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Tuesday, March 12, 2019

PA Ed Policy Roundup March 12: Trump Seeks 10% Cut to Ed Department Aid, $5 Billion for Tax-Credit Scholarships


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
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Trump Seeks 10% Cut to Ed Department Aid, $5 Billion for Tax-Credit Scholarships



“BACKPACK FULL OF CASH” DOCUMENTARY
You Are Invited to A Free Screening presented by BASD Proud Parents and the Bethlehem Area School District MARCH 21, 6:30pm – 8:00pm  NITSCHMANN MIDDLE SCHOOL Discussion to Follow



Trump Seeks 10 Percent Cut to Education Department Aid, $5 Billion for Tax-Credit Scholarships
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Andrew Ujifusa on March 11, 2019 12:00 PM
UPDATED - President Donald Trump is seeking a 10 percent cut to the U.S. Department of Education's budget in his fiscal 2020 budget proposal, which would cut the department's spending by $7.1 billion down to $64 billion starting in October. Funding for teacher development under Title II, totaling $2.1 billion, would be eliminated, as would $1.2 billion in Title IV funding for academic supports and enrichment and $1.1 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers that support after-school programs. In total, funding for 29 programs would be eliminated in the federal budget.  On the other side of the ledger, Trump's budget blueprint calls for $500 million for federal charter school grants, a $60 million increase from current funding levels. The president also wants $200 million for the School Safety National Activities program, which would more than double the program's $95 million in current funding—of that amount, $100 million would be used to fund a new School Safety State Formula Grant program. There are no requirements for the grant program related to firearms, according to the Education Department. And the office for civil rights would get $125 million, the same as current funding. On the school choice front, the department says its main proposal has already been introduced: a federal tax-credit scholarship program from Republicans. The Treasury Department's budget proposal includes $5 billion for the cost of such a program. 

Here Are the 29 Education Programs Trump Wants to Eliminate
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Andrew Ujifusa on March 11, 2019 2:00 PM
For the third straight year, President Donald Trump wants to slash the U.S. Department of Education's budget, this time by 10 percent. But how exactly does he propose to get there? We're here with answers.  When the administration revealed its education spending plan on Monday, Education Department officials stressed Trump's general desire to impose fiscal restraints on many (though not all) parts of the federal government. Yet in the initial overview of the fiscal 2020 spending blueprint, there wasn't a lot of detailed information about cuts. Veteran Trump budget watchers won't be surprised to learn that among the 29 programs Trump wants to toss in the trash, are three relatively big-ticket, high-profile K-12 programs at the department: Title II teacher development grants ($2.1 billion), Title IV grants for academic enrichment ($1.2 billion), and after-school aid ($1.2 billion). He's tried to eliminate those before, after all, only to be rebuffed by a Republican-controlled Congress. But that leaves more than two dozen programs on the hit list. The list below is from the administration's official fiscal 2020 budget summary. Together, they'd represent cuts of $6.7 billion. 

National Coalition for Public Education Denounces President’s Unprecedented Investment in School Vouchers in FY 2020 Budget Proposal
National Coalition for Public Education Press Release March 11, 2019
Today, President Trump released his budget for Fiscal Year 2020, including a proposal that would send an “unprecedented level of resources to promoting school choice” in the form of a new federal private school voucher program. The proposal creates a huge incentive for individuals and corporations to contribute to organizations that provide private school vouchers for students by providing a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The tax credit does not require participants to contribute any of their own money as they would be fully reimbursed by the federal government for their donation. The budget redirects up to $50 billion of taxpayer funds over 10 years to private, often religious schools for this program. The budget also proposes $30 million to fund the private school voucher program in the District of Columbia, doubling funding for the only federally funded voucher in the country. The National Coalition for Public Education (NCPE) issued the following statement in opposition to the president’s budget:

The Trump Administration Really Wants to Cut Education Funding. Congress Doesn’t.
For the third year in a row, lawmakers are expected to disregard the administration’s proposed budget.
The Atlantic by ADAM HARRIS MAR 11, 2019
On Monday, Donald Trump’s administration released its budget proposal for the 2020 fiscal year, and the plan isn’t pretty for the Education Department. The proposal requests a roughly $7.1 billion cut in funding for the department compared with 2019, which represents a 10 percent decrease in its budget. The proposed cut is unlikely to go anywhere; like years past, Congress is expected to disregard it for the most part. Instead, more than anything, the proposal is an exposition of the administration’s philosophy on education: It is a state and local issue that the federal government shouldn’t have its hands in. At a granular level, the budget request looks similar to the ones released by the administration in 2017 and 2018. It would, again, eliminate a range of programs such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, an incentive program that forgives the student loans of public-service workers, and there would be steep cuts to the National Institutes of Health, which funds a lot of research in higher education. And it would cut funding for teacher development under Title II, the part of the law funding preparation and pathways to develop better teachers. In contrast with the proposed cuts, the budget would increase the amount of spending on federal charter-school grants by $60 million. It would keep funding for historically black colleges and universities level, and expand availability of Pell Grants to short-term credential programs rather than primarily two- and four-year colleges. And this year, as a result of the Federal Commission on School Safety, the administration is asking for $100 million for new school-safety grants. The grants would help schools create emergency plans and improve access to counseling, mental-health services, and similar strategies to improve school climate.

Blogger note: Total cyber charter tuition paid by PA taxpayers from 500 school districts for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 was over $1.6 billion; $393.5 million, $398.8 million, $436.1 million and $454.7 million respectively. Over the next several days we will continue rolling out cyber charter tuition expenses for taxpayers in education committee members, legislative leadership and various other districts.
In 2016-17, taxpayers in .@SenatorMuth’s districts had to send over $15.2 million to chronically underperforming cybers that locally elected school boards never authorized. SB34 (Schwank) or HB526 (Sonney) could change that.

Boyertown Area SD
$1,582,202.52
Coatesville Area SD
$3,371,082.82
Daniel Boone Area SD
$1,150,986.42
Downingtown Area SD
$1,563,316.81
Methacton SD
$604,509.63
Norristown Area SD
$1,784,448.05
Owen J Roberts SD
$976,495.06
Perkiomen Valley SD
$466,522.34
Phoenixville Area SD
$688,521.87
Pottsgrove SD
$925,648.00
Spring-Ford Area SD
$1,294,771.76
Twin Valley SD
$794,636.99

$15,203,142.27

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


Has your state representative cosponsored HB526?

Local newspapers such as LNP are vital to effective government and democracy
Lancaster Online by THE LNP EDITORIAL BOARD March 12, 2019
THE ISSUE: More than 2,000 of the 3,143 counties across the United States do not have a daily newspaper, creating news deserts, according to “The Expanding News Desert,” a report from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media. “The residents of America’s emerging news deserts are often its most vulnerable citizens. They are generally poorer, older and less educated than the average American,” that report stated.
LNP is still here. It’s been here since 1794, and it’s still going strong. In this, our 225th anniversary year, LNP journalists continue to play their essential role as government watchdogs. They’re filing Right-to-Know requests and ensuring that Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act — its open-meetings law — is heeded by local school boards and other local government entities. This is Sunshine Week, which promotes the importance of open government and freedom of information. It’s a national celebration of principles that LNP/LancasterOnline seeks to promote every day. And it’s a good time to consider why the Founding Fathers enshrined press freedom in the Constitution — and why local newspapers are essential. They’ve been vanishing at an alarming rate — nearly 1,800 papers have died since 2004, according to “The Expanding News Desert.” And the implications are sobering. “In an age of fake news and divisive national politics, the fate of communities across the country, and of grassroots democracy itself, is linked — more than ever — to the vitality of local journalism,” that report maintains. “Local newspapers have historically been a ‘tie that binds’ people in a community.” And the importance of their watchdog role cannot be overstated.

House brings back bills reorganizing career and technical education
WITF Written by Katie Meyer, Capitol Bureau Chief | Mar 11, 2019 8:13 PM
There was little debate as lawmakers took the first step toward passing a politically popular bill that aims to raise awareness of career and technical education opportunities
 (Harrisburg) -- A slate of eight bills aimed at bolstering career and technical education is on the move in the state House. The package made it through the House Education Committee with minimal debate. A couple of them aim to help students track course credits. Another would hand out tax credits to contributing businesses, while others broadly seek to raise awareness of career and tech programs and increase coordination between them. A nearly-identical package passed the chamber last session, but stalled in the Senate. GOP Education Chair Curt Sonney said this time, he has higher hopes. "I think everybody recognizes that there is a greater need for career and technical education in the workforce today," he said. "This package deals mostly with awareness--making sure parents and children are aware of those opportunities." Support for career and technical education was a key part of Governor Tom Wolf's budget pitch this year--and happens to be one of the only work-related areas where Republicans and Democrats agree. On issues like the minimum wage and work requirements for Medicare and SNAP, however, the parties remain split.

Rights of Students with Disabilities in Non-traditional Settings:
Charter Schools, Accelerated Programs, Cyber Schools, and AEDY Programs
The notebook Commentary by Maura McInerney March 11 — 3:31 pm, 2019
Maura McInerney is the legal director at the Education Law Center.
Children with disabilities are educated in different settings, including charter schools, cyber programs, credit recovery/accelerated schools and Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth programs (AEDY). Regardless of where they are, all these students have guaranteed legal rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. They retain these rights from the moment they seek to enroll in school until age 21 or high school graduation. While in a charter, cyber school, credit recovery or an AEDY program, all students with disabilities must receive a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) with supplemental aids and services. They are entitled to specially designed instruction, curriculum modifications, related services, detailed transition plans, and all the supports and services they need to make “meaningful progress.” They are entitled to be free from discrimination, disability-based bullying, harassment, and discipline, and can’t be deprived of equal educational opportunities. Unfortunately, regional and national studies, as well as anecdotal experiences shared by parents and youth, indicate that students with disabilities in non-traditional settings often fail to receive services to which they are entitled.

Blogger note: The notebook has a series of articles on special ed issues posted March 11:
Focus on Special Education
The notebook March 11, 2019

Bethlehem Area looks to expand program to help students be first-generation college students
Jacqueline Palochko Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call March 11, 2019
The Bethlehem Area School District is looking to expand a pilot program that helps disadvantaged students become the first in their families to graduate from college. At Monday’s meeting, the school board heard a proposal to contract with the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley to provide the "Generation Next" program at Freedom and Liberty High Schools next school year for a cost of $10,000. CACLV launched a pilot program at Liberty High School last fall with 35 female students. The program started in the Easton Area School District in 2017. Generation Next is for students who might not see college as an option. Most, if not all, students are socio-economically disadvantaged and would be the first in their families to go to college. CACLV members and school staff meet with students to provide them with the tools necessary to go to college. Students involved in the program could engage in team-building activities, listen to guest speakers and visit college campuses.

Food for thought: At-risk kids should be eating school breakfasts
Post Gazette Opinion MAR 12, 2019 12:00 AM
You can’t fill the mind of a child who has an empty belly. That’s why it only makes sense to offer an enticing, easy-to-grab breakfast at school before the bell rings. For many kids — far too many kids — a nutritious breakfast at home just isn’t happening. Some Allegheny County schools are making strides in putting breakfast in the hands of more students — those most likely at risk of hunger. It’s part of a challenge from Gov. Tom Wolf to provide breakfast to at least 60 percent of those students who are eligible for free or reduced-priced meals. He’d like to hit the 60 percent mark by 2020. The governor recognizes that there are many children who partake in the school lunch program but who bypass breakfast though they can eat for free or very little cost. The reason may be as simple as convenience: Students don’t arrive at school early enough to sit down in the cafeteria and eat breakfast.
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2019/03/12/Food-for-thought-At-risk-kids-should-be-eating-school-breakfasts/stories/201903060068

Central Bucks, other districts exploring later daily start times
Intelligencer By Chris English  Posted Mar 8, 2019 at 4:21 PM Updated Mar 11, 2019 at 9:08 AM
Many experts, parents and others say allowing students more sleep would make them healthier and create a better learning environment. It’s a search for more slumber, a reach for more rest and a drive against the drowsies. That’s a few ways to describe efforts by officials in Central Bucks, the largest school district in Bucks County, and other area districts to see if they can institute later daily start times to allow students more sleep. It would make for healthier and more learning-receptive students, among other advantages, many experts, parents and others feel. Central Bucks will conduct an online survey of its residents starting in a week or so to gauge how they feel about the issue. The district, which has more than 18,000 students, also is forming a committee soon that will study later start times and explore ways to overcome obstacles, which include transportation, day care and other issues. Though expressing confidence and determination at a recent school board meeting that something can and will be done about pushing back start times in the high schools and middle schools, school district Superintendent John Kopicki said any changes would not occur until the 2020-21 school year at the earliest. Daily start times in Central Bucks are currently 7:25 a.m. at the high schools, 7:30 a.m. at the middle schools, and between 8:35 and 9:05 a.m. at the elementary schools.
https://www.theintell.com/news/20190308/central-bucks-other-districts-exploring-later-daily-start-times

Aviation course ready to take flight at Erie High
GoErie By Ed Palattella  Posted at 2:01 AMUpdated at 8:19 AM
Class, open to all Erie School District high school students, starts in 2019-20. Aviation jobs are plentiful, says CEO of North Coast Flight School, who helped to develop the course. The Erie School District is introducing another program it hopes will help its high school students take off after graduation. Starting in the fall, the district will offer an introductory aviation course at Erie High School. The class is open to students at Erie High and Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy. The course is based on a ninth- and 10th-grade curriculum from the Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association, which is providing the curriculum to Erie High at no cost. The Erie School District program is believed to be a first for high school students in the area. The program fits with the district’s strategy of increasing electives at the 2,261-student Erie High and the 868-student Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy following the creation of Erie High in 2017-18 through the financially-driven merger of East and Strong Vincent high schools and Central Career & Technical School. Under the guidance of Erie schools Superintendent Brian Polito and Assistant Superintendent Bea Habursky, Erie High, which offers a range of vo-tech courses, has added a maritime studies program and has focused on its programs in health sciences, such as early childhood development. “We’re providing different options for our students, not only to prepare them for what they do after they leave us but also to get them more engaged in our classes,” Polito said.
https://www.goerie.com/news/20190311/aviation-course-ready-to-take-flight-at-erie-high

Editorial: How do you ask charities for charity?
TRIBUNE-REVIEW | Monday, March 11, 2019 5:30 p.m
Charity begins at home, and Allegheny County is home to a lot of charities. After six years, the county has only been able to review 72 percent of the tax-exempt properties owned by “complex nonprofits.” Out of 2,800 parcels, about 700 have not been reviewed to see if they really should be tax exempt, or if they should be required to pump up to $25 million into the county’s budget, and millions more into schools and municipalities. One of those is the City of Pittsburgh, which some big-budget nonprofits call home. UPMC alone has net assets of $1.9 billion, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. Throw in UPMC Senior Communities and that’s another $45 million. That doesn’t count Highmark or its affiliated hospitals, or Pitt or Carnegie Mellon or any of the other universities. It doesn’t touch on church assets or museums. Look at a tax map of the city or the county and you find a lot of well-situated real estate that doesn’t get a tax bill.
https://triblive.com/opinion/editorial-how-do-you-ask-charities-for-charity/

PA PSERS POSTS INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE FOR PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2018
PSERS 10 year investment return rebounds to 8.00%
PSERS Press Release March 11, 2019
HARRISBURG, PA – The PA Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) today announced the Fund's post-Great Recession investment strategies are working in the current volatile markets. PSERS achieved an 8.00% return for the 10-year period that ended December 31, 2018, exceeding its long-term investment earnings target of 7.25% by 0.75%. Much of the Fund's performance since the Great Recession is attributed to Public and Private Equities, and Private Credit investment policy decisions made a decade ago according to PSERS Chief Investment Officer James H. Grossman Jr. "Our 10-year performance improved due to the fading impact of the Great Recession on the 10-year return.  PSERS former asset allocation had more equity risk than our current, more diversified portfolio.  PSERS current asset allocation is better situated to weather volatility in the equity markets, generate returns which meet or exceed its 7.25% earnings assumption over the long term, and maintain a lower equity risk profile than our former asset allocation," Grossman said. The PSERS Board, in consultation with PSERS Investment Professionals and consultants, decided after the Great Recession to increase diversification and restructure its asset allocation to significantly reduce equity exposure. Prior to that change, PSERS had nearly 70 percent of its assets invested in equities, which caused the Fund to experience large losses similar to other pension fund peers during the Recession-impacted 2008-2009 fiscal year.  Now, PSERS asset allocation is reversed: 30% is invested in public and private equities and the rest is spread among 13 different asset classes.  That diversification reduces exposure and risk in up-and-down equity markets and during another potential financial calamity like the housing and credit crises of the Great Recession.
https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Public-School-Employees-Retirement-System_details.aspx?newsid=57

Blogger note: Senator Williams was a lead sponsor of the last voucher bill and has received several million dollars from the school privatization PA Students First PAC in his prior runs for both Governor and mayor.
Sen. Anthony Williams expected to make 2nd bid for mayor against Kenney
Philly Trib by Michael D’Onofrio Tribune Staff Writer
State Sen. Anthony Williams is expected to become at least the second challenger seeking to unseat incumbent Mayor Jim Kenney in the Democratic primary. Williams’ spokeswoman Barbara Grant said in a text message on Monday that the state senator will file nominating petitions for the Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday. “We are filing petitions tomorrow,” Grant said. The deadline to file nominating petitions for the May 21 primary is 5 p.m. Tuesday. The primary for the $218,000-a-year job will be at least a three-way competition: Kenney and former City Controller and state representative Alan Butkovitz have declared they are running.
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/sen-anthony-williams-expected-to-make-nd-bid-for-mayor/article_8c1ce5fb-9920-5781-b65f-2d8204174bdf.html

Special election dates set to fill two open seats in the Pennsylvania Senate
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated Mar 9, 2019; Posted Mar 8, 2019
The special elections to fill two open state Senate seats have been set to coincide with the May 21 primary election. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman signed the writ of election on Thursday calling for the special elections for the Senate District 33 seat formerly held by Republican Sen. Rich Alloway and the Senate District 41 seat formerly held by Republican Sen. Don White. Both vacated their seats on Feb. 28 Alloway announced in mid-January he was stepping down two years into his third four-year term, saying later it was because he was frustrated by the political gridlock, saw no path to top leadership post and was burned out. His district encompasses all or parts of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties. Shortly thereafter, White announced he was retiring in the middle of his fifth term due to health issues. His district includes all or parts of Armstrong, Butler, Indiana and Westmoreland counties.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/03/special-election-dates-set-to-fill-two-open-seats-in-the-pennsylvania-senate.html

Public school student athletes need equal opportunities | Opinion
Penn Live By Rep. Scott Conklin | Opinion Updated Mar 11, 10:42 AM; Posted Mar 11, 10:00 AM
Harry Scott Conklin is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 77th legislative district.
Since 2010, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) has been debating the question as to whether private, parochial and charter schools (non-boundary schools) have a competitive advantage over public schools (boundary schools). Since fair competition is something we all want, I believe our public school student athletes should have the same opportunities for statewide exposure, college recruitment and scholarships as those enrolled in parochial, private and charter schools. Also, when it comes to contact sports, parents should know their children are safe rather than worrying about the non-boundary schools that are fielding teams with college-level size and athleticism. That is why I’m introducing legislation to give the PIAA the authority to establish separate playoff systems. My goal is not to harm the Catholic Church, private schools, religious-affiliated schools or charter schools; it’s to level the playing field.
https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2019/03/public-school-student-athletes-need-equal-opportunities.html

Let’s stop stressing out our kids with career choice pressure | Opinion
Janet Sasson Edgette, for the Inquirer Updated: March 11, 2019 - 12:56 PM
Janet Sasson Edgette is a psychologist, speaker, and author based in Exton, focusing on children, teenagers, and parenting.
Sixteen-year-old Olivia sat in my therapy office riddled with anxiety because she didn’t know what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. “What’s the urgency?” I asked. She looked at me as if the answer were obvious. The urgency, Olivia explained, was that without knowing what she wanted to do, she couldn’t pick her college major. “But you’re only a sophomore in high school,” I said, cautiously. Unimpressed with my remark, Olivia proceeded to roll out a scenario in which equivocating about majors meant you’re as good as unemployed, if not homeless. Part of Olivia’s urgency came from her own temperament and ambitiousness. Much of it, however, came from the exhortations by her parents and teachers and guidance counselors to hurry up and figure out her future. Setting aside for a moment the fact that about 30 percent of college students change their majors before graduating, it seems to me these efforts to rig our children’s futures in favor of assured gainful employment are creating a new monster. Olivia is one of an increasing number of kids over the last couple of years telling me about the pressures they feel to either choose a career path before they’re ready to do so, or abandon their beloved choices for the sake of practicality.
https://www.philly.com/opinion/commentary/teenage-anxiety-stress-college-high-school-20190311.html


Betsy DeVos’s $5 billion school tax-credit plan is being slammed. And not by whom you might think.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos backs a plan to provide dollar-for-dollar tax credits to individuals and corporations that contribute to programs that pay for students to attend private and religious schools.
Washington Post Answer Sheet By Valerie Strauss March 12 at 6:00 AM
You might think that allies of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos would applaud the announcement that the Trump administration is seeking $5 billion for a federal tax credit program that would use public funds to send students to private and religious schools. Isn’t expanding school choice always a positive to those who want more alternatives to traditional public school districts? Apparently not in this case — at least not to some of the fiercest school choice advocates who ordinarily embrace DeVos’s thinking on education policy. The Trump administration is proposing a $5 billion tax-credit program that would be operated from the Treasury Department to provide dollar-for-dollar tax credits to individuals and corporations that contribute to programs that pay for students to attend private and religious schools. The amount would be capped at 10 percent of an individual’s gross income and 5 percent of a business’s taxable income. Supporters say using public money for private and religious school tuition is part of a necessary movement to provide families with choices for their children, while opponents say such programs harm the school districts that enroll most schoolchildren and that they serve to privatize the public education system.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/03/12/betsy-devoss-billion-school-tax-credit-plan-is-being-slammed-its-not-by-who-you-might-think/?utm_term=.8382dfb6b139
DeVos Lifts Bar on Religiously Affiliated Contractors Providing 'Equitable Services'
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on March 11, 2019 3:35 PM
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced Monday that her department will no longer enforce a restriction that prohibits religiously affiliated organizations from providing contracted services to private school students under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Some background: Under ESEA, whose current version is the Every Student Succeeds Act, districts have to offer low-income or vulnerable students who attend private schools the same services that their public-school counterparts get. The law prohibits the money from going directly to say, Catholic schools, however. Instead, districts must consult with private school leaders to get a sense of their needs. Then they can provide the services themselves, or work with a contractor to offer them. The provision is known as "equitable participation," and it has been part of the law for decades. But the provision as it is now implemented bars religious organizations from serving as contractors under the law. That runs counter to the Supreme Court's decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. vs. Comer, DeVos and her team argue. The court decision found that a Missouri program that denied a church the opportunity to apply for a grant for playground resurfacing was unconstitutional.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2019/03/devos-department-religious-essa-equitable-services.html


The League of Women Voters of Delaware County and the Delaware County Intermediate Unit present: EPLC 2019 Regional Training Workshop for PA School Board Candidates April 27th 8am – 4:30pm at DCIU
Ron Cowell of The Pennsylvania Education Policy and Leadership Center will conduct a regional full day workshop for 2019 Pennsylvania School Board Candidates.
Date & Time: Saturday, April 27, 2019, 8am to 4:30pm
Location: Delaware County Intermediate Unit, 200 Yale Ave. Morton, PA
Incumbents, non-incumbents, campaign supporters and all interested voters are invited to participate in this workshop. Registration is $75 (payable by credit card) and includes coffee and pastries, lunch, and materials. For questions contact Adriene Irving at 610-938-9000 ext. 2061.
To register, please visit http://tinyurl.com/CandidatesWksp

“BACKPACK FULL OF CASH” DOCUMENTARY You Are Invited to A Free Screening presented by BASD Proud Parents and the Bethlehem Area School District MARCH 21, 6:30pm – 8:00pm  NITSCHMANN MIDDLE SCHOOL Discussion to Follow
“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 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.

PSBA Sectional Meetings - Ten convenient locations in February and March
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.

Pennsylvania schools work – for students, communities and the economy when adequate resources are available to give all students an equal opportunity to succeed.
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

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.


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