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Tuesday, February 7, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Feb 7: Wolf Budget Address 11:30; DeVos Vote Midday; HB250 Voted Out of Committee

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4000 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, school solicitors, principals, 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, Instagram and LinkedIn

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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup Feb 7, 2017
Wolf Budget Address 11:30; DeVos Vote Midday; HB250 Voted Out of Committee


“Further, the EITC/OSTC programs fail in transparency and oversight. They are unaccountable because there is no mechanism in place to evaluate the performance of scholarship recipients. In fact, the OSTC law prohibits state administrators from requesting any information related to academic achievement, making it impossible to measure the effectiveness of the program.”
HB250 EITC/OSTC: AS I SEE IT: Pennsylvania should prioritize public education students
Indiana Gazette Letter by VICKI SMITH on February 06, 2017 10:58 AM
As Pennsylvania faces continued budget challenges for the coming fiscal year, every dollar matters, particularly for students in our public schools. Yet, legislators are trying to tinker with the budget in a way that would negatively impact public schools across the commonwealth. House Bill 250 would add $50 million (to $175 million) to the existing Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and $25 million (to $75 million) to the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs.  The state is challenged to close an estimated $716 million revenue on this year’s budget, and is looking at a growing structural deficit at nearly $3 billion. Now is not the time for the General Assembly to redirect tax dollars into programs that largely benefits private, nonpublic schools.  These programs shift limited state funds away from public school districts, by siphoning valuable dollars from the general fund, via tax credits, that could otherwise be used for public schools. As a result, millions of dollars will not be available to fund the basic education subsidy that goes to school districts to provide instruction and educational services for the 1.8 million students in public schools.

House Ed Committee Roll Call Vote HB250 Amends the Public School Code to increase the amount of available tax credits in the EITC and OSTC programs.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives House Committee Roll Call Votes / EDUCATION February 6, 2017
Bill/Resolution   HB250 PN0211  Type of Motion   Report Bill As Committed

"Eliminate property taxes is a great soundbite, but look at the ramifications. And it doesn't eliminate property taxes."
Montgomery County school leaders call for pension, charter school cost relief
Intelligencer By Gary Weckselblatt, staff writer February 6, 2017
School officials in Montgomery County continued a statewide effort Monday to seek relief from escalating costs for pensions and charter schools mandated by the state.  At the same time, they decried a legislative proposal to significantly limit most property taxes in favor of increased sales and income taxes.  "Do we really feel like it is even possible to craft, with such precision, a dollar for dollar income-sales tax replacement revenue stream?" said Jim Crisfield, superintendent of the Wissahickon School District.  He said lawmakers in Harrisburg could not be counted on to "guarantee districts a certain amount of funding year in and year out," and added that the measure "flies in the face of the concept of local control."  Several superintendents, business administrators, school board members and Intermediate Unit leaders met at E. M. Crouthamel Elementary School in Souderton to discuss the issues as districts are working on their 2017-18 spending plans, and Gov. Tom Wolf is scheduled to give his budget address Tuesday.  "I'm hoping this will help to educate the public," Larry Feinberg, a director in the Haverford School District, said of the press conference, one of several held across the state in recent weeks. "Eliminate property taxes is a great soundbite, but look at the ramifications. And it doesn't eliminate property taxes."  The measure, sponsored by state Sen. David Argall, R-29, of Berks and Schuylkill counties, has bipartisan support and failed in the last legislative session by one vote. With two new senators who ran for office on property tax reform, Argall expects it to pass the Senate.

Announcing the Governor’s 2017-2018 Budget Address
Governor Wolf’s Blog February 03, 2017 By: The Office of Governor Tom Wolf
Today we’re announcing the date and time of the governor’s biggest policy speech of the year — the annual Budget Address.  On Tuesday, February 7th at 11:30 AM, Governor Tom Wolf will deliver his Budget Address to a joint session of the General Assembly at the State Capitol in Harrisburg.  Here are all the ways you can follow the speech on Tuesday:
·         Watch the address on Facebook Live at Facebook.com/GovernorWolf
·         Watch the live stream on governor.pa.gov/live
·         Follow @GovernorTomWolf on Twitter, where we’ll be live-tweeting the speech
In addition to updating Pennsylvanians on the state of the Commonwealth, the governor’s address will lay out his budget plan for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

PSBA State Budget Update webinar – an inside look Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 5:30-6:15 p.m.
Get an immediate, exclusive look at the 2017-18 state budget proposal and what it could mean for your district. In this complimentary, members-only webinar, Gov. Wolf will send a special message to school directors in a video. PSBA’s Assistant Executive Director for Public Policy John Callahan will follow with a live overview of the budget proposal and will take questions. 
Click here to register today for the webinar.

“Later in the morning, an education-funding group called on lawmakers to change the state's special education law to ensure publicly funded charter schools are not receiving more money than they deserve.  The group, using a report from the Philadelphia-based Education Law Center, released a study that showed charter schools accept far fewer disabled students than regular public schools and that regular public schools teach far more students with more severe disabilities. Despite the disparities, charter schools still receive $100 million in special education funding and then use leftover special education money for marketing and other non-educational services, the report found.  "Here is waste and inefficiency staring legislators in the face," Susan Spicka, executive director of Education Voters of PA, said at a Capitol news conference.”
Education funding debate starts ahead of Gov. Wolf's budget address
This year’s budget increased education spending for pre-schoolers, public school students and community colleges by 6 percent, or $665.2 million, for a total of $11.7 billion. Of that, nearly $1.1 billion went to special education.
Steve EsackContact Reporter Call Harrisburg Bureau
Gov. Tom Wolf is scheduled to give his 2017-18 budget speech to lawmakers at11:30 a.m. Tuesday. But that doesn't mean lawmakers and activists were going to wait for him.
On Monday, lawmakers took steps to help businesses and schools, and in response, advocates claimed lawmakers were wasting tax dollars. In the morning, the House Education Committee voted to add an additional $75 million to a corporate tax break program known as the Education Improvement Tax Credit. The decades-old program lets businesses receive tax credits for money they donate to nonprofits set up to benefit private or public schools. The vote followed party lines, with 20 Republicans voting for the bill and eight Democrats voting against it. Rep. James Roebuck, D-Philadelphia, minority committee chairman, said approving the bill before Wolf made his budget speech was premature. In addition, he said, the state is facing a deficit of at least $3 billion and the state can ill-afford to lose tax dollars via corporate breaks.

Tax act concerns educators
By Justin Strawser The Daily Item February 7, 2017
MILTON — Valley educators gathered Monday night at the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit to discuss how the Property Tax Independence Act will hurt their school district and the children they educate.  The proposed $14 billion tax shift would raise state personal income and sales taxes and expand the sales tax base to reduce school property taxes, the impact of which will vary depending on where a person lives. The educators estimate that reducing school property taxes means the state must fill in funding gaps for local districts with $14 billion in higher personal income and sales taxes.  During the educational forum at the CSIU in Milton, in front of more than a dozen listeners on Monday night, Selinsgrove Area Superintendent Chad Cohrs said students are a district’s top priority.  “That requires a fair, reliable funding source,” Cohrs said.
If property taxes are shifted away from the school district to the state legislators in Harrisburg, Cohrs said financial responsibilities will be taken out of the hands of local officials.
Joanne Troutman,  Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way president and CEO, agreed.

PA Schools Struggling To Get Funding
WBRE/WYOU By: Valerie Tysanner Posted: Feb 06, 2017 11:21 PM EST Updated: Feb 06, 2017 11:44 PM EST Video Runtime: 2:12
MILTON, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) - Pennsylvania schools have been struggling to get funding for a while and they say proposed legislation could threaten that even further.   An educational forum was held Monday evening to raise awareness about their situation ahead of Tuesday's state budget release.   Administrators say they've been told this is a dire year for the state budget. They worry if proposed legislation called the "property tax independence act" passes...schools would lose even more money.   Officials worry is that state is allocating them money...it won't always cover the rising costs for services like special education, healthcare and pensions.   Governor Tom Wolf will be releasing the budget Tuesday morning and school officials are hoping it contains some good news.   Officials are holding similar forums all over the state. Superintendents say they are exploring ways to save money including consolidating services. 

As budget speech looms, 'We have to live within our means,' Gov. Wolf says
Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on February 06, 2017 at 9:48 AM, updated February 06, 2017 at 11:03 AM
A lot has changed for Gov. Tom Wolf since he rolled out his disastrous first budget in January 2015. Bowing to political reality, the York County Democrat has dropped the calls for broad-based tax increases (higher sales and personal income taxes) that he previously wanted to use for a broad program that included more money for public education and other programs. He's also watched as the ranks of legislative Democrats have grown progressively smaller, dropping to a historic low in the 203-member House, while handing a 34-16 veto-proof majority in the Republican-controlled Senate. But some things also haven't changed. Wolf still wants more money for public schools and he hasn't ditched his long-standing contention that the state has been robbing Peter to pay Paul for entirely too long. In advance of his third budget speech to a joint session of the state House and Senate on Tuesday, Wolf sketched out a broad vision of a fiscal 2017-18 spending plan that sees the state "live within our means" by consolidating some government services, freeing up money "for the things that people want us to do."

“Groups that depend on state aid will be watching closely.  School groups say district budgets are suffering as the rising cost of pension obligations, health insurance, special education and charter school tuition outpaces new state aid.”
Big budget mystery: Where will Wolf get $2B in cuts, savings
Lancaster Online By MARC LEVY Associated Press Feb 7, 2017 Updated 6 hrs ago
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The $2 billion question in Gov. Tom Wolf's forthcoming budget proposal will be how he arrives at that amount in cuts and savings to help wipe out a huge deficit.
That figure would theoretically allow Wolf to balance the budget without needing a major tax increase or cutting aid to schools or social services.  Details of the proposal will be in the Democratic governor's $32 billion-plus budget plan he releases Tuesday to a Republican-controlled Legislature that has opposed his efforts in the past two years to fill a stubborn post-recession deficit by increasing taxes on sales or income.  Wolf maintained on Monday that by cutting "government waste and bureaucracy" he could continue devoting more aid to public schools, a cornerstone of his administration, and prevent cuts to social services without a broad-based tax increase.  However, Wolf will need more money to meet his goals and address what budget analysts are projecting to be a roughly $3 billion budget gap in this year and next year combined, the difference between projected tax collections and the cost to maintain current programs.

Editorial: Budget day in Harrisburg: Red menace
Delco Times Editorial POSTED: 02/06/17, 9:42 PM EST | UPDATED: 30 SECS AGO
It’s crunch time in Harrisburg.  Gov. Tom Wolf will stride to the podium this morning in the grand setting of the Pennsylvania Capitol and deliver his third budget address. It won’t be pretty.  The numbers don’t lie. The state continues to hemorrhage red ink. The latest projections show a deficit that could reach a staggering $500 million by June. And the road ahead looks equally bleak, with tax collections continuing to lag behind expectations. Some fiscal experts believe the state could be staring up at a deficit in excess of $2 billion dollars in the next couple of years.  Yep, you start throwing around these kinds of numbers, pretty soon it adds up to real money.

For Wolf, third budget proposal poses billion-dollar questions
Inquirer by Karen Langley & Angela Couloumbis - Staff Writers Updated: FEBRUARY 5, 2017 1:54 PM
HARRISBURG — In his first two years in office, Gov. Wolf lobbied for hikes in Pennsylvania’s income or sales taxes to fill deep holes in the state budget. Both times, he lost the fight.
On Tuesday, he is to deliver his third annual budget proposal, this time pledging not to rely on the kind of broad-based taxes that the Republican-controlled House and Senate have made clear they won’t support.  That leaves unanswered a central question: How does the governor plan to close a shortfall projected at nearly $3 billion over this year and next?  In recent weeks, Wolf has disclosed some of the steps he would take: Corrections officials say they will close the state prison in Pittsburgh, and Wolf is asking legislators to merge four state agencies -- the Departments of Aging, Drug and Alcohol Programs, Health, and Human Services -- into a single department. The governor’s office has even hired consulting firm McKinsey & Co. for advice in bridging the budgetary gap.


How to watch Betsy DeVos' final confirmation vote
Elissa Robinson , Detroit Free Press 3:28 p.m. ET Feb. 3, 2017
Betsy DeVos' final confirmation vote
What: Betsy DeVos, a West Michigan native, was tapped by president-elect Donald Trump to be Secretary of Education in his cabinet. A final vote to confirm her is expected to come Tuesday, with the outcome resting on a razor-thin margin.
When: Tuesday, possibly mid-day.
Where: Washington, D.C.
On TV: C-SPAN
Watch: The final vote can be viewed on this page as the event nears.
Livestream: Watch here on the U.S. Senate committee's website. Watch here on YouTube.

Senate set to confirm education secretary by narrow margin
Post Gazette By Erica Werner and Maria Danilova / Associated Press February 7, 2017 6:14 AM
WASHINGTON — The Senate is poised to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for education secretary by the narrowest possible margin, with Vice President Mike Pence expected to break a 50-50 tie — the first time a vice president has had to resolve a tie on a cabinet nomination in the nation’s history.  The vote planned around noon EST today comes after an all-night speaking marathon by Democrats on the Senate floor, in a show of opposition to the nominee, Betsy DeVos. She is a wealthy GOP donor who has devoted herself to boosting alternatives to public education, sparking concerns among educators that she won’t be a strong champion for the nation’s public school systems.  Two GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have announced plans to oppose DeVos in a Senate split 52-48 between Republicans and Democrats. That will leave her with a tie vote if all other Republicans support her and all Democrats oppose her as expected, and will require Pence to put her over the top. 

“Pennsylvania’s tax-credit school voucher program, also launched in 2001, was originally capped at $30 million. Designed to provide tuition assistance to private schools, pre-K programs, and “innovative” public school initiatives, it now hits $175 million annually.”
DeVos Might Not Force Private School Vouchers on States -- But She Could Promote Them
American Prospect by RACHEL M. COHEN FEBRUARY 6, 2017
The Trump appointee, whose nomination comes before the whole Senate tomorrow, could wreak havoc on public schools.  In 1997, when Arizona launched the nation’s first tax-credit scholarship program, allowing individuals to receive tax credits for donating to nonprofits offering private school tuition grants, legislative aides estimated it would cost the state $4.5 million annually. By the 2015-16 school year, the yearly cost of the program had grown to more than $140 million, even though private school enrollment was actually below its 1997 levels.
Florida launched the nation’s second tax-credit private school voucher program in 2001, with a cap of $50 million. Today the program tops out at $559,000,000annually, and will increase to $699,000,000 in the next fiscal year.  Pennsylvania’s tax-credit school voucher program, also launched in 2001, was originally capped at $30 million. Designed to provide tuition assistance to private schools, pre-K programs, and “innovative” public school initiatives, it now hits $175 million annually.  Tomorrow the Senate will hold its final vote on Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the federal education department, Betsy DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor who has spent decades advocating for charter schools, private schools, and virtual education. No other Trump appointee has faced the same magnitude of opposition, with hundreds of thousands of Americans calling, emailing, and faxing their senators in protest.

Blogger note: Janine Yass is a friend of this blog.  While we agree that every child should have the opportunity for a great public education, we may not agree on how that gets done; and we disagree on Ms. DeVos.  I believe that while Ms. DeVos might be eminently qualified to be the leader of the Center for Education Reform, a Walton funded national school privatization advocacy group, she has no qualifications or experience to lead the US Department of Education.
Along with his associates at the Susquehanna International Group in Bala Cynwyd, Janine’s husband Jeff has contributed millions in political contributions to support school privatization in Pennsylvania through their Students First PAC.
DeVos isn't opposed to public education, she opposes failing schools
Washington Examiner By JANINE YASS • 2/6/17 9:00 PM
Janine Yass is vice chair of the Center for Education Reform's board of directors. She founded the Boys' Latin Charter School in West Philadelphia.
Since President Trump announced that Betsy DeVos would be his pick for secretary of education, it is impossible for anyone involved in education reform to go outside without being asked, "What do you think of Ms. Devos?" Everyone wants to comment on her qualifications, her philanthropy and her work in education.  But my response when asked about her is that it's irrelevant what any one person thinks.  What matters is what families and students think about having a change agent in this position. If you judge from the tens of thousands of families on waiting lists for charter schools and for scholarships in private schools it is apparent that poor families are desperate for someone who will fight for them for a change.

Toomey blames excessive office calls, emails on 'people outside of our state' ahead of DeVos vote
Penn Live By Christian Alexandersen | calexandersen@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on February 06, 2017 at 12:39 PM, updated February 07, 2017 at 2:57 AM
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey is blaming "people outside of our state" for his offices being inundated with phone calls and emails regarding President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees.  Toomey took to Facebook Monday to urge Pennsylvanians to contact him through his website following a "high volume of calls and emails" to his offices. The calls have been coming as the U.S. Senate votes on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos, Trump's education secretary nominee, on Tuesday.

Secret money fueling pro-Betsy DeVos ad campaigns
Conservative groups making final push to save Trump's education secretary pick
Public Integrity By Carrie Levinehttps://www.publicintegrity.org/sites/publici/themes/publici_theme/images/icons/twitter/author-byline-bird.pnghttps://www.publicintegrity.org/sites/publici/themes/publici_theme/images/icons/author-byline-rss.pngemail February 6, 2017
Only 100 U.S. senators — not the general public — will vote to approve President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees.  But that’s not stopping several conservative organizations from launching ad blitzes promoting Trump’s Cabinet picks — most notably Betsy DeVos, Trump’s nominee for secretary of education, who critics have panned as a wealthy partisan hack with no practical experience in public education.  Two conservative nonprofit groups in particular, the Club for Growth and America Next, are pushing back hard, producing broadcast television ads supporting confirmation of DeVos, a GOP megadonor and staunch advocate for charter schools and school vouchers.


Philly District settles lawsuit over school-break services for students with disabilities
The notebook by Greg Windle February 6, 2017 — 7:30pm
The School District of Philadelphia has settled a federal lawsuit filed by local parents of students with disabilities who contended that their children were not receiving sufficient special education services during summer and winter vacations, which federal law requires public schools to provide.  As a result of the settlement, which was reached Feb. 3, District schools can no longer universally dictate the type, amount, and duration of Extended School Year services they will provide to the District’s 26,000 special education students. Instead, those decisions must be made in partnership with parents as part of a student’s Individualized Education Program.
The plaintiffs argued that the District used a one-size-fits-all program with a set amount of time given to each student, without taking into account that students with certain disabilities might require more time or different services than others.

Philly School District agrees to enhance special-ed services
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Staff Writer  @newskag |  kgraham@phillynews.com Updated: FEBRUARY 6, 2017 — 7:33 PM EST
The Philadelphia School District has agreed to provide enhanced special-education services over school breaks to students who qualify for them. The school system and a group of parents who initiated a class-action lawsuit in 2014 reached a settlement Monday. Federal law mandates that school districts provide extended-year instruction over summer vacation and winter break to students with disabilities. Three parents sued the district, alleging that beginning in the summer of 2013, the school system provided a one-size-fits-all summer program. That was illegal, lawyers representing them said, as those services must be tailored to fit students’ individual needs.

Haverford schools eye 2.5 percent property tax increase
Delco Times By Lois Puglionesi, Times Correspondent POSTED: 02/06/17, 9:39 PM EST
HAVERFORD >> The preliminary budget school directors adopted Thursday includes a 2.5 percent property tax increase, consistent with this year’s Act 1 cap. The district is not requesting exceptions to go beyond the cap.  The proposed increase would change the property tax rate from 30.2964 mills to 31.0538.  With the average residential property’s assessed value at $165,000, the increase would average $125 per year per residential property. The balanced budget is comprised of $116.6 million in revenues and $116.6 million expenses, with no draw downs from a $9.6 million fund balance.  Local taxes provide about 80 percent of revenue. State and federal sources, as well as $538,000 assessment growth, provide the remainder.
The tax increase will raise $2.3 million required to fund a $1.3 million hike in wages, nearly $1 million net increase for PSERS (Public School Employees’ Retirement System), $600,000 for textbooks, $159,000 for debt service and $252,000 for special projects.

Owen J. Roberts faces criticism on school start-time study
By Eric Devlin, The Mercury POSTED: 02/06/17, 2:33 PM EST | UPDATED: 2 HRS AGO
SOUTH COVENTRY >> Cheryl Hertzog thinks the Owen J. Roberts School District isn’t taking the issue of altering school start times as seriously as it should.  Despite holding several meetings studying the issue, which would allow older students to get the extra sleep they need, Hertzog said the district needs to do more to educate the public as to why it should support this potential change.  “My concern is that no one has had any education about the research,” said Hertzog, one of 30 community members tasked with studying the issue. “Parents, guardians, students, nobody is really knowledgeable enough about the (topic) because they don’t have direct education on it.”  The district disagrees, saying it’s tried to provide all relevant information to the community to help it make informed decisions.  OJR is the third district in Chester County to consider altering start times. Unionville-Chadds Ford and Phoenixille districts are also looking at the logistics of changing start times. At this time there are no recommended changes to the 2017-18 school schedule.


City of Philadelphia Hiring: Join the PHLpreK team! The Mayor’s Office of Education in Philadelphia is hiring a Pre-K Initiatives Director.
Learn more and apply here: https://t.co/jMVOJ71xGI

Drexel University Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day will be held on February 11 from 10:00AM-2:00PM at the ExCITe Center

New PSBA Winter Town Hall Series coming to your area
Introducing a new and exciting way to get involved and stay connected in a location near you! Join your PSBA Town Hall meeting to hear the latest budget and political updates affecting public education. Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and networking with fellow school directors. Locations have been selected to minimize travel time. Spend less time in the car and more time learning about issues impacting your schools.
Agenda
6-6:35 p.m.         Association update from PSBA Executive Director Nathan Mains
6:35 -7:15 p.m. Networking Reception
7:15-8 p.m.         Governor’s budget address recap
Dates/Locations
Monday, February 20     Forbes Road Career and Technology Center, Monroeville
Tuesday, February 21    Venango Technology Center, Oil City
Wednesday, Feb 22       Clearfield County Career and Technical Center, Clearfield
Thursday, February 23   Columbia Montour AVTS, Bloomsburg
Monday, February 27     Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, Jamison
Tuesday, February 28    PSBA, Mechanicsburg
Wednesday, March 1     Bedford County Technical Center, Everett
Thursday, March 2         West Side CTC, Kingston
Registration:

Ron Cowell at EPLC always does a great job with these policy forums.
RSVP Today for a Forum In Your Area! EPLC is Holding Five Education Policy Forums on Governor Wolf’s 2017-2018 State Budget Proposal
Forum #1 – Pittsburgh Thursday, February 23, 2017 – Wyndham University Center – 100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh (Oakland), PA 15213
Forum #2 – Harrisburg Area (Enola, PA) Tuesday, February 28, 2017 – Capital Area Intermediate Unit – 55 Miller Street (Susquehanna Room), Enola, PA 17025
Forum #3 – Philadelphia Thursday, March 2, 2017 – Penn Center for Educational Leadership, University of Pennsylvania, 3440 Market Street (5th Floor), Philadelphia, PA 19104
Forum #4 – Indiana University of Pennsylvania Tuesday, March 14, 2017 – 1011 South Drive (Stouffer Hall), Indiana, PA 15705
Forum #5 – Lehigh Valley Tuesday, March 28, 2017 – Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21, 4210 Independence Drive, Schnecksville, PA 18078
Governor Wolf will deliver his 2017-2018 state budget proposal to the General Assembly on February 7. These policy forums will be early opportunities to get up-to-date information about what is in the proposed education budget, the budget’s relative strengths and weaknesses, and key issues.  Each of the forums will take following basic format (please see below for regional presenter details at each of the three events). Ron Cowell of EPLC will provide an overview of the Governor’s proposed budget for early education, K-12 and higher education.  A representative of The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center will provide an overview of the state’s fiscal situation and key issues that will affect this year’s budget discussion. The overviews will be followed by remarks from a panel representing statewide and regional perspectives concerning state funding for education and education related items. These speakers will discuss the impact of the Governor’s proposals and identify the key issues that will likely be considered during this year’s budget debate.
Although there is no registration fee, seating is limited and an RSVP is required.
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.

Register for the 2017 PASA Education Congress, “Delving Deeper into the Every Student Succeeds Act.” March 29-30

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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