Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now
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"What Pennsylvania is doing is part of a larger national trend in which states are recognizing that graduation tests don't help students and they don't help overall educational quality and they don't help the economy," said Bob Schaeffer, public education director of the Somerville, Mass.-based National Center for Fair and Open Testing.”
SB1095: Pa. lawmakers embrace alternatives to high-stakes exams to earn a high school diploma
The state House of Representatives voted to approve an agreed-to bill that provides high school students with alternatives to passing the Keystone Exams to prove their graduation readiness
Penn Live By Jan Murphy jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated 4:52 PM; Posted 4:52 PM
Pennsylvania is well on its way to joining a growing number of states that have decided that requiring students to pass high-stakes tests to graduate is no longer the direction it wants to go. The House on Tuesday voted 191-0 to pass an amended version of Senate Bill 1095 that gives students alternatives to passing the Keystone Exams to prove their graduation readiness. For example, a student could receive a diploma if they meet the local school district or charter school's grade requirements and achieve what the State Board of Education determines to be a passing score on the SATs. Another option is meeting the local grade requirements and passing the military entrance exams. Another calls for meeting the local grade requirements and gaining acceptance into a four-year college. Among several others, there would be an option of meeting local grade requirements and obtaining a full-time job that aligns with their career plan, doing an internship, and satisfactorily completing a pre-approved community service project. In urging his House colleagues to support the bi-partisan, bicameral-backed bill, Rep. Mike Tobash, R-Schuylkill County, called it an "effort to broaden curriculum and to improve student success."
https://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/10/high_stakes_graduation_exams_pa.html
As Pa. special-education costs rise, school districts pick up more of the tab
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna, Posted: 9 hours ago
Increases in special-education costs in Pennsylvania are far outpacing increases in the state's contributions to those expenses, leaving local school districts to pick up bigger shares of the tabs, according to a report released Tuesday. While state aid for special education increased by $71 million between 2008 and 2016, district special-education costs grew by $1.54 billion, according to the report by the Education Law Center and PA Schools Work. For every additional $1 provided by the state, school districts allocated $20, the report said. "Despite recent state investments, the state's special education funding is becoming more inadequate and inequitable," said Reynelle Brown Staley, policy attorney for the law center. "There is simply not enough money coming from the state in either the basic-education or special-education line items." The report comes amid an ongoing lawsuit challenging how Pennsylvania pays for public education. The suit — brought in part by the law center — alleges that the system is inadequate and discriminates against children in poorer communities that cannot keep up with rising costs.
http://www2.philly.com/philly/education/special-education-costs-pennsylvania-school-districts-20181009.html
Asked about another debate, Gov. Wolf says "No Thanks' | Tuesday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek jmicek@pennlive.com Updated Oct 9, 9:00 AM; Posted Oct 9, 8:24 AM
Good Tuesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
Well, you can't blame us for trying. With Gov. Tom Wolf in the hot seat on Monday for an endorsement interview with the PennLive/Patriot-News Editorial Board, we figured what the heck, let's ask him to do another debate with Republican rival Scott Wagner. The answer was a polite, but firm, 'No thank you,' from Pennsylvania's chief executive. "The campaign has run five-and-a-half months," Wolf told the board. "I have done my best to do as robus a job as I can to get my positions and values out, to make sure that people know what I have done." When he was asked whether voters deserved another bite at the apple, given that last week's face-off with Wagner, moderated by "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek, was something of a train wreck, Wolf again gave us the "No gracias."
https://www.pennlive.com/capitol-notebook/2018/10/asked_about_another_debate_gov.html#incart_2box_opinion
RAND study shows 'restorative practices' have positive effect on Pittsburgh Public Schools
ELIZABETH BEHRMAN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lbehrman@post-gazette.com OCT 8, 2018
6:10 PM
“Restorative practices” have been touted among experts and advocates as a key tool to reduce school suspensions and expulsions — and particularly racial disparities among them. It’s a strategy to improve school culture and build better, more communicative relationships between students and teachers rather than pushing students out of the classroom for bad behavior. And it seems to be showing positive results in Pittsburgh Public Schools, at least according to the preliminary results of a years-long, federally funded study of restorative practices at 22 city schools. The RAND Corporation released preliminary results of a two-year study on restorative practices in Pittsburgh schools, research that began shortly after the district was awarded a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice in 2014. Teachers at 22 schools were trained by the International Institute for Restorative Practices, and those schools were paired with and compared to 22 “control” schools with certain similarities, like suspension rates. Researchers also surveyed the teachers, to gauge their use and understanding of the new program.
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/10/08/Pittsburgh-Public-Schools-suspensions-discipline-RAND-restorative-practices-justice-Anthony-Hamlet/stories/201810080010
Northampton school district to beef up security thanks to state grant
Kevin Duffy Special to The Morning Call October 9, 2018
A host of security improvements are on the horizon for the Northampton Area School District following a recent infusion of grant dollars. The district recently received two grants through the state Department of Education totaling nearly $44,000, which Superintendent Joe Kovalchik said will be used across the district. Northampton is also preparing to apply for an Act 44 grant which can award as much as $6 million to any district for a host of needs, he said. The Targeted Equipment Grant of $24,330 will cover the cost of 30 walkie-talkies for security, hall monitors and other staff members; help pay for the district’s Raptor Visitor Management System, which flags sex offenders and other unsafe visitors entering school property by scanning their driver’s licenses; and provide for additional security doors for the high school and all four elementary schools, Kovalchik said.
http://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-northampton-school-security-grants-20181008-story.html
K12 Inc. strives to be more accountable
Politico By KIMBERLY HEFLING (khefling@politico.com; @khefling) 10/09/2018 10:00 AM EDT
With help from Benjamin Wermund
Editor's Note: This edition of Free Morning Education is published weekdays at 10 a.m. POLITICO Pro Education subscribers hold exclusive early access to the newsletter each morning at 6 a.m. To learn more about POLITICO Pro's comprehensive policy intelligence coverage, policy tools and services, click here.
K12 INC. PUSHES TO DO BETTER AMID CRITICISM OF VIRTUAL SCHOOLS: Low graduation and attendance rates have led to widespread scrutiny in recent years of virtual schools, which allow students to do Internet-based schooling on a computer at taxpayers’ expense. One of the largest providers is K12 Inc., which serves 110,000 students in 31 states.
— Kevin Chavous, a former D.C. council member and a founding board member of the American Federation for Children school choice group that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos used to chair, took over a year ago as president of the company’s academics, policy and schools group. He recently stopped by the POLITICO newsroom, and offered insight into work underway at K12 Inc. Here’s what he shared:
— Tracking students. Chavous said the company rolled out a new system to more closely track both student and teacher performance and focus on “aggressive engagement” to ensure students are logging on. Teachers and administrators are held accountable when students aren’t progressing. He noted that only 11 percent of K12’s first-time students are on grade level when they start, so many have a long way to go to catch up academically. “We are going to be very disciplined about making sure we have growth with all of our students,” Chavous said.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-education/2018/10/09/k12-inc-strives-to-be-more-accountable-362548
DeVos Ally, New Leader of For-Profit K12 Inc. Promises to Clean Up Its Shoddy Record
Diane Ravitch’s Blog By dianeravitch October 9, 2018 //
Over the years, it has become obvious that virtual charter schools are a sham. ECOT in Ohio was a spectacular failure, which made millions for its for-profit owner (“the ECOT man”) but cost taxpayers over a billion dollars that should have gone to public schools. The founder of the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is now in jail, convicted of stealing millions of dollars, but convicted only of tax evasion, not embezzlement. June Brown, who operated K12 Inc. schools in Pennsylvania, avoided conviction because of her advanced age (she kept the money). K12 Inc. is perhaps the biggest of the shams because it has the most students. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It makes handsome profits, but its students drop out at a high rate and get low test scores on state tests. The NCAA stripped 24 of the virtual K12 Inc. schools of accreditation a few years back after it discovered that students were often taking the K12 Inc. tests without bothering to first sit for instruction. NCAA officials saw tests that included “true-false” questions, and observed that students could take the test again if they failed. Any number of K12 Inc. virtual schools have been engaged in fraudulent practices that led to fines or even jail sentences for their operators. K12 Inc. has been repeatedly criticized for the poor performance of its students. They start behind and they don’t catch up. See here. See here. See here. See here.
https://dianeravitch.net/2018/10/09/devos-ally-new-leader-of-for-profit-k12-inc-promises-to-clean-up-its-shoddy-record/
How States Have Changed Tax Codes to Mirror Federal Action on School Choice
Education Week Politics K12 By Andrew Ujifusa on October 9, 2018 2:34 PM
UPDATED - When President Donald Trump signed a new tax code into law last December, he approved a change to federally backed college savings plans that school choice advocates said would help their cause. It's been a rare bright spot for choice supporters at the federal level since Trump took office. So as we approach the end of 2018, how have states responded to this new landscape? And what are some key trends for what are known as 529 plans, after a section of the tax code? First, some background if you need it: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changed the rules to allow people who put money into 529 plans—previously reserved for higher education costs—to spend up to $10,000 annually on K-12 expenses, including private school tuition. However, that shift didn't impact state rules for 529 plans, which are named for a section of the tax code. Without changes or clarification in some states, individuals using 529 savings on elementary and secondary education might still incur state tax penalties even if federal law allowed them to use money that way.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2018/10/state-tax-changes-school-choice-federal-action.html
Jamal Khashoggi affair highlights what happens when America abdicates role as free press defender | Trudy Rubin
Inquirer Trudy Rubin | @trudyrubin | trubin@phillynews.com Posted: 8 hours ago
Here's the most astonishing thing about the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist-in-exile and Washington Post columnist, who entered his country's consulate in Istanbul a week ago and never came out. Whoever gave the order to snatch him – and all bets are that it came from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — assumed a renowned journalist could be kidnapped or killed with few repercussions. In the capital of a foreign country. This stunning assumption tells you much about the growing threats to independent journalism in an era of conspiratorial websites, populist hysteria, and dictatorial crackdowns – and the constant Trumpian drumbeat that critical journalists are the "enemy of the people." The Khashoggi affair is a grim illustration of how the risk to journalists increases worldwide when America abdicates its role as global defender of a free press.
http://www2.philly.com/philly/columnists/trudy_rubin/jamal-khashoggi-saudi-journalist-mbs-mohammed-bin-salman-enemy-of-the-people-trump-20181009.html
EdPAC reception helps support election of pro-public education leaders
Join EdPAC for an evening reception with lieutenant governor candidates Jeff Bartos and John Fetterman on behalf of EdPAC, a political action committee that supports the election of pro-public education leaders to the General Assembly. The reception will be held during the 2018 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference on Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Cocoa Suite 2 and 3. Visit the conference website for details and to register online. Walk-ins are welcome!
PSBA Officer Elections: Slate of Candidates – Voting ends Oct. 11th
PSBA members seeking election to office for the association were required to submit a nomination form no later than June 1, 2018, to be considered. All candidates who properly completed applications by the deadline are included on the slate of candidates below. In addition, the Leadership Development Committee met on June 17 at PSBA headquarters in Mechanicsburg to interview candidates. According to bylaws, the Leadership Development Committee may determine candidates highly qualified for the office they seek. This is noted next to each person's name with an asterisk (*). Voting procedure: Each school entity will have one vote for each officer. This will require boards of the various school entities to come to a consensus on each candidate and cast their vote electronically during the open voting period (Aug. 24-Oct. 11, 2018). Voting will be accomplished through a secure third-party, web-based voting site that will require a password login. One person from each member school entity will be authorized as the official person to register the vote on behalf of his or her school entity. In the case of school districts, it will be the board secretary who will cast votes on behalf of the school board. A full packet of instructions and a printed slate will be sent to authorized vote registrars the week of August 7. Special note: Boards should be sure to add discussion and voting on candidates to their agenda during one of their meetings in August, September or October before the open voting period ends.
https://www.psba.org/2018/07/psba-officer-elections-slate-candidates/
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!
“Not only do we have a superstar lineup of keynote speakers including Diane Ravitch, Jesse Hagopian, Pasi Sahlberg, Derrick Johnson and Helen Gym, but there will be countless sessions to choose from on the issues you care about the most. We will cover all bases from testing, charters, vouchers and school funding, to issues of student privacy and social justice in schools.”
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.
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