Monday, August 28, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Aug 28: Costs, performance records fuel criticism of charter schools

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 Aug 28, 2017:



Reminder: public comment on PA’s proposed Every Student Succeeds Act (#ESSA) Consolidated State Plan closes 8/31



What will the House do? It's Pennsylvania's $2B question
Inquirer by MARC LEVY, The Associated Press Updated: AUGUST 26, 2017 — 3:23 PM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The question of what Pennsylvania's House Republican majority will do about a $2.2 billion hole in the state budget is sending ripples of worry through some quarters. House GOP leaders have been quiet this month after the Republican-controlled Senate passed a bipartisan revenue plan in July that Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf supports. It is now two months since the Legislature overwhelmingly approved a 3 percent spending bump in the shadow of state government's largest shortfall since the recession. "I don't think anyone thought it was going to go on this long," said Mark DiRocco, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. Why it has "no one seems to understand," he said. The quandary comes two years after Wolf and Republican lawmakers battled through a record-long, nine-month stalemate. One of the biggest spending increases in this year's budget bill went to services for people with autism and intellectual disabilities, making it the best budget in a decade for those residents, said Maureen Cronin of the Arc of Pennsylvania. Now, Arc chapters from around the state are watching with rising concern.

Pa. House Republicans still striving for consensus on budget plan; pre-Labor Day return grows unlikely
Penn Live By Charles Thompson cthompson@pennlive.com Updated on August 25, 2017 at 11:28 PM Posted on August 25, 2017 at 8:10 PM
Looks like we're in for another football season state budget in Pennsylvania. Because as schools open, beaches and pools close, and the apples start ripening, your state government still needs to come up with about $2.2 billion to cover last year's bills and next year's new spending. This was supposed to have been done back in June, when the $32.0 billion appropriations bill was passed. One protracted gambling expansion fight, a governor who has been reluctant to pick sides between House and Senate negotiators, and a surprising Senate borrow-and-tax vote later, and here we are. The news from Friday was this: Don't expect a resolution anytime soon. House Majority Leader Dave Reed told members by memo that work on a House GOP alternative will continue next week, all but killing any chance of voting sessions before its scheduled Sept. 11 return from its summer recess. "It is our hope," Reed continued, "that these efforts will lead to a proposal that can be reviewed by the entire caucus in the near future." Many Republicans members will be back Tuesday, for an informal caucus on a plan devised by a group of rank-and-file members that relies first, and maybe only, on smashing the state's piggybanks to close the deal.

“A 2016 report by researchers at Penn State presented similar findings, citing data showing that enrolling a student in a Pennsylvania cyber charter school is equal to “roughly 90 fewer days of learning in reading and nearly 180 fewer days of learning in math.”
Costs, performance records fuel criticism of charter schools
Trib Live by JAMIE MARTINES  | Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, 12:30 a.m.
School districts across the state are struggling to balance budgets and keep up with mandated costs, programs and services public schools are required to provide to charter schools, according to state and federal laws. Among those costs, school administrators say, is money lost when a student decides to leave the home district and the student's tuition dollars are forwarded from the district to the charter school. In Westmoreland County, charter-related costs are primarily related to cyber charters. The Adelphoi Ketterer Charter School in Unity is the only brick-and-mortar charter school in the county and focuses on supporting adjudicated youth. The Jeannette City School District, for example, spent about $997,000 to send students to cyber charter schools during the 2015-16 school year, according to Business Manager Paul Sroka. The cost for the 2016-17 school year, when about 60 of the district's roughly 1,000 students attended cyber charter schools, was about $820,000. Sroka expects about the same number of students to attend cyber charters this school year. Such costs represent about 5 percent of the district's $19 million budget for the 2017-18 school year. On top of the cost, cyber charters often are criticized for poor performance.

“While cyber charters have been criticized for low performance and for the financial pressure some public school administrators and advocates say they put on school districts, families across the state increasingly are choosing them. The number of students enrolled in cyber charters has steadily risen during the past decade. Last school year, 32,958 students statewide enrolled in cyber charters rather than traditional, brick-and-mortar public schools. That's about 2 percent of the 1.72 million public school students in Pennsylvania.”
Why Pennsylvania cyber charter schools keep growing
Trib Live by JAMIE MARTINES  | Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, 3:06 p.m.
A few weeks before the first day of school, a package arrived at eighth-grader Michael Darbous' home in Vandergrift. It was full of school supplies, and the 13-year-old student could hardly wait to tear it open. Buried under layers of bubble wrap were textbooks — math, science and history — along with art supplies. Michael examined materials for science experiments — thermometers, pH testing strips, eye droppers — and tried on a pair of safety goggles for size. Eventually, he uncovered an essential piece of equipment for any cyber school student: a set of headphones to plug into his computer so that he can listen to lessons. Michael is a student with the Harrisburg-based Commonwealth Charter Academy, one of 15 public, nonprofit cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania. Cyber charters are privately managed but publicly funded schools authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Like their brick-and-mortar charter school counterparts, cyber charters are free to any student who wants to attend. Supplies such as the contents of Michael's box, as well as internet and a laptop, often are included. But instead of going to class in person with dozens of other students and teachers, cyber charter students can access their lessons online from anywhere they have an internet connection.

Cyber students' first day of school involves a short commute
Trib Live by JAMIE MARTINES  | Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, 4:54 p.m.
The first day of school is a little different for a cyber charter school student.
It doesn't involve a mad dash to the bus stop or the echo of a first period bell. At 8:30 a.m. Friday, all ninth-grader Bryson O'Donnell had to do was pop open his laptop. Bryson, 15, of Forest Hills is starting classes with 21st Century Cyber Charter School this year. He's one of many students across the state making the switch. Over the past decade, the number of students enrolled in cyber charters has steadily risen. Last school year, 32,958 students statewide chose to enroll in cyber charters over traditional, brick-and-mortar public schools. That's about 2 percent of the 1.72 million public school students in Pennsylvania. Last year, there were 145,357 public school students, including those enrolled in charter schools, in Allegheny County.

Our statement on the PA Budget Impasse
Education Voters of PA Posted on August 22, 2017 EDVOPA Posted in Press Releases
For Immediate Release Education Voters of PA August 21, 2017
Media contacts:  Susan Spicka
Susan Spicka, Executive Director of Education Voters of PA, made the following statement at a joint press conference with the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center: For Pennsylvania public school parents, this is an exciting time of year. It is the season of back to school nights and open houses.  We get to tour our children’s public schools, meet their new teachers, and learn about the exciting learning opportunities our children will receive. Many of us can’t wait for our children’s first day of school for a lot of reasons, but the main reason is that our communities’ public schools are where our kids will gain the skills and knowledge they need to have a bright future. Teachers are also preparing for the new school year. They are getting their rooms ready, putting up bulletin boards, writing lesson plans, and preparing to welcome more than 1.7 million students back to PA’s public schools.  Many teachers are also getting class rosters with more students than they taught last year. They are returning to buildings with fewer colleagues and less support in their classrooms. They may find that they will spend more time teaching because elective and specials classes in their buildings have been eliminated.  Textbooks and other materials they need to help students reach state standards may not exist in their buildings, so they will spend their own money on supplies and do the very best they can to ensure sure that all students will be in classrooms with what they need in order to have a great school year.

Finally, good news for PA public school students
Education Voters of PA Posted on August 25, 2017 EDVOPA Posted in blog
After more than a year of taking extensive input from public education stakeholders at 30 sessions throughout the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released PA’s plan to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the new federal education law enacted in December, 2015. Education Voters of PA enthusiastically supports PDE’s proposed new ESSA plan and thanks Governor Wolf and Secretary of Education Rivera for their leadership in developing a proposal that will both reduce the time spent and emphasis placed on standardized testing and provide families with more information about how their community’s public schools are serving students. PA’s new ESSA plan proposes to replace the current School Performance Profile (SPP) with the Future Ready PA Index. The SPP relied almost exclusively on standardized test scores to evaluate schools. The SPP led to an overemphasis on testing because students’ test scores determined whether a school would be labeled as successful or failing.  We are glad to see it go!

Letter to editor: Good news on standardized testing?
Daily Local Letter by Jeff Hellrung POSTED: 08/25/17, 7:17 PM EDT
Mr. Hellrung is currently serving his third term on the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board.
Gov. Wolf joined Education Secretary Pedro Rivera, advocates, and educators this month to announce a significant reduction in standardized testing for elementary students. One test section will be eliminated in both Math and ELA PSSA tests amounting to a 93 minute total time reduction. Also, approximately 22 minutes will be taken by eliminating questions from the PSSA Science test. We all know that our elementary students are subjected to far too many state and federally mandated high stakes standardized tests, right? So this reduction of about 20-25% in PSSA testing time must be a fine idea. But wait …
PSSA tests are designed to measure student achievement vs. our PA Core Content Standards and also year to year growth for individual students and their cohorts. They are the ONLY state or federally mandated standardized tests for our elementary students. Math and ELA are tested annually in grades 3-8 and Science is tested in grades 4 and 8. Before the recently announced reductions, total test and administration time together was approximately 40-56 hours for the entire elementary school experience. Therefore we devote approximately .5% of elementary school time from K-8 to mandated testing. Is this excessive?

Proposed constitutional amendment would enable future tax reform legislation
PSBA Closer Look August 2017
This November, voters will have the opportunity to consider an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution proposed by Joint Resolution 1 of 2017. Recently passed through the General Assembly as House Bill 1285, the resolution proposes to amend the constitution by authorizing the General Assembly to enact legislation allowing local taxing authorities (counties, municipalities and school districts) to exclude from property taxation up to the full assessed value of each homestead property within the taxing jurisdiction. Currently, the constitution caps homestead exclusions at 50% of the median assessed value of all homestead property within a local taxing jurisdiction. What does this potential change mean for school boards? What actions will they have to, or be able to, take if the resolution is approved by the voters? The answer is that there will be no requirement or authority for school districts to do anything, unless and until the General Assembly enacts implementing legislation. Voter approval of the proposed constitutional amendment by itself will not change anything with regard to what taxpayers, school districts or taxing bodies can or must do. It simply expands the options available to the General Assembly for future legislation affecting homestead exemptions.

Time to pass charter reform bill
Centre Daily Times Opinion by ANA MEYERS, KING OF PRUSSIA AUGUST 23, 2017 12:51 AM
Ana Meyers is executive director of the The Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.
Students across the Keystone State are gearing up for another busy school year filled with education milestones. While families prepare for back-to-school, they are not the only ones getting ready for a busy fall. Legislators, too, will have their agenda full of education-related items. Earlier this year the Pennsylvania Senate passed HB 97, a comprehensive charter reform bill. The bill remains in the House and has potential for movement when legislators return to the capitol. The Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools supports this bill and hopes our state representatives will make this a top priority.  House Bill 97 includes many improvements to the 20-year charter law including longer charter terms for successful charter schools, the right of first refusal on public school buildings and the addition of two charter representatives to the Charter Appeals Board, ensuring adequate representation for public charter schools on a board that oversees much of their activity. These reforms may seem minor to many, but to charter school operators, educators and families, they are essential to the future growth of the public charter school sector in Pennsylvania. It is essential that our legislators prioritize HB 97 to support these students and their families. Twenty years ago when Pennsylvania became one of the first states in the country to pass a charter school law, our lawmakers understood the potential for academic success. Today, let’s hope our legislators understand the important need to build on that success by passing HB 97.

Judge sides with Boyertown schools in transgender case
By Evan Brandt, The Mercury POSTED: 08/25/17, 8:22 PM EDT | UPDATED: 11 HRS AGO
BOYERTOWN >> Just in time for the start of school Monday, a federal judge has sided with the Boyertown Area School District in a lawsuit involving its policy for transgender student use of bathrooms and locker rooms. According to a report from WFMZ Friday, Judge Edward G. Smith denied a request for a preliminary injunction as part of a lawsuit filed against the school district by four students whose names have been withheld to protect their identity. The students argued that allowing transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice at the high school violated their right to privacy. The judge ruled on Friday, Aug. 25, the plaintiffs had failed to show that their claims of invasion of privacy and sexual harassment warranted relief by the court. The Alliance Defending Freedom, which provided attorneys for the plaintiffs, told WFMZ it is consulting with its clients before deciding whether to appeal the judge’s ruling. An attempt to reach David Krem, Boyertown’s acting school’s superintendent, was unsuccessful Friday evening. Earlier this month, the four students who filed the suit argued in court that Boyertown never made its policy public, and that encountering a transgender student in the locker room made them feel embarrassed and uncomfortable, according to published reports.

“But the notion of a school-district “brand” is especially fraught in Coatesville, an economically stressed working-class town that has seen about 800 kids leave for charters in the last three years. In the 2015-2016 school year, it spent about 17 percent of its $151 million budget − a greater share than any other local districts except Chester-Upland and Philadelphia – on reimbursing those charters.”
Coatesville schools try 'rebranding' to win back students
Inquirer by Kathy Boccella, Staff Writer  @Kathy_Boccella |  kboccella@phillynews.com Updated: AUGUST 28, 2017 — 5:51 AM EDT
The last few years haven’t done wonders for the reputation of the Coatesville Area School District, where headlines over school fights went viral on social media, the former superintendent and athletic director were caught sending racist and sexist texts, and about 100 teachers have left. With hundreds of students abandoning the Chester County district for nearby charter schools, officials have turned to a strategy that’s more typically associated with McDonald’s or Oldsmobile. The Coatesville Area School District is in the midst of a rebranding. Supporters of the campaign – which includes focus groups, newsletters, and the hiring of a communications firm that will be paid at least $55,000 – say the district’s image has suffered because it’s done a poor job of communicating good things about the schools. But critics say the 6,000-student district should work harder on making tangible improvements in the schools and do a better job of enlisting community groups before it spends tens of thousands of dollars on slick mailers or a bright new logo.

Philly schools win national attention for environmental efforts
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Staff Writer  @newskag |  kgraham@phillynews.com Updated: AUGUST 27, 2017 — 6:45 AM EDT
It started nearly four years ago as an idea: What if one of the nation’s largest school districts tackled — in a serious and systemwide way — reducing its environmental impact? Francine Locke, the district’s environmental director, knew that was a lofty goal for the Philadelphia School District, with its perpetual money concerns and its aging stock of 200-plus schools, many of which struggle academically. But she wanted to try anyway. “This,” said Locke, “is really important work.” It has paid off — in energy bills reduced, recycling programs launched, and blacktop yards transformed to green places for children to play. This summer, Locke traveled to the White House to accept, on the school system’s behalf, a major national prize for its environmental work. The district won a 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon for its efforts, driven by GreenFutures, the school system’s five-year sustainability plan that has goals for conserving resources, decreasing consumption and waste, creating healthy indoor environments, and more. It was one of just nine school systems in the country to win the prize, which is given annually.

Ears on the SRC: August 17, 2017
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools by Diane Payne August 24, 2017
Commissioners Bill Green, Estelle Richman, Chris McGinley and Farah Jimenez were present; Chair Joyce Wilkerson was absent, so Jimenez acted as Interim Chair. Eight members of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools (APPS) were present; six testified in defense of public education. [See APPSPhilly.net to view their testimony and read their transcripts.]   APPS members continue to call out the waste of public tax dollars, the ongoing privatization of district resources and services, and the corporate policy agenda reflected in numerous resolutions that appear monthly on the SRC agenda.

Essay: How teachers can confront white supremacy in our classrooms, our schools, and ourselves
WHYY Newsworks COMMENTARY  BY KEZIAH RIDGEWAY AND CHARLIE MCGEEHAN AUGUST 25, 2017 SPEAK EASY
 “We are living through a very dangerous time …. To any citizen of this country who figures himself as responsible — and particularly those of you who deal with the minds and hearts of young people — be prepared to ‘go for broke.'”
Fifty-four years later, James Baldwin’s words still ring true. Two weeks ago, we watched in horror as white supremacists rallied around a Confederate statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, spewing racial epithets, and lashing out violently without feeling the need to hide their faces. President Trump then doubled down in his defense of them. We wish we could say that the behavior was shocking, but as history teachers, we know better. We both teach in the School District of Philadelphia — Keziah is a black woman and Charlie is a white man. Growing up in Philadelphia, Keziah remembers being keenly aware that her skin was brown and that made her different and less valuable to society. She later realized this was the effect of white supremacy. Charlie grew up in Media, where he was never exposed to an educator of color from kindergarten through high school. While his high school was diverse, his “Level 1” classes had very few black and brown students. Whiteness brought the privilege of not being forced to address white supremacy until college.

Medical issues stemming from teens' lack of sleep being heard by school districts
Intelligencer By Gary Weckselblatt, staff writer Ausut 28, 2017
As he listened to public health advocates discuss teenagers' need for sleep and the importance of schools beginning classes later in the day, Charles Lambert, Council Rock's director of special services, asked himself "How do I not know this stuff?" Lambert attended a national conference in Washington, D.C., on "Adolescent Sleep, Health, and School Start Times," where he heard several medical authorities call for the school day to begin after 8:30 a.m. to accommodate changes in the sleep patterns of adolescents. Mounting medical evidence suggests that young people need to sleep later in the morning to prevent serious health issues. "There were hundreds of people gung-ho on the topic, and it's just not getting out there," Lambert said of the medical information. "I go to social events and bring up the topic and people don't know what I'm talking about." The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Medical Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are among the leading health organizations calling for schools to act.

Without vaccinations, about 100 Columbia Borough students will be barred from classes Monday
Lancaster Online by HEATHER STAUFFER | Staff Writer Aug 26, 2017
Next week, dozens of Lancaster County students will not be able to return to classes unless they meet the state’s new school vaccination requirements. Regulators cut the grace period on vaccinations from eight months to five days after the start of school, which was this week for a half-dozen local districts. After the grace period, students have to get the shots to attend — or, if they need sequential doses that cannot be completed within the grace period, a form from a doctor certifying that the doses have been scheduled. The change does not affect Pennsylvania’s exemption policy, which allows children to go unvaccinated if their parents sign a form saying they have philosophical or religious objections to immunization. Since the changes were finalized this spring, schools have been working hard to make sure students meet the requirements before classes start. Columbia Borough, which began classes on Monday, was the first local district to begin the new school year. So it’s the first to hit the deadline.

Charter school rewards program in Penn Hills extended into new year
Trib Live DILLON CARR | Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, 1:18 a.m.
A program introduced in January at Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship to reward student academic achievement will be in place for sixth- through eighth-graders this year. “It was a fantastic program,” said Terri Williams, school innovation specialist at the school. “It exposed them to knowing they can reach their dreams.” The Touchdown for A's program was created by Darrin Walls, a Pittsburgh native who is a free agent defensive back in the NFL and most recently played for the Detroit Lions. He has also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Jets. Walls, 29, is a graduate of Woodland Hills High School and the University of Notre Dame. “He wants to motivate these kids to use tools to reach new heights – that's the whole focus of the program,” said Mike Nattis, the player's business manager. The program rewarded students in first through seventh grades who improved their grade point averages, or GPAs, by giving them things like electronics, shoes or tickets to sporting events.

Report grades Pa. schools: Here's every Lehigh Valley middle school's marks
By Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com Posted August 28, 2017 at 06:59 AM | Updated August 28, 2017 at 06:59 AM
Curious about the best public middle school in Pennsylvania or the Lehigh Valley?
Niche.com has release its 2018 list of the best middle schools in the state and we went through it to see where our local schools landed in the rankings, which include charter and magnet schools. The ranking relies on data pulled from the U.S. Department of Education and a "rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents," according to Niche.com. They looked at state test scores, college preparation, graduation rates and SAT/ACT scores amongst other factors. And it relies on reviews from Niche users.


Jeb Bush's Former Lt. Gov. a Contender for Job at Trump Ed. Dept., Sources Say
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on August 25, 2017 2:09 PM
Former Florida Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan is a top contender for a position at the U.S. Department of Education, multiple sources say. His background would seem like a good fit for assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, a position that's being filled temporarily by Jason Botel. Brogan, who recently stepped down as the chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, may be best known for serving as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's lieutenant governor, a post he held from 1999 to 2003. But Brogan has held just about every possible job in K-12 education policy and instruction. He's been a teacher, principal, and superintendent of schools in Florida's Martin County. Brogan's nomination to a federal Education Department post isn't a done deal, sources say. But he's said to be among a group of potential education appointees being vetted by the White House.


PSERS accepting nominations for open board position
The PSERS Board of Trustees will be conducting an election for the seat that is to be elected by the members of PA’s public school boards. This election will be for a three-year term on the PSERS Board commencing Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2020. School directors who desire to run must:
·         Submit nominating petitions with 25 signatures of school directors from at least five different school districts
·         Submit a completed biographical form and candidate affidavit
To receive a nomination packet and additional information on the duties and responsibilities of Board of Trustees members, interested school directors may contact Lori Koch at lorkoch@pa.gov or write to this address: Lori Koch, PSERS Election Coordinator, 5 N. 5th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1905.

CONSIDER IT: SCHOOL CHOICE AND THE CASES FOR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CHARTER SCHOOLS
September 19 @ 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Hilton Reading
Berks County Community Foundation
Panelists:
Carol Corbett Burris: Executive Director of the Network for Public Education
Alyson Miles: Deputy Director of Government Affairs for the American Federation for Children
James Paul: Senior Policy Analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation
Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig: Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and the Director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership at California State University Sacramento
Karin Mallett: The WFMZ TV anchor and reporter returns as the moderator
School choice has been a hot topic in Berks County, in part due to a lengthy and costly dispute between the Reading School District and I-LEAD Charter School. The topic has also been in the national spotlight as President Trump and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have focused on expanding education choice.  With this in mind, a discussion on school choice is being organized as part of Berks County Community Foundation’s Consider It initiative. State Sen. Judy Schwank and Berks County Commissioners Chairman Christian Leinbach are co-chairs of this nonpartisan program, which is designed to promote thoughtful discussion of divisive local and national issues while maintaining a level of civility among participants.  The next Consider It Dinner will take place Tuesday, September 19, 2017, at 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, 701 Penn St., Reading, Pa. Tickets are available here.  For $10 each, tickets include dinner, the panel discussion, reading material, and an opportunity to participate in the conversation.


Apply Now for EPLC's 2017-2018 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program!
Education Policy and Leadership Center
Applications are available now for the 2017-2018 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).  The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC). Click here for the program calendar of sessions.  With more than 500 graduates in its first eighteen years, this Program is a premier professional development opportunity for educators, state and local policymakers, advocates, and community leaders.  State Board of Accountancy (SBA) credits are available to certified public accountants. Past participants include state policymakers, district superintendents and principals, school business officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide association leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education and community leaders. Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer or another organization.  The Fellowship Program begins with a two-day retreat on September 14-15, 2017 and continues to graduation in June 2018.

Using Minecraft to Imagine a Better World and Build It Together.
Saturday, September 16, 2017 or Sunday, September 17, 2017 at the University of the Sciences, 43rd & Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia
PCCY, the region’s most influential advocacy organization for children, leverages the world’s greatest video game for the year’s most engaging fundraising event for kids. Join us on Saturday, September 16, 2017 or Sunday, September 17, 2017 at the University of the Sciences, 43rd & Woodland Avenue for a fun, creative and unique gaming opportunity.

Education Law Center’s 2017 Annual Celebration
ELC invites you to join us for our Annual Celebration on September 27 in Philadelphia.
The Annual Celebration will take place this year on September 27, 2017 at The Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia. The event begins at 5:30 PM. We anticipate more than 300 legal, corporate, and community supporters joining us for a cocktail reception, silent auction, and dinner presentation.  Our annual celebrations honor outstanding champions of public education. This proud tradition continues at this year’s event, when together we will salute these deserving honorees:
·         PNC Bank: for the signature philanthropic cause of the PNC Foundation, PNC Grow Up Great, a bilingual $350 million, multi-year early education initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life; and its support of the Equal Justice Works Fellowship, which enables new lawyers to pursue careers in public interest law;
·         Joan Mazzotti: for her 16 years of outstanding leadership as the Executive Director of Philadelphia Futures, a college access and success program serving Philadelphia’s low-income, first-generation-to-college students;
·         Dr. Bruce Campbell Jr., PhD: for his invaluable service to ELC, as he rotates out of the chairman position on our Board of Directors. Dr. Campbell is an Arcadia University Associate Professor in the School of Education; and
·         ELC Pro Bono Awardee Richard Shephard of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP: for his exceptional work as pro bono counsel, making lasting contributions to the lives of many vulnerable families.Questions? Contact Tracy Callahan tcallahan@elc-pa.org or 215-238-6970 ext. 308.

STAY WOKE: THE INAUGURAL NATIONAL BLACK MALE EDUCATORS CONVENING; Philadelphia Fri, Oct 13, 2017 4:00 pm Sun, Oct 15, 2017 7:00pm
TEACHER DIVERSITY WORKS. Increasing the number of Black male educators in our nation’s teacher corps will improve education for all our students, especially for African-American boys.  Today Black men represent only two percent of teachers nationwide. This is a national problem that demands a national response.  Come participate in the inaugural National Black Male Educators Convening to advance policy solutions, learn from one another, and fight for social justice. All are welcome.

Save the Date 2017 PA Principals Association State Conference October 14. 15, 16, 2017 Doubletree Hotel Cranberry Township, PA

Save the Date: PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference October 18-20, Hershey PA

Registration now open for the 67th Annual PASCD Conference  Nov. 12-13 Harrisburg: Sparking Innovation: Personalized Learning, STEM, 4C's
This year's conference will begin on Sunday, November 12th and end on Monday, November 13th. There will also be a free pre-conference on Saturday, November 11th.  You can register for this year's conference online with a credit card payment or have an invoice sent to you.  Click here to register for the conference.
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/PASCD-Conference-Registration-is-Now-Open.html?soid=1101415141682&aid=5F-ceLtbZDs

Save the Date! NSBA 2018 Advocacy Institute February 4-6, 2018 Marriott Marquis, Washington D.C.
Registration Opens Tuesday, September 26, 2017


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