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Thursday, April 20, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup April 20: Call your state lawmakers now - #HB97 is NOT charter reform worth the 20 year wait.

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 April 20, 2017:
Call your state lawmakers now - #HB97 is NOT charter reform worth the 20 year wait.



Call your state lawmakers now. Tell them that HB 97 is NOT charter reform that was worth the 20-year wait.



Blogger Commentary on HB97:

Through provisions such as the proposed stacked Charter Appeals Board, the composition of the proposed Funding Commission, increased renewal terms eliminating the ability of school districts to review charter renewals annually, and proposed restrictions on the way school districts may sell or lease the buildings that belong to their taxpayers, HB97 would significantly diminish local oversight and control by locally elected school boards representing the taxpayers who pay for these privately managed charter schools.  Charter operators have virtually no accountability to the taxpayers footing the bill.

·         HB 97 does not address the $100 million (and growing) windfall charters receive each year from the broken special education funding system.
·         HB 97 does nothing to address the continued abysmal academic performance of the state's cyber charter schools -- none of which have met the minimum proficiency standard on the state's school performance profile in any of the four years it has been in place.
·         HB 97 creates a separate system of academic and performance standards for charter schools and charter school teachers.  This would prevent taxpayers and parents from knowing if charter academic performance is better or worse than district schools.
·         HB 97 limits local school board input on the charter approval process. If approved, local school boards would be prohibited from requesting any additional information -- beyond what's in a state-created application form -- from an organization applying to open a charter school in its school district.

Call your state lawmakers now. Tell them that HB 97 is NOT charter reform that was worth the 20-year wait.

Several amendments to HB97 were considered by the full House yesterday, with most of them being defeated.  The blog post below provides some detail on those amendments.

The bill was then referred to the House Appropriations Committee without a floor vote.  We anticipate a vote in the House as soon as Monday, with a fast track leading to Senate consideration shortly thereafter. 

Please contact your legislators and ask them to oppose HB97 in its present form and encourage them to work with PSBA and PASA to address concerns and improve the bill.

Charter Deform Made its Way to PA House Floor Today
Mark B. Miller’s Blog Thursday, April 20th, 2017 by admin
Having spent more than five years as an Officer and Governing Board Member of Pennsylvania School Boards Association I have seen a lot of garbage come out of the Capitol Building (a lot of good things, too). What I saw today has forced me to dust off a Blog I have not used in more than two years.  Let me be perfectly clear, everything that follows in this post is my personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the opinion(s) of Centennial School District, PSBA, nor any other organization with which I am affiliated.  The one constant in each of these years has been watching another attempt to cement the largess of Charter and Cyber Charter operators and management companies. Every dollar that goes to unjustly enrich an EMO is money that would be better spent in the classroom. How much more of our taxpayer’s money are we going to flush away paying exorbitant rentals and fees to insiders and family members operating Charter Schools.  My own school district served as host when Governor Corbett signed ACT 3 of 2013 into Law, establishing a commission to review special education funding for Charter Schools. Senator Pat Browne and Rep Bernie O’Neill held more than a dozen hearings across the Commonwealth. I was privileged to be one of the closing testifiers. Their result was impeccable. Unfortunately, the imposition of a 35 year phase in protected the Charter industry from potential economic losses.

Wolf Administration Statement Opposing Senate Bill 383
Governor Wolf’s Blog April 19, 2017
Harrisburg – Governor Tom Wolf’s Press Secretary J.J. Abbott released the following statement opposing Senate Bill 383, which would allow school personnel to carry loaded firearms in schools:  “Governor Wolf strongly opposes this bill and will veto it. School personnel shouldn’t be told that the only help they will get from Harrisburg to make schools safer is the option to carry a loaded gun around their students.  “Harrisburg can help schools be safer by giving them adequate funding so schools can hire trained security professionals like school resource or police officers should school professionals feel they need it, and counselors and support staff for students. Governor Wolf would also support increasing funding for the Department of Education’s Safe Schools Initiative.”

Guns at school? Pa. bill would allow trained teachers, others to be armed
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com  Email the author | Follow on Twitter  on April 19, 2017 at 1:02 PM, updated April 19, 2017 at 2:01 PM
After putting in place a rash of laws over the past two decades to stem the tide of school violence and keep guns out of educational settings, a state lawmaker now wants to reverse course. He wants to give school districts the option of allowing their teachers, principals and other school employees to possess firearms on school premises.  Sen. Don White, R-Indiana County, said his bill would clarify existing law that bans weapons on school property to say specifically that school employees trained in the use of a firearms are permitted to be armed on campus.  "Teachers have come to me and said I want the opportunity to defend my children and to defend my life and give me something more powerful than an eraser to throw at these people," White told the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.  The committee voted 9-3 to allow the bill to be positioned for eventual consideration by the full Senate.  But even if it gets through the Senate and the House, its chances of winning Gov. Tom Wolf's signature are slim to none.

Pennsylvania teachers could carry guns under Senate bill
Morning Call by Steve Esack Contact Reporter Call Harrisburg Bureau April 19, 2017
Teachers, cafeteria workers and anyone else employed by a Pennsylvania school could carry firearms under a bill a Senate panel approved Wednesday.  Senate Bill 383, sponsored by Sen. Don White, R-Indiana, would allow locally elected or appointed school boards to establish policies permitting staff to carry firearms under the guise of protecting students and others from harm. The bill would require staff to volunteer for the armed position, hold a concealed carry permit and go through police-related firearms training determined by the board.   The bill passed 9-3 during a hearing of the Senate Education Committee. It quickly drew the ire of Gov. Tom Wolf who vowed to veto it. an education advocate also criticized senators for voting on the bill without a prior public hearing in which the pros and cons could be discussed.  In an interview after the meeting, White said he was willing to have a hearing on the bill and debate its merits when it comes up for a vote of the full Senate. The bill, he said, gives local school boards the authority to pass their own policies related to staff carrying open or concealed firearms to protect students and staff.

Pennsylvania bill would allow teachers to pack heat
BY KATIE MEYER, WITF APRIL 19, 2017
Pennsylvania is again considering letting teachers carry guns in class.
The Senate Education Committee in Harrisburg has advanced a bill that would give teachers in Pennsylvania the option to carry concealed guns.  Supporters say it's a matter of letting schools make the safety decisions that fit them best, while opponents call it irresponsible and unnecessary.  The proposal heads to the full House after a failed motion to table it for more hearings.  Education Committee Chair John Eichelberger, a Republican from Blair County, argued that stalling it would be a waste of time, as the same language had a hearing three years ago. The primary sponsor, Republican state Senator Donald White of Armstrong County, said the bill would be most useful in rural school districts where a police response to a violent incident may take valuable time.  He noted that it's what the legislature refers to as a "may" bill — meaning it's voluntary.  "School boards are elected. And this is just one more tool to help them — if they see fit — to protect their families," he said.

Gerrymandering reform needs boost from sleeping giant
Bill White Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call April 19, 2017
Pennsylvania's sleeping giant should wake up to stop gerrymandering
A sleeping giant came to life in 2005 when previously apathetic Pennsylvanians spoke loudly with one angry voice against the way they had been payjacked by their greedy state Legislature. In a raucous rally on the Capitol steps, in the unprecedented ouster of a state Supreme Court justice and later in the electoral defeats of top party leaders, Pennsylvanians made it clear they weren't going to take it anymore.  Legislators backed down by repealing the huge illegal instant pay raise they had granted themselves.  Then the giant went back to sleep. The question that good government advocates are asking themselves now is: Can the giant be awakened again this year to save democracy in Pennsylvania?  Thanks to the disgraceful way our party leaders redraw congressional and legislative districts every 10 years, our state has become a national model for those who like the idea of letting politicians pick their voters instead of the other way around.

Congratulations to @byKevinMcCorry on his @npr_ed School Money investigation that's up for an @EdWriters award for best investigation:
Struggling School Districts Find Little Help In Pennsylvania
NPR/WHYY by Kevin McCorry April 27, 2016 1:45 PM ET
The story of school funding in Pennsylvania is part of the NPR reporting project School Money, a nationwide collaboration between NPR's Ed Team and 20 member station reporters exploring how states pay for their public schools and why many are failing to meet the needs of their most vulnerable students. 

Congrats to @BenjaminBHerold, an #ewaAWARDS finalist for investigative journalism on the cyber charter industry!
Rewarding Failure: An Education Week Investigation of the Cyber Charter Industry
Investigative Reporting: Magazines and Weeklies
With growing evidence that many of the nation’s cyber charter schools are plagued by serious academic and management problems, an Education Week team conducted a months-long investigation into this niche sector of K-12 schooling.  
Rewarding Failure: An Education Week Investigation of the Cyber Charter Industry

League of Women Voters pushes more school funding, charter school reform
Bucks County Courier Times By Gary Weckselblatt, staff writer April 19, 2017
Pennsylvania has the widest gap in K-12 education funding between wealthy and poorer school districts, 33 percent, according to a presentation by the League of Women Voters.  "I read this and it makes me feel sick," said Sharon B. Kletzien, vice president of the state LWV organization. "This is just so unfair."  Kletzien's 90-minute talk on education issues at the Bucks County Free Library in Doylestown Borough on Wednesday night focused on the need for both more state funding and charter school reform.  Kletzien, a retired professor from West Chester University, said that while Pennsylvania ranks among the top 10 states in per pupil spending, that's because of local property taxes. Pennsylvania ranks 46th when it comes to state funding.  "All of our schools must show they are doing a good job with our children and yet the state is not providing enough resources for them to be able to do that," she said.  Kletzien was particularly perturbed that while the cost of educating economically disadvantaged students is higher, they also receive less funding, especially if they are "students of color," she said.


“Cowell noted that until 1983, the state share – 50 percent – was embedded in the funding formula for basic education, but it was removed that year after several years of underfunding the formula.”
Johnstown area leaders seek key to effective use of dwindling education funding
Tribune Democrat By Ronald Fisher rfisher@tribdem.com April 18, 2017
Education and business leaders from the Greater Johnstown area turned their focus Tuesday to how inadequate funding can lead to academic struggles, especially for students in poor regions. A collaboration between the Greater Johnstown School District, Pitt-Johnstown, Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce and The Educational Policy and Leadership Center led to discussions surrounding the various financial complexities and challenges facing public education.  During a breakfast at Holiday Inn-Downtown in Johnstown, guest speaker Ron Cowell, president of Harrisburg-based EPLC, spoke about Pennsylvania’s education funding system and its problems.  EPLC works to encourage and support the development and implementation of effective state-level education policies to improve student learning, increase the effective operation of schools and enhance educational opportunities for citizens of all ages
“It’s time to bring awareness and educate people on the difficulties facing school districts across the commonwealth,” said Michael Vuckovich, Greater Johnstown’s acting superintendent. “I think the most important thing we can do is educate everyone about these obstacles and start working together to find solutions.” 

Erie School District to move ahead with full consolidation plan
School Board approves recommendation to complete changes in 2017-18, rather than delay high school moves for a year. Final vote set for June 22.
Go Erie By Ed Palattella  April 20, 2017
The Erie School District’s overhaul is ready to start.  And it is all but certain to occur in full in 2017-18.  The School Board voted 7-2 on Wednesday night to accept the district administration’s proposal that the schools reconfiguration plan occur in its entirety by the first day of classes on Aug. 28.  The board still must vote on June 22 to give final approval, though Wednesday night’s vote sets the plan in motion. The board rejected another option, also by a 7-2 vote, that would have delayed the full reconfiguration by a year.  The board cannot take a formal vote until June 22 to abide by a state-imposed timeline for closing public schools.  But the majority of the school directors said Wednesday night that they would not alter the reconfiguration plan unless the district’s gets an infusion of state aid before June 22. Though the district still hopes to get more state aid in 2017-18, it unlikely to receive anything before July 1, the deadline for passage of the state budget.

“Perhaps due to the pressures school districts experience to score well on state and national testing in common core subjects, music and art have often been inaccurately characterized as luxuries, the shore house and speed boat of education.  Before deciding that sports, art and music can be reduced or eliminated without harmful consequences, those of you whose office walls are littered with advanced degrees and fancy certificates should be reminded their benefits during developmental years are practically immeasurable.”
GIANFICARO: Right the ship in Quakertown Schools, don't wrong the students
Intelligencer By Phil Gianficaro April 18, 2017
An open letter to the Quakertown Community School District administration and board of education:
Today, with your financial sea angry and the storm raging, is when those of you who pledged to do what's best for the students are relied upon to steady the ship, not toss passengers over the side, in order to reach safe harbor.  Now is when you as educational governing bodies are expected to join hands and rise to meet those expectations of doing what's best for the students and parents of your school system. Now is the moment you can truly make your mark, by agreeing to a solution to the $4.7 million structural deficit without, as is as being considered, sawing away at art, music and sports programs as though they were insignificant branches of the tree of knowledge. Removing rungs on the ladder of learning is counterproductive to providing all students the optimal path to achievement.  Disciplines such as art and music are usually the first casualties of the educational budgetary war. They are viewed — and quite wrongly, I emphasize — as expendable extras, background vocals to the quartet headliner of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

Erie School District awaits vote on its future
Go Erie By Ed Palattella  April 19, 2017
After months of reviewing reports on the Erie School District’s proposed reconfiguration, the School Board’s vote on the plan will come down to one phrase: sooner or later.  The board meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday at East High School to decide whether to have the district complete the entire reconfiguration immediately or over a year or more.  The sooner the completion the better for Superintendent Jay Badams, who favors the first of five options his administration has presented to the School Board.  It is known as Option A, in which completion of the reconfiguration, including consolidation of the district’s high schools, would occur by the time students start the 2017-18 academic year on Aug. 28.  The School Board discussed all five options a week ago at nonvoting session. The four other options would put off the consolidation of the high schools for a year to as many as four years.

Black Men Speaking Latin
A dead language helps forge identity and esprit de corps, like boot camp for Marines.
Wall Street Journal By  William McGurn April 17, 2017 6:58 p.m. ET
Black men don’t do Latin. Or do they?
It may not be surprising to learn that a charter school named Boys’ Latin still offers courses in this dead language. But it is surprising to learn that this is an all-black school in an iffy part of West Philadelphia, and Latin isn’t merely an option here. It’s a requirement.
Turns out, too, that the young men of Boys’ Latin have become pretty good at distinguishing their ad hominem from their ad honorem. This month the school received the results on the introductory level National Latin Exam, a test taken last year by students around the world. Among the highlights: Two Boys’ Latin students had perfect scores; 60% of its seventh-graders were recognized for achievement, 20% for outstanding achievement; and the number of Boys’ Latin students who tested above the national average doubled from the year before. “I invite anyone who doubts what this does for our students to come to a graduation and watch 100 black boys sharply dressed in caps and gowns and proudly reciting their school pledge in Latin,” says the school’s chief executive officer, David Hardy. “Not only is this an unexpected sight, it defies the low expectations society puts on young black men.”

Belle Vernon School Board continues to work on reducing deficit
Observer Reporter By Morgan Cushey April 19, 2017
Belle Vernon School Board on Tuesday discussed the district’s 2017-2018 budget, which still contains a deficit, although smaller than previously anticipated.  According to business manager James Dzurica, the district’s current proposed budget contains revenues of $37,246,979, expenditures of $37,755,236, and a deficit of $508,257, which is down from the $2.25 million deficit that was projected in the original preliminary budget. Dzurica said revenues are projected to increase by 4 percent and expenses are projected to increase by 5 percent from last year. “The district still has a significant deficit but not as large as was previously anticipated,” said Dzurica, who took over the business manager position at the end of January.  Director John M. Nusser Jr. asked Dzurica if this budget is based on a tax increase being approved to the maximum state index level of 3.4 percent. Dzurica said an increase to the maximum will not be needed, but that the current budget contains the maximum increase of $688,443 in real estate taxes.

North Allegheny weighs cutting third-grade orchestra lessons to save money
SANDY TROZZO 11:11 PM APR 19, 2017
Sitting under a banner proclaiming the district one of the “best communities for music education,” North Allegheny administrators and board members discussed whether it was worth saving $115,000 a year to eliminate orchestra lessons in third grade.  An agenda item for Wednesday’s work session would have all pull-outs for music begin in fourth grade. Currently, orchestra lessons begin in third grade, while band and orchestra begin the following year.  “This adjustment would balance out the equity with the music options for elementary students,” said Superintendent Robert Scherrer.  Also, he said, high interest among current second-graders may force the district to hire another half-time orchestra teacher.  The board will formally vote on the move April 26. Mr. Scherrer said the idea was first broached last year, but would have required a furlough to implement. This year, an elementary orchestra teacher is retiring. Not replacing her would save $70,000 in salary and benefits. Not having to hire a half-time teacher would save another $45,000.  Nearly 50 residents attended the meeting, and 11 spoke in opposition to the move.

York City School District approves STEAM school, proposes budget
York Dispatch by Junior Gonzalez , 505-5439/@JuniorG_YD12:15 a.m. ET April 20, 2017
·         York City School District has proposed a budget with a deficit of $1.9 million.
·         The deficit will be taken out of an unassigned fund balance.
·         Property taxes will not be raised for city residents under the proposal.
The York City School District proposed a budget that projects a slight deficit and no increase in property taxes for a fifth year and approved the reopening of an old school for a new STEAM academy during a board meeting Wednesday evening.  District Superintendent Eric Holmes said the budget will allow the district to “continue everything we have started over the last few years” since the district began its status as a district in financial recovery in December 2012.  During the voting session, the board unanimously approved the Edgar Fahs Smith STEAM Academy proposal presented last week. During the presentation, Holmes called it an innovative school that will help keep students in the district and away from charter schools.  The budget: The budget projected expenditures at $137.8 million and expects revenue of $135.8 million. The budget will leave the district with a deficit of $1,905,064 that will be taken out of an unassigned fund balance, which is projected to stand at $14.6 million by the end of the fiscal year ending June 30.

Former PA Cyber Charter accountant wants to nix plea deal, keep CPA license
Trib Live BRIAN BOWLING  | Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 1:24 p.m.
A Beaver County accountant wants to back out of a plea agreement in an $8 million charter school fraud case to shorten his sentence and possibly keep his C.P.A. license, according to a motion filed Tuesday in federal court.  Neal Prence, 61, of Koppel doesn't claim he is innocent but does challenge how much of a tax loss he caused when helping Nick Trombetta avoid federal income taxes on public money he siphoned from the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School. Prence wants to cancel the plea agreement and plead nolo contendere, which means he wouldn't challenge his conviction but also wouldn't admit guilt.  “He's going to plead one way or another, but he's going to contest the loss,” said his lawyer Stan Levenson.  The U.S. Attorney's Office declined comment.  Former PA Cyber Charter CEO Trombetta, 62, of East Liverpool, Ohio, pleaded guilty in August to using the school's money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included buying a Florida condominium, homes for his girlfriend and mother and a jet airplane. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 20.

School Choice Implications in Religious Rights Case at High Court
Education Week By Mark Walsh April 17, 2017
Advocates on both sides of the debate over private school choice are paying close attention to a case before the U.S. Supreme Court involving recycled tires—specifically, whether Missouri violated the Constitution in refusing to give a church a grant to use scrap tire material to improve its preschool playground.  The court's decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer (Case No 15-577), which it was slated to hear this week, could weaken or eliminate one of the last legal barriers to vouchers and tax credits for use at private religious schools: state constitutional provisions that strictly bar government aid to religion.  Missouri is one of some three-dozen states with such "Blaine amendments" in their state constitutions. The provisions are named for James G. Blaine, the 19th-century congressman who led an unsuccessful 1876 effort to amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit public funding of religious schools at a time when the growing Roman Catholic population was pressing for government funding for parochial schools.

Betsy DeVos, Randi Weingarten Set to Visit Ohio District
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on April 19, 2017 7:46 AM
Get ready for some potentially awkward photo-ops: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, will be making their very first appearance together, in the Van Wert, Ohio, school district Thursday.  The visit has been a few months in the making. Shortly after taking office, DeVos agreed to visit a traditional public school with Weingarten. And in return, Weingarten, who vehemently opposed DeVos' confirmation, said she would tour a "school of choice" with DeVos. (That visit hasn't been scheduled yet.) Lily Eskelsen García, the president of the National Education Association, told Politico that she didn't want to have a relationship with DeVos at all. More on how the two unions are handling DeVos here.   It remains to be seen whether the joint Weingarten-DeVos appearance will turn out to be a love feast. Weingarten wrote an op-ed, published today in a local paper, that sharply criticized DeVos' work in expanding charter schools in Michigan.  "Parents and teachers sounded the alarm when DeVos was nominated, because of her efforts over the past two decades to undermine public schools," Weingarten wrote. "As a lobbyist in Michigan, she used her wealth to push legislators to defund public education in favor of for-profit charter schools that had no accountability to parents or the public. She has called public education a 'dead end,' and as secretary she continues to push the same failed privatization strategies she pushed in Michigan." (More context on DeVos' record in Michigan, which her supporters' view differently, here.)

Education Secretary DeVos, union chief Weingarten to visit Van Wert
Toledo Blade By VANESSA McCRAY  | BLADE STAFF WRITER Published on April 19, 2017 | Updated 7:20 a. m.
VAN WERT, Ohio — A rural northwest Ohio school district will become the center of the national education discussion Thursday when U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the president of the American Federation of Teachers visit Van Wert City Schools.  Ms. DeVos will spend much of the day in Van Wert, the 10,846-population city about 95 miles southwest of Toledo. She will be joined by one of her sharpest critics, Randi Weingarten, president of a union that represents 1.6 million members.  It is the first joint appearance for the two, whose clashing ideas about public education have put them at opposite political ends.  “I look forward to visiting the students, parents, and educators of Van Wert. Every parent should be able to send their children to a school that meets their unique needs, and for many parents, that is a public school. I support and celebrate all great schools,” said Ms. DeVos, in a written statement.  After President Trump announced he would nominate the staunch charter school advocate for the education post, Ms. Weingarten joined a chorus of public school advocates concerned about Ms. DeVos’ educational policies and classroom inexperience.

Long rated by test scores, schools may soon be judged on student abenteeism too
Washington Post By Emma Brown April 19 at 7:00 AM 
How should the success or failure of a public school be judged?
For the past generation, the federal government’s primary answer has been standardized test scores. But now states have more latitude to decide for themselves, and many are choosing to judge schools in part based on how many kids frequently miss class.  Of the dozen states that have laid out their plans for holding schools accountable under the new federal law known as the Every Student Succeeds Act, 10 are aiming to use chronic absenteeism as a factor in identifying their best and worst schools. So is the District of Columbia.  More than 6 million children missed more than 15 days — or three weeks — of school during the 2013-14 school year, according to federal data published last year. It was the first time such nationwide data had been gathered and published.  Johns Hopkins University researcher Robert Balfanz said he’s hopeful that incorporating absenteeism in school rating systems will encourage districts and school leaders to pay more attention to what has often been an overlooked problem.


Pennsylvania Education Leadership Summit July 23-25, 2017 Blair County Convention Center - Altoona
A three-day event providing an excellent opportunity for school district administrative teams and instructional leaders to learn, share and plan together
co-sponsored by PASA, the Pennsylvania Principals Association, PASCD and the PA Association for Middle Level Education
**REGISTRATION IS OPEN**Early Bird Registration Ends after April 30!
Keynote speakers, high quality breakout sessions, table talks on hot topics, and district team planning and job-alike sessions will provide practical ideas that can be immediately reviewed and discussed at the summit and utilized at the district level.
Keynote Speakers:
Thomas Murray, Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools, a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education
Kristen Swanson, Director of Learning at Slack and one of the founding members of the Edcamp movement 
Breakout session strands:
*Strategic/Cultural Leadership
*Systems Leadership
*Leadership for Learning
*Professional and Community Leadership 
CLICK HERE to access the Summit website for program, hotel and registration information.

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:

PSBA Spring Town Hall Meetings coming in May!
Don’t be left in the dark on legislation that affects your district! Learn the latest from your legislators at PSBA Spring Town Hall Meetings. Conveniently offered at 10 locations around the state throughout May, this event will provide you with the opportunity to interact face-to-face with key lawmakers from your area. Enjoy refreshments, connect with colleagues, and learn what issues impact you and how you can make a difference. Log in to the Members Area to register today for this FREE event!
  • Monday, May 1, 6-8 p.m. — Parkway West CTC, 7101 Steubenville Pike, Oakdale, PA 15071
  • Tuesday, May 2, 7:30-9 a.m. — A W Beattie Career Center, 9600 Babcock Blvd, Allison Park, PA 15101
  • Tuesday, May 2, 6-8 p.m. — Crawford County CTC, 860 Thurston Road, Meadville, PA 16335
  • Wednesday, May 3, 6-8 p.m. — St. Marys Area School District, 977 S. St Marys Road, Saint Marys, PA 15857
  • Thursday, May 4, 6-8 p.m. — Central Montco Technical High School, 821 Plymouth Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
  • Friday, May 5, 7:30-9 a.m. — Lehigh Carbon Community College, 4525 Education Park Dr, Schnecksville, PA 18078
  • Monday, May 15, 6-8 p.m. — CTC of Lackawanna Co., 3201 Rockwell Avenue, Scranton, PA 18508
  • Tuesday, May 16, 6-8 p.m. — PSBA, 400 Bent Creek Boulevard, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
  • Wednesday, May 17, 6-8 p.m. — Lycoming CTC, 293 Cemetery Street, Hughesville, PA 17737
  • Thursday, May 18, 6-8 p.m. — Chestnut Ridge SD, 3281 Valley Road, Fishertown, PA 15539
For assistance with registration, please contact Michelle Kunkel at 717-506-2450 ext. 3365.

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

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