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Friday, March 8, 2019

PA Ed Policy Roundup March 8: Editorial: PA’s fair funding formula for basic education doesn’t live up to its name


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

Editorial: PA’s fair funding formula for basic education doesn’t live up to its name



Register for Advocacy Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg Monday April 29 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



“Every five years, the law requires the Basic Education Funding Commission to “meet and hold public hearings to review the operation of the basic education funding provisions.” That year comes in 2019-2020”
Editorial: PA’s fair funding formula for basic education doesn’t live up to its name
Bucks County Courier Times Posted Mar 7, 2019 at 5:57 AM
Let’s say you’d like to refinance your home’s 6 percent, 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to lock in a new interest rate of, say, 4 percent. After you do the deal, you’re told your new 4-percent rate will only apply to 10 percent of the $200,000 mortgage. So you’d get the new rate on $20,000. The other $180,000 would continue to drum up interest at the 6 percent rate. You’d probably wonder how that’s going to make any difference at all. You might even say it wasn’t fair. That’s one way to think about something that’s happening with public school funding in Pennsylvania, but that might be getting a second look soon. In 2014, Gov. Tom Corbett established the Basic Education Funding Commission, which spent a year developing a “fair funding” formula to distribute the commonwealth’s basic education funding. In April 2016, it became law. The complicated formula considers the wealth of the district, its tax situation, its ability to raise revenue, the number of children living in poverty, the number enrolled in charter schools and the number who are English language learners. We’re not surprised it took a year to come up with it. But the formula is only being applied to “new” money. That’s the amount that exceeds the total basic education appropriation of the 2014-2015 fiscal year, which the committee used as a baseline. Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed 2019-2020 budget includes a basic education funding appropriation of $6.54 billion, which includes $704.8 million in new dollars. That’s the money — about 11 percent — that will be run through the fair funding formula.

Blogger note: Charter Reform has been the Gordian Knot of PA politics for 20 years.
Rep. Mike Reese (R, Westmoreland, Somerset) rolls out Charter School Reform – Ethics Requirements for Charter Trustees and Administrators, as first of package of 4 bills.
The legislation will improve several provisions of the Charter School Law related to making critical ethics, transparency, governance and auditing reforms, including:
·         Requirements related to advertising,
·         Imposing ethical obligations on charter school entities’ board of trustees and administrators,
·         Setting membership and quorum requirements for charter school entities’ board of trustees,
·         Requiring annual independent financial audits for charter school entities, and
·         Setting limits on charter school entities’ allowable unassigned fund balances.
The reforms embodied in my legislation is part of a legislative package of four bills critical to improving and strengthening our Charter School Law, which was groundbreaking upon its enactment in 1997 but has become outdated over time. We must make these reforms now in order to maintain charter, regional charter and cyber charter schools as a strong, quality school choice option for the Commonwealth’s children and families.

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 .@SenLisaBaker’s districts had to send over $17.9 million to chronically underperforming cybers that locally elected school boards never authorized. SB34 (Schwank) or HB526 (Sonney) could change that.

Berwick Area SD
$561,934.01
Blue Ridge SD
$480,124.69
Crestwood SD
$617,473.01
Dallas SD
$572,006.65
Delaware Valley SD
$593,027.77
East Stroudsburg Area SD
$3,157,698.04
Elk Lake SD
$405,257.03
Forest City Regional SD
$209,648.12
Greater Nanticoke Area SD
$391,490.08
Lackawanna Trail SD
$795,531.51
Lake-Lehman SD
$484,926.32
Mountain View SD
$582,141.64
North Pocono SD
$855,718.69
Northwest Area SD
$505,607.13
Susquehanna Community SD
$344,963.61
Tunkhannock Area SD
$1,103,371.96
Wallenpaupack Area SD
$919,366.91
Wayne Highlands SD
$1,547,878.36
Western Wayne SD
$986,232.25
Wyalusing Area SD
$650,750.46
Wyoming Area SD
$623,162.16
Wyoming Valley West SD
$1,606,268.10

$17,994,578.50


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?

Mental health services decline in schools as police presence grows: report
PA Capital Star By  Elizabeth Hardison March 7, 2019
Students in 2019 are more stressed and anxious than ever before, but new research suggests they’re not getting the mental health services they need in school. A recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union found that schools across the country are dialing back budgets for school counselors, social workers, and other mental health providers. At the same time, they’re relying more heavily on police to provide security and disciplinary support. Like most states, Pennsylvania doesn’t provide adequate mental health resources to its students, the ACLU found. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia fail to meet the industry-recommended ratio of counselors to students. The average school in Pennsylvania provides one counselor for every 380 students, the ACLU found. The industry standard is 1:250. The ACLU argues that the retreat from mental health services couldn’t come at a worse time. Data from the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention show that students today experience record levels of anxiety, depression, and suicide risk. The suicide rate among children ages 10 to 17 increased by 70 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to the report.  Meanwhile, 72 percent of children in the United States will experience or witness violence, abuse, or lose a loved one before they turn 18.

ACLU report: Schools short-staff mental health services while over-policing students
"This surge in police officers contributes to a biased application of discipline and over-criminalization of students of color and students with disabilities," the report said.
The notebook by Greg Windle March 7 — 5:07 pm, 2019
A report from the ACLU found widespread understaffing of school-based mental health workers and a pervasive presence of police in schools, despite evidence that mental health staff members reduce violence in schools, while police do not. Yet in response to school shootings over the last 20 years, federal and state governments have largely been investing in more police – not more counselors, psychologists or social workers. Black and Latinx students are arrested by school police at higher rates than white students. Black girls are four times more likely to be arrested than girls as a whole. In Pennsylvania, they are five times more likely to be arrested. Furthermore, police in schools with large numbers of students of color are significantly more likely to “have duties focused on maintaining school discipline.” “No data indicates that police in schools improve either the students’ mental health, educational outcomes, or their safety — indeed, in many cases, they are causing harm,” stated the report, called Cops and No Counselors: How the Lack of School Mental Health Staff Is Harming Students. “When in schools, police do what they are trained to do — detain, handcuff, and arrest. This leads to greater student alienation and a poorer school climate.” The ACLU found that “nearly half” of students who drop out of school struggle with mental health issues. Yet roughly 80 percent of students in need of mental health services do not receive services in their communities. Of those who do receive services, the large majority are treated in their schools. Students are 21 times more likely to visit a school-based mental health service than a community mental health center, the report said.

Gov. Tom Wolf announces state money for school breakfasts
Intelligencer By James McGinnis Posted at 2:46 PM
Last year, eight local schools got grants to expand breakfast programs, according to the state. Pennsylvania’s governor is setting aside $600,000 in state funds for local schools interested in expanding breakfast programs for hungry kids. On Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced the school breakfast program mini-grants, which will be available to schools that offer breakfast to all students in the building. This is the second round of state grants going to help schools serve breakfast, officials said. Last year, Pennsylvania released $900,000 in school breakfast grants, said Pedro A. Rivera, state education secretary. “Students who eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast are in a better position to learn and succeed when they enter the classroom,” Rivera said Thursday. “These grants will help more students by enabling schools to initiate a new breakfast program or to bolster an existing one.”

Substantial evidence: Judge explains decision to reverse Manheim Township High School student's expulsion
Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer March 8, 2019
A threat is a threat — on or off school grounds, in person or online. But it’s legitimate only if the person making the threat intends to cause harm. That’s according to Judge Leonard Brown III, who recently reversed a Manheim Township High School student’s expulsion for sending a perceived threat via Snapchat. In his decision, filed Feb. 25 in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, Brown said the district lacked substantial evidence in alleging that the threat made by the student — referred to as Jaden or J.S. in court documents — was legitimate. Brown reached out to LNP after several county school superintendents expressed concern over his decision, with one administrator calling it “disappointing for schools and student safety.” In a sit-down interview Wednesday, Brown said he wanted to clarify the precedent his decision sets — that administrators have more control over how they discipline students, not less — and describe the case law that influenced his decision.

In Harrisburg, ‘500 Men Reading Week’ encourages the growth of thousands of city school children | Anwar Curtis
PA Capital Star By  Anwar Curtis March 8, 2019
It’s the second week of March – which means that ‘500 Men Reading Week’ is in full throttle here in Harrisburg. I was made aware of this initiative a few years ago through my now-good friend Jamar Johnson, who’s the co-chairman of this very important event taking place in schools across Harrisburg. Through this program, I’ve met more than few men over the last few years who not only understand the importance of reading — but also the importance of connecting with the youth of the Capital City. This year marks the third year in a row that my school, Premier Arts and Science Charter School, where I am a teacher, has participated in “500 Men Reading.” And I have to say that each year has been monumental for me, because I’ve been able to convince friends and strangers alike to get involved as well. I have to give thanks to Floyd Stokes, the founder of the American Literacy Corporation in Harrisburg, for working so hard to stress the importance of reading to our youth, and for reaching across the racial divide, to convince so many men of the validity of this mission.

Moratorium on PA Charter School Advisory Board Proceedings
Public Citizens for Children & Youth website
PCCY calls for a moratorium on proceedings of the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board (CAB) until all board members are duly appointed and serving in four-year unexpired terms. (sign the petition below) Pennsylvania’s constitution gives school boards the power and obligation to impose taxes and oversee the expenditure of those taxes for the purpose of providing a free and appropriate education.  State law circumscribed that constitutionally defined power in 1997 when the legislature created the CAB and empowered it to decide if a local school board’s rejection of a charter application or renewal was appropriately decided within the confines of the 1997 new Charter School Law.  As such, when the CAB decides that a school board has not appropriately rejected a charter school applicant, it can override the local school board’s decision and give the charter school a green light to open or continue to operate unless and until the school district challenges the CAB decision in Commonwealth Court. When the CAB overrules these local school board decisions, it is de facto, deciding the expenditure of local school taxes and directing the payment of locally collected taxes to an entity other than the school district over which the school board has very limited control. Further the board is overriding decisions made by duly elected local officials who are charged with ensuring the infrastructure of the public education system and the welfare of Pennsylvania’s students.


AMICUS BRIEF SUPPORTS APPEAL CHALLENGING MICHIGAN’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL DIVERSION OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Education Law Center March 6, 2019
Public Funds Public Schools (PFPS), a new initiative of Education Law Center and the Southern Poverty Law Center, has filed an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief urging the Michigan Supreme Court to strike down a state law that blatantly violates the Michigan Constitution’s prohibition on public funding of private schools. PFPS is a national campaign to ensure that public funds for education are exclusively used to maintain and support public schools. PFPS opposes all forms of private school vouchers, including education savings accounts vouchers and tax credit scholarship vouchers, as well as direct aid to private schools and other diversions of public funds from public education.   In 2017, several groups supporting Michigan public schools filed a lawsuit, Council of Organizations & Others for Education about Parochiaid v. State, to oppose a statute that would divert millions of dollars in taxpayer funds from Michigan’s public education budget to reimburse nonpublic schools for so-called health, safety, and welfare expenses. Michigan’s Court of Claims invalidated the law, ruling that it violated the “no-aid clause” in the state constitution, which expressly forbids any payment of public funds to nonpublic schools. The Court of Appeals reversed the lower court, holding that the law did not violate this constitutional provision. The plaintiffs now seek leave to appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court.

“Gülen’s followers founded 136 charter schools in 28 states between 2010 and 2017, according to CBS News, and were given control of more than $2.1 billion in public money.”
Anger in Turkey as Melania Trump Visits Oklahoma School Linked to Turkish Dissident
The Intercept by Robert Mackey March 6 2019, 5:27 p.m.
IN WHAT SOUNDS like an example of life imitating “Veep,” first lady Melania Trump’s visit to a school in Oklahoma this week might have accidentally triggered an international incident after reporters in Turkey revealed that the school was founded by followers of a dissident Turkish cleric who Turkey’s government blames for an attempted coup in 2016. The Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gülen, who has denied any role in the failed coup, has lived in self-imposed exile in a remote Pennsylvania compoundsince 1999. Still, his secretive spiritual movement wielded enough influence in Turkey to help Recep Erdogan to power, before apparently working to topple him.
In the United States,

Top Trump Education Official: Federal Tax-Credit Scholarships Are 'Inevitable'
Education Week Pollitics K12 Blog By Alyson Klein on March 7, 2019 4:03 PM
It's "inevitable" that Congress will, at some point, pass a proposal similar to the tax-credit scholarship plan that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos supports a top department official told a conservative think tank. Jim Blew, the assistant secretary for planning, evaluation, and policy analysis, said he realizes the legislation, which would give individuals and companies a tax break for donating to scholarship granting organizations, won't pass "next month." "We know there's a longer battle here," Blew said on "The Report Card," a podcast run by the American Enterprise Institute. "We actually believe that enacting this bill is inevitable. The public, the constituents of our members of Congress are strong supporters of having more choices. ... Eventually we will win this battle."  When the legislation was introduced last week, the top Democrats on education in Congress&dmash;Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va.—quickly came out against it. And even the conservative Heritage Foundation, an influential think tank, expressed qualms that it could broaden the federal role in K-12.


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.

Lawrence A. Feinberg
Keystone State Education Coalition
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
The Keystone State Education Coalition is pleased to be listed among the friends and allies of The Network for Public Education.  Are you a member?
The Keystone State Education Coalition is now an endorsing member of the PA Schools Work coalition
Join A Movement that Supports our Schools & Communities. http://paschoolswork.org/join-the-work/
The Keystone State Education Coalition is an endorsing member of Fair Districts PA, Working to Ensure Fair Districts & Fair Elections for Every PA Voter


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