Keystone State Education Coalition

Established in 2006, the Keystone State Education Coalition is a growing grass roots, non-partisan public education advocacy group of several hundred locally elected, volunteer school board members and administrators from school districts throughout Pennsylvania. Our mission is to evaluate, discuss and inform our boards, district constituents and legislators on legislative issues of common interest and to facilitate active engagement in public education advocacy.

Friday, March 31, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup March 31: PA School Funding: What is Adequate? Use the Legislature’s own formula…

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 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

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

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Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup March 31, 2017:

PA School Funding: What is Adequate? Use the Legislature’s own formula…

Pop quiz, part 2: Test your knowledge of public education in Pennsylvania

Keystone Crossroads

http://quiz.keystonecrossroads.org/

“In 2015, we issued a report that used the legislature’s own formula to answer the question. Using the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s latest school finance numbers, issued in July 2016, we have now updated our report and its State Adequacy Cost. We conclude that in order for districts to have adequate funding to enable their students to meet state standards, the Commonwealth must provide school districts with between $3.036 and $4.073 billion more in additional funding than it is distributing for the 2016-17 school year. Click here for the spreadsheet showing the adequacy distribution to all districts.”

The Cost of Adequate Education Funding: An Updated Report

Public Interest Law Center Report

Last year Pennsylvania adopted a fair funding formula to distribute Basic Education appropriations to school districts. The new formula takes account of changes in the number of students enrolled in a district, how many are in poverty, how many are English language learners, as well as other factors related to the cost of funding students and the ability of a district to raise funds locally. The formula, which was identical to that proposed by a bi-partisan Basic Education Funding Commission, applies only to new funds, and thus does not apply to the $5 billion of funding already in place in 2014-15. Although the formula adopted by the legislature provides a guide for how to distribute new state funds, it did not provide an answer to another crucial question: how much actual state funding do all Pennsylvania schools need to properly educate their students? In other words, while the formula demonstrates relative needs between school districts, it purposefully did not include the total amount of state funding needed for all Pennsylvania children to succeed and meet state standards. We call this missing figure the State Adequacy Cost.

http://www.pilcop.org/the-cost-of-adequate-education-funding-an-updated-report/

Editorial: Time to ‘reassess’ education funding in Pa.

Delco Times Editorial POSTED: 03/30/17, 10:15 PM EDT | UPDATED: 11 SECS AGO

Maybe the Pennsylvania Legislature should try taking a page from Delaware County Judge Charles Burr. This week the Delco jurist ordered every property in the county reassessed. Our representatives in Harrisburg would do well to note the reason why. Judge Burr referenced what is known as the “uniformity clause” of the Pennsylvania Constitution. It’s pretty simple, really. The clause mandates that all taxes shall be “uniform, upon the same class of subjects, with the territorial limits of the taxing authority.” Several county residents filed a challenge in court arguing that was not the case, that their homes, which were new construction, were being taxed at a rate far great than older, established homes. The judge agreed. Thus the county will now commence the mammoth prospect of reassessing the value of more than 200,000 properties. Now imagine if our state Legislature would apply the same logic to the way this state doles out funding for education. For years many students in Delaware County have been penalized, saddled with a lesser education, for no reason other than their zip code.

http://www.delcotimes.com/opinion/20170330/editorial-time-to-reassess-education-funding-in-pa

Central Bucks: State funding is 'smoke and mirrors'

Intelligencer By Gary Weckselblatt, staff writer March 30, 2017

When the topic is state funding for education, the result doesn't always translate to desks, books and safe schools. Central Bucks business manager David Matyas explained why during his budget presentation to the school board this week, and director Paul Faulkner tried to ensure the message hit home. As he was discussing state revenue for various budget lines, Matyas said, "Most of these subsidies are things we can't spend money on. It comes into the left pocket and goes out of the right pocket. The governor gives and the governor takes away, as well." Mandated costs for school employee retirement, Social Security and property tax relief from gambling are considered as revenue from the state but the money passes through without school board control. "They send us a check that we pass through but they count it as revenue," said Faulkner, who described the practice as "smoke and mirrors." "Absolutely correct," Matyas said. "That's how I feel about it every time I look at it." Central Bucks is estimating state revenue of $67.9 million in its 2017-18 budget of $332.2 million. But $24.8 million of that is a reimbursement for half of the district's $49.6 million payment to the Public School Employees' Retirement System. For Social Security, $5.8 million comes to the district for half of its $11.6 million cost.

http://www.theintell.com/news/local/central-bucks-state-funding-is-smoke-and-mirrors/article_2223c672-0377-11e7-a75f-ff9ef239d104.html

Pa. Senate ed committee moves bill to make raising property taxes harder

WHYY Newsworks BY KATIE MEYER, WITF MARCH 31, 2017

School property taxes are a perennial issue in Harrisburg. And while attempts to curtail or get rid of them entirely routinely fizzle out, a bill making modest changes is moving through the Senate. The bill, supported by Montgomery County Republican John Rafferty, would make it harder for school boards to raise property taxes. It would require a supermajority—or two-thirds vote—in order to pass anything. The current law only requires a simple majority. Senate Education Chair John Eichelberger said that'll ensure any tax hike is backed by "compelling need."

The School Boards Association wasn't as enthusiastic. While the organization didn't condemn the bill, it said in a letter that it would only support it if the general assembly extended that same supermajority requirement to its own tax votes. Among other bills the committee passed this week was one that would crack down on school employees heavily involved in their unions, by banning teachers from staying on their school's payroll if they're working for the union full-time.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/102693-senate-ed-committee-moves-bill-to-make-raising-property-taxes-harder?_topstory

Bill to end 'ghost teaching' passes key state Senate committee

Beaver County times By J.D. Prose jprose@calkins.com March 30, 2017

A Fayette County legislator's bill that would put an end to so-called “ghost teachers,” who get paid by districts while working for their unions, passed a key committee on Wednesday and now heads to the full state Senate. “These ghost teachers receive taxpayer-funded salaries, health benefits and pensions, yet they may never return to the classroom or engage in actual teaching,” said Republican state Sen. Pat Stefano. “This should not be allowed or tolerated because it is a blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars and drains money and resources away from our classrooms and our students.” Stefano’s Senate Bill 494, which he introduced March 10, passed the Senate Education Committee in a 5-4 vote with three members not voting. Co-sponsors from southwest Pennsylvania include state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, Washington County; state Sen. Elder Vogel Jr., R-New Sewickley Township; state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County; and state Sen. Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland County.

http://www.timesonline.com/news/governmentandpolitics/bill-to-end-ghost-teaching-passes-key-state-senate-committee/article_07ceb392-157c-11e7-b2a8-c33625d7b1cd.html

Public employee pension reform on the move

The Express EDITORIALS MAR 30, 2017

The Pennsylvania Senate is scheduled to consider a public employee pension reform proposal nearly identical to the bill that fell just three votes short in the House last fall. The proposal will contain a 401(k)-component paired with a smaller defined benefit component for new employees. New employees can also choose a single 401(k)-style plan, which will provide portability and retirement control. These includes those in the State Employees Retirement System (SERS) and the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS). Additionally, the proposal lets current employees opt-in to the hybrid plan or 401(k)-only plan — something many say is a welcome improvement over last year’s proposal. Meanwhile in the state House, Rep. Warren Kampf has introduced pension reform identical to last October’s plan.

http://www.lockhaven.com/opinion/editorials/2017/03/public-employee-pension-reform-on-the-move/

FR school officials aim to reduce $1.2M deficit

Trib Live by PATRICK VARINE | Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 9:00 p.m.

Franklin Regional school board officials will look to chip away at a projected $1.2 million deficit as they begin budget planning for the 2017-18 school year. Finance director Jon Perry presented the first draft of next year's budget, which increased by about $2.3 million over the current school year. As has been the case in recent years, the primary driver of expenditures is the district's contribution to teacher pensions, which will rise from 30.03 percent to 32.57 percent. It is expected to continue rising up to 39.4 percent by 2027. Board president Larry Borland said the district's pension costs are cause for concern. “It's the sixth year I've seen this, and it gives me pause,” he said.

http://triblive.com/local/murrysville/12109893-74/fr-school-officials-aim-to-reduce-12m-deficit

A smart investment in universal pre-K

Philadelphia’s children, adults and businesses are experiencing the benefits

Post Gazette Opinion by JIM KENNEY, JANNIE BLACKWELL AND BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN MAR 31, 2017

Jim Kenney is the mayor of Philadelphia. Jannie Blackwell and Blondell Reynolds Brown are members of Philadelphia City Council.

Mayor Bill Peduto and Pittsburgh City Council took a big step toward improving the future of every Pittsburgh family this month when they created a commission on universal pre-K. Just two years ago, Philadelphia created its own commission to examine how we could expand free, quality pre-K for our residents. After nearly a year of exhaustive research, the commission presented its recommendations to Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration and, this past January, our free, quality pre-K program, PHLpreK, had its first day of school. The benefits of PHLpreK have already been tremendous for Philadelphia’s children, adults and businesses. Nearly 2,000 children are enrolled in our program, and that number is currently budgeted to rise by 6,500 over the next five years. These are children for whom a quality early childhood experience would have been inaccessible. The average income among families who applied was $34,000 annually. The tragic irony is that access to quality pre-K is all the more important for these low-income children. Children who participate in these programs are more likely to graduate from high school, obtain a family-sustaining job and stay out of the criminal justice system. And when we have more children getting on the right path, that’s not just good for our families; it’s good for the whole city. Study after study shows that if cities don’t invest in early childhood education, we’ll end up spending even more in prison costs and other misery expenses to deal with the consequences.

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2017/03/31/A-smart-investment-in-universal-pre-K/stories/201703310174?pgpageversion=pgevoke

“On Thursday, the city released official plans for each of the nine community schools participating in Philadelphia's latest urban education experiment. Through the community schools initiative, Philadelphia wants to create schools that are hubs for outside supports. That way, the theory goes, you can lift the surrounding community while solving the sort of non-academic challenges — such as hunger — that can trip up low-income students.”

Philly's community schools start to take shape

WHYY Newsworks BY AVI WOLFMAN-ARENT MARCH 31, 2017

For months now, coordinators at Philadelphia's new batch of community schools have been planting the proverbial seeds. They've held neighborhood forums, reached out to local nonprofits, and surveyed community members. They've spent hours talking and networking and contemplating what kinds of solutions would make the most sense in their specific schools. Now the seeds of that work are beginning to bear fruit — sometimes in the form of literal seeds. At Murrell Dobbins High School in North Philadelphia, the freshly minted community school calls for the creation of a community garden and farmers market to help combat food insecurity. "That way the community actually is providing for itself," said Charles Reyes, Dobbins' community schools coordinator.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/102673-phillys-community-schools-start-to-take-shape?_topstory

Philly School District, City Release Plans for Community Schools

For Immediate Release: March 30, 2017
Published By: Mayor’s Office of Education, Office of the Mayor
Contact: Megan Lello, (215) 400-6887, MLello@philasd.org
Deana Gamble , (267) 438-7548, Deana.Gamble@phila.gov

PHILADELPHIA – The School District of Philadelphia and the Mayor’s Office of Education today unveiled the plans for the city’s nine community schools following months of surveys, focus groups and meetings held within each school community to identify the top needs of students and families. “These community school plans mark a significant milestone in the City’s ongoing efforts to strengthen local schools,” said Mayor Kenney. “Community school coordinators have engaged thousands of Philadelphians to understand the unique strengths and challenges at each community school. Now that plans are in place, coordinators can align City and nonprofit services that meet the specific needs of our students, their families, and local residents.” “The partnership between the District and the City allows us to tap into a wide variety of helpful resources to meet the needs of our students and their families,” said Dr. William R. Hite, Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia. “The work supported by this initiative is an extension of the work our staff is doing in schools every day to support the whole child. We all look forward to seeing happier, healthier communities as a result of this important effort.” The plans cover the specific needs of the community as identified by a Community School Committee comprised of the principal, community school coordinator, and other stakeholders including parents, students, school staff, partners and community members. This committee helped establish the priority areas the school community will work to address.

https://beta.phila.gov/press-releases/community-schools/school-district-city-release-plans-for-community-schools/

How will Kenney's $40M community schools plan move forward?

Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Staff Writer @newskag | kgraham@phillynews.com Updated: MARCH 30, 2017 — 5:28 PM EDT

Setting a path forward for one of Mayor Kenney’s signature initiatives, the city and the Philadelphia School District on Thursday released detailed plans for their nine community schools. Fueled by $40 million in soda-tax proceeds over four years, some schools will focus on conflict resolution. Others will offer opportunities for children to be more physically active or eat healthier foods. Some will work on internship and job opportunities. Kenney ran on a pledge to create 25 community schools in the city over four years. The learning institutions would also offer social services and other supports to neighborhoods. The goal is to remove barriers to learning so teachers can focus on teaching and students on learning, without many of the impediments that come with living in poverty. The mayor said the initiative could keep city youth off a “nowhere track” to the streets, prison, or the cemetery. “Our kids can succeed,” Kenney said at a news conference at Tilden Middle School in Southwest Philadelphia. “They can meet their potential if we give them the resources.”

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/How-will-Kenneys-40m-community-schools-plan-move-forward.html

New Community Schools Framework & Messaging Guide

Webinar Wednesday, April 12, 2017 3:00:00 PM EDT - 4:00:00 PM EDT

Join us for a deep dive into new resources to make the case for community schools.

Coalition for Community Schools

The Coalition’s new brief, Community Schools: A Whole-Child Framework for School Improvement, positions the community schools strategy as an effective option as the Every Student Succeeds Act moves toward implementation. Learn about the new community schools framework and graphics, and how to advocate to your state and local leaders to include community schools in their ESSA plans. Also learn about our new messaging guide, which will help you talk about community schools effectively to anyone-including your neighbors, peers, and policymakers. Speakers:

• Mary Kingston Roche, Director of Public Policy, Coalition for Community Schools

• L.J. Wilson, Communications Coordinator, Coalition for Community Schools

Come with questions, insights, and ideas for our Q&A session after the presentation.

https://events-na12.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/1316061355/en/events/event/shared/default_template_simple/event_landing.html?sco-id=1671826808&_charset_=utf-8

Commentary: Court ruling a win for special-ed students

Inquirer Commentary By Kirk Smothers Updated: MARCH 31, 2017 — 3:01 AM EDT

Kirk Smothers is head of school at Delaware Valley Friends School (www.dvfs.org) in Paoli.

Last Wednesday was a great day for special-education students in the United States. Our frequently divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Endrew F. v Douglas County School District that public schools are required to provide free and appropriate educational placements, which lead to more than de minimis (meaning trivial or minimal) student progress. Instead, the court advised that the "educational program must be appropriately ambitious in light of circumstances." The distinction between de minimis progress and appropriately ambitious progress is an important one. According to Chief Justice John Roberts' opinion, school programs based on a standard of de minimis progress have led to situations in which students "can hardly be said to have been offered an education at all." Endrew F. has autism, but his case applies to a much broader population of students who have a wide variety of disabilities. The decision will also affect students with learning disabilities and related conditions, including dyslexia, math disorders, and ADHD.

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20170331_Commentary__Court_ruling_a_win_for_special-ed_students.html

Nittany Valley Charter students help boost ecosystem on farmland

Centre Daily Times BY BRITNEY MILAZZO bmilazzo@centredaily.com MARCH 30, 2017

A former tree farm in northern Huntingdon County is being brought back to life with the help of students from a State College-based charter school. Forty-eight Nittany Valley Charter School students in kindergarten through eighth grade are working on a schoolwide project called “Helping our Earth Field Project.” They’ll be honored for their work on April 25 in Harrisburg with the 2017 Environmental Excellence Award from the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. “It’s really exciting,” school CEO Kara Martin said. According to a report from the DEP, students are applying “in-class and in-field instruction” to develop and implement a stewardship plan that promotes carbon sequestration through native landscape and wildlife habitat. The school’s founder Carolyn Maroncelli purchased the farm a few years ago and vowed to use the land for environmental education.

http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/article141860889.html

Haverford Hi-Q team crowned national champions

Delco Times By the Times Staff POSTED: 03/30/17, 10:13 PM EDT

MORTON >> Haverford High School, the 2017 Delco Hi-Q Champions, won its second-ever National Hi-Q Championship in a competitive contest against high school champions from Alabama, Wisconsin and Washington. Teams from Monroe, Wash., Peshtigo, Wis., and Davidson, Ala., competed against Delco’s Haverford team for the national crown via video-conference Thursday at the Delaware County Intermediate Unit in Morton. They had the huge task of defending the title won by last year’s Delco Hi-Q champs, Garnet Valley. The national championship meet was similar to all Hi-Q meets in scope, scoring and subject matter. Teams answered a total of 16 questions, including toss-up sports, math, and team choice with the twist of competing over the Internet. Delco Hi-Q Director Rick Durante started the match with greetings from the Keystone State before turning over the program to longtime Quizmaster Tom McCarthy. McCarthy presided over the very first National Championship in 1981 when Pennsylvania hosted teams from Ohio, Wisconsin and Washington. Haverford prevailed that year and did it again using modern video-conference technology.

http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20170330/haverford-hi-q-team-crowned-national-champions

Modernized Space Camp Allows Kids To Simulate Frustration Over Lack Of Funding

Space Camp attendees react to news that budget pressures have postponed their mission indefinitely.

The Onion HUNTSVILLE, AL—Aiming to provide attendees with an authentic glimpse into the nation’s space program, representatives for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center announced Thursday that its newly updated Space Camp will allow children to simulate the anger and mounting frustration experienced by NASA personnel over a continual lack of funding.

Camp organizers explained that the redesigned education program will offer kids the unique opportunity to contend with all of the budgetary restrictions and bureaucratic red tape impeding the progress of actual astronauts and researchers, allowing children from grades four to six to immerse themselves in a true-to-life NASA environment in which financial shortfalls and endless procedural delays plague them at every turn. “At Space Camp, each attendee experiences the trials of real-life astronauts who simply are not provided the resources they need to explore outer space,” said director Deborah Barnhart, noting that campers get a firsthand look at what it’s like to pursue cutting-edge astronomical research on a budget that, when adjusted for inflation, is a mere fraction of what it was in the 1960s. “Our campers endure constant setbacks throughout their week here, from engaging in spaceflight training modules that can be shut down at a moment’s notice, to working tirelessly on a solar probe project only to be informed that an across-the-board spending freeze has led to the indefinite suspension of their work.” “Kids will walk away from a week at Space Camp knowing exactly what it’s like to be an American astronaut,” she added.

http://www.theonion.com/article/modernized-space-camp-allows-kids-to-simulate-frus-36148?utm_content=Main&utm_campaign=SF&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialMarketing

Could Betsy DeVos Reject a State's ESSA Plan for Not Embracing Choice? No.

Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on March 30, 2017 4:45 PM

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos told an audience at the Brookings Institution Wednesday that she wouldn't necessarily approve every state's plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act right off the bat. And at the same event, she continued to push her favorite policy: school choice. (More from Andrew here.) DeVos didn't say specifically that states would have to embrace choice in their plans in order to pass muster with the department. But the juxtaposition still had some folks nervous, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who told Politico that she hopes DeVos "clarifies her comments and makes it clear that she does not plan to threaten states or hold their proposals hostage unless they conform to her privatization agenda." UPDATE: A department official did, indeed, clarify DeVos' remarks to US News and World Report. DeVos wants to "encourage" states to consider choice in developing plans for the law, the official said.

Could DeVos legally reject a state's plan because it didn't include choice, even if she wanted to?

Short answer: No. That would be a violation of ESSA.

Longer answer: Both Democrats and Republicans who worked on ESSA say doing that would violate the long, long list of prohibitions on the Education Department's authority in the law, one of which says the secretary can't tell states what kinds of interventions they can or can't use with their lowest-performing schools.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2017/03/could_betsy_devos_reject_a_sta.html

“Charter advocates place the adjective “public” in front of “charter school,” hoping it will stick. But they only thing “public” about charters is that they take public tax dollars.”

How will charter schools fare under Trump?

Asbury Park Press Published 12:26 p.m. ET March 30, 2017 | Updated 15 hours ago

Charter schools have long been high on Gov. Chris Christie’s agenda, and they will receive an added boost in support on the federal level from President Trump and his new education secretary, Betsy DeVos, a fervent advocate of charter schools and other non-traditional alternatives to public schools. But charter schools remain controversial due to their alleged comparative lack of accountability and the ability to filter out weaker students. Critics say they unnecessarily drain resources from public schools, damaging overall public education. We asked advocates on both sides of the issue — Carol Burris, executive director of The Network for Public Education, and Nicole Cole, president and CEO of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association — to offer their views on the proper future for charter schools in New Jersey and across the nation.

First, responses to our questions from Carol Burris:

Charters threaten solvency of traditional public schools

Your organization is called The Network for Public Education. But charter schools, while not traditional schools, are still public, correct? To what degree do you distinguish between them?

Charter schools are not public schools. Charter advocates place the adjective “public” in front of “charter school,” hoping it will stick. But they only thing “public” about charters is that they take public tax dollars. Most public schools are governed by democratically elected school boards. Charter boards are appointed and therefore not accountable to parents or taxpayers. Charters control the number of students they have, they do not have to take students mid-year, nor do they have to fill seats when students leave. Transparency laws, especially in spending, that public schools must follow can be ignored by charter schools. Finally, by carefully controlling programs and policies they can shape who applies to the school and who stays.

Calling charter schools “public schools” is like calling defense contractors “public companies.” Charters are private businesses funded by New Jersey tax dollars.

http://www.app.com/story/opinion/columnists/2017/03/30/charter-schools-nj-devos-trump/99825276/

“Democratically elected school boards govern most public schools; charter boards are appointed and not accountable to parents or the community. Charters control the number of students they have, and they do not have to take students mid-year, like traditional public schools do. Transparency laws, especially in spending, that public schools must follow can — and often are — ignored by charter schools. Many conflict-of-interest laws that regulate public schools can be skirted — and sometimes are — by charters. And in some cases, when a charter school is closed because of poor performance or another reason, the school building and property is not returned to the public who paid for them, but is retained by the charter owners themselves. And, by the way, charters can shut their doors whenever it suits them. The only thing truly “public” about charters, is that taxpayers foot the bill. Calling charter schools “public schools” because they receive public tax dollars is like calling defense contractors “public companies” because they also depend on public funding.”

What the public isn’t told about high-performing charter schools in Arizona

Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss March 30 at 7:00 AM

President Trump’s first federal budget proposal seeks a $168 million increase for charter schools, which is a 50 percent funding increase from the current level set by the previous Obama administration. For Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, charters are one tool in the school choice tool box that they say will be front and center of their education reform agenda. Charter schools — which are publicly funded but privately operated, sometimes by for-profit companies — have been proliferating for some 25 years and today there are thousands in the United States. While the few million students they enroll are a fraction of the number of young people who attend K-12 schools in this country, the charter movement has been a key part of the school choice movement and the education reform debate. Supporters of charter schools say they give parents an alternative to failing traditional public schools. Critics say they take vital resources away from traditional public schools and that many charters are poorly run.

While some charter schools are well-run and high-performing, others aren’t, and some states that allow charters have little or no oversight. A 2016 audit by the Education Department’s Inspector General’s Office found that the department — which awards multi-million-dollar grants to states for the creation and expansion of charters — had failed to provide adequate oversight of some of its relationships with charter management organizations. This post details issues with charter schools in Arizona. It was written by Carol Burris, a former New York high school principal who is executive director of the nonprofit Network for Public Education. She has been chronicling problems with corporate school reform for years on this blog, and this post is part of her occasional series about troubled charter schools in California and other states.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/03/30/what-the-public-doesnt-know-about-high-performing-charter-schools-in-arizona/

As North Carolina repeals its ‘bathroom bill,’ other states consider their own

Washington Post By Moriah Balingit March 30 at 4:01 PM

Lawmakers in 16 states have filed two dozen bills this year to scale back legal protections for transgender people or restrict their ability to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. Many are patterned after a North Carolina law that was repealed Thursday after it sparked a national uproar and reportedly cost the state billions in lost business. The bills are being closely tracked by transgender advocacy groups in the wake of the Trump administration decision to rescind federal guidance on the civil rights of transgender students concerning bathroom access and other matters. The administration said that states — not the federal government — should decide how schools accommodate transgender students. “This is an issue best solved at the state and local level. Schools, communities, and families can find — and in many cases have found — solutions that protect all students,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said after she and Attorney General Jeff Sessions revoked the Obama-era directive that transgender students should be allowed to use bathrooms aligned with their gender identity.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2017/03/30/with-north-carolina-on-the-verge-of-repealing-bathroom-bill-other-states-consider-their-own/

The 2017 PenSPRA Symposium Keeping Current: What’s New in School Communications April 7^th Shippensburg
Join PenSPRA Friday, April 7, 2017 in Shippensburg, PA 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with evening social events on Thursday, April 6th from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Shippensburg University Conference Center
The agenda is as follows: Supporting transgender students in our schools (9 am), Evaluating School Communications to Inform Your Effectiveness (10:30 am), and Cool Graphics Tools Hands-on Workshop (1:15 pm).

The $150 registration fee also includes breakfast, lunch and Thursday’s social! You can find more details on the agenda and register for the Symposium here:

http://www.penspra.org/AnnualSymposium.aspx

PSBA Advocacy Forum and Day on the Hill APR 24, 2017 • 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Join PSBA and your fellow school directors for the fourth annual Advocacy Forum on April 24, 2017, at the State Capitol in Harrisburg. Hear from legislators on how advocacy makes a difference in the legislative process and the importance of public education advocacy. Government Affairs will take a deeper dive into the legislative priorities and will provide tips on how to be an effective public education advocate. There will be dedicated time for you and your fellow advocates to hit the halls to meet with your legislators on public education. This is your chance to share the importance of policy supporting public education and make your voice heard on the Hill.

“Nothing has more impact for legislators than hearing directly from constituents through events like PSBA’s Advocacy Forum.”
— Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), Senate Appropriations Committee chair

Registration:

Visit the Members Area of PSBA’s website under Store/Registration tab to register.

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!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/SAVE-THE-DATE--LWVPA-Convention-June-1-4--2017.html?soid=1102026610927&aid=sie1JiXCxws

Save the Date 2017 PA Principals Association State Conference October 14. 15, 16, 2017

Doubletree Hotel Cranberry Township, PA

Thursday, March 30, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup March 30: DeVos suggested that ED “is considering rejecting states’ proposals for new accountability systems if they do not include options that empower parents or provide them with additional educational choices for their children.”

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Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup March 30, 2017:

DeVos suggested that ED “is considering rejecting states’ proposals for new accountability systems if they do not include options that empower parents or provide them with additional educational choices for their children.”

Pop quiz, part 2: Test your knowledge of public education in Pennsylvania

Keystone Crossroads

http://quiz.keystonecrossroads.org/

“Representatives in areas designed to support re-election can afford to be more extreme in their views, playing to the base that will protect their seats rather than moderating positions to appeal to the broadest number of voters. The problems flowing from such an arrangement are all too apparent. Elected officials who have no incentive to cooperate retreat into polarized camps, and nothing gets done.”

Op-ed: Pennsylvanians' growing sentiment to make elections fair

WHYY Newsworks COMMENTARY BY PAMELA J. FORSYTHE MARCH 30, 2017 SPEAK EASY
There were no pitchforks or torches when I attended a public forum earlier this month at Chestnut Hill United Church about how Pennsylvanians could — just maybe — restore some fairness to the political process. Currently, lines are drawn by a politically embedded committee of five, including the majority and minority leaders of the Pennsylvania House and Senate. Boundaries change roughly every decade, on the heels of the national census. Ideally, districts are to contain about the same population and be geographically “compact and contiguous.” Not surprisingly, career politicians have engineered the process to work to their own benefit through a process known as gerrymandering. It consists of dividing geographic areas into representative districts that advantage one party or group over another. The term originated in 1812. A journalist with The Boston Gazette noted that a Massachusetts electoral district had taken on the shape of a salamander to benefit Gov. Elbridge Gerry. Soon, gerrymander was in common use.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/102655-op-ed-pennsylvanians-growing-sentiment-to-make-elections-fair?_topstory

Betsy DeVos Calls for More School Choice, Saying Money Isn’t the Answer

New York Times By ERICA L. GREEN MARCH 29, 2017

WASHINGTON — Betsy DeVos, in her first extended policy address as education secretary, argued on Wednesday for an expansion of school choice programs, pointing to lagging test scores and a program championed by the Obama administration that funneled billions into low-performing schools but failed to produce better academic outcomes. Speaking at the Brookings Institution, which released a ranking of choice options in the country’s 100 largest school districts, Ms. DeVos made her case for choice policies that she said focused on the “individual child.” And she called for the rejection of an “us versus them mentality” when it comes to investing in programs, like charter schools and school vouchers, to which President Trump has proposed giving part of a $1.4 billion funding increase in the fiscal year that begins in October. “Our nation’s commitment is to provide a quality education to every child to serve the greater public, common good,” Ms. DeVos said in her address. “Accordingly, we must shift the paradigm to think about education funding as investments made in individual children, not in institutions or buildings.” While Ms. DeVos offered no new details about the Education Department’s budget — which in the president’s budget blueprint takes a $9 billion, or 13.5 percent, cut — she rejected the notion that money was a panacea for the challenges facing public schools.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/us/politics/betsy-devos-education-school-choice-voucher.html

DeVos says her predecessor wasted money on school reform

Inquirer by MARIA DANILOVA, The Associated Press Updated: MARCH 29, 2017 12:57 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) - Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday accused her predecessor of wasting billions of dollars trying to fix traditional public schools and said that school choice was the way to reform the system. Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DeVos said that Arne Duncan's signature $7 billion project targeting failing schools did not produce any significant improvement. That failure, she said, was further proof that it is vital to give American parents the options of charter, private and other schools. "At what point do we accept the fact that throwing money at the problem isn't the solution?" she asked. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That's not policy making."

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20170329_ap_6a595206b54a44b7a9a3c7de6bc01699.html

“Roy also said that discussions about "failing schools" ignore the social and economic conditions -- such as healthcare access, housing instability and food scarcity -- that schools deal with. "DeVos' notion that if we just give the money to privately run schools all these issues go away is fantasy and unsubstantiated by research," Roy said. "Not to mention her privatization plans undermine the public schools that need financial support and undermine the communities that make up public schools."

Bethlehem Area superintendent: Betsy DeVos dead wrong in saying federal grants don't work on struggling schools

Jacqueline Palochko Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call March 29, 2017

Earlier today, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said School Improvement Grants have not produced significant improvements in schools, The Associated Press reported. But Bethlehem Area Superintendent Joseph Roy says DeVos is wrong. An economically disadvantaged Bethlehem Area elementary school that has received a School Improvement Grant has closed the achievement gap, he said. The School Improvement Grants were implemented in 2010-2015 under then-Education Secretary Arne Duncan and aimed to improve struggling schools.

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-web-bethlehem-area-devos-school-improvement-grants-20170329-story.html

“Under the new education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, states are required to devise new accountability systems using a variety of metrics to show how their students and schools are performing. And for those schools that aren't performing well, states must formulate a plan to fix them. States are in the process of finalizing those accountability proposals, with the first submission deadline of April 3 fast approaching. The second deadline is Sept. 18, and both deadlines require states to implement their plans beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.”

“The Department of Education is considering rejecting states' proposals for new accountability systems if they do not include options that empower parents or provide them with additional educational choices for their children.”

DeVos Says Accountability Systems Could Promote School Choice

The education secretary suggested that the new education law could be the mechanism for prodding states to provide options for parents and children.

US News By Lauren Camera, Education Reporter | March 29, 2017, at 2:52 p.m.

The Department of Education is considering rejecting states' proposals for new accountability systems if they do not include options that empower parents or provide them with additional educational choices for their children. "I think there's certainly going to be a lot of discussion and back and forth as we go through this process," Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said Wednesday in answering a question about whether her agency would reject a state's accountability proposal if she views it as "antithetical to serving parents' interests." "The goal is clearly to implement as Congress has intended and to really push it back to the states to step up and create and innovate in ways they haven't done before," said DeVos, who since being confirmed as education secretary has pounded the importance of parents having choices for where they send their children to school.

https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2017-03-29/devos-says-accountability-systems-could-promote-school-choice

Letter: "Inner city" comments by Eichelberger 'vitriolic'

The Sentinel Letter to the Editor March 29, 2017

Barbara A. Simmons, Education Chair, Black Women's Leadership Council

Deborah Gordon Klehr, Executive Director, Education Law Center-Pennsylvania

Susan Spicka, Executive Director, Education Voters of Pennsylvania

Dear Editor: State Sen. John Eichelberger’s recent comments about placing “inner city” students in “a less intensive track” are extremely disturbing. “Inner city” historically has been code for students of color and it is wholly inappropriate for a representative of Pennsylvania to engage in such vitriolic, racist rhetoric. Further, tracking students by race violates both state and federal civil rights laws. In fact, the Upper Dublin School District currently is under federal investigation for this exact type of racial discrimination. In an op-ed, Eichelberger wrote to defend his statements (“All students deserve opportunity to succeed,” The Sentinel, March 9), he professes a desire for “an open and honest discussion about giving our students the best chance to thrive.” We’ve sent a letter asking the state Senate Education Committee to hold a hearing about racial opportunity gaps and their origins, racial tracking, and the disproportionate impact of under-funding on our state’s students of color. These are students who, contrary to the senator’s belief, are failed by the entire system, not individual schools. Comments degrading “inner city” students, and implicitly students of color, are not only tied to school funding but are also indicative of entrenched and ongoing racism. We call for this hearing to remind the Legislature of its responsibility to address these consequences of racial discrimination as well as their root causes. We hope to begin an honest, productive discussion that focuses on ensuring that all children in Pennsylvania, no matter their race or ZIP code, receive a quality public education.

http://cumberlink.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letter-inner-city-comments-by-eichelberger-vitriolic/article_5d0a2d4d-8929-561a-aa0c-ca8a389d0bb7.html

Blogger Comment: These is nothing to prevent concerned business owners from making charitable contributions to support private and religious schools without diminishing funding available to support public schools. Tax credit programs are an end run around the PA Constitution’s prohibition of using tax dollars for sectarian schools. The General Assembly enacted a new school funding formula with overwhelming bipartisan support last year; we should fund the formula, not divert another $75 million to unaccountable private schools.

Parents need educational choices (column)

York Daily Record Opinion by Rep. Dawn Keefer1:35 p.m. ET March 28, 2017

Rep. Dawn Keefer is a Republican whose district includes parts of York and Cumberland counties.

Government and “educrats” have hijacked our educational system. Taxpayers are trapped, only those with the means and large bank accounts have options. We’ve utilized a myriad of “one-size-fits-all,” standards-based testing approaches to education for more than 30 years with no measurable gains. Yet we continue to soldier down the same path. I believe this is called insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It would take years to overhaul our dysfunctional educational system – returning true control back to local governments and parents; and returning to the tried and true classical education. The reality is, parents and children need options now. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit provides that option. EITC is a vessel that allows businesses to make contributions to a scholarship organization, an educational improvement organization, and/or a pre-kindergarten scholarship organization. The House of Representatives took a major step in providing school choice when we passed House Bill 250 earlier this month. The legislation would increase the amount of tax credits available under both EITC and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs. Funds available for EITC would increase by $50 million to a record $175 million. Funds available for the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit would increase by $25 million to $75 million. The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration.

http://www.ydr.com/story/opinion/columnists/2017/03/28/parents-need-educational-choices-column/99734648/

Workshop prepares teachers to help and protect immigrant students

Inquirer by Michael Matza, STAFF WRITER @MichaelMatza1 | mmatza@phillynews.com Updated: MARCH 29, 2017 — 9:30 PM EDT

When teachers meet to talk immigration, their stories can be wrenching:

Undocumented parents afraid to drop their kids off at school. A soccer league visited by immigration agents one weekend, and players too fearful to turn out the following week. A sixth grader with ICE agents at her door, frantically texting her sixth-grade teacher. A student sick with worry because her day laborer father is afraid to seek work, terrified that he could be snared in a raid. Such were among the stories shared Wednesday at “Protecting Our Immigrant Students,” a workshop sponsored by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. With President Trump demanding a crackdown on illegal immigration and Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatening to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities, the atmosphere is fraught with worry. “Our children come to school frightened and stressed,” PFT president Jerry Jordan told the 50 or so educators who came together after the end of the school day to hear a panel of lawyers and advocates talk about rights and responsibilities.

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/Protecting-Immigrant-Students-in-Philadelphia.html

Immigrants win right to attend Lancaster public high school

Inquirer by Michael Matza, Staff Writer @MichaelMatza1 | mmatza@phillynews.com Updated: MARCH 29, 2017 — 2:37 PM EDT

Refugee children in Lancaster can choose to attend the city’s main public high school instead of the privately run alternative academy to which the school district had funneled them, according to the settlement of a nine-month lawsuit announced Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. The agreement, approved by the Lancaster School Board on Tuesday night, opens the way for newly arrived 17- to 20-year-old immigrant students with little or no English fluency to attend a newcomer program at J.P. McCaskey High School and restricts the district from outplacing them to the for-profit Phoenix Academy, which plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit had alleged was an inferior option.

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/Refugees-win-right-to-attend-Lancaster-public-high-school.html

Lancaster settlement is a victory for immigrant students

The notebook by Greg Windle March 29, 2017 — 4:57pm

A nine-month legal battle over newly arrived immigrant adolescents in the Lancaster school district ended in a comprehensive settlement yesterday. The plaintiffs were refugees, but the settlement will affect immigrant students of all kinds. The Lancaster district’s school board approved the agreement Tuesday, which stops the district from placing newly arrived 17- to 20-year-old immigrant students who don’t speak English fluently into a privately run-alternative school, called Phoenix Academy, as the district was doing before the settlement. Phoenix Academy is run by Camelot—a private provider that runs alternative schools for older students and those with behavioral issues, and was recently found to have problems with staff members using physical force to discipline students in a report by ProPublica and Slate. Phoenix Academy was one of the schools where staff allegedly abused students. Instead, the Lancaster district must enroll those students in their International Program for immigrant students at the main public high school, McCaskey.

http://thenotebook.org/articles/2017/03/29/lancaster-settlement-is-a-victory-for-immigrant-students

Pa. considers opioid abuse warnings and instruction in schools

Inquirer by Teresa Wiltz, STATELINE Updated: MARCH 29, 2017 — 1:43 PM EDT

Stateline is an inititative of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Michigan lawmakers are considering requiring mandatory opioid abuse education in public schools as part of a package of bills aimed at combatting the addiction and overdose epidemic in the state. The proposal is similar to action taken in nearby Ohio to provide K-12 students with instruction on the dangers of prescription opioid use. If the bill passes, the program would be implemented by the 2018 school year by the Michigan Department of Education. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina are considering similar bills. The bills are among a series of measures that states plagued by high rates of opioid painkiller and heroin abuse have experimented with to combat addiction at an early age. Among the experiments: recovery high schools that enroll only kids who have drug and alcohol addiction.

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/addiction/Pa-considers-opioid-abuse-warnings-and-instruction-in-schools-stateline-addiction.html

“The Pennsylvania School Boards Association's Executive Director Nathan Mains sent a letter to senators assuring them that school boards don't take decisions about raising taxes on their friends and neighbors lightly. Mains said the association would support this legislation requiring two-thirds approval but only if the Legislature leads by example and first passes legislation mandating the two-thirds' approval on statewide tax increases as DiSanto's bill would require.”

SB406: Propery tax increases could become harder for school boards to pass

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on March 29, 2017 at 12:34 PM, updated March 29, 2017 at 12:39 PM

Legislation that would require school boards to approve property tax increases by at least a 6-3 vote instead of a simple 5-4 majority won approval of the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. Requiring a two-thirds vote of a nine-member board is seen as a way to ensure adequate vetting of the need for the tax increase. The bill's sponsor, Sen. John Rafferty, R-Montgomery County, said this idea grew out of his days as a school board member when he saw property tax increases narrowly pass by a 5-4 vote, as was the case last summer in Susquenita School District when the school board approved its first tax increase in 12 years. Considering the ramifications if a property tax bill goes unpaid which can cause a homeowner to lose their homes, Rafferty said, "I think it's very important that we look at this sixth vote to allow more deliberation, more sharing of information among the local school boards because of the fact that they do have that authority, that power to tax real estate."

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/03/raising_propery_tax_rates_coul.html#incart_river_index

PA Senate Education Committee Roll Call Vote on SB406 March 29, 2017

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/RCC/PUBLIC/listVoteSummary.cfm?sYear=2017&sInd=0&chamber=S&cteeCde=23&theDate=03/29/2017&RollCallId=90

The Fair Share Tax to Support Public Investment in Pennsylvania

PA Budget and Policy Center Posted by John Neurohr on March 21, 2017

Read the Full Report Here.

See PA Senate District Fact Sheets on the Fair Share Tax Here.

See PA House District Fact Sheets on the Fair Share Tax Here.

Executive Summary

This paper puts forward a plan, which we call the Fair Share Tax, that would take a major step toward fixing Pennsylvania’s broken tax system and raise the revenues we need to invest in the public goods that are critical to creating thriving communities and individual opportunity in our state: education, infrastructure, protection for our air and water, and human services.

The Fair Share Tax divides our Personal Income Tax into two parts: 1.) a tax on wages and interest, and 2.) a tax on income from wealth (dividends; net income [from a business, profession, or farm]; capital gains; net income from rents, royalties, patents, and copyrights; gambling and lottery winnings; and income from estates or trusts.)

The Fair Share Tax increases the tax on income from wealth from 3.07% to 6.5% and decreases the tax on wages and interest from 3.07% to 2.8%.

Under the Fair Share Tax, 58.3% of taxpayers will see their taxes go down, 26.2% will see no change in their taxes, and only 15.4% will see their taxes go up.

The Fair Share Tax brings in $2 billion in new revenue. Of that $2 billion, 50% comes from the top 1% of families, 72% comes from the top 5% of families, and 88% comes from the top 20% of families.

Out-of-state taxpayers will pay 15.6% of the $2 billion increase in revenues.

There is little variation in the impact of tax from one county to another or one legislative district to another. The percentage of taxpayers in a county that see a decrease or no change in their taxes ranges from 71% to 90%, with all but nine counties in the 80% to 89% range. In both rural and urban counties, an average of 85% of taxpayers will see their taxes go down or remain unchanged under the Fair Share Tax. Much the same is true in state legislative districts.

Even after implementation of the Fair Share Tax, the effective rate on the top 1% of Pennsylvania taxpayers will be only 3.6%, less than that of any neighboring state and only 45% of the rate found in New York and New Jersey.

http://pennbpc.org/fair-share-tax-support-public-investment-pennsylvania?link_id=8&can_id=0290f61015d24dadb0fa9e179cd16533&source=email-webinar-pas-choice-and-the-fair-share-tax-plan-2&email_referrer=webinar-pas-choice-and-the-fair-share-tax-plan-2&email_subject=webinar-pas-choice-and-the-fair-share-tax-plan

Hate to burst your bubble, but it's time to rethink standardized tests: Jerry Oleksiak

PennLive Op-Ed By Jerry Oleksiak on March 29, 2017 at 7:42 AM

Jerry Oleksiak is a special education teacher in the Upper Merion Area School District, and president of the 180,000-member Pennsylvania State Education Association.

For years, educators have spoken out forcefully about the toxic effect standardized tests have on public schools. As a teacher with more than 30 years of experience in the classroom, I've spoken out to my students' parents, my colleagues, and to state and federal officials. But you don't have to just ask me. Ask the classroom teachers in your community. They will tell you that too much standardized testing is interfering with teaching and learning. Students spend 12 hours taking the Pennsylvania State Standardized Assessment tests and Keystone Exams each year. Students lose up to 110 hours each year on standardized tests and test preparation. For teachers, that's a loss of valuable time that could be spent providing assistance to students who are struggling, and enrichment to students who have mastered content knowledge and skills in core subjects. The impact of over testing and overemphasizing test scores has undermined the fundamental hallmarks of great teaching. It stifles creativity and innovation in the classroom in order to devote more classroom time and resources to prepare, administer, and remediate students around tests mandated by state and federal laws.

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2017/03/hate_to_burst_your_bubble_but.html#incart_river_home

Bill Hite Has the Hardest Job in the Country

He seemed like just the man to turn around Philly’s floundering, cash-starved public schools. But four years later, his pragmatic, levelheaded approach has yielded … not much at all, actually. What needs to change — our expectations, or Hite?

PhillyMag BY SIMON VAN ZUYLEN-WOOD | MARCH 27, 2016

image: http://cdn.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/BillHite_01-940x540.jpg

On the third Thursday of every month, William Hite is subjected to four hours of ritual torture.

The sessions take place in an auditorium at the headquarters of the School District of Philadelphia, on North Broad Street. Starting around 5:30 p.m., several hundred education obsessives march in and locate seats. Sometimes they bring musical instruments. Hite sits at the front of the room next to the five members of the School Reform Commission, Philadelphia’s peculiar version of a school board. Well-built, impeccably dressed, perfectly composed, Philly’s school superintendent awaits the onslaught. In theory, the point of these meetings is for the SRC to vote on things. In practice, they are dominated by ferociously opinionated people using their three minutes of allotted time to yell at Bill Hite. Most commenters fall into one of three categories. There are the (mostly) white, female activists who decry Hite and his SRC abettors as blood-sucking corporate fetishists. There are the (mostly) white, male charter-school operators and reform advocates who dismiss these people as teachers-union toadies. Then there are the (mostly) black parents and students, who tend to have a greater personal stake in the decisions before the board. Three reporters live-tweet everything. Hite stares at his interlocutors and nods in silence. The pattern repeats itself every month.

EXCITEMENT, DISAPPOINTMENT AT WEST PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL LOTTERY

More than 1,300 kids applied, but there was only room for 81. (WPVI)

6ABC By Christie Ileto March 29, 2017 WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- More than 1,300 kids applied, but there was only room for 81. Global Leadership Academy in West Philadelphia held their annual lottery Tuesday night. Some parents left overjoyed, many more left disappointed. Xuri'lyn Feliciano is one of the newest members of the charter school. "This is the fourth school, well it's the first try for this school," said Tiana Peartree, who adds her child didn't get into the others she applied to. The charter school attributes its explosive enrollment to a forward-thinking teaching method. "People want to have their child here because it's a different kind of education, that's one thing. The other thing is people are dissatisfied with what they're getting in terms of District of Philadelphia and public education, and the fact that they have to go to their neighborhood school, and that they don't have the choice to pick a better school around the city," said Global Leadership Academy CEO Dr. Naomi Johnson-Booker.

http://6abc.com/education/excitement-disappointment-at-west-philly-school-lottery/1823469/

Court upholds School District of Lancaster’s rejection of ABECS charter application

Fox43 POSTED 1:06 PM, MARCH 27, 2017, BY PAUL SMITH

Superintendent says case underscores need for charter school reform
Lancaster, PA — A Commonwealth Court decision upholds the rejection of a charter school application by the School District of Lancaster. The Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship Charter School application to open a charter school in Lancaster was rejected after the court determined fewer than 30 percent of signatures on a petition to appeal the school board’s initial rejection. This ruling means ABECS cannot appeal SDL’s rejection of the charter application to the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board. The district says it invested hundreds of man-hours evaluating and considering the academy’s 2012 application. The application was overwhelmingly rejected by the School Board.

http://fox43.com/2017/03/27/court-upholds-school-district-of-lancasters-rejection-of-abecs-charter-application/

Lancaster nonprofit introduces healthy eating habits to Columbia students

Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer March 30, 2017

Hannah Funk takes pride in her green thumb.

She’d rather be digging in the dirt of her mother’s garden than sitting in the comfort of her family’s home. But other than the fruits and vegetables her family grows, the 11-year-old doesn’t always find healthy options in the house. Her father often works late, so Hannah and her family sometimes eat SpaghettiOs or other easy-to-prepare, processed foods for dinner, the sixth-grader said. Unlike Hannah, her brother regularly snacks on junk food, she said. Fruits and vegetables often go untouched in the refrigerator, Hannah said, as they’re pushed out of sight, left to spoil. Now, Hannah and fellow students at the Taylor Campus of Columbia Middle School are getting some help in learning how to keep fruits and vegetables front and center in their diets. Created by Lancaster nonprofit CHI St. Joseph’s Children’s Health, “Building a Better You: A Healthy Habits, Healthy Smiles School Partnership Program” seeks to introduce more nutritious options into kids’ diets via taste testing in classrooms and community outreach. Through fruit and vegetable taste testing twice a week for 36 weeks, children can eat the healthy foods they love — whether they knew it or not.

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-nonprofit-introduces-healthy-eating-habits-to-columbia-students/article_a50df49e-14b2-11e7-a548-63f5b8207361.html

Strike averted for Keystone Oaks schools; teachers union, district reach tentative deal

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE MAR 30, 2017

The Keystone Oaks teachers union has reached a tentative contract agreement with the school district, averting a strike that was scheduled to start Thursday. Classes are being held on Thursday; there are no classes on Friday due to an already scheduled teacher inservice day. Details of the tentative agreement, reached during a nearly 14-hour bargaining session that went into early Thursday, have not been released. The union said more details would be released after the union membership and school board ratify the new contract, which is expected by April 11. “We are pleased that the district and KOEA were able to come to an agreement that is sustainable, fair and, above all else, puts the students first,” school board President Matt Cesario said. “We look forward to working with the teachers, counselors and nurses to continue to provide a high quality education for all Keystone Oaks students.” The agreement provides for a one-year extension of the current contract.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2017/03/30/keystone-oaks-strike-teachers-education-association-tentative-contract/stories/201703300144?pgpageversion=pgevoke

DeVos Compares School Choice Fight to Uber vs. Taxis; Decries State of Test Scores

Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Andrew Ujifusa on March 29, 2017 12:17 PM

At a Tuesday event hosted by the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in a speech compared the the response of the education establishment to taxi services undercut by services like Uber and Lyft. "Just like the traditional taxi service revolted against ride-sharing, so too does the education establishment feel threatened by the rise of school choice," DeVos said. (It's not the first time she's raised Uber in the context of educational innovation, or the lack thereof.) But in a subsequent discussion Brookings' Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst asked DeVos whether she was concerned that if school choice expansion is implemented badly it could actually hurt educational outcomes. Her response? She said she wasn't sure they could be much worse, and cited two national tests to back up her point. "Our PISA scores have continued to deteriorate" when compared to other nations, DeVos told Whitehurst. She was referring to the Program for International Student Assessment, which is given to 15-year-olds in 77 countries and educational systems. And she said that the country's National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) scores are "stagnant at best."

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2017/03/devos_school_choice_uber_test_scores.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=campaignk-12

Trump wants $3B cut to education this year

Politico By MICHAEL STRATFORD 03/28/17 10:00 AM EDT

With help from Caitlin Emma, Kimberly Hefling, Helena Bottemiller Evich and Sarah Ferris

TRUMP WANTS A $3 BILLION CUT TO EDUCATION THIS YEAR: After proposing a $9.2 billion cut to the Education Department’s budget for next year, the President Donald Trump is now calling on Congress to slash nearly $3 billion in education funding for the remaining five months of this fiscal year, according to a document obtained by POLITICO. The White House on Friday sent House and Senate appropriators detailed instructions on how they should craft spending legislation to fund the federal government beyond April 28, when the current stopgap spending bill expires. — The Trump proposal seeks cuts across many federal agencies, but calls for the deepest reductions at the Education Department. The administration proposes $1.3 billion in cuts from the Pell grant program’s surplus this year — on top of the $3.9 billion proposed cut for next fiscal year. The CBO estimates the program will operate with a $10.6 billion surplus next year, but advocates for student aid and Congressional Democrats have blasted efforts to “raid” the Pell surplus and direct that money outside of financial aid programs.

http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-education/2017/03/trump-wants-3-billion-cut-to-education-this-year-219459

“If Trump gets his way, his budget will eliminate the $115 million NASA Office of Education. The popular NASA initiative provides internships, enrichment programs, camps and scholarships for young scientists, and tries to get more underrepresented communities into STEM. Advocates say it’s a critical way for more women and minorities to enter these fields, and that axing it would be devastating.”

Ivanka Trump Promotes ‘Hidden Figures’ As Her Dad Tries To Slash NASA Education Funding

She appeared at the National Air and Space Museum with a female astronaut to promote women in science.

Huffington Post By Amanda Terkel 03/28/2017 02:42 pm ET

WASHINGTON ― Ivanka Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos held an event at the National Air and Space Museum Tuesday, promoting the administration’s support for young women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They even appeared with astronaut Kay Hire and showed the movie “Hidden Figures,” a story about the achievements of African-American women at NASA. Trump paid homage to the women featured in the movie for “paving the way for greater representation of women and African-Americans in these fields.”

“My father’s administration has expanded NASA’s space exploration mission and added Mars as a key objective,” she added. President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget, however severely undercuts this women-friendly image put forward by DeVos and his daughter Tuesday.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Ivanka Trump visited the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum on Tuesday for a women in STEM event.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ivanka-trump-nasa_us_58da892ce4b0928a6b781fac?

Are some U.S. charter schools helping fund Fethullah Gulen's movement?

MARCH 29, 2017, 7:32 AM| Over the past two decades, followers of the controversial Turkish religious scholar, Fethullah Gulen, have opened up taxpayer-funded charter schools in the U.S. But CBS News has learned the FBI is investigating whether Gulen followers have skimmed money from those charter schools in order to fund his movement in Turkey. Margaret Brennan reports.

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/are-some-u-s-charter-schools-helping-fund-fethullah-gulens-movement/