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, November 30, 2018

PA Ed Policy Roundup Nov. 30, 2018 "I wish my school had..."

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

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup Nov. 30, 2018

"I wish my school had..."

Public Source Project: Failing the Future
Is the way Pennsylvania funds public education the reason some students are left behind?
"I wish my school had..."
About this project: In Pennsylvania, a state with 500 school districts, the funding crisis of public education is not a breaking news story. It's been the reality for years. Students study in decaying buildings, can only dream about art classes and fight the stigma of being from "that school." The crisis of funding public education is imminent as the court is set to look into how Pennsylvania funds public education and if it violates the State Constitution. In this series, we explore deepening inequities across school districts and ask: Will the school funding crisis in Pa. ever be solved?
https://schoolfundingpa.publicsource.org/

Special ed funding slips
Butler, Mars maintain same levels of instruction
Cranberry Eagle Written by: Tanner Cole Published: November 28, 2018
Trevor Relue, 14, a ninth-grader at Mars High School, helps run his school's coffee shop as part of the Life Skills class. School districts are increasingly relying on local tax dollars to fund special education programs, according to a report by Pennsylvania's Education Law Center. Schools in Butler County are increasingly relying on local tax dollars to fund special education programs as state funding has stagnated for several years, a recent report found. The county isn't alone: Special education funding across Pennsylvania mirrors the situation in Butler County schools. The report's researchers at Pennsylvania's Education Law Center — along with those involved in educating children with disabilities in Butler County — see a growing local dependency on state legislators to blame for the lack of funding. As Reynelle Brown Staley, the policy attorney who led the report, explained it, “the amount of money coming from the state just isn't increasing a lot.”
“Costs are rising at a rate that is far higher than the level of state funding,” Staley said. “State funding isn't even rising fast enough to meet inflation.” Staley and other researchers found that special education costs in Pennsylvania increase by about $200 million per year. Between 2008 and 2016, state funding increased by a total of just $72 million. Special education costs grew by $1.5 billion in that time, researchers found. Budget setting sessions at school boards can become tense affairs, Staley said, and often parents and taxpaying spectators walk away feeling frustrated. She argued that there's a simple reason school districts are always debating which cuts to make in a given year, rather than which programs to expand. “Some just don't have the local wealth to be able to generate thousands or millions of dollars to meet funding needs,” Staley said. “Instead, they're figuring out ways to cut costs. It may be that they're raising class sizes or cutting programs. They're doing things that are not allowing them to maintain the same quality of programming.”
http://www.thecranberryeagle.com/article/20181128/CRAN0101/711289802/-1/CRAN

Gov. Wolf forms commission to examine redistricting
Penn Live By The Associated Press Updated Nov 29, 1:02 PM; Posted Nov 29, 1:02 PM
Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor is setting up a 15-member commission to look for ways to improve the state’s redistricting process. Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday signed an order to create the Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission, naming as chairman David Thornburgh, who also heads the good-government watchdog Committee of Seventy. Former congressman Charlie Dent, a Lehigh County Republican, is also on the commission. Wolf's executive order says the commission will look into what other states have done, gather public comment and recommend ways to make the process fairer. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the state's Republican-drawn congressional map, replacing it in February with district lines that in this month's election produced an evenly divided congressional delegation. Pennsylvania will redraw the boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts following the 2020 census.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/11/gov-wolf-forms-commission-to-examine-redistricting.html#incart_river_index

Pa. Republican leaders slam Gov. Wolf’s redistricting panel
Penn Live By Ron Southwick | rsouthwick@pennlive.com rsouthwick@pennlive.com Updated Nov 29, 5:51 PM; Posted Nov 29, 3:24 PM
Top Republican leaders are bashing Gov. Tom Wolf over his new order to create a redistricting commission. Republican legislative leaders said Thursday the Democratic governor is acting without input from the General Assembly and in defiance of the state Constitution. They contend the commission isn’t representing large parts of Pennsylvania, including rural communities. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, House Speaker Mike Turzai, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman and House House Majority Leader-elect Brian Cutler issued a blistering statement Thursday afternoon. The GOP response came a few hours after the governor announced an order forming the panel.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/11/pa-republican-leaders-slam-gov-wolfs-redistricting-panel.html#incart_river_index

Pa. superintendent salaries: 2017-18
PA Post by Ed Mahon NOVEMBER 19, 2018 | 10:44 PM
In the database below, you can see the salaries for school district superintendents. Salaries are based on a snapshot date for the 2017-18 school year. You can search for a superintendent based on his or her name, by district and by county. And for some comparison, we’ve included additional details, such as what the average classroom teacher in the district earns and how many students are in the district. Information is based on what districts reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
https://papost.org/2018/11/19/pa-superintendent-salaries-2017-18-2/

“Statewide, about 73 percent of classroom teachers in public schools last year were women. But only about 28 percent of school district superintendent were, according to a PA Post analysis of state data.”
Women are more likely to work in Pa. public schools — but a lot less likely to lead school districts
'You are, as a female, really having to stand up, and maybe sometimes stand up a little taller and be noticed,' said one superintendent.
PA Post by Ed Mahon NOVEMBER 20, 2018 | 05:00 AM
The handshake might seem like a small thing. But Janet Serino notices it. Serino has worked in education for more than 40 years. She’s now a superintendent at a school district in Luzerne County, an area without any other women in similar positions. Serino think she is sometimes treated differently than her male colleagues. The handshake is one small way. “Men sometimes hesitate to shake the hand of a woman,” Serino said. “But they’ll go right up and shake the hand of that gentleman.”
https://papost.org/2018/11/20/women-are-more-likely-to-work-in-public-schools-in-pennsylvania-but-a-lot-less-likely-to-lead-school-districts/

No tax increase in Pittsburgh Public Schools proposed budget
ELIZABETH BEHRMAN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lbehrman@post-gazette.com NOV 29, 2018 11:20 AM
Pittsburgh Public Schools is finalizing its 2019 general fund budget, which does not include a tax increase. The $643.7 million spending plan includes a 3 percent increase over last year and will use about $28.3 million from the district's fund balance. Slightly more than half the preliminary budget — 52 percent — is earmarked for salary and benefits payments. About 13 percent of the budget will go to charter school tuition payments, 13 percent to the district’s special education programs and about 5 percent for transportation costs.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/11/29/Pittsburgh-Public-Schools-annual-budget-taxes-district/stories/201811280130

Teacher Wade Owlett Recognized
Owlett honored as both State and National Rural Teacher of the Year!
Wellsboro Home Page by John Vogt and Kimberly Johns – November 8, 2018
On today’s broadcast feature Mr. Wade Owlett is honored as both State and National Rural Teacher of the year. Wade Owlett is a 5th-grade teacher at Clark Wood Elementary School in Elkland. Earlier this year he received the Pennsylvania Rural Teacher of the Year Award. This made him a candidate for the National Rural Teacher of the Year Award. And, he won! He received the award on October 12, 2018, in Denver, Colorado. In honor of Wade’s accomplishments as an outstanding teacher, leaders from the State of Pennsylvania and our community came together to thank Wade and present him with citations highlighting his service. The event took place Wednesday, November 7th at Clark Wood Elementary School. Principal Jess Millard welcomed Superintendent Dr. Diana Barnes, Tioga County Commissioners Roger Bunn, Erick Coolidge, and Mark Hamilton, PA State Representative Clint Owlett, who is Wade’s brother and PA State Senator Joseph Scarnati.
http://www.wellsborohomepage.com/wade-owlett-named-rural-teacher-of-the-year/

Superintendents' Forum: Building our future workforce
Event shows possibilities in connecting students with local employers.
Reading Eagle WRITTEN BY JILL M. HACKMAN WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2018 07:48 PM
On Oct. 30, more than 200 representatives from Berks County business and community organizations, elected officials, educators and students came together for the second annual Career Ready Berks School to Work Symposium. The event was a celebration of the accomplishments of the past year as well as a call to action for the future. The Career Ready Berks Alliance is a coalition of the 18 Berks school districts, Career and Technology Centers, business and industry and the Berks County Intermediate Unit, with the support of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, the Northeast Chamber of Commerce, and the Berks County Workforce Development Board. This alliance is working to provide equity and access to career awareness and exploration opportunities for the more than 70,000 students in Berks County. Bringing business and industry together with K-12 education will help students to explore career opportunities and make more informed decisions about their future. The experiences will also help to keep our talented youth here and fill the need for a skilled workforce in the county. The initiative is centered on the following philosophy: career development equals workforce development, which equals economic development for Berks.
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/superintendents-forum-building-our-future-workforce?platform=hootsuite

Pennsylvania politicians head to New York City to network and seek spotlight
Post-Gazette by ANGELA COULOUMBIS Harrisburg Bureau NOV 29, 2018 7:26 PM
With midterm elections over, and a crop of fresh new faces on Pennsylvania's political scene, this year's annual weekend of schmoozing and networking in New York City — ironically called the Pennsylvania Society — will be all about jostling for the spotlight. The mad dash to Manhattan this week is ostensibly to attend some government-like forums, but it's mostly to fundraise, party and — for the ambitious — draw attention. The itinerary features an exhaustive list of dinners, receptions and cocktail parties (most invitation-only) hosted by law firms, lobbyists, and others with a financial stake in Keystone State government and politics. The burning topic of conversation tends to be less about policy and more about who is showing up where — and why.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2018/11/29/Pennsylvania-politicians-head-to-New-York-City-to-network-and-seek-spotlight/stories/201811290164

Columbia approves 3.15 percent pay raise for teachers in new collective bargaining agreement
Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer November 30, 2018
The financially-strapped Columbia Borough School District dug deep enough to give its teachers a 3.15 percent salary increase per year under a new, five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Columbia Education Association. To offset the increased costs, the district trimmed its health care benefits and consolidated its pay scale to offer a more competitive salary for new teachers. District Superintendent Tom Strickler said the contract, which is retroactive to July 1, 2018, is “very positive” for everyone involved. “The students win with members of an education team that are long term,” he said. “This agreement provides compensation and benefits that are equitable and competitive.” Arlene Gibble, CEA president and a first-grade teacher at Park Elementary School, described the contract as “a mutual agreement with both parties willing to compromise.” Under the new contract, which was approved by the school board at its Nov. 19 meeting, the annual pay scale for teachers in the 2018-19 school year ranges from $44,712 to $84,607, depending on years of experience and level of education.
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/columbia-approves-percent-pay-raise-for-teachers-in-new-collective/article_aea05e80-f420-11e8-921e-ef2b49e1a298.html

Tax impact ranked last in Perk Valley facility survey
Pottstown Mercury by Evan Brandt ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com @PottstownNews on Twitter November 30, 2018
PERKIOMEN — When a group of more than 100 residents of the Perkiomen Valley School District was asked to rank priorities regarding school facilities, minimizing tax impact came in dead last. Instead, maintaining small class size and equity of instructional opportunity were the two top priorities identified among 10 by the more than 100 people who attended a special Perkiomen Valley School District meeting about facilities — with a particular focus on South Elementary School. Driving public interest in the issue is the possibility of South Elementary School being closed; or renovated; or replaced and all the ripples of district-wide impact that decision will send out into the greater school community.
https://www.pottsmerc.com/news/tax-impact-ranked-last-in-perk-valley-facility-survey/article_c960ca44-f429-11e8-b15f-5382b5ff951c.html

Are Civics Lessons a Constitutional Right? This Student Is Suing for Them
Many see the lack of civics in schools as a national crisis. A federal lawsuit says it also violates the law.
New York Times By Dana Goldstein Nov. 28, 2018
Aleita Cook, 17, has never taken a class in government, civics or economics. In the two social studies classes she took in her four years at a technical high school in Providence, R.I. — one in American history, the other in world history — she learned mostly about wars, she said. Left unanswered were many practical questions she had about modern citizenship, from how to vote to “what the point of taxes are.” As for politics, she said, “What is a Democrat, a Republican, an independent? Those things I had to figure out myself.” Now she and other Rhode Island public school students and parents are filing a federal lawsuit against the state on Thursday, arguing that failing to prepare children for citizenship violates their rights under the United States Constitution. They say the state has not equipped all of its students with the skills to “function productively as civic participants” capable of voting, serving on a jury and understanding the nation’s political and economic life.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/28/us/civics-rhode-island-schools.html

Annual PenSPRA Symposium set for March 28-29, 2019
Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Website
Once again, PenSPRA will hold its annual symposium with nationally-recognized speakers on hot topics for school communicators. The symposium, held at the Conference Center at Shippensburg University, promises to provide time for collegial sharing and networking opportunities. Mark you calendars now!
We hope you can join us. Plans are underway, so check back for more information.
http://www.penspra.org/

Build on finance, policy, board culture skills at PSBA’s Applied School Director Training
Four convenient locations in December and January
Take the next step in your professional development with Applied School Director Training. Building upon topics broadly covered in New School Director Training, this new, interactive evening event asks district leaders to dive deeper into three areas of school governance: school finance, board policy and working collaboratively as a governance team. Prepare for future leadership positions and committee work in this workshop-style training led by experts and practitioners. Learn how to:

· Evaluate key finance documents such as budget and audit materials

· Review and analyze board policies and administrative regulations

· Build positive board culture by developing strong collaboration skills

Locations and Dates:
Dec.11, 2018 — Seneca Valley SD
Dec. 12, 2018 — Selinsgrove, Selinsgrove Area Middle School
Jan. 10, 2019 — Bethlehem, Nitschmann Middle School
Jan. 17, 2019 — State College
Cost: This event is complimentary for All-Access members or $75 per person with standard membership and $150 per person for nonmembers. Register online by logging in to myPSBA.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/applied-school-director-training-state-college/

PASBO is looking for leaders! The deadline for board seats is Dec 31st, 2018.
PASBO members who desire to seek election as Director or Vice President should send a letter of intent with a current resume and picture to the Immediate Past President Edward G. Poprik, PCSBO, who is chair of the PASBO Nominations and Elections Committee.
More info: https://www.pasbo.org/election

NSBA 2019 Advocacy Institute January 27-29 Washington Hilton, Washington D.C.
Register now
The upcoming midterm elections will usher in the 116th Congress at a critical time in public education. Join us at the 2019 NSBA Advocacy Institute for insight into what the new Congress will mean for your school district. And, of course, learn about techniques and tools to sharpen your advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Save the date to join school board members from across the country on Capitol Hill to influence the new legislative agenda and shape the decisions made inside the Beltway that directly impact our students. For more information contact federaladvocacy@nsba.org.

PSBA Board Presidents’ Panel
Nine locations around the state running Jan 29, 30 and 31^st.
Share your leadership experience and learn from others in your area at this event designed for board presidents, superintendents and board members with interest in pursuing leadership roles. Workshop real solutions to the specific challenges you face with a PSBA-moderated panel of school leaders. Discussion will address the most pressing challenges facing PA public schools.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/board-presidents-panel-2/

2019 NSBA Annual Conference Philadelphia March 30 - April 1, 2019
Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107
Registration Questions or Assistance: 1-800-950-6722
The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the students. Join us in Philadelphia for a robust offering of over 250 educational programs, including three inspirational general sessions that will give you new ideas and tools to help drive your district forward.
https://www.nsba.org/conference

Save the Date: PARSS Annual Conference May 1-3, 2019
Wyndham Garden Hotel, Mountainview Country Club
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
https://www.parss.org/Annual_Conference

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.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

PA Ed Policy Roundup Nov. 29: Departing PA House members who served 10 years or more receive medical, dental, vision & prescription insurance for the rest of their lives.

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 Nov. 29, 2018

Departing PA House members who served 10 years or more receive medical, dental, vision & prescription insurance for the rest of their lives.

Philadelphia Reading Captains Needed
Read by 4^th Website
To help children become better readers, Read by 4th launched Reading Captains, an ambitious effort to place a literacy resource leader on each and every neighborhood block. As a Reading Captain, you will attend an orientation to gain knowledge of the reading resources available throughout the city, then share these resources with your friends and neighbors. This can be done at community centers, block parties, elementary or preschool events, or even at a grocery store. The possibilities are endless!
What’s a Reading Captain?

· A person over the age of 18, who is committed to sharing literacy resources with the members of his/her community

· Someone who is already connected to families in their neighborhood

· Able to work collaboratively with Read by 4th staff and community partners

· Committed to transforming Philadelphia’s littlest learners into big readers

As a Reading Captain, you will:

· Attend an orientation to learn about the literacy resources available to families throughout the city

· Share what you learned with parents and caregivers in your neighborhood, workplace, grocery store, or even your barber shop

· Meet with Reading Captains in your area to brainstorm ways to better connect families with resources, problem solve and make new friends

Register below to attend a Reading Captain orientation!
http://readby4th.org/get-involved/reading-captains-2/?platform=hootsuite

When School Funding Isn’t Fair
What does educational inequity look like in Pennsylvania's schools?
Education Writers Association (EWA Radio: Episode 180) SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 EMILY RICHMOND SUBSCRIBE TO #EWARADIO
In recent years, multiple U.S. Secretaries of education, appointed by both Republicans and Democrats, have called access to quality public schools a civil rights issue. At the same time, a growing number of states face court challenges to how they fund their K-12 systems, amid concerns that current approaches exacerbate inequities, particularly for historically underserved groups like students of color. In a new project for Public Source, a nonprofit news site, Mary Niederberger looks at these issues in Pennsylvania, including the long-term impact on students, schools, and communities where education dollars have been stretched to the breaking point. In wealthier districts, fine arts programs, up-to-date facilities and Advanced Placement classes are considered standard. But for students in poorer schools, often just a few miles away, outdated textbooks and minimal opportunities for advanced learning, fine arts programs, and support services are widespread. What’s the latest on a lawsuit demanding an overhaul of Pennsylvania’s school finance system? What does the data show on disparities in educational opportunities based on the local tax base? And how did Niederberger, an EWA Reporting Fellow, use that data to inform her on-the-ground reporting in classrooms and schools? She also offers tips for spotlighting student voices, and suggests story ideas for reporters covering school equity issues in their own communities.
https://www.ewa.org/ewa-radio/when-school-funding-isnt-fair

“Miccarelli – and 22 other departing House members this year who served 10 years or more – will receive medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance for the rest of their lives. Their current or future children can receive them as well until they reach 26 years old.

Miccarelli and the other retiring House members’ annual contribution for their insurance coverage is just 1 percent of their final year’s salary. That 1 percent for departing members this year amounts to $872.

Taxpayers will pick up the rest of the yearly tab: $11,332 for single person coverage and $26,799 for a married couple, according to information obtained through a Right to Know request filed with the House. Departing members with dependent children cost even more.

Additionally, retiring members and their spouses with 10 years of service also are eligible for long-term care insurance. The cost for that benefit is $842 a year, according to information provided by the House. Senators leaving after eight years of service get similar health and long-term care benefits.

For Miccarelli, who got married in February, the annual cost to taxpayers will be $27,641 for his and his wife’s health benefits.

Additionally, Miccarelli is eligible for a state pension. Based on ballpark estimates calculated by PennLive, the maximum annual annuity he would receive is $32,311, assuming he doesn’t retire before the age of 50.”

After assault accusations, Rep. Nick Miccarelli to leave House post with benefits, pension intact

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated 10:48 AM; Posted 6:20 AM
After a tumultuous nine months of seeing his stellar reputation as a lawmaker and Iraq War veteran tarnished by sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, state Rep. Nick Miccarelli is about to leave his House seat with a generous benefits package intact. Miccarelli’s 10-year run as a member of the state House of Representatives representing a portion of Delaware County ends on Friday. By sticking around to complete his fifth term of office, Miccarelli becomes eligible for retirement benefits unheard of in the private sector.
https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2018/11/rep-nick-miccarelli-set-to-leave-house-post-with-benefits-pension-intact.html#incart_river_index

Teacher Pay: How Pennsylvania Ranks
Are teachers in Pennsylvania paid enough? What would you like to tell Pennsylvania lawmakers about teacher salaries?
Pittsburgh Patch By Eric Heyl, Patch Staff | Nov 27, 2018 10:58 am ET
High-profile teacher strikes in a handful of states earlier this year could be a foreshadowing of issues in newly configured state legislatures in 2019. School funding and teacher pay drove at least 177 teachers to run for election in recent midterm elections, and at least 42 of them won, mostly in statehouse races. Nationally, teachers were paid an average annual salary $60,483 in the 2017- 2018 school year, according to the most recent data available from the National Education Association. In Pennsylvania average salary was $67,398, ranking 9th among U.S. states. In general, teachers in K-12 public schools are paid about 30 percent less than comparably educated U.S. workers, according to the Brookings Institute. Globally, U.S. teacher salaries lag far behind, even when compared to Finland, known for its meager teacher salaries. The Brookings Institute said that to match salaries in Finland would require a 10 percent raise for elementary school teachers, an 18 percent raise for middle school teachers and a 28 percent raise for high school teachers.
https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/teacher-pay-how-pennsylvania-ranks

38 Pennsylvania Career and Technical Centers Receive Funding for Equipment Upgrades
Governor Wolf’s Website November 28, 2018
Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf announced today the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is awarding nearly $1.2 million in competitive grants to 38 career and technical centers and area vocational technical education schools to purchase new equipment that will give students hands-on training for careers needed by local employers. “There is incredible demand for skilled workers in communities throughout Pennsylvania,” said Governor Wolf. “This equipment will help students get the training they need for good jobs in their local communities. This will further strengthen our talented and educated workforce and continue to bring jobs to Pennsylvania while making our economy stronger.” The maximum grant allowed under the program is $50,000, and each grant must be matched dollar-for-dollar from a local source which could include local school funds or contributions from businesses and industry partners.
https://www.governor.pa.gov/38-pennsylvania-career-technical-centers-receive-funding-equipment-upgrades/

High school graduation rates in central Pa.: York, Harrisburg struggle, but what about others?
By Jan Murphy | PennLive.com | Posted November 28, 2018 at 06:00 AM | Updated November 28, 2018 at 07:58 AM
Pennsylvania has set a goal for 2030 of having 92.4 percent of its high school seniors graduating in four years. Thirty-six of the 86 high schools, full-time career and technical schools, and charter schools based in eight southcentral counties have met or exceeded that goal based on the latest information available on graduation rates from 2016-17, according to the state Department of Education's Future Ready PA Index. The statewide average for the Class of 2017 was 86.6 percent. The following shows the four-year graduation rate for 85 of those schools, starting with the lowest and working toward the highest. The graduation rate for Harrisburg School District's cyberschool, Cougar Academy, wasn't available in the report.
https://www.pennlive.com/expo/news/erry-2018/11/e673292fe56418/graduation-rates-how-did-south.html

Blogger note: your public tax dollars sent as tuition payments paid for this ad.
Blogger commentary: Unless your child is a highly motivated self-starter, cyber education may not be appropriate. Not one of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools has ever achieved a passing School Performance Profile score of 70 in any of the five years that the SPP has been in place.
Advertisement: What Parents Need to Know About Cyber Charter Schools
Lehigh Valley Live Paid Advertisement For PA Cyber on November 07, 2018 at 11:00 PM
If there is one thing that people can agree on these days, it's that all children deserve an outstanding school, and an equal opportunity to receive an excellent education. The growing presence and popularity of public charter schools is giving more and more families the right to choose the classroom environment that is best for their child. Gone are the days when parents and students could only decide between paying for a private education, or attending the local public school. Today, among the most popular public education options Pennsylvania families are choosing are cyber charter schools. A cyber charter school is a public school in which students and families connect with skilled and caring state-certified teachers anytime, from anyplace. Cyber charter schools use the power of the Internet to overcome the traditional boundaries of time and space, making it possible for students and parents to deeply personalize the learning experience from the comfort and safety of their own homes. As public schools, cyber charters don't charge tuition, meaning the quality of a child's education — and her opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed — is no longer tied to the zip code in which she lives.
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sponsor-content-n/?prx_t=mkAEAeuAtAprgLA

“In the last three school years, 12 of the state’s 14 cyber charter schools spent more than $21 million combined in taxpayer dollars promoting their schools, PublicSource found through Right-to-Know requests. The Commonwealth Charter Academy spent the most of the cyber charters on advertising; it spent $3.2 million in 2015-16 and $4.4 million in 2016-17.
Twelve of the 14 brick-and-mortar charter school operators in Allegheny County paid a total of about $678,000 over the same three school years to promote their schools and recruit students.
At the same time, most of the 43 traditional school districts in Allegheny County said they spent nothing on advertising or student recruitment.”
Pa. charter schools spend millions of public dollars in advertising to attract students
Public Source By Stephanie Hacke and Mary Niederberger AUG. 29, 2017
PART OF THE SERIES The Charter Effect|
This series will expose and explain the data and records behind the charter schools operating in Allegheny County.
If you’re a parent, it’s likely Facebook knows it. If you’re not happy with your child’s current school, Facebook probably knows that, too. And you are likely to be hit with paid, highly targeted ads offering alternatives. That’s why when you scroll through your news feed on Facebook you may see a sponsored photo of a wide-eyed child and parent thrilled about their tuition-free, personalized education at a Pennsylvania cyber charter school. If you pay property taxes, you likely paid for this ad campaign. See the ad on the side of the Port Authority bus that shows happy students and a message that Propel Montour High School has spaces available in grades 9 and 10. Your property taxes paid for that, too. Television ads, radio promotions, social media ads and billboards promoting cyber and brick-and-mortar charter schools are everywhere. Some charter operators pay for online keyword searches that prompt their school’s websites to show up first when a parent searches for certain terms related to charter schools or a student’s need for an alternative education setting.
https://projects.publicsource.org/chartereffect/stories/pennsylvania-charter-schools-spend-millions-of-public-dollars-in-advertising-to-attract-students.html

Upper Darby saved on teacher expenses in 2017-18
Delco Times By Kevin Tustin ktustin@21st-centurymedia.com November 29, 2018
UPPER DARBY — Turnover of teachers and staff has kept the Upper Darby School District under budget for the last school year. According to administrators at a Tuesday committee meeting, the district ended up with an extra $500,000 in district coffers in a $199 million budget for 2017-18. Part of that attributed to spending $4.47 million less on salaries and benefits than projected. Turnover in the district was at 80 teachers for the year; 55 of them had a Master’s degree or higher. “Staff turnover in the 100s and 200s (salary and benefit budget line items) contribute to us allowing to balance our budget in the other areas that may have been over, which then states that we actually put back into our fund balance $509,000,” said Acting Superintendent Dan McGarry. McGarry said the district brings in teachers with lesser experience who then get professional development and attain a Master’s degree while employed with the district. They then go on to other districts after earning those benefits. With that comes lesser-experienced teachers to replace them and at a lower pay scale.
https://www.delcotimes.com/news/upper-darby-saved-on-teacher-expenses-in/article_af1ddc34-f35d-11e8-b35e-5bfe6c85b365.html

Colorful, complex, proud: Telling the story of S. Philadelphia HS through public art
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Posted: November 28, 2018- 4:52 PM
Cheerleaders leaped into the air amid the pop and shower of confetti cannons outside South Philadelphia High on Wednesday. The mayor looked on, clapping. Students kept looking up at the reason they had gathered in the bitter cold: The new mural that told their school's story — colorful, complex, proud. "That's me up there," said Rakim Perry, a South Philadelphia senior who has been involved in the project since its inception in 2016. He smiled at Parts Per Million, the giant mural highlighting the school's diversity, which took its inspiration from math, science, and geography.
http://www2.philly.com/philly/education/south-philadelphia-high-school-mural-arts-20181128.html

Tamaqua implements metal detectors as litigation looms over policy to arm staff
Sarah M. Wojcik Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call November 28, 2018
With litigation hanging over the Tamaqua Area School District’s policy to arm staff, the district took steps this week to beef up security with a new entrance procedure and the use of metal detectors at the middle and high school. The district sent a notice to parents and guardians over the Thanksgiving holiday break to announce a new safety measure that went into effect Monday. The changes come on the heels of a legal challenge to Policy 705, a measure passed unanimously in September allowing for teachers to volunteer to be trained to carry guns in school. The aim is to provide staff with the resources to thwart an active shooter. The new entrance procedure for students means that high school students will only enter the building through the front or back lobbies. Bus drop-offs and students eating breakfast before the start of the day are to enter only the back lobby only at 7 a.m.
https://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-tamaqua-security-metal-detectors-20181128-story.html

Boyertown School District takes $1M step toward new $5M stadium
Pottstown Mercury by Evan Brandt ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com @PottstownNews on Twitter November 28, 2018
EARL TWP. — The Boyertown Area School Board voted Tuesday night to spend more than $1 million for new grandstands at the new stadium being built at the high school. Although the financing for the $5 million project has not yet been decided upon, the vote occurred to take advantage of an offer to skim $100,000 off the price of the new stands if the order was placed before Dec. 1. The board decided in June to move ahead with demolishing the old stadium, which developed structural problems due to water infiltration. The package the board approved during Tuesday's meeting at Earl Elementary School is with Stadium Solutions and includes the home side grandstands, the home side press box and a new handicap platform for the visitor side.
https://www.pottsmerc.com/news/boyertown-school-district-takes-m-step-toward-new-m-stadium/article_8d8260dc-f33e-11e8-955e-77c21c09cfcc.html

Dr. Jerry Parker, 71, former Delco college president who worked to open higher ed to everyone
Inquirer by Bonnie L. Cook, Posted: November 28, 2018- 4:17 PM
Dr. Jerry Parker, 71, of Upper Darby, former president of Delaware County Community College and an educator who worked to make higher learning possible for those with few advantages, died Tuesday, Nov. 20, of cancer at his home. Dr. Parker had deep roots in Upper Darby. In response to a classified job ad, he moved there four decades ago to begin his career at Delaware County Community College. He served as its leader for 14 years before retiring in 2017. "Jerry was a compassionate, community-minded visionary who devoted most of his life to educating and training students," said the current college president, L. Joy Gates Black. "Delaware and Chester Counties benefited significantly from his knowledge and passion for higher education. He will be sorely missed by his peers, colleagues, and friends."
http://www2.philly.com/philly/obituaries/jerry-parker-delaware-county-community-college-20181128.html

Harbor Creek School District, teachers resume negotiations
GoErie By Valerie Myers Posted at 2:01 AM
Talks resume after school board and teachers react differently to fact-finder’s report.
A state fact-finder’s recommendations to resolve contract disputes between the Harbor Creek School District and its teachers so far haven’t produced a settlement. Salaries, employee health insurance and teacher workload are among unresolved issues addressed in the Nov. 14 report to the school district and district teachers by Louis Imundo Jr. of the state Department of Labor and Industry Bureau of Mediation. The Harbor Creek Education Association “overwhelmingly” rejected the report Nov. 19, said Pennsylvania State Education Association representative Marcus Schlegel, who has been working with Harbor Creek teachers in the contract negotiations. The union represents 155 teachers at Harbor Creek High School, Harbor Creek Junior High School and Clark, Klein and Rolling Ridge elementary schools. The Harbor Creek School Board voted 6-2 to accept the fact-finder’s report during a special meeting Nov. 21. School directors didn’t agree with all of the report’s recommendations, most notably wage increases proposed by teachers and recommended by the fact-finder, said Mark Wassell, the attorney representing the school district in the negotiations. The district is financially healthy, Imundo said in his report, and “can well afford a wage increase for employees without putting a strain on its finances.” The district had offered increases of 2, 2.5, 2.6 and 2.5 percent.
http://www.goerie.com/news/20181129/harbor-creek-school-district-teachers-resume-negotiations#

Trump Administration Is Set to Ban Bump Stock Devices on Guns
New York Times By Katie Rogers Nov. 28, 2018
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is preparing to officially ban bump stocks on guns, a move that would put an end to the sale of attachments that allow semiautomatic rifles to fire faster and that would follow through on an order President Trump made this year to the Justice Department to regulate the devices. An administration official said on Wednesday evening that a formal ban will be rolled out in the coming days to weeks, a timeline first reported by CNN. Mr. Trump, who has in recent weeks hinted that the ban would be coming, first called for the Justice Department to re-examine the regulations after a mass shooting in February at a Florida high school left 17 dead. The president’s declaration set into motion a chain of events that surprised officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which had already been tasked with reviewing whether the devices could be banned, a directive given after a massacre in Las Vegasin October 2017. In that mass shooting, the deadliest in modern history, a gunman using weapons outfitted with a bump stock device killed 58 people. The gunmanfired off about 90 rounds in 10 seconds. As recently as last month, Mr. Trump said publicly that a ban would be coming. “So we’re knocking out bump stocks,” the president said during a news conference announcing a revamped trade agreement with Canada. “I’ve told the N.R.A. I’ve told them: Bump stocks are gone.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/28/us/politics/trump-bump-stock-ban.html

School 'Reform' Loses Steam as a Topline Political Issue
Voter-friendly topics supplant accountability rhetoric
Education Week By Alyson Klein November 27, 2018
Testing. Standards. Teacher evaluation. School turnarounds. Those were the issues that dominated education policy for decades. But they took a back seat in most places in the 2018 midterm elections. And experts expect that could be the case again in the "ideas primary" for the 2020 presidential race, which is expected to feature an unwieldy Democratic field. At the state level, candidates for governor were far more likely to have touted career and technical education, STEM, expanding early-childhood education, social and emotional learning, and especially, education funding, as opposed to issues like accountability, and even charter schools. That's according to an analysis of candidate websites by the American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank. That evolution makes political sense, said Frederick Hess, the director of education policy studies at AEI. "School reform the way it's been understood in the Bush-Obama years became narrower and narrower and more and more removed from a lot of families' concerns," he said. "Over time you saw that the stuff of that agenda—testing, accountability, teacher evaluation—has no constituency anymore."
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/11/28/school-reform-loses-steam-as-a-topline.html

Educator: In Finland, I realized how 'mean-spirited’ the U.S. education system really is
Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss November 26, 2018 at 3:19 PM
If you have paid any attention to the education debate in this country during the past dozen years or so, you’ve heard that students in Finland score at or near the top of international test scores, time and time again. You may know that, among other things, Finland has no standardized tests, starts formal reading instruction at age 7, requires all general teachers to have a master’s degree and makes sure no student goes hungry. U.S. educators visit there often, including Michael J. Hynes, superintendent of New York’s Patchogue Medford School District, who recently chronicled his visit to Finnish schools on Twitter. For example: This past spring, educators from Shenandoah University in Virginia went to Finland, and this is a report on what they saw. It was written by Mary K. Tedrow, who began teaching high school English in 1978 and ended her K-12 career as the Porterfield Endowed English Chair at John Handley High School in 2016. She is currently the director of the Shenandoah Valley Writing Project at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. A former Frederick County teacher of the year, she teaches at Lord Fairfax Community College and Johns Hopkins University and is the author of “Write, Think, Learn: Tapping the Power of Daily Student Writing Across Content Areas .”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/education/2018/11/26/educator-finland-i-realized-how-mean-spirited-us-education-system-really-is/

California: Thurmond Says No New Charters Without New Funding
Diane Ravitch’s Blog By dianeravitch November 28, 2018 //
State Superintendent-elect Tony Thurmond urges a halt to new charters unless there was new funding provided for them. He recognized, as few charter advocates do, that opening charters without funding them harms existing public schools. https://www.politico.com/states/california/newsletters/politico-california-pro-preview/2018/11/20/thurmond-targets-charter-schools-137523
The charter industry, which opposes any accountability, transparency, or regulation, spent nearly $40 million trying to stop Thurmond.
https://dianeravitch.net/2018/11/28/california-thurmond-says-no-new-charters-without-new-funding/

Annual PenSPRA Symposium set for March 28-29, 2019
Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Website
Once again, PenSPRA will hold its annual symposium with nationally-recognized speakers on hot topics for school communicators. The symposium, held at the Conference Center at Shippensburg University, promises to provide time for collegial sharing and networking opportunities. Mark you calendars now!
We hope you can join us. Plans are underway, so check back for more information.
http://www.penspra.org/

Build on finance, policy, board culture skills at PSBA’s Applied School Director Training
Four convenient locations in December and January
Take the next step in your professional development with Applied School Director Training. Building upon topics broadly covered in New School Director Training, this new, interactive evening event asks district leaders to dive deeper into three areas of school governance: school finance, board policy and working collaboratively as a governance team. Prepare for future leadership positions and committee work in this workshop-style training led by experts and practitioners. Learn how to: