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Wednesday, March 13, 2019

PA Ed Policy Roundup March 13: In 2016-17, taxpayers in .@RepGReschenthaler’s districts had to send over $20.2 million to chronically underperforming cybers that locally elected school boards never authorized


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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In 2016-17, taxpayers in .@RepGReschenthaler’s districts had to send over $20.2 million to chronically underperforming cybers that locally elected school boards never authorized


PSBA Tweet March 12, 2019 Video Runtime: 6:40
In this installment of #VideoEDition, learn about legislation introduced in the PA Senate & House of Representatives that would save millions of dollars for school districts that make tuition payments for their students to attend cyber charter schools.
http://ow.ly/RyIM50n1uHi 

PSBA Summaries of Senate Bill 34 and House Bill 526

PSBA Sample Board Resolution in Support of Statewide Cyber Charter School Funding Reform

PSBA Sample Board Resolution in Support of Senate Bill 34 and House Bill 256

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 .@RepGReschenthaler’s districts had to send over $20.2 million to chronically underperforming cybers that locally elected school boards never authorized. SB34 (Schwank) or HB526 (Sonney) could change that.

Avonworth SD
$286,283.20
Baldwin-Whitehall SD
$633,842.90
Bethel Park SD
$571,465.60
Carlynton SD
$683,681.03
Chartiers Valley SD
$641,094.90
Fort Cherry SD
$342,488.85
Montour SD
$532,864.16
Moon Area SD
$746,004.40
Mt Lebanon SD
$425,894.80
Peters Township SD
$407,368.92
Pittsburgh SD
$12,859,856.83
Quaker Valley SD
$310,740.00
South Fayette Township SD
$282,311.08
South Park SD
$294,224.01
Upper Saint Clair SD
$317,750.67
West Allegheny SD
$424,029.00
West Jefferson Hills SD
$472,637.67

$20,232,538.02

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?

Pennsylvania college students beat national average for graduation
Trib Live by DEB ERDLEY   | Friday, March 8, 2019 11:06 a.m
Pennsylvania college students are graduating at rates well above the national average, despite a troubling racial gap. Those were among the findings in a new study of six-year graduation rates for students who were college freshmen in 2012. The report, released by the National Student Clearinghouse, found 72.6 percent of Pennsylvania students in the state’s public universities graduated within six years, compared to 65.5 percent nationally. The same trend had even better outcomes at the state’s private nonprofit colleges where 82.57 percent of students, or better than four out of five, graduated in six years, compared to 76.06 percent across the nation. But the clearinghouse report also identified a racial gap in graduation rates that raises questions about how well minorities are faring at the state’s four-year public universities. Those universities include the 14 schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education as well as Pitt, Penn State, Temple and Lincoln universities.

Reading Captains lead the way to early literacy
Read by 4th campaign sees success in fourth year.
The notebook by Jane M. Von Bergen March 11 — 3:31 pm, 2019
Jasmond “Jazz the Barber” Schoolfield has been around too long and seen too much to have illusions about the challenges life poses in the North Philadelphia neighborhood where he earns his living cutting hair. “We’re witness to a lot of stuff – drugs, crime,” said Schoolfield, 42. But there is an alternative universe, one where an alligator worries about turning pink after swallowing a watermelon seed and where green eggs go best with ham, no matter what Sam thinks. It’s that world that youngsters visit when they stop by Schoolfield’s shop, Creative Image Unisex Hair Salon on the corner of 28th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue. In North Philadelphia, Jazz is a “Reading Captain,” one of many programs partnered with Read by 4th, a nationally acclaimed citywide campaign to attack poverty by boosting early childhood literacy. At Jazz’s place, the children and their grownups can pluck kids’ books like the “Watermelon Seed” and “Green Eggs and Ham,” from well-stocked book nooks to read there or take home. “Statistically speaking, scientists and psychologists study this, so they know, if you don’t have an education, you can’t get a job, and you are going to have to resort to doing things on the corner like selling drugs or other things that are inappropriate,” Jazz said during one afternoon at his shop. “You could wind up in jail. So reading is important.”

Wolf administration tours St. Marys High School
WJACTV by Bridget McClure Tuesday, March 12th 2019
ST. MARYS, Pa. — Gov. Tom Wolf's administration toured an Elk County school Tuesday to speak with students about STEM education. Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary for Business Financing Carol Kilko and Department of Labor & Industry Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Eileen Cipriani toured St. Marys Area High School. The secretaries saw classes the school has to offer including robotics, metal working, the nurse's aid program and a smart lab. "Our certified nurses aid program is students providing for the local medical community," said Superintendent Dr. Brian Toth. "Students out of high school who can work as a nurses aid. Maybe they do it as a full-time job or while they're going to college." The visit is part of Gov. Wolf's Statewide Workforce, Education and Accountability Program (SWEAP). Officials said SWEAP will expand access to early childhood education and increase investments in schools. They said SWEAP will build on the success of last year's PAsmart initiative, which was a $30 million investment.

Time to dump overripe Charter Appeals Board
Public Citizens for Children and Youth March 8, 2018
This week we’re asking you to sign a petition to correct an issue affecting millions in tax dollars and the quality of education that students in charter schools receive. Across the state, students and taxpayers continue to feel the impact of an archaic and broken system of charter oversight.  Since the Charter School Law was enacted in 1997, it has not been updated to ensure better accountability or consider the financial impact charter schools have had on taxpayers, students or communities. No surprise that the universally despised and ridiculed PA charter law brings with it some terrible governance.  During the 2016-2017 school year alone, school districts were required by law to send $1.6 billion dollars in payments to charter schools – schools that they do not manage or have control over.  This means that traditional public schools have less money to spend.  Fewer teachers means bigger class sizes. Big cuts mean fewer art and music classes. Less money means things like repairs and updated technology must wait.  Yet, school districts are required by law to review new and existing applications from charter schools.  If they deny applications, the Charter Appeals Board (CAB) reviews the decision. If the CAB overrides the local school district’s decision, even if the district has already ascertained a charter is skirting the law or is of low quality, taxpayers and students bear the growing costs. (Here’s where our bad charter situation gets even worse.) The CAB has six seats. The Governor appoints and the Senate confirms new members to 4-year terms. All five of the sitting members are serving expired terms. Governor Corbett appointed them. The last seat is vacant.

These Philly schoolkids are striking Friday because ‘grown-ups’ have failed them on climate | Will Bunch
Will Bunch | @will_bunch | bunchw@phillynews.com Updated: March 12, 2019 - 1:46 PM
You can’t blame Sabirah Mahmud, a 16-year-old living in Philadelphia’s University City, for getting more than a little annoyed when adults claim that teenagers like her don’t know enough to take meaningful action on climate change. And it’s not just because she’s learning the science of global warming as a sophomore at the city’s Academy at Palumbo magnet school. She’s also seen the danger first hand. Not long ago, Sabirah was visiting family in Bangladesh when the low-lying South Asian nation was hit by massive flooding. “I had to be carried across the water,” recalled Sabirah, who said that many Americans don’t know much, if anything, about the extreme risk to developing nations from worsening storms and rising sea levels. On Friday, Sabirah will talk about the problems in Bangladesh — and here at home — in LOVE Park when she joins scores of other Philadelphia-area students who’ve pledged to protest rather than attend school as part of America’s first-ever Youth Climate Strike. Organizers are hoping that as many as 100,000 kids nationwide will strike on Friday, joining even larger throngs of students in 71 different nations, including in Europe where large turnouts for earlier actions have already jolted the environmental debate.
https://www.philly.com/opinion/us-youth-climate-strike-philadelphia-march-greta-thunberg-dianne-20190312.html

Philadelphia Soda Tax Helps Send Thousands Of Kids To Pre-K In Its First 2 Years
CBS Philly By Matt Petrillo March 8, 2019 at 6:30 pm
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – In the first two years that Philadelphia’s sweetened beverage tax was implemented, it’s helped to send thousands of kids to pre-K and created a couple hundred jobs, but it takes a lot of soda to pay for it all. The soda tax brought in $149 million from January 2017 – December 2018. The tax’s impact can be seen inside pre-kindergarten schools, like Spring Garden Academy, in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood. That’s where Eyewitness News found Denise Pickard. She can’t afford to pay the roughly $200 a week it would cost to send her 3-year-old daughter to pre-k there, but the city picks up the tab for her. It uses money from its sweetened beverage tax. “I know a lot of people, they were like, ‘Oh, I’m not repealing any benefits. They just made this up. They just trying to take our money and use it for themselves,’” Pickard said. “And I’m like, ‘Well, I can testify my child is benefiting from it because she’s going to a private school for free.’” Now that Nina Roller’s daughter can also attend pre-k for free, Roller can now increase her hours as a paralegal.
https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/03/08/philadelphia-soda-tax-helps-send-thousands-of-kids-to-pre-k-in-its-first-2-years/

Pa. House committee advances ban on vaping in schools
PA Capital Star By  Stephen Caruso March 12, 2019
Everybody knows that smoking cigarettes isn’t allowed in school. But is vaping? The House Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced a bill Tuesday to close a loophole that lets students use electronic nicotine delivery systems like vapes on school property. The legislation would also make it a crime under state law to sell these products to anyone under the age of 18. “I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s having many, many conversations with school officials about children using these products in school,” ranking Democrat Tim Briggs, of Montgomery County, said. The bill, introduced by Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, passed the House unanimously last session but wasn’t considered in the Senate. The U.S. surgeon general declared youth vaping an “epidemic” last year.
https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/pa-house-committee-advances-ban-on-vaping-in-schools/

Democrats easily hold on to suburban Scranton state House district in special election
PA Capital Star By Stephen Caruso March 12, 2019
Democrats easily held on to a state House district in suburban Scranton Tuesday as Bridget Malloy Kosierowski bested Republican Frank Scavo in a special election. The final margin was a blowout, as Kosierowski won 62-38, according to unofficial results. Turnout was a little less than 25 percent. The race made headlines after the Scranton Times-Tribune and Capital-Star uncovered anti-Muslim posts Scavo made on Facebook and Twitter. He apologized, but was soon after stripped him of his school board presidency. The 114th District has been held by Democrats for the last 20 years, most recently by the late Sid Michaels Kavulich. Top of the ballot Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Gov. Tom Wolf, swept the district in 2018. But northeast Pennsylvania, like the southwest, has seen a slow erosion of Democratic strength over the years, with Republican Donald Trump carrying the district by seven percentage points in 2016. Kosierowski, a registered nurse, ran on fighting sexual assault and abuse, raising the minimum wage, and expanding affordable health care. Scavo, a local school board member, ran on restricting access to abortion and reducing regulations. Both back reducing property taxes, with Scavo pushing for full elimination. The 114th special was held on the same day as another in Philadelphia to replace former Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown. Democrat Movita Johnson-Harrell won that race, as expected.
https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/democrats-easily-hold-on-to-suburban-scranton-state-house-district-in-special-election/

Your View by state Rep. Scott Conklin: Why I want separate PIAA playoffs for private, public schools
Morning Call Opinion by Scott Conklin March 12, 2019
Scott Conklin is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 77th District (Centre County).
Since 2010, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association has been debating the question as to whether private, parochial and charter schools (nonboundary 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 nonboundary 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 and give public school student-athletes the same opportunities as their counterparts in nonboundary schools.
https://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-opi-piaa-rules-20190308-story.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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