Wednesday, February 21, 2018

PA Ed Policy Roundup Feb 21, 2018 Words are not enough


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, charter school leaders, 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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Words are not enough



In addition to calling your member of Congress to urge them to take meaningful action now to protect our children, please consider calling the following members of Congress who are in leadership positions or who serve on the Congressional committees that may consider such action:

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan Washington DC Office: (202) 225-3031

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Washington DC Office: (202) 224-2541

Senator Lamar Alexander, Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; Washington DC Office: (202) 224-4944

Pennsylvania Members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Senator Robert Casey Washington DC Office: (202) 224-6324

Congresswoman Virginia Fox, Chairwoman, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Washington DC Office: (202) 225-2071

Pennsylvania Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce:
Glenn “GT” Thompson Washington DC Office: (202) 225-5121
Lou Barletta Washington DC Office: (202) 225-6511
Lloyd Smucker Washington DC Office: (202) 225-2411




SB2 Vouchers: C-K passes resolution to oppose legislation
Proposed bill would fund private schools with taxpayer money
Altoona Mirror by SHEN WU TAN stan@altoonamirror.com FEB 15, 2018
CLAYSBURG — The Claysburg-Kimmel School Board approved a new resolution to oppose an education bill to fund private schools with taxpayer money at its meeting Wednesday. Board members unanimously voted to support the resolution opposing Senate Bill No. 2, legislation intended to assist students attending “low-achieving schools through the establishment of Education Savings Accounts.” Families approved to participate in the ESA program would have to withdraw their students from public school and receive average student state funding for qualifying education expenses including private school and payment for an accredited tutor. The resolution, as part of a statewide campaign, opposing the ESA program states the bill undermines “Pennsylvania’s responsibility to ensure every student in every community has equal access to public education,” asserting school districts’ state aid would be sent to “unaccountable private schools.” “Our support has always been for state money to be spent on public schools, and being a public school, we feel the dollar should be spent there,” said Darren McLaurin, superintendent of the Claysburg-Kimmel School District.
http://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2018/02/c-k-passes-resolution-to-oppose-legislation/

Words are not enough
PSBA by Tom Gentzel, Executive Director & CEO at National School Boards Association Published on Published on February 20, 2018
February 14, 2018 started as just another school day and ended, like too many others, as one more day of carnage and tragedy. The mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida stunned the nation but somehow did not shock it, as a kind of numbness washes over American society that witnesses repeated instances of senseless violence. Of course, these despicable acts are not limited to schools alone, as evidenced by the shooting in Las Vegas and so many other public venues. Yet, it is in schools where the disgust for this kind of mass murder is greatest and where the impulse to address the issue is most compelling. These are children, after all. Any killing is awful, but the sheer madness of it is magnified when the victims are those who are completely innocent of doing anything improper, including being in the wrong place. A school should always be the right place for students; they should have no fear for their safety in a setting designed exclusively for their benefit and well-being.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/words-enough-tom-gentzel/?published=t

Florida lawmakers vote down motion to take up assault rifle ban after Florida shooting
CBS News February 20, 2018
PARKLAND, Fla. -- Less than a week after 17 people were fatally shot at a Florida high school, the Florida House has voted down a motion to take up a bill that would ban assault rifles, effectively killing the measure for this session. The motion failed by a 36-71 vote on Tuesday. As the House opened its session, Democratic Rep. Kionne McGhee asked for a procedural move that would have allowed it to consider a bill to ban assault rifles and large capacity magazines. The bill had been assigned to three committees but was not scheduled for a hearing. The committees won't meet again before the legislative session ends March 9. McGhee said that means the bill would be dead unless the House voted to remove it from the committees and let it be considered by the full House.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/assault-rifle-ban-bill-florida-lawmakers-vote-down-motion-to-take-up-bill-after-parkside-florida-shooting/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=48335451

Senators Toomey and Manchin renew effort to expand background checks on firearms buyers
Post-Gazette Washington Bureau by TRACIE MAURIELLO FEB 20, 2018 9:00 PM
WASHINGTON – It’s been five years and five deadly mass shootings on school campuses since U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin proposed expanding background checks for firearm purchases. A week after the latest shooting left 17 dead at a Florida high school, Mr. Toomey, R-Pa., is ready to try again. “Sen. Toomey has always stated his goal is to find a path forward on this issue,” spokesman Steve Kelly said Tuesday. He wants a federal requirement for background checks for purchases made online and at gun shows. Mr. Toomey nearly achieved that in 2013 when he and Mr. Manchin, D-W.Va., narrowly failed to push through a similar bill, which the National Rifle Association did not support. Opponents, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said at the time that the legislation could lead to a federal registry of gun owners. The bill died on the Senate floor while deeply disappointed relatives of the 26 people killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut looked on from the visitors’ gallery. At the time, the effort was viewed as the Senate’s best chance for advancing gun legislation.
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2018/02/20/SenatorsToomey-and-Manchin-renew-effort-to-expand-background-checks/stories/201802200199

Pennsylvania lawmakers unveil bills aimed at curbing mass shootings
Morning Call by Steve Esack Contact Reporter February 20, 2018
Six days after a gunman murdered 17 students and adults at a Florida school, Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced 11 bills aimed at preventing similar mass shootings. One would ban assault weapons like the AR-15 used in the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. The same weapon was used at mass shootings at a Las Vegas concert; Newtown, Conn., elementary school; Orlando night club; and a Texas church among others since 2012. A former student opened fire at a South Florida high school Wednesday, killing 17 people The state bills were dropped on the same day President Donald Trump directed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to craft federal legislature for consideration of Congress, where lawmakers routinely reject more strict firearms legislation. And as U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., signaled a renewed interest in pushing his legislation expanding background checks.
http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-nws-parkland-shooting-pennsylvania-legislature-20180220-story.html

“The NRA spent $147,185 on Smucker's behalf during his campaign for the U.S. House in 2016. It was among the most the NRA spent on a congressional candidate before that year’s April primary, according to the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics. The group supported Smucker because of his opposition to stricter gun regulations, the NRA-Political Victory Fund said in a release.”
Lancaster Stands Up is calling out US Rep. Lloyd Smucker for NRA support, lack of dialogue
Lancaster Online by TOM KNAPP | Staff Writer February 21, 2018
A local grassroots organization is criticizing U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker for his connections to the National Rifle Association, which spent $147,000 on his behalf in the 2016 campaign. Members of Lancaster Stands Up plan to call attention to the issue Thursday when Smucker speaks to members of the Lancaster Chamber. Protesters will gather outside the Cork Factory Hotel, 480 New Holland Ave., from 7:30 to 9 a.m., when Smucker is scheduled to speak to Lancaster Chamber investors. The event is open only to pre-registered investors who provide financial support to the Chamber. Lancaster Stands Up spokeswoman Michelle Hines said the group originally planned to protest Smucker’s failure to hold public town hall meetings, but shifted its focus to his NRA ties after a Florida school shooting on Feb. 14 left 17 people dead. "It’s about Lloyd Smucker offering his thoughts and prayers, not any kind of policy change, because he is bought and paid for by the NRA." “We were just overwhelmed by people who are so upset by this issue — and so upset about the contributions he took from the NRA,” she said. “Our members support a wide range of policy positions when it comes to gun control,” she said. “This event is not really about any specific policy — it’s about Lloyd Smucker offering his thoughts and prayers, not any kind of policy change, because he is bought and paid for by the NRA.”
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-stands-up-is-calling-out-us-rep-lloyd-smucker/article_337045ac-1688-11e8-b91c-5f66e6c7637b.html

Put metal detectors, armed officers in all Pennsylvania schools, lawmaker says
By Kurt Bresswein kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com, For lehighvalleylive.com Updated Feb 20, 8:22 PM; Posted Feb 20, 4:52 PM
Every Pennsylvania school would receive state funding to establish a required primary entrance with a metal detector, under a proposal introduced Tuesday by a Republican state lawmaker. State Rep. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe/Pike, also proposes in the bill requiring the presence of at least one armed safety officer at all times during both school hours and after-school activities. The proposed "School Violence Prevention Act" comes five days after the murders of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The Feb. 14 shooting marked the 17th incident of gunfire at an American school in 2018. At least 21 people have been killed and more than 19 injured in the shootings. "We simply must stop being reactionary each time one of these horrendous, senseless acts of violence occurs in our schools, or any public setting for that matter," Brown said in a statement Tuesday. "Very sadly, the trend of school shootings and violence continues to occur and the fears of our children, teachers, parents, guardians and community members remain at an all-time high." Brown had eight bipartisan co-sponsors on her bill as of Tuesday afternoon. This bill would mirror the steps visitors face at federal buildings, where the highest security measures are taken in an effort to identify safety concerns, Brown stated.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/02/put_metal_detectors_armed_offi.html

Trump Moves to Regulate ‘Bump Stock’ Devices
New York Times By MICHAEL D. SHEAR FEB. 20, 2018
WASHINGTON — President Trump — under pressure from angry, grieving students from a Florida high school where a gunman killed 17 people last week — ordered the Justice Department on Tuesday to issue regulations banning so-called bump stocks, which convert semiautomatic guns into automatic weapons like those used last year in the massacre of concertgoers in Las Vegas. A day earlier, Mr. Trump signaled that he was open to supporting legislation that would modestly improve the national gun background check system, and on Tuesday night, he posted on Twitter that Democrats and Republicans “must now focus on strengthening Background Checks!” But Mr. Trump’s first embrace as president of any gun control measures was dismissed by gun control supporters as minor. The National Rifle Association supports the background check legislation and also backs bump stock regulation, although not an outright ban.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/us/politics/trump-bump-stocks.html

Here are 6 gun law changes that almost everyone wants | Stu Bykofsky
Inquirer by Stu Bykofsky, STAFF COLUMNIST  @StuBykofsky |  stubyko@phillynews.com Updated: FEBRUARY 20, 2018 — 12:00 PM EST
In the roiling national debate over guns, some people are playing offense, some are playing defense. Those on offense want to grab guns or ban guns, citing what happened in Australia and Great Britain after mass shootings. Guns were confiscated and owners were compensated. It’s a nice dream for gun haters, but that cannot happen in the United States as long as we have a Second Amendment that the U.S. Supreme Court interprets as guaranteeing an individual’s right to own firearms. Waving Australian and British gun law is as productive as waving Greek law concerning sheep shearing. It doesn’t apply. As a licensed-to-carry gun owner, I believe guns should be accessible to Americans who pass minimal standards to own one, and that does not include all Americans. The Second Amendment, like the First, is subject to certain restrictions, but those should be clearly defined. You don’t abrogate rights on a whim. A strong play on offense would be to target (no pun intended) the Second Amendment. If that’s repealed, gun rights would evaporate like a puddle on a sidewalk in August. But the process of amending the Constitution is challenging, so the anti-gun crowd howls for ineffective bans. But when wolves bay at the moon, it doesn’t change the moon. In advance of the student-led March on Washington scheduled for March 24, I want to help the dialogue by proposing six points of gun control that play defense, enjoy majority support, and barely affect the typical gun owner. What they have in common is keeping guns out of the wrong hands:
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/stu_bykofsky/nra-second-amendment-australia-great-britain-6-gun-law-changes-stu-bykofsky-20180220.html

'A constitutional crisis' The 5-ish Tweets that explain our current redistricting mess | Tuesday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek jmicek@pennlive.com Updated Feb 20, 11:30 AM; Posted Feb 20, 8:05 AM
Good Tuesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
So here's what happens when you take one day off. On Sunday evening, we went to bed within the cozy confines of Pennsylvania's Fourth Congressional District. Sometime on Monday afternoon, when we were about halfway through a repeat viewing of "Captain America: The First Avenger," the tectonic plates shifted, the state Supreme Court did something, and presto, there we were in the freshly renumbered and redrawn 10th Congressional District. Confusing? No doubt. So, as anyone would, we took to the Internetz and the Twitterz to find out what was going on. What we found there was a veritable republic of voices, a noisy and quarrelsome one, to be sure, but it did expand our knowledge (some) of what was going on.
http://www.pennlive.com/capitol-notebook/2018/02/a_constitional_crisis_the_5-is.html#incart_2box_politics

New map, new opportunities: Auditor General Eugene DePasquale weighs Congressional bid | Wednesday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek jmicek@pennlive.com Updated 7:42 AM; Posted 7:31 AM
Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
Much to the chagrin of Republicans, Pennsylvania's newly redrawn congressional map have opened opportunities for Democrats across the state - most notably in the moderate and purple-y Philadelphia suburbs. But whodathunk that Democrats figured they had a serious chance of capturing a congressional seat here in the midstate. Well, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, for one. The York County Democrat is reportedly considering a bid for the brand, spanking new 10th District, which includes Dauphin, Cumberland and a chunk of York County.
http://www.pennlive.com/capitol-notebook/2018/02/new_map_new_opportunities_audi.html#incart_river_index

Pushing gerrymandering fight, Republicans prepare lawsuits challenging Pa. congressional map
Inquirer by Jonathan Lai, Staff Writer  @Elaijuh |  jlai@phillynews.com Updated: FEBRUARY 20, 2018 — 6:46 PM EST
Escalating their fight over the Pennsylvania congressional map imposed by the state Supreme Court, Republicans are preparing at least two separate legal challenges in federal court seeking to block the new district boundaries. Top Republican state lawmakers were continuing to work Tuesday on the challenge they had promised even before the court acted Monday, and Republicans on the national level said they were planning a second lawsuit. The suits could be filed as early as Wednesday. “The suit will highlight the state Supreme Court’s rushed decision that created chaos, confusion, and unnecessary expense in the 2018 election cycle,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Matt Gorman said in a statement Tuesday morning. He said state lawmakers also would join in that suit, which could be filed “as soon as tomorrow to prevent the new partisan map from taking effect.”
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania-gerrymandering-republicans-to-sue-congressional-map-federal-court-20180220.html

Oh, the things we learn from Pa.'s gerrymander fight | John Baer
Philly Daily News by John Baer, STAFF COLUMNIST  baerj@phillynews.com Updated: FEBRUARY 20, 2018 — 4:07 PM EST
Talk about a teachable moment. Pennsylvania’s nationally watched gerrymander battle is proving to be a real education. Not only are citizens, like never before, seeing how raw partisan politics can determine election outcomes. All of us are learning of constitutional issues and separation of powers and when (or not) they matter. High-stakes stuff. With national implications. On Monday, ironically a government holiday, our Democratic-controlled Supreme Court completely changed our congressional maps to favor Democrats. This after tossing maps the Republican-controlled legislature drew to favor Republicans. The swap could give Democrats eight to nine, or more, of the state’s 18 seats in Congress (they now hold five), which would greatly aid in Democratic lust for control of the U.S. House. Party on, D’s. Unless, of course, irate R’s can get federal courts to say, “Wait, yinz can’t do that. The U.S. Constitution (Art. 1, Sec. 4) gives map-drawing power to legislatures, not courts.” (Spoiler alert: Federal courts are usually reluctant to mess with state issues except when the presidency’s at stake – Bush v. Gore, 2000; which, I take it, D’s ain’t over yet.)
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/pennsylvania-supreme-court-gerrymandering-congressional-map-2018-elections-20180220.html

Survey: Philly residents want improvements in school climate, literacy, and investment in the arts
The notebook February 20, 2018 — 3:42pm
More than 3,000 people filled out a citywide questionnaire about Philadelphia schools.
The Mayor’s Office of Education published the results of a citywide survey about Philadelphia schools on Tuesday. Filled out by more than 3,000 people, it was designed to gather input from Philadelphians about the improvements they would like to see in schools and to identify the most important individual and group attributes for the incoming Board of Education, according to city officials. The results will be shared with the nominating panel that is tasked with recommending 27 applicants for the Board of Education to Mayor Kenney, a press release stated. “The results from the community survey on education will be very helpful in the educational nominating panel’s deliberations,” said panel chair Wendell Pritchett in the release. “We have received many compelling applications for the board and will refer to this feedback from the public as we narrow down our recommendations for the mayor. We thank the thousands of individuals who took the time to share their views through the survey.” Between Dec. 12, 2017, and Feb. 7, 2018, more than 3,000 respondents representing all residential Philadelphia zip codes completed the survey. As a whole, respondents identified improved school climate, investing in music and arts curriculum, and increasing literacy levels by 4th grade as their top school-improvement priorities. Respondents prioritized strong ethics and integrity, past experience as an educator, and parents of students as important attributes in individual school board members. They wanted the overall school board’s formation to reflect members committed to public education, qualifications and background of members, and representation of various neighborhoods.
Click here to read the full report.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/02/20/survey-says-residents-want-improved-school-climate-investments-in-music-and-arts-curriculum-and-increased-literacy-levels-by-fourth-grade

As Philly kids learn to read, ‘coaches’ help them along
By Avi Wolfman-Arent February 20, 2018
Shalia Alejandro moved to Philadelphia from Puerto Rico when she was 6, just about the age kids are starting to read. Unlike her peers, though, she was also trying to learn a new language and new customs. The swirl of unfamiliar things left her confused and lacking confidence. “A lot of times, it was really discouraging seeing everyone speak English and you’re just off in the corner like, ‘OK, I need to find a way to be able relate to them,’ ” she said. She broke through in second grade, under the tutelage of a teacher who would give students an hour or more simply to read and grow more comfortable with books. Today, Alejandro is a confident high school senior at Marianna Braccetti Academy Charter School who plans to work in early childhood education some day. After school, she goes back to her alma mater, William Cramp School in North Philadelphia, and employs the same strategy her second-grade teacher used. For one hour, she sits with Soriely Quinonez and they read. Sometimes Alejandro does the reading. Sometimes Soriely works through the text with Alejandro as her guide.
https://whyy.org/articles/philly-kids-learn-read-coaches-help-along/

Referee prevents student from playing with hijab
Philly Trib by Michael D’onofrio Tribune Staff Writer February 20, 2018
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Nasihah Thompson-King chose to stand up for her religious beliefs by taking a seat.
The 16-year-old student from Mastery Charter School Shoemaker Campus was confronted with an unfamiliar dilemma last week by a referee officiating her high school basketball game: Remove the hijab she wears as part of her Islamic faith and take the court, or be prevented from playing. She refused to take off the hijab and stayed on the bench. “My hijab is part of me, and I feel like I was going to take off a part of me to play in the game,” said the high school sophomore as she sat beside her mother, Fatima Thompson, inside their Overbrook home on Monday. The incident occurred Friday during a quarterfinal playoff game against Academy at Palumbo. Thompson-King plays for the Mastery Charter North-Pickett Pumas, which is part of Philadelphia Public League’s District 12. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) governs the referees officiating at the games. The PIAA was closed on Monday for President’s Day and could not be reached for comment. But Philadelphia Public League President James Patrick Lynch said: “This should never have happened.”
http://www.phillytrib.com/news/referee-prevents-student-from-playing-with-hijab/article_b939dc1a-de10-5278-a27d-08168f180993.html

CV team heads to FIRST Lego League World Festival
Debbie Chestnut For The Sentinel February 20, 2018
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Pennsylvania’s Finest Robotics, a team of students from the Cumberland Valley School District, will compete at the FIRST Lego League World Festival. They qualified for the competition, which will be held in April in Detroit, Michigan, by winning the Penn State Berks Regional Championship earlier this month. “We were pretty shocked,” said their coach, Christopher Conway, who was also selected as the regional tournament coach of the year. “Our kids worked so hard throughout the season. They spent countless hours and put in so much time, and it really did pay off for them.”
http://cumberlink.com/news/local/cv-team-heads-to-first-lego-league-world-festival/article_77e0611c-404b-5651-a9b1-f7f27def4127.html

“Granite is the first district in the nation to be financed by private investors who pay upfront for preschool seats.”
Wall Street sees preschool as an investment opportunity when local governments don’t
PBS Newshour by Kyle Spencer Education Feb 15, 2018 3:45 PM EST
GRANITE, Utah — On a recent winter afternoon, the scene inside Dobrila Hasic-Botic’s preschool classroom in Granite, Utah, seemed typical of a high-quality pre-K. A 4-year-old in a poufy pink skirt recited the first letter of her name. A boy in jeans and a golf shirt drew shapes on a small whiteboard in his lap. And a 3-year-old with an infectious smile did a somersault on the rug. But preschool in this struggling Utah district is far from ordinary. Granite is the first district in the nation to be financed by private investors who pay upfront for preschool seats and make a profit if enough of the district’s “at-risk” kids succeed. The controversial financing tool, often referred to as a social impact bond, has allowed this cash-strapped district, one of five in the Salt Lake City area, to provide high-quality early education to thousands of poor 3- and 4-year-olds who might have otherwise stayed home. Taxpayers in Utah favor lean budgets: Even though other states have moved toward state-funded programs, preschool remains a tough sell here. So, in 2013, the local United Way, which had been assisting this district with its preschool programming, made a deal with Goldman Sachs and the J.B. & M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, a Chicago-based non-profit that provides early education funding. They agreed to invest $7 million to expand the district’s award-winning program — it was named a U.S. Department of Education “Center of Excellence” in 2006 — by 3,500 seats over five years. Taxpayers would avoid the cost of upfront money, in return, investors hoped to turn a profit.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/wall-street-sees-preschool-as-an-investment-opportunity-when-local-governments-dont


NPE: Join us in a Day of Action April 20th to Stop Gun Violence in our Schools
Network for Public Education February 16, 2018 by Darcie Cimarusti
After the slaughter of students and staff in Parkland, Florida, the time for action has never been more urgent. The politicians sit on their hands as our children and their teachers are murdered in their schools. We will be silent no more! The failure to enact rational laws that bar access to guns designed for mass shootings is inexcusable. It is past time to speak out and act. Pledge your support to stop gun violence here. We call for mass action on April 20, the anniversary of the horrific shootings at Columbine High School. We urge teachers, families, students, administrators and every member of the community to engage in acts of protest in and around their schools. Create actions that work best in your community.  Organize sit-ins, teach-ins, walkouts, marches–whatever you decide will show your school and community’s determination to keep our students safe. One elementary teacher suggested that teachers and parents link arms around the school to show their determination to protect children.
https://networkforpubliceducation.org/2018/02/join-us-day-action-stop-gun-violence-schools/

Save the Date: PA School Funding Lawsuit Wed. March 7, 2018 9:30 A.M.
Commonwealth Court Hearing on Legislative leaders motions to Dismiss the Wm Penn SD challenge to state funding.
Before the Court en banc sitting in Court Room No. 1 Ninth Floor, Widener Building, 1339 Chestnut Street, One South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107
All members of Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court will hear oral argument on motions to dismiss filed by legislative leaders in the school funding lawsuit William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Dept. of Education, et al.  The Legislators are arguing that the Petition challenging the inadequacy and inequity of Pennsylvania’s funding of schools is moot because the new school formula has supplanted the funding scheme existing when students and school districts filed their Petition in 2015.  In addition, Legislators also contend that the Petition failed to allege that insufficient state funding caused any harm such as poor PSSA results or lack of sufficient instructional resources.   In September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the Commonwealth Court to hold a trial on whether state officials are violating the state’s constitution by failing to adequately and equitably fund public education.  The Legislators objections have delayed efforts to bring this case to trial.   

Updated: Snooze or Lose: Promoting Sleep Health in Adolescents
Dr. Wendy Troxel Mon., March 12 at 7 p.m. in the Radnor High School auditorium 
The Radnor Township School District Adolescent Sleep & School Start Time Study Committee will welcome Dr. Wendy Troxel for a public presentation on Mon., March 12 at 7 p.m. in the Radnor High School auditorium (130 King of Prussia Road, Radnor). Dr. Troxel is a Senior Behavioral Scientist at the RAND Corporation and Adjunct Faculty in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. A licensed clinical psychologist and certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Troxel been widely cited by the media, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Financial Times, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR and BBC. Dr. Troxel was also one of the featured sleep experts in the National Geographic documentary “Sleepless in America.” Her TED talk on the impact of school start times on adolescent sleep has received more than 1.4 million views.
THIS EVENT IS FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED at http://bit.ly/RTSDSnoozeorLose

Help draft a plan to implement a statewide vision for the future of public education in PA!
(Updated) PSBA Member Roundtables/Receptions – February and March Dates
Member Roundtable and Receptions
Join your PSBA Member Roundtable and Reception to hear the public education advocacy and political updates affecting your school district. Take this opportunity to network, learn and develop your leadership skills. Enjoy light hors d'oeuvres and networking with fellow school leaders in your area, then provide your input on the future vision for public education in PA.
Roundtable Discussion: Help draft a plan to implement a statewide vision for the future of public education in PA! PSBA would like to capture your thoughts on what education should look like in the coming decades. We will compile your expertise with the perspectives of others from across the state to develop the Commonwealth Education Blueprint. The Blueprint will then serve as our guiding resource and will set milestones for creating the best public education experience for future generations of students. Don’t miss your opportunity to weigh in!
Agenda:
6:00 pm – 6:15 pm Association Update
Learn the latest news, initiatives and upcoming events from your association.
6:15 pm – 7:00 pm Government Affairs
Bring knowledge back to your district of how the commonwealth budget will fiscally impact it. Discuss the top legislative issues affecting public education. Learn how you can advocate for your school district taxpayers, students and public education success.
7:00 pm – 7:45 pm Networking
Enjoy productive conversation with your school leader colleagues. Boost your network, share your experiences and build a stronger voice for public education.
7:45 pm – 8:30 pm Commonwealth Education Blueprint: Developing a vision for public education
This focus group is your opportunity to share your input in drafting a blueprint for the future of public education. The Commonwealth Education Blueprint is a multiyear effort founded and managed by PSBA to develop and implement a statewide vision for the future of public education. Through this comprehensive project, education stakeholders from across the state and from many areas of expertise are coming together to proactively determine what education should look like in years to come. Having a clear and comprehensive statewide vision will ensure that we provide an increasingly excellent public education experience for children. This is your opportunity to get involved, share your feedback, and help draft the plan for the future of education!
Pricing: This is a complimentary PSBA member event.
Locations/dates:
·         Feb. 26, Parkway West CTC (Section 5)
·         Feb. 27, A. W. Beattie Career Center (Section 5)
·         Feb. 28, Crawford Co. CTC (Section 1)
·         Mar. 1, Seneca Highlands IU 9 (Section 2)
·         Mar. 5, Central Montco Technical HS (Section 8)
·         Mar. 6, Lehigh Carbon Community College (Section 8)
·         Mar. 7, West Side CTC (Section 4)
·         Mar. 8, Montoursville Area HS (Section 3)
·         Mar. 12, PSBA (Section 7)
·         Mar. 13, Altoona Area HS (Section 6)


Registration is now open for the 2018 PASA Education Congress! State College, PA, March 19-20, 2018
Don't miss this marquee event for Pennsylvania school leaders at the Nittany Lion Inn, State College, PA, March 19-20, 2018.
Learn more by visiting http://www.pasa-net.org/2018edcongress 

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Join the PA Principals Association, the PA Association of School Administrators and the PA Association of Rural and Small Schools for PA Education Leaders Advocacy Day at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, at the Capitol in Harrisburg, PA.  
A rally in support of public education and important education issues will be held on the Main Rotunda Steps from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Visits with legislators will be conducted earlier in the day. More information will be sent via email, shared in our publications and posted on our website closer to the event.
To register, send an email to Dr. Joseph Clapper at clapper@paprincipals.org before Friday, June 8, 2018.
Click here to view the PA Education Leaders Advocacy Day 2018 Save The Date Flyer (INCLUDES EVENT SCHEDULE AND IMPORTANT ISSUES.) 

SAVE THE DATE for the 2018 PA Educational Leadership Summit - July 29-31 - State College, PA sponsored by the PA Principals Association, PASA, PAMLE and PASCD.  
This year's Summit will be held from July 29-31, 2018 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA.

Any comments contained herein are my comments, alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other person or organization that I may be affiliated with.


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