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, September 22, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Sept. 22: Did our tax $$$ fund charter operator’s $64M Palm Beach mansion?

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

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup Sept. 22, 2017:

Did our tax $$$ fund charter operator’s $64M Palm Beach mansion?

Blogger Note: The PA Ed Policy Roundup may be offline, late and/or intermittent next week while I pretend to be on vacation. Follow us on Twitter @lfeinberg to get your Ed Policy fix in the meantime. We’ll be back online October 2^nd.

Courageous Conversations: Reimagining Race and Education

Thursday, September 28, 2017 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT

Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church 2800 West Cheltenham Ave, Philadelphia

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/courageous-conversations-reimagining-race-and-education-tickets-37822130009

Susan L. DeJarnatt is a Professor of Law at Temple University Beasley School of Law.
Charter Schools: What David Osborne should learn about Philadelphia
The notebook Commentary by Susan DeJarnatt September 21, 2017 — 12:55pm
David Osborne says Philadelphia could learn a lot from cities that have a cooperative relationship between charter and traditional public schools—like New Orleans which is virtually all charter. I’m not sure how that shows a “cooperative” relationship unless what he really means is that the Philadelphia School District should just close up shop. That seems to be the real point of his articles, book and his speeches about it: charters are better so they should expand and get free space from the District. One sentence really gets to his point: “Though they get substantially less funding per pupil, Philadelphia’s 86 independent charters perform better on most measures than the almost 200 traditional schools” and that “thousands of families are on their waiting lists.”
But almost nothing about this statement, except for the numbers of schools, is accurate.
Let’s look at a few of his contentions:
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2017/09/21/what-david-osborne-should-learn-about-philadelphia#.WcP4mw8grOM.twitter

Consider It: Debating Charters, Vouchers and other Aspects of School Choice
YouTube posted by Julian VH Published on Sep 21, 2017 Video Runtime 1:50:57
The Berks County Community Foundation held its latest iteration of its "Consider It" series. On hand for this edition were a panel of four education experts. They debated charter schools, voucher programs and other aspects of school choice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOWNS5AzI_s&feature=youtu.be&a=

“What’s more, we already know how to solve the problem. The biggest single cause, as one expert described it, is “a deeply problematic school system” that largely fails to educate our children and prepare them to find work and live productive and happy lives. If we really want to address the devastating impact of poverty in our city, then fixing our public schools is the only real answer.”
Public schools should serve all students equally | Opinion
Inquirer Opinion by Sylvia P. Simms Updated: SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 — 8:34 PM EDT
Sylvia P. Simms, a former member of the School Reform Commission, is Executive Director of Educational Opportunities for Families.
Recent reports tell us that Philadelphia’s crisis of poverty shows no signs of improvement, and that we remain the poorest big city in America. It makes headlines, but for 400,000 of our fellow Philadelphians, it’s not news at all. What they know from bitter experience is that within a day or two, everybody will forget about this story and, as a city, we’ll go on making the same mistakes. Worst of all, nearly 150,000 of them are children whose only connection to the problem is that they were born in the wrong ZIP code. Think about that for a minute: If “Poor in Philadelphia” were a city, it would be the second-largest in Pennsylvania. It would be almost the size of Miami; and bigger than Cleveland. And when we talk about needing more money to solve our problems, think about this: If all of the nearly 252,000 adults living in poverty here had jobs that allowed them to pay what the average resident pays in city wage tax, it would generate nearly $605 million in tax revenue. In other words, if these folks could hold jobs that allowed them to support their families, there would be money available to address all of our other issues.
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/commentary/public-schools-should-serve-all-students-equally-20170921.html

“At the state level, for example, a Republican-led Legislature helped former Gov. Tom Corbett create America’s largest spending gap between rich and poor school districts.”
To eliminate Philly poverty, we must dismantle oppressive systems | Solomon Jones
Inquirer Opinion by Solomon Jones  @SolomonJones1 |  sj@solomonjones.com Updated: SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 — 8:31 AM EDT
Having tasted the sting of poverty during my teen years in North Philly, I am often puzzled when the establishment bemoans the city’s ranking as America’s poorest big city. After all, the deeply entrenched poverty that blankets the city’s brownest neighborhoods is strengthened by government policies. It is aided by structural racism. It grows with the help of the business community and stagnates when banks disinvest. The recently released American Community Survey found that Philadelphia, with a 25.7 percent poverty rate, remains the poorest big city in America. And 2015 Census documents show what is plain to see. Our poverty is concentrated in black and brown communities, with around 41 percent of Latino Philadelphians living in poverty, compared with 31 percent of blacks and nearly 15 percent of whites. No one within Philadelphia’s power structure should be surprised that blacks and Latinos compose the lion’s share of our poor. The power structure here helps to keep it that way.
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/solomon_jones/dismantle-oppressive-system-to-help-eliminate-poverty-solomon-jones-20170920.html

Elementary School Principals Resoundingly Support Pre-K Investments
Pennsylvania Principals Association and PreK for PA Report September 2017
Tells a story. Demonstrates self-confidence. Counts to 10. Completes a puzzle. Listens to directions. Recognizes colors and shapes. Demonstrates self-help skills. Aware of weather changes and seasons. Curious. Takes turns. Recognizes letters, some words and his or her name. Responds to other children’s need for help. These are just some of the many skills that a child who experienced high-quality pre-kindergarten will demonstrate when he or she enters kindergarten.
https://www.paprincipals.org/resource/images/stories/documents/ppc_report_2017.pdf?platform=hootsuite

In West Pottsgrove, pre-K advocates press for increased state funding
By Evan Brandt, The Mercury POSTED: 09/20/17, 6:57 PM EDT | UPDATED: 35 SECS AGO
Terri Koehler, principal of West Pottsgrove Elementary School where 20 new Pre-K classes began Wednesday, said “we know research showing students who get Pre-K have a better chance for success because we’ve seen it in action.”Evan Brandt — Digital First Media
WEST POTTSGROVE >> Wednesday marked the day that the school district’s first 20 Pre-K students took their seats at West Pottsgrove Elementary School. So perhaps it was appropriate that on the same day, in the same school, educators gathered to release the results of a survey on the benefits of early education and to advocate for more funding to spread those benefits state wide. “If every child who needs it had access to high-quality pre-K, we would see fewer children struggling or needing special education,” said Paul Healey, executive director of the Pennsylvania Principals Association.
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/MP/20170920/NEWS/170929952

Whenever PA finally gets its budget done you can bet charter reform will be back in the limelight. HB97 does NOT contain any provisions that would shed light on how private charter management companies spend our tax dollars. Mr. and Mrs. Gureghian are the principals at CSMI, which has been contracted to run the state’s largest brick and mortar charter school for many years. They have also been major donors to the GOP.
Click this link to see prior PA Ed Policy Roundup postings on this issue
Ask for Palm Beach mansion drops $5M to $64.9M
The asking price for the 35,993-square-foot property has fallen almost $20M since early 2015
The Real Deal, South Florida Real Estate News, May 13, 2017 11:00AM
The owners of a never-occupied, eight-bedroom mansion in Palm Beach cut their asking price by $5 million to $64.9 million. The new $64.9 million asking price for the French Chateau-style mansion is almost $20 million below the original asking price when it was listed for sale more than two years ago. The 35,993-square-foot residence at 1071 North Ocean Boulevard is still the most expensive home listed in the Palm Beach Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. Several other Palm Beach homes have higher asking prices but are not listed in the Palm Beach Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. These include 1500 South Ocean Boulevard, owned by Netscape co-founder Jim Clark, who wants $137 million for his ocean-to-lake mansion.
Broker Christian Angle has represented the owners of 1071 North Ocean Boulevard since they first listed the residence for sale in March 2015. The owner is a trust linked to Philadelphia-area lawyers Vahan and Danielle Gureghian, who initially planned to occupy the custom-built home.
https://therealdeal.com/miami/2017/05/13/308372/

Private managers of public schools, charter leaders enjoy extra buffer from public-records laws
Chalkbeat BY MONICA DISARE  September 21, 2017
When Success Academy officials read the news last month that board chair Daniel Loeb had made a racially charged comment about a New York State senator, what did they do next? Did Success CEO Eva Moskowitz frantically email confidantes about the incident? Did her team craft a new policy on board member conduct? It turns out, we may never know. That’s in part because emails sent by Moskowitz and other leaders of New York City’s largest charter network — which oversees 46 public schools and 15,500 students — are not subject to the same public-records laws as district school officials, such as Chancellor Carmen Fariña. Moskowitz and officials at other charter school networks are generally exempt from the law because they don’t work for individual schools or city agencies, both of which are required to hand over certain records to members of the public who request them. Instead, they are employed by nonprofit groups called charter management organizations, or CMOs, which aren’t covered by the state records law.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2017/09/21/private-managers-of-public-schools-charter-leaders-enjoy-extra-buffer-from-public-records-laws/

Pennsylvania Treasurer has become a player in the state budget stalemate
Penn Live By Charles Thompson cthompson@pennlive.com Updated on September 21, 2017 at 6:15 PM Posted on September 21, 2017 at 6:14 PM
Pennsylvania Treasurer Joe Torsella swears he is not trying to be a "sixth negotiator" on the still-unfinished state budget, referring to the protracted talks between the General Assembly's four legislative caucuses and Gov. Tom Wolf. He is, however, trying to be the best steward that he can be of 12.8 million Pennsylvanians' tax dollars. And in that role, he has now found himself in the unlikely role of a fiscal enforcer who, by the simple act of saying 'no,' just may have created the pressure point that this meandering, summer-long debate has sorely lacked. Torsella, a 53-year-old attorney from Flourtown, seized that role when, after setting a $750 million limit on an internal line of credit at Treasury in August, he declared he is "disinclined" to lend any more under the current circumstances. As a result, the Wolf Administration had to selectively delay more than $2 billion in certain payments last week, and there are prospects for more fiscal disruptions if the stalemate continues.
http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/09/pa_treasurer_joe_torsella_has.html#incart_river_home

Bethlehem 1st in Pa. to join Kennedy Center arts program
For lehighvalleylive.com By Sara K. Satullo ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com, Updated on September 20, 2017 at 3:45 PM Posted on September 20, 2017 at 2:00 PM
Bethlehem is the first city in Pennsylvania and the 24th in the nation to be selected for the Kennedy Center's arts education program. The designation by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was announced Wednesday at SteelStacks' Levitt Pavilion. Young Bethlehem Area School District musicians from Liberty High, Northeast Middle and Farmersville Elementary schools all displayed their talents in performances throughout the ceremony. The designation means the local arts and education community can harness the planning power of the Kennedy Center to develop a long-term K-8 arts education program for local students that is tailored to Bethlehem's unique needs, said Jeanette McCune, director of D.C. school and community initiatives for the Kennedy Center's education arm.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2017/09/bethlehem_1st_in_pa_to_join_ke.html

Following 'inexcusable' altercations, state to audit Woodland Hills School District
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by JULIAN ROUTH jrouth@post-gazette.com 2:44 PM SEP 21, 2017
A comprehensive state audit of Woodland Hills School District will begin Oct. 2 and will examine four years of the the district's safety, financial and administrative practices, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale announced Thursday. The audit comes at the request of several community officials from across the school district's area, during a time when Woodland Hills is already under intense scrutiny for a series of high-profile incidents involving altercations between students, officers and administrators. Mr. DePasquale cited a series of surveillance videos -- which show these "inexcusable" altercations -- as a reason for the audit. "I've seen those videos -- shocking videos," Mr. DePasquale said at a press conference in Pittsburgh. "As a parent of two kids in public school, if those were my kids, I'd be outraged."
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2017/09/21/Auditor-General-Eugene-DePasquale-to-audit-Woodland-Hills-school-john-fetterman/stories/201709210154

Plum schools Superintendent Tim Glasspool seeks to resign, get $184,000 severance
Trib Live by BRIAN C. RITTMEYER | Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, 11:54 p.m.
Citing continuing "antagonistic and hostile behavior" by school board members, Plum School District Superintendent Tim Glasspool is seeking to resign and receive a severance package, according to a letter from his attorney. The letter from Glasspool's attorney, Colleen Ramage Johnston, to school district Solicitor Lee Price is dated Sept. 14. Johnston and Price could not be reached for comment after hours Thursday. Two school board members acknowledged the letter but none contacted late Thursday would comment on it. Glasspool has been under fire since a teacher-student sex scandal came to light in 2015, shortly after his contract was extended for five years. It runs through June 30, 2020.
http://triblive.com/news/education/12761167-74/plum-schools-superintendent-tim-glasspool-seeks-to-resign-get-184000-severance

“At first glance, this looks like a gigantic gift to the insurance industry. But the powerful lobbying group America’s Health Insurance Plans came out strongly against the bill Wednesday, saying it “would have real consequences on consumers and patients by further destabilizing the individual market.” The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association opposes the measure as well, saying it would “increase uncertainty in the marketplace, making coverage more expensive and jeopardizing Americans’ choice of health plans.” The American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and AARP adamantly oppose the new Senate bill as well. In fact, it is hard to find anyone who knows anything about health insurance who likes this monstrous creation.”
This Republican health-care bill is the most monstrous yet
Washington Post By Eugene Robinson Opinion writer September 21 at 7:41 PM
Motivated by the cynical aims of fulfilling a bumper-sticker campaign promise and lavishing tax cuts on the wealthy, Republicans are threatening to pass a health-care bill they know will make millions of Americans sicker and poorer. Do they think we don’t see what they’re doing? Does Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) think we didn’t hear what he said Wednesday? “You know, I could maybe give you 10 reasons why this bill shouldn’t be considered,” he told reporters. “But Republicans campaigned on this so often that you have a responsibility to carry out what you said in the campaign. That’s pretty much as much of a reason as the substance of the bill.” There you have it: Who cares what this legislation would do? Vote for it anyway.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/this-republican-health-care-bill-is-the-most-monstrous-yet/2017/09/21/cfd1a54e-9f0f-11e7-8ea1-ed975285475e_story.html?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.3e7804fe34b6

Tom On Point: ‘Stubborn facts’ about choice
American School Board Journal October 2017 by Thomas J. Gentzel
Thomas J. Gentzel (tgentzel@nsba.org(link sends e-mail)) is executive director and CEO of NSBA. Follow Gentzel on Twitter @Tom_NSBA
Public schools are an institution but they are not monolithic. They come in various shapes and sizes, and offer a range of services to all children who attend, whether in person or online. “Well, of course they do,” you’re likely to say if you are a local school board member, superintendent, administrator, or teacher. Those who are responsible for leading and operating the public education system know all of that. If only the public did, too. The debate over school choice may vary over time or from place to place, but a recurring argument for tuition voucher, tax credit, and other similar proposals has been that students and parents need access to more options. “One size does not fit all” proponents will argue. They’re right, of course, which is why public schools are not one size, and frankly haven’t been for years. Today’s public schools offer programs and services designed to address the needs of individual students, to help them pursue their interests, and to provide the assistance essential for their success. Those who would divert public funds to private schools conveniently overlook this impressive track record, choosing instead to create an image of students trapped in uniform, tradition-bound schools.
Ignoring reality does not make it go away. To quote John Adams, who said, as a young lawyer, arguing a case in court: “Facts are stubborn things.”
https://www.nsba.org/newsroom/american-school-board-journal/asbj-october-2017/leaderboard-october-2017/tom-point

Courageous Conversations: Reimagining Race and Education
Thursday, September 28, 2017 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church 2800 West Cheltenham Ave, Philadelphia
WURD, WHYY and Philadelphia Media Network (Daily News, Inquirer and Philly.com) invite you to join us for "Reimagining Race and Education." This event is the third installment of our Courageous Conversations series, which focuses on race, class and culture. Race plays out in many ways in our schools, from funding inequity, to conflict, to how students and teachers view themselves and are viewed. How can we confront these issues, which hurt the whole community, and turn them into opportunities for conversation, understanding, and change?
Event panelists include:
• Dr. Howard Stevenson – (Moderator) Constance Clayton Professor of Urban Education, University of Pennsylvania
• Pastor Allyn Waller – Senior Pastor, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church
• Dr. Wagner Marseilles – Superintendent, Cheltenham School District
• Otis Hackney – Chief Education Officer, City of Philadelphia; formerly principal of Springfield Township High School (Montgomery County) and South Philadelphia High School
• Sara Goldrick-Rab – Professor of Higher Education Policy & Sociology, Temple University
• Kristin Graham – Pulitzer Prize-winning Education Reporter, Philadelphia Media Network
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/courageous-conversations-reimagining-race-and-education-tickets-37822130009

Our Schools at Risk: How to Stop Funding Cuts, Bensalem HS, October 3 at 7 PM - 9 PM
Public Meeting Hosted by Education Voters PA Tuesday, October 3 at 7 PM - 9 PM
Bensalem HS, North Wing Audion, 4319 Hulmeville Rd., Bensalem 19020
Learn about the threats to our public schools and how YOUR advocacy efforts can make a difference. Join Education Voters of PA to learn about how state policies and school funding are impacting your local schools and how you can come together in your communities to stand up for public school students.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1735449410093965/

Seventh Annual Pennsylvania Arts and Education Symposium, November 2, 2017 Camp Hill
The 2017 Pennsylvania Arts and Education will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Convention Center in Camp Hill.  See the agenda here.
Early Bird Registration ends September 30.
https://www.eplc.org/pennsylvania-arts-education-network/

Gerrymandering: Fair Districts PA Statewide Calendar of Events

https://www.fairdistrictspa.com/events

Education Law Center’s 2017 Annual Celebration

ELC invites you to join us for our Annual Celebration on September 27 in Philadelphia.

Click here to purchase a ticket or sponsor the event.

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.

http://www.elc-pa.org/about/event/

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.

https://1000x2025.org/events/nbmec

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

http://www.nsba.org/events/advocacy-institute

Thursday, September 21, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Sept. 21: Senate rejects House revenue plan 43-7; S&P lowers PA bond rating

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

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup Sept. 21, 2017:

Senate rejects House revenue plan 43-7; S&P lowers PA bond rating

Our Schools at Risk: How to Stop Funding Cuts, Bensalem HS, October 3 at 7 PM - 9 PM

Public Meeting Hosted by Education Voters PA Tuesday, October 3 at 7 PM - 9 PM

Bensalem HS, North Wing Audion, 4319 Hulmeville Rd., Bensalem 19020

Learn about the threats to our public schools and how YOUR advocacy efforts can make a difference. Join Education Voters of PA to learn about how state policies and school funding are impacting your local schools and how you can come together in your communities to stand up for public school students.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1735449410093965/

Editorial: Messy and messier: The state budget standoff is a debacle as usual
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette THE EDITORIAL BOARD 12:00 AM SEP 21, 2017
The initial impact of the state’s 2-month-old budget standoff landed Friday, when Gov. Tom Wolf froze about $1.2 billion in Medicaid payments to insurers who cover the state’s poor and vulnerable. Insurers said they wouldn’t shut off coverage, but there’s bound to be a ripple effect. If insurers have to borrow at some point to pay for health care services, doesn’t that mean less service or more costly care down the line? Pennsylvania doesn’t need either of those scenarios any more than it needs the Legislature’s annual budget tug of war. Year after year, or so it seems, squabbling over the budget goes into overtime, demonstrating lawmakers’ lack of regard for their constituents. Credit rating agencies are taking notice, too. On Wednesday, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the state’s credit rating, which means the state will pay more to borrow money. The slap came a day after Mr. Wolf said he was confident that if a deal is struck by Oct. 1, all is well, and that S&P would be “willing to let us work through this process.” So much for that. One might think that safeguarding Medicaid payments for the poor and elderly would be sufficient incentive to pass the budget on time. Nope, not in Pennsylvania.
http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017/09/21/Messy-and-messier-The-state-budget-standoff-is-a-debacle-as-usual/stories/201709300045

Pa. Senate rejects House revenue package; sets up next play in Pennsylvania budget drama
Penn Live By Charles Thompson cthompson@pennlive.com Updated on September 20, 2017 at 5:14 PM Posted on September 20, 2017 at 1:39 PM
The Pennsylvania Senate officially stuck a fork in the state House Republicans' $2.3 billion revenue package Wednesday. The hope is, that action - in the ways of the Legislature - will actually give a shove forward to final resolution of a budget impasse that has begun leading to unpaid bills and, now, a credit downgrade for state government. But, also in the ways of the Legislature, nothing is guaranteed. The Senate voted 43-7 to reject the House GOP majority-crafted plan that its leaders claim would resolve the gap in the state's $32.0 billion general fund budget through a combination of borrowing and one-time accounting moves, but no new taxes. That plan passed in the House last week with zero Democratic votes. In the Senate, however, only a block of fiscally conservative Republicans led by Sen. Scott Wagner, R-York County, supported the House plan.
http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/09/senate_rejects_house_revenue_p.html#incart_2box_politics

Pennsylvania Senate rejects no-tax House budget bill, proposes conference
Trib Live by NATASHA LINDSTROM AND WES VENTEICHER | Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, 1:12 p.m.
HARRISBURG — The state Senate has declined to take up a no-tax proposal from the House to fund the state's budget, proposing instead that both chambers form a committee to hash out a deal. The House reconvenes Monday. If representatives agree to the Senate strategy, the committee would work to find a compromise between the no-tax House proposal — which drew money from off-budget accounts — and a bill the Senate approved this summer. Any deal reached by the committee would go before both chambers in up-or-down votes, with no opportunities for amendments. “It's a way to get done,” Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman told reporters shortly after the rules committee voted against the House proposal about noon Wednesday. “We don't agree with (the House GOP's) product; they obviously didn't agree with ours. Put it in a conference committee, negotiate a final package.”
http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/12755659-74/state-senate-rejects-no-tax-house-budget-bill-proposes-conference

Here’s the PA Senate Roll Call vote not to concur on the House Revenue Bill HB453:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/RC/Public/rc_view_action2.cfm?sess_yr=2017&sess_ind=0&rc_body=S&rc_nbr=272

Pa. Senate hits restart on budget negotiations
WHYY Newsorks BY KATIE MEYER, WITF SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
The GOP-controlled Pennsylvania Senate has formally rejected a conservative budget plan passed by the House — essentially resetting negotiations nearly three months past the deadline. Now, Republicans in the House and Senate will attempt to work with Gov. Tom Wolf to figure out a compromise. Wolf has said he wants to get the budget finished by Oct. 1. But the general consensus from the House and Senate has been that that's a stretch. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, said inter-chamber negotiations are starting this week — and will probably last through next week. "It'll be hard, I'll be honest with you," he told reporters. "We're going to be here. We're going to go on recess with a six-hour call today, but I'll be here, and staff will be here, and hopefully we'll get a resolution. Whether it's by Oct. 1, I don't know." House GOP Spokesman Steve Miskin confirmed the chamber isn't expecting any votes next week, but he said lawmakers hope to have a plan put together the week after. What that plan will look like is unclear.
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/107355-pa-senate-hits-restart-on-budget-negotiations?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+KeystoneCrossroads+%28Keystone+Crossroads%29

Pennsylvania takes credit ratings hit amid budget fight
Lancaster Online by By MARC LEVY Associated Press September 20, 2017
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's credit rating took its latest punch Wednesday, another black eye in a nearly three-month budget stalemate that has pitted Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the Republican-controlled Senate against the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The credit rating agency Standard and Poor's lowered its rating on Pennsylvania's debt, citing the state's stubborn post-recession deficit and its history of late budgets, as well as Standard and Poor's belief that the pattern could continue. The state's deficit is manageable, Standard and Poor's said. But, it said, the state's reliance on one-time cash infusions has put too much stress on its tax collections to pay its bills on time. The downgrade is the second by Standard and Poor's in three years — the previous one was under Wolf's Republican predecessor — as budget-makers have struggled to pull Pennsylvania out of a long-running deficit. The downgrade comes as lawmakers argue over how to resolve a roughly $2 billion deficit, stemming largely from Pennsylvania's biggest cash shortfall since the recession. The deficit is making itself felt: Wolf has had to delay big payments for lack of cash. With the lower rating, Pennsylvania is now among the bottom five states rated by Standard and Poor's.
http://lancasteronline.com/news/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-takes-credit-ratings-hit-amid-budget-fight/article_679fe2dd-f778-5902-9613-9c6446158a1c.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

Pennsylvania takes credit ratings hit amid budget impasse
Post-Gazette by ANGELA COULOUMBIS AND LIZ NAVRATIL Harrisburg Bureau 10:43 AM SEP 20, 2017
HARRISBURG — As the budget deadlock in the Capitol drags on, a credit rating agency on Wednesday delivered a hard fiscal punch to Pennsylvania: a credit downgrade. Standard & Poor's lowered Pennsylvania's bond rating a notch, citing the state's out-of-balance budget, its more than $2 billion deficit and its reliance on one-time financial fixes in negotiating budgets over the last decade. The agency also noted that it believes the stalemate over how to fund the state's $32 billion budget could "extend considerably further." "The commonwealth's structural deficit remains manageable, but its reliance on one-time revenues has stressed its available cash, making internal resources insufficient to timely meet certain obligations," S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Carol Spain said in a written statement Wednesday morning.
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2017/09/20/Pennsylvania-budget-impasse-leads-to-credit-rating-downgrade/stories/201709200149

Does S&P's credit downgrade of Pa.'s rating bring it to its lowest level?
Penn Live By Jan Murphy jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated on September 20, 2017 at 1:11 PM Posted on September 20, 2017 at 1:06 PM
Pennsylvania's downgrading of its credit rating on Wednesday by S&P's Global Ratings due to the ongoing budget stalemate brings its rating down to the lowest it has been in 39 years.
The downgrade from a AA- rating to an A+ rating means the state's ability to meet its financial commitments is "more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions," according to S&P. What that translates to for taxpayers is a higher cost for the state to borrow money. According to information provided by the state Treasury that comes from S&P, Pennsylvania's rating has bounced around over the past six decades. S&P issued its highest rating of AAA to Pennsylvania in March 1962. An AAA rating tells creditors the state has an extremely strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. Pennsylvania held that high rating for seven years when it experienced its first downgrade.
http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/09/does_sps_credit_downgrade_brin.html#incart_2box_politics

So. What's a credit downgrade to your state government mean, anyway?
Penn Live By Charles Thompson cthompson@pennlive.com Updated on September 20, 2017 at 8:53 PM Posted on September 20, 2017 at 7:06 PM
In some ways, the great Pennsylvania budget battle of 2017-18 has been the year of the credit downgrade. Almost from the beginning of Gov. Tom Wolf's budget unveiling last winter, we've been treated to regular predictions of a credit-downgrade, as a state, if we did this thing, or did not do that thing. And that, we've been warned, would be the worst of all things. Now it's happened. On Wednesday, S&P Global Ratings formally lowered its rating for Pennsylvania's future general obligation bonds to A+ (It's great for school; not so much for impressing Wall Street.) The sun still shone. So what should we really make of this news? PennLive is here to help:
http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/09/so_whats_a_credit_downgrade_to.html#incart_river_index

With challengers circling, Wolf's approval ratings hang steady in new poll | Thursday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek jmicek@pennlive.com Updated on September 21, 2017 at 6:05 AM Posted on September 21, 2017 at 6:00 AM
HARRISBURG -- As he heads into what's likely to be a bruising 2018 general election campaign, more than half of Pennsylvania voters are giving Gov. Tom Wolf the thumbs-down on his job performance. But before his one of his would-be opponents start celebrating, they need to read the fine print. Though he's a household name in the Capitol, most Pennsylvanians have never heard of state Sen. Scott Wagner. Fifty-four percent of respondents to the Franklin & Marshall poll say the York County Democrat is doing a fair or poor job of managing the state during his third year in office. That's compared to the 38 percent who say Wolf is doing a good or excellent job. The poll, which was conducted from Sept. 13 to Sept. 18, comes as Wolf and Republicans who control the General Assembly, scramble to come up with a way to pay for a $32 billion spending plan that landed on Wolf's desk back on June 30. This week, the Senate rejected a House-approved revenue bill that seeks to close a $2.2 billion budget deficit, and dodge any tax increases, through borrowing and by raiding scores of accounts across state government.
While the impasse has paralyzed the General Assembly and led to a credit downgrade for the state, it hasn't had any measurable effect on Wolf's approvals.
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2017/09/with_challengers_circling_wolf.html#incart_river_index

Franklin & Marshall PA Poll: Wolf 38%, Casey 37%, Trump 29%
PA Capitol Digest by Crisci Associates September 21, 2017
New Franklin & Marshall Poll Thursday finds Gov. Wolf’s job approval rating is 38 percent, similar to his rating in May and comparable to Gov. Rendell at this point in his administration and better than Gov. Corbett’s. Gov. Ridge’s approval rating was 65 percent. U.S. Senator Bob Casey had a 37 percent approval rating. About half those surveyed-- 48 percent-- felt the state was on the wrong track. Asked which issue or problem was the most important, 30 percent said government and politicians, unemployment and the economy 16 percent, education 11 percent and taxes 11 percent. President Trump’s job performance rating dropped from 37 to 29 percent from the May Poll. 49 percent rated him the best at dealing with terrorism, 50 percent gave him an “F” for improving health care, 47 percent gave him an “F” on dealing with climate change and 47 percent gave him an “F” for protecting the environment.
http://pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/2017/09/franklin-marshall-pa-poll-wolf-38-casey.html

Trump's job approval drops to 40% in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Franklin & Marshall poll shows
Trib Live by MATTHEW SANTONI  | Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, 4:30 p.m.
President Trump's job approval rating has dropped to 40 percent among his bedrock Southwestern Pennsylvanian supporters, while less than a third of voters statewide said he's been doing a good job overall, according to a new poll from Franklin & Marshall College. Trump had enjoyed strong support in Southwestern Pennsylvania counties, excluding Allegheny, with 60 percent of voters polled in May calling his job performance good or excellent . In the poll released Thursday, that had fallen to 40 percent, even as 61 percent of the respondents in the region still self-identified as “Trump supporters.”
http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/12756174-74/trumps-job-approval-drops-to-40-in-southwestern-pennsylvania-franklin-marshall

Strike ends at Methacton School District, classes to resume Friday
Inquirer by Allison Steele, Staff Writer  @AESteele |  asteele@phillynews.com Updated: SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 — 7:08 PM EDT
Teachers with the Methacton School District in Montgomery County, who walked off the job Monday on strike, will go back to work Friday, officials said. A message posted on the district’s website Wednesday stated that the Methacton Education Association and the Board of Education have agreed to enter into nonbinding arbitration. The status of that process was not addressed in the statement, but the MEA posted on its Facebook page that the board offered the option at Tuesday’s board meeting. After being canceled since Monday morning, classes will resume Friday. Schools had already been scheduled to be closed Thursday in observance of Rosh Hashanah. The 403 union members, who have been bargaining since January, have been working under an expired contract since June. On the MEA’s Facebook page, the group thanked students and parents for their support during the strike, which by law could have lasted until Oct. 11.
http://www.philly.com/philly/education/strike-ends-at-methacton-school-district-classes-to-resume-friday-20170920.html

PSBA reminds school directors of proposed constitutional amendment on November ballot, no actions by school boards needed
This November voters across Pennsylvania will be asked to consider a proposed amendment to the state Constitution regarding property taxes. What do school boards need to know and do if the amendment is approved by the electorate? The short answer is: Nothing at this time. If approved, the amendment by itself will not provide any immediate property tax relief or require school boards to take any specific actions until and unless the General Assembly would enact specific tax reform legislation at a future time. Joint Resolution 1 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. Voter approval of Joint Resolution 1 would simply give the General Assembly the expanded authority to adopt future legislation affecting homestead exemptions.
PSBA recently released a new issue of its Closer Look series to help school directors understand the impact of the proposed constitutional amendment and address questions that have been raised regarding the duties of school boards if it is approved by the electorate.
Click here to read PSBA's Closer Look piece on Joint Resolution 1.

Your One-Stop Shop for ESSA Info on Teachers, Testing, Money, and More
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Andrew Ujifusa on September 21, 2017 7:25 AM
For teachers, parents, principals, and others, the Every Student Succeeds Act is no longer on the horizon. Now it's in their schools. Yes, ESSA has officially taken effect this school year. All but four states have turned in their plans for the education law's implementation to the federal government—and some states' plans have already gotten approved by the U.S. Department of Education. But there's a decent chance you're still gathering information and learning about ESSA. To help you with that, we've compiled a big, fancy grab-bag stuffed with resources about the law that replaced the No Child Left Behind Act. Not everything is new: ESSA still requires those annual English/language arts and math tests once a year in grades 3-8 and once in high school. But what is new? Check it out below.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2017/09/essa_one_stop_shop_resources_for_teachers_testing_more.html

After decades of pushing bachelor’s degrees, U.S. needs more tradespeople
PBS Newshour BY MATT KRUPNICK, THE HECHINGER REPORT  August 29, 2017
FONTANA, Calif. — At a steel factory dwarfed by the adjacent Auto Club Speedway, Fernando Esparza is working toward his next promotion. Esparza is a 46-year-old mechanic for Evolution Fresh, a subsidiary of Starbucks that makes juices and smoothies. He’s taking a class in industrial computing taught by a community college at a local manufacturing plant in the hope it will bump up his wages. It’s a pretty safe bet. The skills being taught here are in high demand. That’s in part because so much effort has been put into encouraging high school graduates to go to college for academic degrees rather than for training in industrial and other trades that many fields like his face worker shortages. Now California is spending $6 million on a campaign to revive the reputation of vocational education, and $200 million to improve the delivery of it.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/decades-pushing-bachelors-degrees-u-s-needs-tradespeople/

Thorough and Efficient? A video short on Pennsylvania’s School Funding Lawsuit
The Education Law Center of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia filed suit in Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on November 10, 2014 on behalf of six school districts, seven parents, and two statewide associations against legislative leaders, state education officials, and the Governor for failing to uphold the General Assembly’s constitutional obligation to provide a “thorough and efficient” system of public education.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS44fO_uyb4

PSBA publishes proposed bylaws changes
According to the PSBA Bylaws, Section 6, A, PSBA must publish at least 30 days before the annual meeting of the Delegate Assembly any proposed bylaws changes that have been submitted to the Bylaws Committee and approved by two-thirds of the members of the Governing Board. The proposed bylaws changes are included here. In addition, a hard copy of the proposed changes is being mailed to individuals who have been identified by their school board as a voting delegate on behalf of their school entity. The Delegate Assembly will take place this year on Oct. 20 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center at 1 p.m.

· 2017 Bylaws Amendments for Publication

· Full text of the current Bylaws

https://www.psba.org/2017/09/notice-proposed-bylaws-amendments/

Testing Resistance & Reform News: September 13-19, 2017
FairTest Submitted by fairtest on September 19, 2017 - 1:09pm
Praising FairTest as "an incredibly vibrant and important organization that provides an essential service" -- and specifically citing these weekly updates -- former PBS education correspondent John Merrow posts FairTest Is Not a Footnote and urges readers to provide more financial support around our upcoming "Heroes in Education" event.
http://www.fairtest.org/testing-resistance-reform-news-september-1319-2017

Our Schools at Risk: How to Stop Funding Cuts, Bensalem HS, October 3 at 7 PM - 9 PM
Public Meeting Hosted by Education Voters PA Tuesday, October 3 at 7 PM - 9 PM
Bensalem HS, North Wing Audion, 4319 Hulmeville Rd., Bensalem 19020
Learn about the threats to our public schools and how YOUR advocacy efforts can make a difference. Join Education Voters of PA to learn about how state policies and school funding are impacting your local schools and how you can come together in your communities to stand up for public school students.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1735449410093965/

Seventh Annual Pennsylvania Arts and Education Symposium, November 2, 2017 Camp Hill
The 2017 Pennsylvania Arts and Education will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Convention Center in Camp Hill. See the agenda here.
Early Bird Registration ends September 30.
https://www.eplc.org/pennsylvania-arts-education-network/