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
In 2016-17, taxpayers in House Ed Committee member Rep.
Jesse Topper’s school districts in Bedford, Blair, Franklin & Fulton Counties
had to send over $3.2 million to chronically underperforming cybers that they
never authorized.
“School leaders say that when
traditional public schools offer online classes, the cost is about one-third of
what they’re often billed in tuition costs by the state’s cyber schools.”
School funding fights developing at Capitol
Meadville Tribune By
John Finnerty CNHI News Service May 5, 2019
HARRISBURG —
Pennsylvania’s cyber schools overbill public school districts $200 million a
year, the head of the Pennsylvania School Board Association said last
week. Cyber school supporters strongly disagree, citing the enhanced
opportunities those schools provide. The school board group is calling on the
state Legislature to act on legislation that would discourage families from
using cyber schools if the traditional public schools offer similar online
programs, said Nathan Mains, chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania School
Board Association. Mains said school board members are also encouraged that
Sen. Patrick Browne, R-Lehigh County, recently introduced legislation that
would create a commission to examine the way charter schools are funded in
Pennsylvania. Measures to force parents to pay if they choose to enroll their
students in outside cyber schools if their local district offers online classes
have been introduced in both the state House and Senate. The author of the
House legislation, state Rep. Curt Sonney, R-Erie County, is chairman of the
Education Committee. But in a recent interview, Sonney said other charter
school reforms might be on the front-burner before lawmakers try to tackle the
funding controversy.
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.
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 House Ed Committee
member Rep. Jesse Topper’s school districts in Bedford, Blair, Franklin and
Fulton Counties had to send over $3.2 million to chronically underperforming
cybers that they never authorized. #SB34
(Schwank) or #HB526 (Sonney) could change that.
Data source: PDE via .@PSBA
Data source: PDE via .@PSBA
|
Bedford
Area SD
|
$195,903.70
|
|
Central
Fulton SD
|
$359,697.37
|
|
Chestnut
Ridge SD
|
$334,862.00
|
|
Claysburg-Kimmel
SD
|
$108,164.64
|
|
Everett
Area SD
|
$352,172.57
|
|
Fannett-Metal
SD
|
$221,019.71
|
|
Forbes
Road SD
|
$133,838.98
|
|
Northern
Bedford County SD
|
$225,181.66
|
|
Southern
Fulton SD
|
$293,942.38
|
|
Tuscarora
SD
|
$755,674.55
|
|
Tussey
Mountain SD
|
$253,595.93
|
|
|
$3,234,053.49
|
Has your state
representative cosponsored HB526?
Has your state
senator cosponsored SB34?
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2019&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=34
“Proponents of the measure say it gives
children in poverty increased educational opportunities, although the law
prohibits collection of economic data to back up that claim. Spicka points out
that in the 2014 to 2015 school year, the tax credit benefited some of the most
expensive private schools in the state. “Twenty-three of the schools in
Pennsylvania that have some of the highest tuition, that educate some of the
most affluent children in the state,” says Spicka. “They got almost 10% of this
funding.” She notes the average tuition at those schools, concentrated in
Philadelphia and Allegheny counties, is $32,000 a year.”
HB800: PA House Committee Approves Private Schools
Voucher Increase
BCTV by Andrea
Sears, Keystone State News Connection May 06, 2019
Advocates
for public schools in Pennsylvania say there's no data to show whether students
receiving vouchers have improved academic outcomes.
HARRISBURG, Pa. –
Expanding tax credits for private-school tuition will
benefit the rich at the expense of public education, according to public-school advocates in the Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania
House Education Committee last week voted to approve a $100 million increase
for the Education Improvement Tax Credit, a school voucher program that pays
tuition at private and religious schools. Some critics have labeled the tax
credit a “secret school tax,” because the funds to pay for the vouchers are
diverted from the state budget. Susan Spicka, executive director of Education
Voters of Pennsylvania, says House
Bill 800 is far
from revenue-neutral. “This is prioritizing private-school tuition breaks,
rather than putting $100 million into school safety, property-tax relief or
additional resources for public schools,” says Spicka.
Possible citizenship census question could pinch poorer
school districts
MATT MCKINNEY Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette mmckinney@post-gazette.com MAY 6, 2019 11:37 AM
A potential
citizenship question on the 2020 census could have far-reaching effects,
including putting a squeeze on high-poverty school districts in Pennsylvania
and beyond. The measure, which President Donald Trump’s administration proposed
in 2018, is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court and a ruling is expected by
the end of next month. At issue is how the nation counts its population and
whether a census questionnaire should include a question regarding a person’s
citizenship. Critics say the question could cause millions of immigrant
families to decline to fill out the census forms if they are asked to name
occupants who are not U.S. citizens, which would cause the federal government
to undercount the number of non-citizens. That in turn would skew federal
funding to states and localities driven by census figures. Experts say
such a ruling could have implications for school districts – particularly
ones with a large percentage of impoverished students – that rely on federal
funding based on formulas tied to population and poverty, although the
potential dollar impact is unclear.
Here’s what the latest voter registration numbers tell us
about the state of the Commonwealth | Analysis
By Capital-Star Op-Ed
Contributor Nick Field May
6, 2019
Nick Field,
of Bucks County, contributes to a number of publications including Pennlive,
WHYY, City & State, PhillyVoice and LevittownNow. His work appears
occasionally on The Capital-Star’s Commentary Page.
The 2018 midterms
were cause for celebration for Democrats. Nationally, they captured control of
the House with
the help of a four seat net
pick-up in PA while Governor Wolf and Senator Casey also won overwhelming re-election victories. The seeds of these
results could be seen in the voter registration gains Democrats made
throughout 2017 and 2018. Conversely, the erosion of Democratic numbers in 2015 and 2016 portended Donald Trump’s
surprise upset. So how are
things shaping up for 2020? Of course it’s very early, and efforts to update
the rolls had a significant effect on these numbers, but the recent deadline
for this month’s primary marks a good starting point to examine the next cycle.
The following is a county-by-county tally of the net shift in voter
registration from October 2018 to today.
Turzai lends support to gift ban after activists shower
lawmakers with dollar bills, get arrested
PA Capital Star By Stephen Caruso May 6, 2019
Twenty activists
were arrested at the Capitol on Monday, after dropping dollars labeled “bribe”
and blocking a building entrance in an attempt to pressure the state House to
pass what they say is a long overdue gift ban. The activists came from March On
Harrisburg, a grassroots anti-corruption organization, at the conclusion of a
nine-day march from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. “It is absurd that bribery is
legal in Pennsylvania,” Emmie DiCicco, a spokesperson for March on Harrisburg,
said. The group is calling for the passage of legislation sponsored by Rep.
Tina Davis, D-Bucks, which would bar lawmakers from taking “any transportation, lodging, hospitality, cash, gift
or anything of economic value” from lobbyists or other groups with business
before the General Assembly. The bill makes exception for light refreshments,
commemorative gifts, informational materials, and “items of nominal economic
value such as greeting cards, pens, caps or shirts.” Eight activists disrupted
the opening of Monday’s House session by showering the chamber in “bribe” money
and releasing a banner that read “Some are guilty, all are responsible” from
the chamber gallery.
“As has been the case in recent years
for school districts, charter schools and employee pension payments are top
cost drivers. The district is looking to pay a bit more than $30 million in
charter school tuition next year. That’s about a 3.3% increase from the current
budget. Pension payments are expected to come in around $37 million, a 7%
increase from 2018-19. While charter school tuition is still a large bill for
the district, the number of children enrolling in charter schools has seems to
have leveled off, Roy said.”
Bethlehem Area School District looking at no tax hike for
first time in 25 years
By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO | THE MORNING CALL | MAY 06, 2019 | 8:52 PM
For the first time
in 25 years, Bethlehem Area School District taxpayers will likely not see a tax
hike. At Monday night’s meeting, the district recommended that the board hold
the line on taxes on 2019-20′s proposed $290 million budget. The district has a
$1.6 million deficit, but administrators say that can be closed by borrowing
from the fund balance rather than raising taxes. The district estimates that
it’s been about 25 years since a budget has been passed without a tax increase.
When budget discussions first began in February, the
district was looking at a $7 million deficit. Even the $7 million the district initially faced was one of its lowest
in years. In recent years, the deficit has been around $15 million. [More News] Key
witness in Palmer Twp. murder trial faints outside of court; testimony moved to
Tuesday » “This is an
important place to be,” Superintendent Joseph Roy said. Last June, the board
passed a $281 million budget that included a 2.5% tax hike.
End abatements, air-condition the schools, say Philly
teachers, parents pushing for more education money
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna, Updated: May 6, 2019- 7:27 PM
After coming from
Indonesia a year ago, Jason Hoo said, he was surprised by the conditions at his
high school in South Philadelphia. In addition to “nasty mold on the walls” and
chipping paint, “we suffer from sitting in really cold classes in the winter and
really hot classes during the summer,” Hoo, a junior at Furness High School,
said Monday. “Many students refuse to take notes because their hands are so
cold.” Hoo was among the students, teachers, education advocates, and parents
who spoke at a hearing convened by City Councilwoman Helen Gym to call on city
leaders to steer more money to Philadelphia’s schools. About 100 people
attended the hearing in Council chambers. Many of those who spoke called for
physical repairs to school buildings — $170 million to fix lead
and asbestos problems that
have been highlighted by The Inquirer, and to replace windows, repair leaky roofs, and pay for more cleaning
services to address rodent issues found in most city schools. Other requests
included doubling the current number of air-conditioning units, and playground
improvements.
Public demands Council invest in Philly schools
Testimony
broadly supported Councilwoman Helen Gym's proposal to establish full-time
community support position in every school
The notebook by Greg Windle May 7 — 4:44 am, 2019
Parents and
students joined advocates in City Council on Monday to call for a new
“community connector” staff position in every public school and funds to make
$170 million in emergency building repairs identified by the teachers’ union. They
also demanded additional counselors double the number of school air
conditioners. “The health of our schools is paramount,” said community
organizer Kendra Brooks. “Not only the physical health of our schools but the
mental and emotional health of our students. Our children face trauma at an
alarming rate.” Brooks, who has children at Steele Elementary and SLA-Beeber,
said the community connector position was crucial to “build a bridge…the
ultimate goal is to improve the success of the students, and the best way to do
that is by supporting the entire family.” The hearing was called by Council
member Helen Gym to highlight urgent school needs, many brought on by draconian
state budget cuts during the administration of Gov. Tom Corbett. She was joined
for most of the hearing by Council members Jannie Blackwell and Blondell
Reynolds Brown. Speakers at the meeting said with the return of the School
District to local control last year after nearly two decades under the state it
was time for Council to step up.
‘Cream of our crop for our local businesses.’ First group
of CentreReady students graduate
Centre Daily Times BY BRET PALLOTTO MAY 06, 2019 07:42 PM
A group of 69
Centre County students earned the business community’s seal of approval after
graduating from the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County’s
workforce preparedness initiative, the organization announced Friday. The
CentreReady program focuses
on assessing students’ proficiency in six core categories — work ethic, manners, teamwork, communication, critical thinking
and understanding supervision — that county employers say are essential. More
than 40 businesses, all five of the county’s school districts and its two
career and technical training institutions either partnered with, or support
the initiative. “We are honored to celebrate the achievements of students who
took it upon themselves to earn the CentreReady designation,” CBICC President
and CEO Vern Squier said in a statement. “We commend their desire to excel at
job attributes that are so critical in today’s workplace. Our businesses have
said that they need employees with strong core skills. As a community response
to local workforce needs, CentreReady is beginning to build that pool of
potential job candidates.”
Ears on the Philly Board of Education: April
25, 2019
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools by Diane Payne
Last month’s March
28th Action Meeting ended abruptly when the Board left the room after a hasty
vote to recess. Sponsors and students from the Philadelphia Student Union
(PSU) had disrupted the meeting after the Board voted to pass a policy that mandates
metal detectors in all high schools. PSU had testified at Action and
Committee meetings over the past the past three months and had met with
District administrators to discuss the issue. (See APPS March 28th Ears for
that report.) The Board never returned; without notice, they reconvened in
another room and voted on the remaining Items there. Thus, many public
speakers did not get to give their testimony. The Board had said that those
people could go first at the April Meeting, but APPS members asked that
they get their three minutes from March in addition to their three in April.
Board President Joyce Wilkerson agreed to our request. A total of 78
speakers were listed.
Betsy DeVos offers a defense of her free-market approach
to public education
Washington Post By Laura Meckler May 6 at 6:23 PM
BALTIMORE — Education
Secretary Betsy DeVos offered an effusive defense of her free-market approach
to public education on Monday, saying existing schools have failed too many
students and the only answer is to give families an alternative. Appearing at
the national conference of the Education Writers Association, DeVos took a few
shots at teachers unions. She said recent teacher strikes have hurt children
and disagreements should be handled outside the classroom. And she ramped up
her ongoing battle with Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation
of Teachers. “Great teachers perhaps should be making at least half as much as
what Randi Weingarten does at a half-million dollars a year,” she said. Weingarten
replied before the lunchtime event was over. “I’d be delighted if Betsy wants
to get all teachers close to $200,000,” she said. “They deserve that — and so
much more.” Last year, Weingarten earned
about $406,000 in salary, plus more than $100,000 in expenses and
disbursements, according to a government filing. It was the first time DeVos
had appeared before the education writers group. Her willingness to show up was
seen as notable, given that she has endured negative coverage since being
nominated as education secretary.
Betsy DeVos: ‘There is no such thing as public money’ and
5 other revealing things she just said -- or wouldn’t say
Washington Post Answer Sheet By Valerie Strauss May 7 at 6:00 AM
Education Secretary
Betsy DeVos schooled education reporters Monday during a rare appearance at
their convention in Baltimore, telling them that too many articles do not
accurately portray her newest school choice program proposal. She also said
that “public education” needs to be redefined and that “there is no such thing
as public money.” DeVos answered
questions — or attempted to dodge them — from members of the Education Writers
Association about a range of topics, including immigration, school choice,
civil rights for LGBTQ students, school discipline policies and more. What she
said, and what she wouldn’t directly address when asked, revealed her broad
agenda to turn America’s traditional public education system into a free market
and allow parents to use taxpayer money to do whatever they want to educate
their children. She has made it no secret that her top goal is to expand
alternatives to the traditional public school system, which she has called “a
dead end.” She doubled down on her views Monday. Referring to the Trump
administration’s proposed $5 billion education tax credit program called
Education Freedom Scholarships, she said reporters incorrectly use the term
“public money.” That phrase has long been used to refer to taxpayer money that
the government collects to provide goods and services to the people of the
United States.
School Funding Briefing Thursday, May 23, 2019 6:30 –
8:00 PM
Drexel Hill Middle School, 3001 State Road,
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
In 2019, the Public
Interest Law Center is celebrating 50 years of fighting for justice, and
preparing for 50 more, through a series of 50th anniversary events.
As part of this
series, the Upper Darby School Board is pleased to host the Public Interest Law
Center at Drexel Hill Middle School on Thursday, May 23rd, for a School Funding
Briefing.
Pennsylvania has
the largest funding gap in the country between low-wealth and high-wealth
school districts. Pennsylvania is also ranked 46th in the share of funding that
comes from the state, leaving local taxpayers to take on rising costs. How did
we get here? At the briefing, you will learn the basics of education funding
and how it works in Pennsylvania, as well as ways you can get involved in
advocacy for fully funded public education. You will also learn about the
latest developments in the Law Center's school
funding lawsuit.
Afterward, you will
have a chance to meet Law Center attorneys working on this landmark case, as
well as mingle with other interested in Pennsylvania education.
Do you have strong communication and leadership skills and a vision for
PSBA? Members interested in becoming the next leaders of PSBA are encouraged
to submit an Application for Nomination no later than
May 31 to PSBA's Leadership Development Committee (LDC).
The nomination process: All persons seeking nomination for elected
positions of the Association shall file with the Leadership Development
Committee chairperson an Application for Nomination (.PDF) on a form to be
provided by the Association expressing interest in the office sought. The
Application for nomination shall be marked received at PSBA Headquarters or
mailed first class and postmarked no later than the application deadline
specified in the timeline established by the Governing Board to be considered
timely-filed.” (PSBA
Bylaws, Article IV, Section 6.E.). Application Deadline: May 31, 2019
Open positions are:
- 2020 President-Elect
(one-year term)
- 2020 Vice
President (one-year term)
- 2020-22
Central At-Large Representative – includes Sections 2, 3, 6, and
7 (three-year term)
- 2020-21
Sectional Advisors – includes Sections 1, 3, 5 and 7 (two-year term)
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
How much could your school district and taxpayers save if
there were statewide flat tuition rates of $5000 for regular ed students and
$8865 for special ed.? See the estimated savings by school district here.
Education Voters PA
Website February 14, 2019
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2019&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=34
Has your state representative cosponsored HB526?
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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