Started in November 2010, 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
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
Philly school board
unanimously denies applications for three new charters
In 2016-17, taxpayers
in Senate Majority Policy Committee Chair .@SenatorArgall’s districts had to
send over $13.5 million to chronically underperforming cybers that locally
elected school boards never authorized. SB34 (Schwank) or HB526 (Sonney) could
change that.
Data source:
PDE via @PSBA
Blue Mountain SD
|
$807,330.45
|
Conrad Weiser
Area SD
|
$774,637.63
|
Fleetwood Area
SD
|
$649,298.79
|
Hamburg Area SD
|
$1,080,660.16
|
Hazleton Area SD
|
$2,143,667.17
|
Kutztown Area SD
|
$541,049.52
|
Mahanoy Area SD
|
$461,727.18
|
Minersville Area
SD
|
$457,279.22
|
North Schuylkill
SD
|
$739,214.93
|
Panther Valley
SD
|
$1,449,091.76
|
Pine Grove Area
SD
|
$270,267.62
|
Pottsville Area
SD
|
$0.00
|
Schuylkill Haven
Area SD
|
$414,991.06
|
Schuylkill
Valley SD
|
$503,657.86
|
Shenandoah
Valley SD
|
$459,659.61
|
Saint Clair Area
SD
|
$121,725.19
|
Tamaqua Area SD
|
$711,930.88
|
Tri-Valley SD
|
$204,270.74
|
Tulpehocken Area
SD
|
$556,291.14
|
Williams Valley
SD
|
$502,100.89
|
Wilson SD
|
$681,027.28
|
|
$13,529,879.08
|
How much could your school district and taxpayers save if
there were statewide flat tuition rates of $5000 for regular ed students and
$8865 for special ed.? See the estimated savings by school district here.
Education Voters PA
Website February 14, 2019
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2019&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=34
Has your state representative cosponsored HB526?
“The
resolution just passed lays out the challenges in numbers, including the
commonwealth’s rank as 46th among the 50 states in allocated
state subsidies for K-12 education; one of the lowest nationally for share of
funding at 38 percent; failure to keep pace with special education costs which
have increased by $1.6 billion over the last decade, but state’s share dropping
for 36 to 25 percent; and only 8 percent funding for career and technical
education.”
Garnet Valley appeals to Pa. for more
education funding
Delco Times By Susan L. Serbin Times Correspondent February 28, 2019
CONCORD >> Each year property owners receive a school tax bill
which, for the most part, has been rising annually. The consistent need for
local revenue makes no one happy - and that includes school boards. The Garnet
Valley School Board passed a “Resolution Urging the General Assembly to
Adequately Invest in Public Schools and Students.” While it may not change tax
increases in the short term, the statement fortifies the feelings of school
boards across the commonwealth. Board President Rosemary Fiumara introduced Tomea
Sippio-Smith, K-12 policy director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth.
The organization organized a recent summit at Delaware County Intermediate Unit
to discuss school funding. The resolution is supported by PA Schools Work, a
non-partisan coalition representing communities on education issues. The
resolution begins, “Whereas Pennsylvania’s more than 1.7 million public school
students deserve the highest quality education; and the state’s public schools
work best when they have the resources to give all students the opportunities
they need to succeed …”
“She
also argued in prepared remarks that it’s difficult to close under-performing
charter schools due to what she says is a weak state charter school law. So,
the board wanted to make sure it set a high bar for new applicants.”
New Philly school
board unanimously rejects charter applications, pivoting away from SRC
WHYY By Avi Wolfman-Arent Darryl C. Murphy February
28, 2019
In a move
bound to raise eyebrows across the state, Philadelphia’s new Board of Education
unanimously rejected three new charter school applications Thursday night. The
decisions could signal a new attitude toward charter oversight in
Pennsylvania’s largest school district. This was the first time the locally
appointed board entered the fractious charter school debate. It took over last
summer from the state-controlled School Reform Commission (SRC), which some
critics saw as charter friendly. Board members warned against reading too deep
into their decisions. Board President Joyce Wilkerson, a former SRC chair, said
the board had specific concerns with the three applications it reviewed. Those
concerns revolved around unsophisticated curricula, inaccessible location, and,
in two cases, the fact that the charter operators hadn’t signed renewal
agreements at other schools. “These were applications that just were not
sufficient,” she said.
In shift from SRC, Philly
school board unanimously denies applications for three new charters
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna and Kristen A.
Graham, Updated: 49 minutes agoThe Philadelphia school board on Thursday night unanimously denied three new charter school applications, a vote that seemed to signal a shift from the policies of the old School Reform Commission. Members of the board, appointed by Mayor Jim Kenney last year as the city took back control of its schools from the state, cited weak applications by the proposed charters’ leaders. Board members said the applicants failed to demonstrate they could fulfill their promises, whether because they didn’t provide curriculum details or proof of demand for the schools, or because their existing schools didn’t warrant replication. They also indicated they were looking more broadly at the role of charter schools, which enroll about 70,000, or one-third of, public-school students in Philadelphia. Of the idea that turning publicly funded schools over to private operators would improve education, "we all know the promise has not been realized,” said Christopher McGinley, a board member who previously served on the SRC.
“I’m
sometimes confused by the perspective that charters, no matter how low
performing, are better and that public schools, no matter how great, are still
bad.” “Our challenge is: how do we create a system that provides a quality
education for all, that
reflects high standards and expectations for all children no matter where they
live and who they are.”
School board denies
three new charter school applications unanimously
The votes signaled a change of course from
the SRC
The notebook by Greg Windle March 1 — 12:19 am, 2019In a series of historic votes, the Board of Education denied all three new charter school applications amid calls for a full moratorium on charters. After protest from charter advocates and a group of students, the votes reversed the dominant reasoning of the old School Reform Commission, which the board seemed to uphold last December when it voted to renew the charter of Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School in an attempt to avoid legal fees that could result from a lengthy legal appeals process. This time board members cited struggling academics at applicants’ other schools and a difficulty serving diverse and vulnerable students, denying the three applications to expand. Members also mentioned that applicants have other charter schools that are operating under expired charters, without signing the conditions offered by the board, which would require the schools to meet various standards. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown spoke in favor of String Theory’s proposed new charter school, the Joan Myers Brown Academy — a performance arts charter school in West Philadelphia with a focus on dance. The vote took place after outraged testimony from Joseph Corosanite, the co-founder of String Theory Charter School.
Safeguarding
Educational Equity: Protecting Philadelphia Students’ Civil Rights Through
Charter Oversight
Education Law Center Report February 2019
As public schools, district and charter schools
share in the legal responsibility to educate all school-aged children. The law
requires charter schools to provide equitable access and inclusive opportunities
for all students. It similarly requires charter authorizers to ensure equity
and protect students’ civil rights when exercising their authority over charter
school applicants and operators. The oversight of an effective charter
authorizer matters in a district like Philadelphia. The decision to grant a new
charter or renew an existing one is always significant because it signals to
parents and the community at large that the school is worthy of public trust.
In addition, such oversight is a matter of fiscal responsibility, as charter
school spending in Philadelphia has increased as a percentage of the total
district budget from 13% in 2008 to 31% in 2018.i Responsible charter
authorizing is particularly critical in Pennsylvania, where the law vests
responsibility for brick-and-mortar charter authorization in the same local
school board that governs the community’s district-run public schools. The
significance of the local school board’s role as charter authorizer is
amplified in Philadelphia by the district’s sizable charter school enrollment,
large percentages of historically underserved student populations, and
longstanding struggles in meeting student needs. This makes the new
Philadelphia Board of Education’s decisions on charter applications and
renewals and its actions to protect the rights of all students particularly
critical.
The bridge between jobs and the labor skills
gap is education | Opinion
Gene Barr and Maurice Flurie, for the Inquirer Updated: February
28, 2019 - 12:02 PMGene Barr is president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. Dr. Maurice Flurie is CEO of Commonwealth Charter Academy, a Pennsylvania public cyber school.
It’s encouraging to continue to hear Gov. Tom Wolf champion an issue that has been one of our priorities for years: the need to focus on workforce development to ensure today’s students are prepared for tomorrow’s jobs. As the governor continues to note, one of the biggest challenges facing employers today is finding skilled workers. During his budget address, the governor said, “Amazon made its decision not to locate its second headquarters in Pennsylvania … [due to] workforce concerns.” He also highlighted the struggle of the Shell ethane cracker plant in Western Pennsylvania to find welders and pipe fitters. This is a growing concern among employers, as evidenced in the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry’s 28th Economic Survey, conducted in August 2018. For the first time ever, more job creators — 14 percent — listed difficulties finding skilled and qualified employees to fill open positions as the biggest problem facing their companies over any other issue (taxes came second). A 2018 skills gap study from the National Association of Manufacturers predicts as many as 2.4 million manufacturing jobs in the United States will be unfilled by 2028 and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information technology jobs are projected to grow 13 percent through 2026.
Letter: Claim Pa. public schools are
underfunded is false
Pottstown Mercury Letter by Derek Jacobson Commonwealth
Foundation February 28, 2019
The Mercury’s Feb. 16 editorial “Pa. has long history of denying funds
for public schools” misses critical facts about our state’s education funding.
The argument that Pennsylvania's public education system is underfunded is
false. However, the editorial board is correct in assessing that the funds are
disbursed unfairly. Education spending in the state topped $30 billion in 2017,
the highest ever. State aid to school districts is up 23 percent since 2012.
Nationally, Pennsylvania ranks ninth in funding per student. We can debate if
funds should come from the state or the locality, but the fact is that the
system, as a whole, is not lacking in funds. The true problem is that we are
myopically focused on piling more cash into a system we all admit isn’t
working. According to a recent study by Liebowitz and Kelly, “spending more
money has virtually no effect on student performance.” So, rather than clogging
a broken machine with cash, let’s fix the machine. We fix it by allowing
resources to follow students. This means education choice coupled with fair
public school funding. Fair funding shifts the focus from systems to students.
It enables growing public schools to receive equitable levels of funding per
student. Choice places parents in the driver seat by empowering them and their
kids to choose the best possible education, rather than having one option
dictated by zip code. By expanding educational opportunities, we can ensure our
children receive the best education, not just the most expensive one.
Trib Live by NATASHA
LINDSTROM | Thursday, February 28, 2019 11:53 p.m
The Penn Hills School District is confronting the most severe financial
crisis of the 500 districts statewide, and it’ll be nearly impossible to turn
around without the Gov. Tom Wolf administration and lawmakers stepping up to
bail it out, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale told a packed
auditorium Thursday night. “Penn Hills School District is in the worst
financial shape of any school district I’ve seen as your auditor general,” said
DePasquale, who was elected to the watchdog position in 2012 and has recently
flagged financial problems at districts such as Wilkinsburg, Erie and Scranton.
After years of alleged mismanagement, poor planning and overspending, Penn
Hills is plunging toward what DePasquale describes as a “self-inflicted
financial cliff” that he flagged in a scathing audit more than two years ago. Many
of his findings were reaffirmed in a grand jury report released in February,
just weeks after the state Department of Education placed the district in financial recovery status and hired a full-time
recovery officer. “The debt that they (Penn Hills school officials) have done
with the school building project is about $170 million now,” up from just $11
million in 2011 and nearly double the district’s annual budget, DePasquale
said. “In my opinion, there is no way this community can pay that back.”
States move to
restrict parents’ refusal to vaccinate their kids
WHYY/NPR By Patti Neighmond March 1, 2019
All U.S. states require most parents to vaccinate
their children against some preventable
diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella and whooping cough, in order to
attend school. Such laws often apply to children in private schools and day
care facilities, as well as public schools. At the same time, beyond medical
exemptions, most states also allow parents to opt out of this vaccination
requirement for religious reasons. And seventeen states permit other exemptions
— allowing families to opt out of school vaccination requirements for personal
or philosophical reasons.Michelle Mello,
a professor of law and health research and policy at Stanford University, says
the bar for claiming an exemption from vaccine requirements has been very low
in many states. “You can believe that vaccines don’t work or that they are
unsafe or they simply fly in the face of your parenting philosophy,” she says. But
this winter’s outbreaks of measles across the nation are resulting in
challenges to many exemptions: At least eight states, including some that have
experienced measles outbreaks this year, want to remove personal exemptions for
the measles vaccine. And some states would remove the exemption for all
vaccines.
“We
have fallen desperately behind in teaching our children the most basic skill:
the love of learning. Study after study shows that the most powerful and cost-effective
way to make our children lifelong learners is to start them on that path before
school — when they are 2 and 3 and 4 years old. The United States ranks third
from the bottom among 36 industrialized countries in preschool enrollment.”
OP-ED:
Preschool education is absolutely vital to America’s security
York Dispatch by Mike Petters, Tribune News Service Published 10:03 a.m.
ET Feb. 28, 2019 | Updated 10:06 a.m. ET Feb. 28, 2019
Out my window at Huntington Ingalls Industries, I can see the USS
Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ever built. She is the
eighth United States naval vessel to bear that name, dating back to the
Continental Navy sloop-of-war that served in Lake Champlain’s Battle of Quebec
in 1775. Even the Star Trek Enterprise was named for her. She is decommissioned
now, but for a half-century, she was America’s sharpest spear at the Cuban
Missile Crisis, in Vietnam, in the Persian Gulf. Behind her on historic Hampton
Roads, I see the outline of our newest carrier the USS Gerald R. Ford, which
will soon go to sea and become a symbol of American strength and resolve for
the next half-century. Seeing them together — the Enterprise and the Ford — is
an astonishing convergence, 100 years of our nation’s history in one place. An
aircraft carrier represents the best of America in every way. Think for a
moment about the vision, the imagination, the technology, the skill, the will
and the tens of millions of labor hours required to build a ship that will be
at sea for 50 years.
Education Week By Arianna Prothero and Alex Harwin February 26, 2019
At nearly 1,000 U.S. high schools, the chance of students graduating on time is no better than the flip of a coin. And charter schools—which were born to create more options for students—make up an outsized share of the number of public schools persistently graduating less than half of their students. An analysis of federal data by the Education Week Research Center identified 935 public high schools with four-year graduation rates of less than 50 percent in 2016-17, the most recent year available. Of those, 54 percent are charter schools. That's one-quarter of all U.S. charter high schools, and nearly 3 percent of all public high schools. These numbers aren't just a one-time blip. Many charter schools have suffered from chronically low graduation rates of below 50 percent since 2010-11. And the number of charters with low graduation rates could be even larger than the Education Week analysis reveals. That's because some charter schools were excluded from the federal data set due to student privacy concerns. For its analysis, the Education Week Research Center also removed all schools labeled as "alternative" in the federal data. "The data undercuts the idea that charters are a better option," said Robert Balfanz, a Johns Hopkins University researcher who is a national authority on graduation-rate patterns. "If kids go to a charter high school where the norm is not to graduate, it's not delivering on the promise of creating better, more successful schools for kids in need."
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/02/27/in-many-charter-high-schools-graduation-odds.html?cmp=soc-twi
AP News February 28, 2019
BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has signed
legislation requiring students to take computer science classes before
graduating high school. Justice held a ceremonial bill signing Thursday at
Cranberry-Prosperity Elementary School in Beckley. The governor’s office says
in a news release West Virginia is the first state to require high school
computer science. Justice predicts it will help attract technology companies to
the state. The governor asked for the legislation in his State of the State
address. The bill requires the state Board of Education to adopt a policy
detailing computer science instruction by grade level and requires the
Department of Education to come up with professional development opportunities
to teachers in computer science instruction.
“BACKPACK FULL OF CASH” DOCUMENTARY – Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor, Matt Damon, BACKPACK explores the real cost of privatizing America’s public schools. Before the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the appointment of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, filmmakers Sarah Mondale and Vera Aronow couldn’t have known that the new administration would dramatically shift the national debate about education to the very issues at the heart of their film: charter schools, vouchers and privatization. Now, this timely new documentary takes viewers into the world of market-based education “reform”.
BACKPACK FULL OF CASH follows the tumultuous 2013-14 school year in Philadelphia and other cities where public education – starved of resources and undermined by privatization – is at risk. The documentary also showcases a model for improving schools – a well-resourced public school system in Union City, New Jersey, where poor kids are getting a high-quality education without charters or vouchers. BACKPACK FULL OF CASH makes the case for public education as a basic civil right. The film features genuine heroes like the principals, teachers, activists, parents and most hearteningly, students who are fighting for their education. Former Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch, writer David Kirp and policy expert Linda Darling Hammond are among the national thought leaders who provide analysis in the film.
2019 State of
Education report now online
PSBA Website February 19, 2019
The 2019 State of Education report is now available on PSBA.org in PDF format. The report is a
barometer of not only the key indicators of public school performance, but also
the challenges schools face and how they are coping with them. Data reported
comes from publicly available sources and from a survey to chief school
administrators, which had a 66% response rate. Print copies of the report will
be mailed to members soon.
PSBA Members - Register for
Advocacy Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg Monday April 29, 2019
All PSBA-members are invited to attend Advocacy Day on Monday, April
29, 2019 at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. In addition, this year PSBA
will be partnering with the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units
(PAIU) and Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) to
strengthen our advocacy impact. The focus for the day will be meetings with
legislators to discuss critical issues affecting public education. There is no
cost to attend, and PSBA will assist in scheduling appointments with
legislators once your registration is received. The day will begin with a
continental breakfast and issue briefings prior to the legislator visits.
Registrants will receive talking points, materials and leave-behinds to use
with their meetings. PSBA staff will be stationed at a table in the main
Rotunda during the day to answer questions and provide assistance. The
day’s agenda and other details will be available soon. If you have questions
about Advocacy Day, legislative appointments or need additional information,
contact Jamie.Zuvich@psba.org Register for PSBA Advocacy Day now at http://www.mypsba.org/
PSBA members
can register online now by logging in to myPSBA. If you need assistance logging
in and registering contact Alysha Newingham, Member Data System Administrator
at alysha.newingham@psba.org
or call her at (717) 506-2450, ext. 3420
Board Presidents’ Panel
Learn, discuss, and practice problem solving with school leader peers
facing similar or applicable challenges. Workshop-style discussions will be
facilitated and guided by PSBA experts. With the enormous challenges facing
schools today, effective and knowledgeable board leadership is essential to
your productivity and performance as a team of ten.
Locations & Dates
Due to
inclement weather, some dates have been rescheduled. The updated schedule is
below.
Mar. 28, 2019 — Crawford Cty CTC (Section 1)(Rescheduled from Jan. 30)
School safety and security is a complex, multi-perspective topic impacting school entities in dramatic ways. This complimentary PSBA member meeting featured in ten locations will offer essential updates and information on Safe2Say reporting, suicide awareness related to student safety, school climate, and emergency preparedness planning. Representatives from the Attorney General’s office, PEMA, and a top expert in behavioral health will be presenting. Updates on legislation impacting your schools will be presented by PSBA staff. Connect with the experts, have your questions answered, and network with other members.
Locations and Dates
Section Meetings are 6-8 p.m. (across all locations).
Register online by logging in to myPSBA.
Open Board Positions
for 2019 PA Principals Association Election
Thursday,
January 10, 2019 9:05 AM
Margaret S.
(Peg) Foster, principal, academic affairs, in the Crestwood School District, has
been appointed by President Michael Allison to serve as the chairperson of
the 2019 PA Principals Association Nominations Committee to
oversee the 2019 election. Her committee consists of the following
members: Curtis Dimmick, principal in the Northampton Area School District;
Jacqueline Clark-Havrilla, principal in the Spring-Ford School District; and
Joseph Hanni, vice principal in the Scranton School District. If you are interested in running for one of
the open board positions (shown below) in the 2019 election,
please contact Stephanie Kinner at kinner@paprincipals.org or (717)
732-4999 for an application. Applications must be received in
the state office by Friday, February 22, 2019.
Join A Movement that Supports our Schools & Communities
PA Schools Work website
Our students are in classrooms that are underfunded and overcrowded. Teachers are paying out of pocket and picking up the slack. And public education is suffering. Each child in Pennsylvania has a right to an excellent public education. Every child, regardless of zip code, deserves access to a full curriculum, art and music classes, technical opportunities and a safe, clean, stable environment. All children must be provided a level chance to succeed. PA Schools Work is fighting for equitable, adequate funding necessary to support educational excellence. Investing in public education excellence is the path to thriving communities, a stable economy and successful students.
http://paschoolswork.org/
Indiana Area School District Safety & Security Symposium March 15, 2019
Indiana Area School District Website
Background: It’s 2019, and school safety has catapulted as one of the top priorities for school districts around the country. With an eye toward providing educators with various resources and opportunities specific to Pennsylvania, the Indiana Area School District -- in collaboration with Indiana University of Pennsylvania, PA Representative Jim Struzzi, and as well as Indiana County Tourist Bureau-- is hosting a FREE safety and security symposium on March 15, 2019. This safety and security exchange will provide information that benefits all stakeholders in your education community: administrators, board members, and staff members alike. Presenters offer valuable resources to help prepare your organization to continue the discussion on safety and security in our schools. Pre-registration is required, and you will be invited to choose the breakout sessions that you feel will have the most impact in your professional learning on these various topics, as well as overall impact on your District’s systems of operations. Please take time to review the various course breakout sessions and their descriptions. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and learn.
How to Register: Participants attending the Safety Symposium on March 15, 2019, will have the option to select a maximum of 4 breakout sessions to attend on this day. Prior to the breakout sessions, attendees will hear opening remarks from former Secretary of Education - Dr. Gerald Zahorchak. We want to empower the attendees to exercise their voice and choice in planning their day! Please review the various break out session descriptions by clicking on the "Session Descriptions" on the right-hand side of this page. On that page, you will be able to review the sessions offered that day and register for the symposium.
https://www.iasd.cc/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1491839&type=d&pREC_ID=1637670
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/
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
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.