Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
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According
to the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Campaign Financing website, one of
the largest 2018 donors (at $100K) to House Speaker Mike Turzai’s Friends of
Mike Turzai is University City Housing Associates, charter school operator
Michael Karp’s organization.
Now Is the Time for Superintendents to Get Political
Harmful immigration policies highlight the need for education advocacy that puts children first
Education Week Commentary By David E. DeMatthews June 22, 2018
On June 20, a group of superintendents from El Paso area school districts convened at the port of entry in Tornillo, Texas. Standing near a tent encampment housing undocumented children, they publicly called for an end to the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their families. Some might ask whether it is wise for superintendents to insert themselves into a national policy debate. Others might suggest a superintendent’s time would best be spent focusing on organizational and academic issues rather than immigration policies. Isn’t the superintendency burdensome enough when just addressing local, school-related issues? These questions are worth asking given traditional superintendent job expectations, but the answers must reflect an overriding concern for the well-being of children and a commitment to human rights.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/06/22/now-is-the-time-for-superintendents-to.html?cmp=soc-twitter-shr
US Supreme Court decision in Janus vs AFSCME strikes down public sector agency fees, requires immediate action by employers
PSBA Website June 27, 2018
Earlier today, PSBA provided guidance for school solicitors regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this morning in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, in which a 5-4 majority of the court declared, in an opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito, that involuntary “fair share” fees collected by public employers on behalf of public sector unions from non-member employees are an unconstitutional violation of the non-member employees’ First Amendment rights. The decision overrules the Court’s 1977 decision in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, in which it had ruled that such compelled non-member agency fees are permissible and do not violate the First Amendment rights of objecting non-member employees. The decision strikes down an Illinois statute that is not identical to Pennsylvania’s Public Employee Fair Share Fee Law but has the same operative characteristics and effect, making it clear that Pennsylvania’s law and provisions of collective bargaining agreements pursuant to it can no longer be implemented lawfully. Consequently, as emphasized in previous PSBA alerts about this case, all collection of the fees from nonmembers of unions must cease immediately, and school employers should immediately initiate communications with the fee-payers and the affected unions to inform them of the employer’s actions and discuss next steps. It is critical that school employers consult with their solicitors as they work through this process.
https://www.psba.org/2018/06/janus-decision-requires-action-by-employers/
Pa. teacher’s unions could feel brunt of Supreme Court decision
WHYY By Avi Wolfman-Arent June 27, 2018
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday in a 5-4 decision that public sector union employees can choose not to pay union dues or fees, a move that could damage union finances and limit their political clout. In Pennsylvania, and nationally, teachers unions could bear the brunt of the court’s ruling. There are 142,374 active members of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union. The number balloons to 180,371 when counting retirees, substitutes, and other smaller categories of members. Those numbers make PSEA one of the Commonwealth’s largest union bulwarks. Its active members represent roughly one fifth of the state’s estimated 665,000 union workers, both public and private sector. PSEA represents another 6,380 employees who have opted out of full union membership and instead pay a lower “fair share” fee. The Supreme Court decision disallows those fees, meaning public sector employees can now decide to pay nothing to the union that represents them. The American Federation of Teachers, which represents teachers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, has another 25,642 active members, and 1,948 employees paying a “fair share” amount.
https://whyy.org/articles/pa-teachers-unions-could-feel-brunt-of-supreme-court-decision/
A sampling of reactions to the Janus decision
The notebook by Hannah Melville June 27 — 3:41 pm, 2018
The U.S. Supreme Court decided Wednesday in favor of the plaintiff in Janus v. AFSCME, overturning the 1977 decision in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education and ending compulsory union dues for public employees. The reactions to the 5-4 decision have been widespread, immediate, and largely predictable. Unions vowed to continue defending working people and lobbying for their rights, while conservative groups called the ruling a victory for free speech. Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president Jerry Jordan called it “a stunning and egregious attack on America’s labor movement.” Jordan said that many improvements in city schools are due to union negotiations. “Class size; lead-free drinking water; and a minimum of one counselor and nurse at every school are among the provisions achieved through collective bargaining. The PFT will not allow the Court’s ruling to undermine the many improvements to teaching and learning conditions we have achieved through contract negotiations.” Dolores McCracken, president of the Pennsylvania State of Education Association (PSEA), said she was unhappy, though not surprised, with the ruling and vowed that her union would continue pushing for change.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/06/27/a-sampling-of-reaction-to-the-janus-decision/
Anti-gerrymandering group wants Gov. Wolf to call special session
Trib Live by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Tuesday, June 26, 2018, 11:36 a.m.
HARRISBURG — An anti-gerrymandering advocacy group wants Gov. Tom Wolf to call a special session urging lawmakers to pass a resolution to amend the state constitution and create a citizens' redistricting commission. The group, March On Harrisburg, said Tuesday that it's delivering a letter to the Democratic governor. Wolf's office had no immediate comment. Lawmakers left the Capitol on Monday, with no plans to return this summer. Left undone is a resolution to create a citizens' commission that's designed to draw legislative and congressional boundaries free of political interference. Lawmakers say July 6 is the deadline to pass it and meet constitutional guidelines if a citizens' commission is to be operating by the 2022 elections. That's when states must redraw boundaries to account for decade-long population shifts identified in the U.S. Census.
https://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/13803598-74/anti-gerrymandering-group-wants-gov-wolf-to-call-special-session
Poll: Casey, Wolf leading in Pennsylvania statewide races
Times Leader By Bill O’Boyle - boboyle@timesleader.com June 27, 2018
BOSTON — A Suffolk University/York Daily Record poll of likely midterm voters shows double-digit leads for Democratic candidates in elections for U.S. Senate and governor in Pennsylvania. Incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (47 percent) leads Republican challenger Lou Barletta (32 percent), and incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf (49 percent) holds a significant edge over GOP nominee Scott Wagner (36 percent). “Unlike the 2016 presidential election in Pennsylvania, a squeaker that went to Donald Trump, the U.S. Senate and governor’s races show a turning back to the predominant Democratic Party,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston. The latest Keystone State registration statistics show Democrats at 48 percent, compared to 38 percent Republicans and 14 percent classified as unaffiliated/independent or other political designations.
https://www.timesleader.com/news/709414/poll-casey-wolf-leading-in-pennsylvania-statewide-races
“The boost in education spending was most desperately needed. State education funding was slashed $1.1 billion in 2011 under the Tom Corbett administration — a wrongheaded move that left our schools and our students in peril and put severe financial pressures on our local school districts. Not surprisingly, the end result was repeated increased school property taxes here in York County and across the state. Now, slowly, we are approaching state education funding levels that are close to where they were before 2011. The state, however, is still far from where it needs to be to "achieve a fair and adequate funding system," according to the Philadelphia-based Education Law Center. “
EDITORIAL: Pennsylvania budget deal mildly encouraging, but there are reasons for concern
York Dispatch Published 7:30 a.m. ET June 27, 2018
Maybe there is hope for bipartisanship after all.
Or maybe it's just a bunch of self-involved politicians simply acting in their own self-interests during an election year, when no one wants to anger voters. No matter the reason, the overall outcome is mildly encouraging, even if there are numerous reasons to be concerned about some of the details. If you haven't heard, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the Republican-controlled Legislature wrapped up budget negotiations a week before Pennsylvania's new government fiscal year starts. You read that correctly. After three years of protracted partisan rancor that resulted in three straight late budgets — including the 2015 debacle, which wasn't settled until March of 2016 — Wolf and his Republican opponents actually acted like adults and performed the duties they were elected to do.
https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/editorials/2018/06/27/editorial-pa-budget-deal-mildly-encouraging-but-far-perfect/729635002/
CV to withdraw bid for McCormick Farm
ABC27 By: Janel Knight Posted: Jun 28, 2018 03:51 AM EDT Updated: Jun 28, 2018 04:44 AM EDT
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -- - Cumberland Valley School board will withdraw its bid to take the McCormick Farm in Silver Spring Township by eminent domain, abc27 News has confirmed. The school district wanted to purchase the 116 acre lot off Old Willow Mill Road to build a new school. In the past five years, the district has welcomed around 14000 new students. They are using some storage areas for classrooms. There was intense backlash from the community. Some thought the plan to take the McCormick Farm set a bad precedent. However, it was the passage of a bill that halted the district's plans. House Bill 2468 makes it difficult for government agencies to use eminent domain to take preserved land. The agency would have to get court approval before the process can be completed, which can be costly. Governor Wolf signed House Bill 2468 into law on Sunday, June 24. The school board must now find a new solution to its growing population.
https://www.abc27.com/news/local/carlisle-west-shore/cv-to-withdraw-bid-for-mccormick-farm/1270080320?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_abc27News
“Under the state’s charter law and overall education funding system, charters end up competing with District schools for the same scarce funding.The state has not moved to consider the stranded costs of students moving to charters. About a third of Philadelphia students in publicly funded schools now attend charters, and Philadelphia accounts for half the charter schools in the state.”
Kacer out as head of Philly charter office in District administrative shakeup
Charters had complained of excessive regulation, but officials said that had nothing to do with the move. She will now run the network of alternative schools.
The notebook by Dale Mezzacappa June 27 — 1:34 pm, 2018
Updated 2:30 p.m with additional comment from former SRC Commissioner Chris McGinley
DawnLynne Kacer is out as head of the District’s Charter Schools Office, which has come under relentless fire from charter operators who contend that it regulates them too harshly and sets unrealistic academic standards. Kacer’s move comes as part of an administrative reorganization that Superintendent William Hite announced in a letter sent Wednesday morning to principals and other administrative staff. For more than a year, charters and the District have been at a standoff over the conditions they would accept in signing new agreements. During its last day of meetings, the School Reform Commission approved more than a dozen charter school agreements, including some that had been on the table for a year or more. But 25 charters, some of which were offered outright renewals and others renewals with conditions, are still holding out in protest.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/06/27/kacer-out-as-head-of-charter-office-in-440-administrative-shakeup/
Blogger rant: Pennsylvania’s most underfunded school districts (based upon the legislature’s own funding formula) may have to wait 20 years for their students to receive the level of resources they need and deserve, while $160 million in tax dollars will now be diverted to unaccountable private and religious schools.
Educational tax-credit program to expand
Lawmakers approve higher limit on credits
Central Penn Business Journal By Hannah Fields, June 27, 2018 at 3:00 AM
State lawmakers are giving more businesses the chance to lower their tax burden by donating money to educational organizations through a widely used tax credit program. The state budget adopted this month increases the volume of tax credits available under the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, or EITC, which typically runs out of funding each year. The new cap for EITC is $160 million, up from $135 million. The EITC program, overseen by the Department of Community and Economic Development, allows businesses to earn tax credits to offset their state tax burden if they make contributions to qualifying education organizations. The organizations - typically private or charter schools - then use the money to offer scholarships to children in kindergarten through 12th grade or to create learning improvement programs. The additional $25 million shows the growth of the EITC from its inception in 2001, according to Elisa Cotelo, program and outreach manager of the REACH Foundation, a Harrisburg-based coalition that advocates for parental choice in education.
http://www.cpbj.com/article/20180627/CPBJ01/180629911/educational-taxcredit-program-to-expand
Marple Newtown board approves tax increase, interim superintendent
Delco Times By Kevin Tustin, ktustin@21st-centurymedia.com, @KevinTustin on Twitter POSTED: 06/27/18, 8:45 PM EDT
NEWTOWN >> Marple Newtown School District administrator Joseph Driscoll was a key figure at a recent school board meeting as the district readies for a new school year. The school board Tuesday night appointed Driscoll to serve as interim superintendent for the second time this calendar year, and also approved the $84.8 million budget that was crafted by the long-time business administrator. The board approved the 2018-19 school year budget with a 2.4 tax increase, the first tax increase in three years, bringing the millage rate to 18.4885 mills. The increase will provide approximately $1.5 million in additional revenue that will pay down $1.2 million in debt services. Fund balance was not committed to balance the budget. The budget actually shrank from the $85.4 million that was originally adopted in the proposed final budget. Driscoll said this was due to final projections for salary and benefits.
http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20180627/marple-newtown-board-approves-tax-increase-interim-superintendent
Grading the States Report Card
Schott Foundation Report June 2018
Download the full report [PDF] Download 4-page Executive Summary [PDF]
This report examines our nation’s commitment to democracy by assessing the privatization programs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia with the goal of not only highlighting the benefits of a public school education, but comparing the accountability, transparency and civil rights protections offered students in the public school setting versus the private school setting. States are rated on the extent to which they have instituted policies and practices that lead toward fewer democratic opportunities and more privatization, as well as the guardrails they have (or have not) put into place to protect the rights of students, communities and taxpayers. This is not an assessment of the overall quality of the public education system in the state — rather it is an analysis of the laws that support privatized alternatives to public schools. This report card, therefore, provides a vital accounting of each state’s democratic commitment to their public school students and their public schools, by holding it accountable for abandoning civil rights protections, transparency, accountability and adequate funding in a quest for “private” alternatives. It is designed to give citizens insight into the extent of privatization and its intended and unintended consequences for our students and our nation.
http://schottfoundation.org/report/grading-the-states
Still Not Enough, Kansas' Supreme Court Says About State's School Funding Amount
Education Week State Ed Watch By Daarel Burnette II on June 25, 2018 5:40 PM
Kansas' Supreme Court Monday said again that the money the state's legislature provides its schools is constitutionally inadequate, far below what its schools need to bring a fourth of its students up to meet basic reading and math standards. The court gave the legislature another year to come up with what could ultimately amount to more than $1 billion within the next five years. "The state has not met the adequacy requirement in Article 6 of the Kansas Constitution under its proposed remediation plan," the justices said in the court ruling, posted late Monday afternoon, said. "But if the state chooses to make timely financial adjustments in response to the problems identified with the plan and its accompanying calculations and then completes that plan, the state can bring the K-12 public education financing system into constitutional compliance." The court did not, as expected, go as far as it did in 2017 when it threatened to shutter the state's school system until the state came up with a new way to distribute money between its wealthier and poorer school districts. That's a relief to the state's many politicians who are up for election this year. The 8-year-old supreme court case, Gannon v. Kansas, has pitted the state's legislature against its court system over who should determine how to spend state money.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/state_edwatch/2018/06/kansas_supreme_court_again_rejects_school_funding.html?cmp=soc-edit-tw
Apply Now for EPLC's 2018-2019 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program!
Applications are available now for the 2018-2019 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP). The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC).
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 13-14, 2018 and continues to graduation in June 2019.
Applications are being accepted now.
Click here to read more about the Education Policy Fellowship Program.
The application may be copied from the EPLC web site, but must be submitted by mail or scanned and e-mailed, with the necessary signatures of applicant and sponsor.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the Fellowship Program and its requirements, please contact EPLC Executive Director Ron Cowell at 717-260-9900 or cowell@eplc.org.
Nominations for PSBA’s Allwein Advocacy Award due by July 16
PSBA Website May 14, 2018
The Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award was established in 2011 by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and may be presented annually to the individual school director or entire school board to recognize outstanding leadership in legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of public education and students that are consistent with the positions in PSBA’s Legislative Platform. In addition to being a highly respected lobbyist, Timothy Allwein served to help our members be effective advocates in their own right. Many have said that Tim inspired them to become active in our Legislative Action Program and to develop personal working relationships with their legislators. The 2018 Allwein Award nomination process will begin on Monday, May 14, 2018. The application due date is July 16, 2018 in the honor of Tim’s birth date of July 16.
Download the Application
https://www.psba.org/2018/05/nominations-allwein-advocacy-award/
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.
2nd Annual National Black Male Educators Convening, Oct. 12-14,
Philly
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 2nd National Black Male Educators
Convening to advance policy solutions, learn from one another, and fight for
social justice. All are welcome. Register to attend. Nominate a speaker.
Propose a workshop. Sponsor the event.
Save the Dates PASA/PSBA School Leadership Conference –
Hershey, Oct. 17-19, 2018
Mark your calendar! The Delegate Assembly will take place Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, at 2:30 p.m.
Housing now open!
Housing now open!
Our Public Schools Our Democracy: Our Fight for the Future
NPE / NPE Action 5th Annual National Conference
October 20th - 21st, 2018 Indianapolis, Indiana
We are delighted to let you know that you can purchase your discounted Early Bird ticket to register for our annual conference starting today. Purchase your ticket here.
Early Bird tickets will be on sale until May 30 or until all are sold out, so don't wait. These tickets are a great price--$135. Not only do they offer conference admission, they also include breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. Please don't forget to register for your hotel room. We have secured discounted rates on a limited basis. You can find that link here. Finally, if you require additional financial support to attend, we do offer some scholarships based on need. Go here and fill in an application. We will get back to you as soon as we can. Please join us in Indianapolis as we fight for the public schools that our children and communities deserve. Don't forget to get your Early Bird ticket here. We can't wait to see you.
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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