it part
of your daily routine.” After a highly
contentious Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, during which she displayed a
lack of understanding of basic education issues, DeVos is facing growing
opposition to her nomination as President Trump’s education secretary —
including from groups that largely support the same issues she does. And now
she will have to wait longer than expected for the Senate education committee
to decide on her confirmation: Shortly after her ethics review was made public
Friday, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), moved the vote back one week
amid calls from Democrats for more time to vet her.
PA
Legislature Budget Hearings Schedule for Education:
House: Monday, March 6,
2017 – 10:00AM
Senate: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 –
1:00PM
Blogger note: full committee assignments
are expected to be announced on Monday
Scarnati Announces Senate
Republican Standing Committee Memberships for 2017-2018Senator Scarnati’s Website On January 20, 2017
(HARRISBURG) – Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) today announced the Republican members for each of the 22 Senate Standing Committees for the 2017-2018 legislative session. “Senate Committees are the cornerstone of the Senate and provide a proven environment for legislation to be shaped and policies formed,” Scarnati said. “Our Chamber is fortunate to have many members from diverse backgrounds who bring their expertise and knowledge to Harrisburg. We have many challenging issues to tackle this year, and these committees are where much of the work will begin.”
Overview
of School District Property Tax Elimination Presentation to the Pennsylvania
School Boards Association by PA Independent Fiscal Office Matthew Knittel,
Director, Mark Ryan, Deputy Director January 19, 2017
“Just
the sound SB 76 makes it popular: School Property Tax Elimination. The thinking
is that it is expected to be an "easy lift" for the Legislature. So
what’s the downside? Here it is: SB 76 will virtually eliminate local financial
control of schools and create an annual guessing game in the school district
budgeting process. I believe this bill is shortsighted, especially for
communities like ours and, in fact, for many communities across Pennsylvania. Before considering such a major shift in
school funding, our elected leaders in Harrisburg need to make the "heavy
lifts" first, which they haven’t done. They need to first solve the
pension crisis, then start controlling expenses, reduce or eliminate unfunded
mandates, and balance their own budget.”
Property tax elimination: what you should know
Intelligencer Opinion By William
Harner January 20, 2017
Dr. William Harner is superintendent of the Quakertown Community School
District.
Shortly after the gavel comes
down on Monday to begin the next session of the state Legislature, I expect
that Senate Bill 76, School Property Tax Elimination, will be brought forward.
Last year, the bill failed by one vote, 25-26, with the lieutenant governor
casting the deciding “no” vote. Taxes are a burden for all of us.
They are relative to what we earn (income tax), spend (sales tax), and the
value of our homes (property tax). It’s even worse if you are a business owner,
because Pennsylvania has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the nation.
Many businesses have left our state because of it. As a homeowner myself, I pay
the full array of taxes like most of you.
However, as the Quakertown schools superintendent, I have a fiduciary
responsibility to keep the school board and community aware of the implications
of what is out there that could put the district at risk.
'Wolf in sheep's clothing' or school property tax relief?
Gettysburg Times Staff Reports Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2017 11:25 pm
A bill that would virtually eliminate school property taxes is "a wolf in sheep's clothing," Gettysburg Area School District Business Manager Brad Hunt told his board Tuesday. Hunt is one of many local school officials who are sounding alarms about the proposal, which would increase state income and sales taxes. On the other hand, proponents such as local state Rep. Rich Alloway, R-33, say it would help seniors on fixed incomes. "It sounds very enticing," Hunt said, but "when you look under the cover, it costs Adams County residents more money that doesn't come back to Adams County. "We believe, in total, that taxpayers will pay more. We do not know what the dollar amounts will be," Bermudian Springs School District Business Manager Justin Peart said Thursday in an interview. "Total control over funding for public schools being put in the legislation's hands is scary," Peart said. Citing long delays in passage of past state budgets, Peart asked, "If they did not pass the budget for a year, do we get funding or must our schools close?" Also expressing concern this week were school board members and administrators from the Upper Adams and Conewago Valley districts.
The 'machine' keeps tight hold on school
property tax | Guest column
Lehigh
Valley Live By Brian Fake Express-Times
guest columnist on January 22, 2017 at 6:30 AM, updated January
22, 2017 at 9:32 AM
Brian Fake, of Upper Mount Bethel
Township, is a member of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition.
These past few days we've seen a
lot of media coverage that paint the Property Tax Independence Act in
a negative light. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this is, perhaps, a
coordinated effort to control the narrative before any action is taken by the
Pennsylvania Legislature. Make no
mistake, the elimination of school property taxes is a huge paradigm shift,
which seeks to change a form of taxation that has been around in one form or
another since the 17th century. Changing the method of funding education via
school property taxes requires a thorough vetting process, debate and
discussion. This act would replace the
school property tax with personal income and sales taxes, and increasing
the number of products and services subject to the sales tax. Recent
articles have taken a heavy slant against eliminating the school
property tax. Journalistic objectivity appears to have taken a back seat to
forces seeking to control the narrative.
Implications
of Property Tax Elimination
PASBO Website
Property
Tax Reform and Related Issues
PASBO Website
Property tax reform remains an
important focus for the legislature in 2017-18, with a property tax
elimination proposal taking center stage. While a bill has not yet been
introduced in 2017, we assume that the proposal will be similar to that offered
in past legislative sessions. The co-sponsorship memo for the bill states that
the bill will prohibit school districts from levying a property tax on or
after July 1, 2017, with the exception of a limited property tax necessary to
fund the debt service existing in a school district as of December 31, 2016. Like past versions of the bill, we expect
that to replace local property tax revenue, the statewide PIT would increase
from 3.07% to 4.95% and the statewide sales and use tax would increase from 6%
to 7% and the list of items and services to which the tax would apply would
expand to include the majority of services (such as legal services and mental
health services) as well as items such as most food and clothing. The revenue raised as a result of the
increase and expansion of the PIT and SUT will be placed into the Education
Stabilization Fund to be used to distribute revenue to school districts
annually. In the first year of implementation, the state would provide each
school district with the same amount of funding (from the Education
Stabilization Fund) as their local property tax revenue in 2016-17 and their
property tax reduction amount from 2016-17 minus the amount of property tax
revenue still allowed to be collected by the district to correspond to their
outstanding debt.
Beaver County Times By J.D. Prose
jprose@calkins.com Jan 22, 2017
The state budget and deficit are
top priorities for everyone, but Beaver County’s legislators returning to
Harrisburg on Monday have plenty of other issues to tackle. State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-46, Carroll
Township, Washington County, said state pension reform is the first step toward
grappling with the Gov. Tom Wolf’s coming budget and a deficit last estimated
at nearly $2 billion. “That’s the cost
driver,” she said. “We can’t keep ignoring it. We can’t. We have to do
something.” Bartolotta said Pennsylvania
government does not have a “revenue problem,” but a spending one. The General
Assembly, she said, needs to closely examine every agency and department’s
budget and make officials answer “for every penny they spend.” State Sen. Elder Vogel Jr., R-47, New
Sewickley Township, agreed that pension reform “has to be a part of the
conversation this year.”
Bethlehem
Area School District ready to do battle over charter enrollment cap
Jacqueline Palochko Contact Reporter
Of The Morning Call January 22, 2017
Does the state charter school law
allow school districts to impose enrollment caps on them?
The Bethlehem Area School Board
figured it could save about $1 million a year — enough to buy 13 buses, or put
a dozen more teachers on the payroll — if it capped enrollment at Lehigh Valley
Academy Regional Charter School, the most popular of the three charters hosted
by the district. So the board made the cap a
condition of the charter's renewal in November.
That surprised administrators at LVA, which operated for 14 years
without a cap. State law — Bethlehem Area Superintendent Joseph Roy and
solicitor Donald Spry concede — is on the charter school's side. So LVA is
suing the district in Northampton County Court and taking its case to the
state's Charter Appeals Board for what could be a slam dunk. Susan Mauser of Lehigh Valley Academy
Regional Charter School discusses what the school offers. Bethlehem Area School Board members hoped LVA
would simply comply. That its board of trustees won't has frustrated Roy.
Unlike the school board, LVA's trustees are not elected, he noted, yet they are
making a decision that Roy said will hurt Bethlehem taxpayers. "They say caps aren't in the spirit of
the charter law," Roy said. "So they can put the spirit of the
charter above the best interest of the school district? That's a problem."
Goodbye “School Performance Profile”
(SPP), hello “Future Ready PA Index.”
SPP: State firming up changes in judging school success
By Mark Guydish - Click for more information on Mark
mguydish@timesleader.com - @TLMarkGuydish - 570-991-6112 JANUARY 19TH, 2017 - 10:43 AM
Goodbye “School
Performance Profile” (SPP), hello “Future Ready PA Index.” Pennsylvania
Department of Education officials outlined the proposed new system for measuring
school success during a teleconference Wednesday. The new system should be in effect by the
fall of 2018, replacing the short-lived SPP, introduced in 2013. SPP was itself
a replacement of the “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP) gauge mandated by the 2001
federal “No Child Left Behind” law, which ushered in an era of heavy reliance
on standardized test results when measuring school success. What’s changing this time? And for that
matter, what changed when SPP arrived? PDE
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Deputy Secretary Matthew Stem
offered an explanation with jargon appropriate to that lengthy title. “There is a strong desire to have more
holistic measures, to insure the school measuring system is aligned to college
and career-ready outcomes.” The best
example might be the use of high school courses intended to be college-level:
Advanced Placement and the locally less popular International Baccalaureate. AYP ignored them completely. SPP
included student performance in course tests as part of the calculation of a
school’s overall score. Stem said the plan in constructing the Future Ready PA
Index is to include how many courses are offered in a high school, and how many
students are enrolled.KATHLEEN BOLUS, STAFF WRITER / PUBLISHED: JANUARY 20, 2017
Local school districts have
received millions in back payments they were owed by the state for construction
and renovation projects. “We’re very
happy, very thrilled,” said Carbondale Area acting Superintendent and Business
Manager David Cerra, who said the district would be in financial straits
without the funding. Carbondale Area,
whose 2016-17 budget included the funding, received $1.7 million in December,
said Mr. Cerra. The district also received about $173,000 for 2015-16 in
November. The high school renovation in 2011 cost $15 million. When Pennsylvania districts start
a building project, they can apply for reimbursement from the state through a
process called PlanCon, which stands for Planning and Construction Workbook.
The program pays a portion of districts’ yearly service payments from bonds
taken out to complete the projects. Act 25 of 2016 allowed the state to issue a
bond and provide funding for PlanCon reimbursements, according to the state,
but many payments were delayed because of a state budget impasse.
Education Week By Catherine Gewertz January 17, 2017 | Corrected: January 19, 2017
Low-income students across the country are facing a steep hike in the cost of taking Advanced Placement exams this year, and teachers are worried that the change could lead many promising students to bail out of the tests. News of the price hike—from $5 or $15 per test to $53—is just beginning to reach students and counselors as they begin to talk about sign-ups for this spring's AP tests. And it's putting needy students in a bind. "With the way my financial state is, I might not end up taking the test if it's that much money," said Kailee Giles, a junior who's taking AP Language and Composition this year at Tumwater High School, near Olympia, Wash. Giles is feeling the effect of a little-noticed provision in the 1-year-old Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA. That law ended a federal grant program that has helped subsidize the cost of AP and International Baccalaureate exams for students from low-income families for 17 years. Last year, $28 million in grants lowered the cost of 862,000 exams in 41 states and the District of Columbia.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/01/18/schools-grappling-with-fee-hikes-for-ap.html#.WINpzX0SLgM.twitter
Phila. teachers plan Black Lives Matter
week - not all are happy
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Staff Writer @newskag Updated: JANUARY 22, 2017 1:09 AM
Beginning Monday, the Black Lives
Matter movement could become a curriculum topic in classrooms across the city. A Philadelphia School District teachers'
group has planned six days of action this week, encouraging educators to
introduce optional curriculum and activities - from "The Revolution Is
Always Now" coloring pages for very young students to a science lesson
about the biology of skin color for older ones.
"This is a critical issue of our time - in our society, but also in
our students' lives," said Charlie McGeehan, an English and history
teacher and member of the Caucus of Working Educators, an activist group within
the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. "It's important for us to dive
in." That's not a universal
sentiment. Christopher Paslay, an
English teacher at Swenson Arts and Technology High School, said he's
unequivocally for equal rights and justice for all of his students, regardless
of race. But he takes issue with the
Black Lives Matter movement and thinks it has no place in Philadelphia
classrooms.
Oxford Area Board limits tax increase to
3.5 percent
Daily
Local By Marcella Peyre-Ferry, For 21st Century Media POSTED: 01/21/17, 6:13 PM
EST
OXFORD >> Property owners
in the Oxford Area School District are assured that their tax bills for the
2017-18 school year will not rise more than 3.5 percent. During their Tuesday meeting, the school
board approved a resolution committing to keeping any tax increase for the
coming year to no more than the 3.5 percent allowed under the state’s Act 1
index. To exceed the index and impose a bigger tax increase, Act 1 requires a
voter referendum that would have to take place during the spring primary
elections. The board’s resolution allows
the district to proceed with developing the budget for the next school year
using the Act 1 index as a ceiling for any tax hike. “That’s the maximum. That’s not
saying we’re going to raise taxes 3.5 percent” board member Howard Robinson
stressed. The district is still working
on the draft budget, which will not be approved in its final form until May or
June.
“On the funding side, the Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities, which focuses on reducing poverty and inequality,
finding that 35 states provided less overall state funding for education
in 2014 than in 2008, before the recession hit housing prices, sending down
waves of state and local budget cuts to school districts. In fact in 27 states
per pupil funding fell over the same period.”
Trump: American Schools "Flush with
Cash," But Failing Students
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on January
20, 2017 12:19 PM
In his first speech to the nation
as president, the newly inaugurated Donald Trump laid out a dark
vision of an America that has left struggling middle-class families behind,
including a public school system that spends big while getting poor results for
students. "Americans want great
schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families and good jobs
for themselves," Trump said in his address from the U.S. Capitol to a
packed crowd of onlookers. "But for too many of our citizens, a different
reality exists. ... An education system flush with cash but which leaves our
young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge." Trump—who in his final campaign push pledged
to "drain the swamp" of special interests in Washington—also pledged
to make Washington a place where the needs of people, not politicians, are
paramount. "While they celebrated
in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families
all across our land," Trump said. Trump
made no mention of school choice in his speech, but during the campaign, he
pitched a $20 billion school voucher program. His choice of Betsy DeVos, a
Michigan political mega-donor and school choice advocate, shows he's
serious about expanding school choice now that he's in the White House. And the
rhetoric in his inaugural speech suggests he'll sell the proposal by making the
case that public schools are failing.
In his inaugural address, Trump groups
public schools with gangs, drugs and rusted-out factories
Washington Post Answer
Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss January
20 at 3:50 PM
For the
record, President Trump mentioned America’s schools in his inaugural address.
He did it in the same sentence in which he mentioned mothers and children
trapped in poverty, rusted-out factories and gangs and drugs. This is what he said:
At the center of this movement is
a crucial conviction, that a nation exists to serve its citizens. Americans
want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their
families and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of
righteous people and a righteous public.
But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: mothers
and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories
scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an
education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful
students deprived of all knowledge; and the crime and the gangs and
the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much
unrealized potential.
Public schools deprive students
of all knowledge?
Trump in the past has
criticized the country’s public school system and said he wants to spend $20
billion to encourage states to promote programs that use taxpayer dollars
for private-school tuition. He has called public schools “government schools,” as his website
shows: “It is time for school choice to help free children from failing
government schools and close the achievement gap. School choice is the civil
rights issue of our time.” But this may
be the first time he has claimed that students attend and leave America’s
public schools gaining no knowledge at all.
Republican leader Senator Alexander had
scheduled a vote on DeVos for Jan. 24 but it has now been rescheduled to Jan.
31st.
The ethics review for Trump’s education
pick Betsy DeVos is complete, clearing the way for a confirmation vote
Washington Post By Danielle
Douglas-Gabriel January 20 at 12:47 PM
The
long-awaited ethics review for Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos has been
completed, clearing the way for the Senate to vote on the nominee for education
secretary. The Office of Government
Ethics, an agency that examines nominees’ financial disclosures and resolves
potential conflicts of interest, released its report for the controversial
education pick. Ethics Director Walter M. Shaub Jr. had said a full
vetting of extremely wealthy individuals, such as DeVos, could take weeks, if
not months, much to the chagrin of Senate Democrats who wanted the review in
hand before this week’s confirmation hearings. (See the full report below).
Despite Democrats’ pressing
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions, for another round of questioning, the Republican
leader has scheduled a vote on DeVos for Jan. 24. Her critics say Alexander is
rushing what should be a careful examination of someone they say is unqualified
to lead the nation’s education system. Alexander has stressed that DeVos has
taken steps to prove herself, including answering questions for nearly four
hours and meeting individually with committee members.
Politico By MICHAEL STRATFORD 01/20/17 12:43 PM EST
Betsy DeVos has agreed to sever
ties to several companies that provide services to schools and colleges, as
well as a debt collection agency that collects student loans on behalf of the
Education Department, according to government ethics paperwork released Friday.
DeVos, a Michigan billionaire
with a complicated web of financial holdings, reached an agreement on Thursday with government ethics officials
that will require her to divest from 102 of those assets that could potentially
pose a conflict for her as Education secretary.
DeVos listed on her financial
paperwork a holding company that invests in Performant Business Services, Inc.,
which the Education Department hires to collect defaulted federal student
loans.
The holding company, from which
DeVos has agreed to divest, also has investments in T2 Systems Inc., which
provides parking payment services to colleges and universities, and in U.S.
Retirement Partners, Inc., a financial services company that “specializes in
public school and governmental employee benefit plans,” according to the
disclosure statement.
Bloomberg News by John Voskuhl January 20, 2017, 9:26 AM EST
·
School-choice advocate agrees to divest from 102 entities
·
DeVos is daughter-in-law of Amway co-founder Richard DeVos
Betsy DeVos disclosed
that she and her husband own assets worth at least $580 million, and she agreed
to divest from 102 entities within 90 days of her confirmation as secretary of
education, according to documents released
by the federal Office of Government Ethics.
DeVos, 59, tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the
U.S. Department of Education, is a businesswoman and education activist who has
advocated for school choice and voucher programs. Her husband, Dick DeVos, is
the son of billionaire Richard DeVos, the co-founder of Amway Corp. Her
brother, Erik Prince, is the founder of Blackwater USA, a government-services
and security company.
The federal forms, which report
values in ranges, almost certainly understate the value of assets held by Betsy
and Dick DeVos -- several values are listed simply as “over $1,000,000.” While
nominees value their holdings in ranges that top out at $50 million, the
highest range for an asset owned by a spouse is $1 million. DeVos will retain holdings in eight firms,
according to her signed ethics agreement,
which was approved by the OGE.
Corporate Democrats have enabled Betsy DeVos’s privatization agenda for years. It’s time for them to choose which side they’re on.
Jacobin by Andrew Hartman Jan 19, 2017
My children attend an amazing public elementary school in Bloomington, Illinois. The student body is diverse, and the teachers are committed professionals who genuinely care about the wellbeing and education of all their students. The school building is full of joy. Many of the children could not receive such an education — would not spend their days in a place of joyful learning — if not for this public school. Whenever I spend time there, I always leave feeling optimistic about the future of public education in the United States. Then I read the news and my optimism turns to dread. Donald Trump’s nominee to be the nation’s next secretary of education is Betsy DeVos, a longtime Republican operative from two of the wealthiest and most powerful conservative families in the nation. She is the daughter of Edgar Prince, founder of the Prince Corporation; sister of Erik Prince, founder of the private military contractor formerly known as Blackwater; and daughter-in-law of Richard DeVos, the billionaire who co-founded the Amway Corporation. DeVos, who received her entire education from private Christian schools, also has close ties to the conservative Christian Reformed Church. For years, DeVos has used her enormous wealth and power to promote what is euphemistically called “school choice.” Perhaps the most pervasive education reform idea of the last few decades, school choice is sold as a way to give parents more educational options for their children. Under a voucher program, for instance, parents would be able to take public money that normally goes to fund traditional public schools and use it to send their children to private schools. If DeVos has her way, the state would even fund religious schools of the type she attended, which teach deeply conservative curricula that include creationism.
The key Common Core questions no senator
asked Betsy DeVos to answer
Washington Post Answer
Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss January
20 at 10:32 AM
If one
were betting on it, the one subject that seemed an almost sure thing to come up
in a big way at the Senate confirmation hearing of the next U.S. education
secretary, it would have been the Common Core State Standards. It didn’t. For years the Core has been at or near the
top of controversial education initiatives. It started as a bipartisan effort
to create a set of math and English language arts standards for students across
the country to use, but it became an educational and political mess. Many states rushed to implement it without
giving teachers sufficient time to learn it, and critics from every part of the
political spectrum found fault with some part of the initiative. It was clear
it had seeped into the culture when comedian Louis C.K. tweeted concerns about
it and Core-aligned standardized testing. And it played a role in sparking a
grass roots revolt against the Core and related testing.
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein January 17, 2017 | Updated: January 19, 2017
A presidential transition always triggers some makeover at federal agencies. But when President-elect Donald Trump's team takes power this month, the transformation of the U.S. Department of Education could be particularly striking. The incoming president and his team have promised to change the culture—or "drain the swamp"—in Washington, with serious implications for the federal bureaucracy. And on the campaign trail, Trump pledged to get rid of the Education Department—or at least cut it "way, way down." That would be a tough political lift, even with Republicans in control of both houses of Congress. But the sentiment has triggered plenty of anxiety about the kind of resources and attention the department can expect from the new administration. Betsy DeVos, Trump's pick for education secretary, is a longtime advocate of school choice, including private school vouchers. But DeVos, a prominent GOP donor, doesn't have a significant record in other areas that fall under the department's purview, from oversight of special education funding and English-learners to student loans for college. It's too early to say just how much will change at the Education Department when Trump takes office at noon on Jan. 20. But conditions are ripe for a culture shift.
What
Betsy DeVos' Nomination Means for Women and Girls on Campuses and in Classrooms
Education and the
Workforce Committee Democratic Website FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017
This week, the Senate held the
confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, President-Elect Trump’s nominee to lead
the U.S. Department of Education. During the course of the hearing it became
clear that DeVos – who has never attended a public school, taught in a
classroom, or served on a school board – is woefully unprepared to serve as our
nation’s Secretary of Education. Particularly troubling were her
responses to questions about the rights of students with disabilities,
and what steps she would take to protect the one in five women who
will be victims of sexual assault during their time at college andwomen ages 18-24 who are college students
are three
times more likely than
women in general to experience sexual violence.
DeVos would not commit to
enforcing current Title IX guidance to protect student victims, keeping guns
out of schools, or preserving funding for public education.
WSJ:
Letters re: DeVos Nomination
Wall Street Journal Letters
January 22, 2017
Trump White House Hits Pause on Obama's
ESSA Accountability Regulations
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on January
22, 2017 3:12 PM
The Trump administration hit the
pause button late Friday on a host of Obama administration regulations,
including one detailing how accountability and state plans will work
under the Every Student Succeeds Act. The regulation, which was finalized in November,
doesn't take effect until Jan. 30. On Inauguration Day, the White House issued
an executive order delaying for up to 60 days the implementation of any Obama
regulations that haven't yet taken effect.
The delay in the accountability regulations, which would seem to last
until late March, could throw a monkey wrench into states' efforts to submit
their accountability plans by April 3, the first of two deadlines set by the
administration. The regulations outline the process for submitting plans, and
flesh out details that aren't included in the law. So far, 17 states and the District of
Columbia have said they want to submit their plans in April.
DELCO Education Funding Press Conference Fri, January 27, 2017 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM EST
by Delaware County Intermediate Unit
This press conference will discuss some of the key cost drivers school districts and the state of Pennsylvania face concerning education and offer some possible solutions to the burdens school districts and taxpayers face. It will focus primarily on pensions, cyber charter schools, and special education funding. Speakers will include several superintendents and school board members. Interested individuals from the public are welcome to attend.
Details and Registration here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/education-funding-press-conference-tickets-30894052944
COMMUNITY TOWN HALL - SUPPORTING PHILLY IMMIGRANT STUDENTS
Tuesday, January 24, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Community College of Philadelphia 1700 Spring Garden Street 19130 Bonnell Building (Large Auditorium BG-20) Entrance Between Spring Garden and Callowhill on N. 17th
Hosted by:
Councilmembers Helen Gym, Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, Jannie Blackwell
Dr. William R. Hite, Superintendent, Philadelphia School District
Faculty and Staff Federation, Community College of Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC)
United Voices for Philadelphia
Juntos
For more info, or to reserve free childcare for ages 3 and up,
Contact: Office of Councilmember
Helen Gym 215-686-3420
JAN 28, 2017 • 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Nine Locations Statewide
Jan. 28, 2017 (Snow date: Feb. 11, 2017)
Calling all school board presidents, vice-presidents, and superintendents — Join us for the 3rd Annual PSBA Board Presidents Day held at nine convenient locations around the state.
This is a day of meeting fellow board members from your area and taking part in thought-provoking dialogue about the issues every board faces. PSBA Past President Kathy Swope will start things off with an engaging presentation based on her years as board president at the Lewistown Area School District. Bring your own scenarios to this event to gain perspective from other districts. Cost: $109 per person – includes registration, lunch and materials. All-Access Package applies. Register online by logging in to the Members Area (see the Store/Registration link to view open event registrations, https://www.psba.org/members-area/store-registration/)
NSBA Advocacy
Institute 2017 -- Jan. 29-31, Washington, D.C.
Join school directors around the country at the conference designed to give you the tools to advocate successfully on behalf of public education.
Join school directors around the country at the conference designed to give you the tools to advocate successfully on behalf of public education.
- NSBA will help you develop a winning
advocacy strategy to help you in Washington, D.C. and at home.
- Attend timely and topical breakout
sessions lead by NSBA’s knowledgeable staff and outside experts.
- Expand your advocacy network by swapping
best practices, challenges, and successes with other school board members
from across the country.
This
event is open to members of the Federal Relations
Network. To find
out how you can join, contact Jamie.Zuvich@psba.org. Learn more about the Advocacy
Institute at https://www.nsba.org/events/advocacy-institute.
Register
for the 2017 PASA Education
Congress, “Delving Deeper into
the Every Student Succeeds Act.” March 29-30
Offered
in partnership with PASA and the PA Department of Education March 29-30, 2017 at
the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg - Camp Hill, PA . Approved for 40
PIL/Act 48 (Act 45) hours for school administrators. Register online
at http://www.pasa-net.org/ev_calendar_day.asp?date=3/29/2017&eventid=63
PA
Educational Technology Exposition & Conference (PETE&C), February
12-15, Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.
PASBO
62nd Annual Conference, March 21-24, David L. Lawrence Convention Center,
Pittsburgh.
Register now
for the 2017 NSBA Annual Conference March 25-27 Denver
Plan to join public education leaders for networking and learning at the 2017 NSBA Annual Conference, March 25-27 in Denver, CO. General registration is now open at https://www.nsba.org/conference/registration. A conference schedule, including pre-conference workshops, is available on the NSBA website.
Plan to join public education leaders for networking and learning at the 2017 NSBA Annual Conference, March 25-27 in Denver, CO. General registration is now open at https://www.nsba.org/conference/registration. A conference schedule, including pre-conference workshops, is available on the NSBA website.
SAVE THE DATE LWVPA Convention 2017 June
1-4, 2017
Join the
League of Women Voters of PA for our 2017 Biennial Convention at the beautiful
Inn at Pocono Manor!
Save the Date
2017 PA Principals Association State Conference October 14. 15, 16, 2017
Doubletree
Hotel Cranberry Township, PA
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