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
“This isn't a new problem. There is a
better way to fund charter schools, and it's not rocket science.
·
If school districts could deduct their
charter school tuition from the tuition calculation to ensure that it didn't
unfairly ratchet up the tuition rate from year to year, it would save them $450 million.
·
If school districts could use their
actual percentage of special education students in the special education
charter school tuition calculation instead of a fictitious number, it would
save them $65 million.
·
If school districts could cap the annual
charter school tuition rate growth at their Act 1 index to mitigate annual cost
increases, it would save them $96 million.
·
If the state would take on the cost of
cyber charter school tuition since the state is responsible for authorizing and
overseeing cyber charter schools, it would save school districts $520 million.
We need an honest conversation that
leads to a real, meaningful and immediate solution, and we need it this fall.
We all have to be at the table and agree that the charter school funding status
quo can't continue. Failing to address this critical issue cancels out the
education increases in the newly enacted state budget and ensures that the
burden on school districts and taxpayers gets worse.”
Pennsylvania Association of School Business
Managers Website By: PASBO On: 07/01/2019
School districts
across the state will usher in a new fiscal year with much-needed boosts for
state basic education funding, special education funding and school safety as a
result of the newly enacted state budget. The PA Association of School Business
Officials (PASBO) applauds Governor Wolf and the General Assembly for their
efforts in providing additional education resources in the new budget. However,
our work is not done. PASBO remains committed to addressing charter school
tuition costs when the General Assembly returns this fall. Without remedying
charter school funding policy, the positive impact of the increases for
education in the 2019-20 budget will be negated, and the $160 million increase
in basic education funding for school districts will go directly to charter
schools.
PASBO does not
debate the existence of charter schools nor the important role they play in
providing an alternative public education option for Pennsylvania students.
However, charter school reforms are long overdue, and there is no reform need
greater than the 22 year-old charter school tuition calculation.
HB621: Armed teachers
in Pa.’s schools? Groups on both sides of the gun debate say Senate bill would
allow it
PA Capital Star By Elizabeth Hardison June 27, 2019
Shira Goodman and
Kim Stolfer may not agree on much, but they recently found common ground on a
school safety bill now before the state Senate. Goodman, leader of the gun
control group CeaseFire PA, and Stolfer, president of the pro-gun Firearms
Owners Against Crime, both say that a bill sponsored by Sen. Mike Regan, R-York, would grant schools more
discretion in arming trained employees. That could mean deputizing teachers to
carry firearms. “Could a teacher be able to carry a firearm if they met
qualifications [under the bill]? We believe if a school board wanted that, the
bill would enable it,” Stolfer said. That’s welcome news to Stolfer, who thinks
Pennsylvania should arm its teachers to prevent deadly mass shootings. Goodman,
on the other hand, argues that the proliferation of guns in schools will only
endanger students. And she’s troubled that two groups with opposite
philosophies on gun safety share the same interpretation of Regan’s bill. “We
obviously have different views from them about school security, what makes
school safe in general,” Goodman said Wednesday. But if a gun rights group such
as Stolfer’s sees the bill as a path to arm teachers, she said, “we’re
worried.” Staffers in Regan’s office said Wednesday that the bill was never
meant to let teachers carry guns, but agreed that schools may interpret its
language differently. That could lead to costly lawsuits if districts start
arming teachers, Goodman said.
HB621: ELC Opposes
Bill to Loosen Restrictions on Arming School Personnel
In a letter to Gov.
Tom Wolf in June 2019, the Education Law Center urges him to veto Senate Bill
621, arguing that it represents a dangerous loosening of the existing
restrictions on who can be armed in schools. Current Pennsylvania law already
allows for school police officers and school resource officers to be armed in
schools. The bill would give authority to security guards to be armed,
including outside, third-party security firms. ELC maintains that if this bill
becomes law, it will exacerbate the current risks of having armed personnel in
schools. We cannot afford to have any confusion about roles or accountability
with armed personnel. “Armed school police officer” is not a role that should
be contracted to outside private firms. The best school safety strategies
involve investing in building strong school communities and strong supports for
students.
Read our
letter here.
Curmuducation Blog by Peter Greene Monday,
July 1, 2019
Three weeks ago, I
wrote about the Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue case for Forbes, trying to explain why it would be a big deal if the Supremes decided to
hear this case. One thing has changed since then-- the court has decided they
will hear the case.
This is a big deal. Here's a slightly modified version of that Forbes piece to serve as an explainer for why we need to pay attention.
This is a big deal. Here's a slightly modified version of that Forbes piece to serve as an explainer for why we need to pay attention.
This summer the US
Supreme Court has decided to hear Espinoza
v. Montana Department of Revenue. Its decision will have huge repercussions for public education. To
grasp why this case matters and why it's coming up now, there are two pieces of
background you need to understand.
Supreme Court to Consider Montana Religious School Tax
Credit
Education Week By Mark Walsh on June 28, 2019 11:03 AM
Washington - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to review a decision by Montana's
highest court that struck down a tuition tax-credit program which, as enacted
by that state's legislature, allowed tuition scholarships to benefit students
at private religious schools as well as secular schools. The action came June
28 in a final orders list one day after the formal end of the Supreme Court's term.
The justices will hear arguments the new case, Espinoza v. Montana
Department of Revenue(No.
18-1195), in the new term that begins in October. The Montana Supreme
Court ruled 5-2 in
December 2018 that
the program, which provides a tax credit of up to $150 per year to individuals
and corporations that donate to tuition scholarship organizations, violates the
state constitution's provision barring government aid to "sectarian
schools." The state high court said that the tax-credit program could not
be saved by a rule adopted by the state revenue department that excluded
private religious schools from participation.
The state high court said that the Montana Constitution "more
broadly prohibits 'any' state aid to sectarian schools and draws a more
stringent line than that drawn by" the U.S. Constitution's prohibition
against government establishment of religion.
Answered Prayer?
Montana case could prompt last judgment for
Blaine Amendments
EducationNext By Joshua Dunn FALL 2019 / VOL. 19, NO. 4
School-choice
supporters hoped that the U.S. Supreme Court would declare Blaine Amendments
unconstitutional in the 2017 case Trinity Lutheran Church v.
Comer. But the court declined to do so, leaving advocates to pray for
another test case to reach the court. A state-court decision out of Montana
last year could well provide that test. Blaine Amendments—provisions in 38
state constitutions forbidding public aid to sectarian institutions—were
largely adopted during a spasm of anti-Catholic sentiment in the late 1800s and
early 1900s. The Supreme Court has long held that the free exercise clause of
the First Amendment forbids “laws that . . . impose disabilities on the basis
of religion.” Despite that conflict, school-choice opponents have often relied
on these amendments in state litigation. In December 2018, Montana officials
successfully invoked that state’s Blaine Amendment in convincing the state
supreme court to strike down a tax-credit scholarship program in Espinoza
v. Montana Department of Revenue.
Op-Ed: 2019-20
Pennsylvania budget built on record of fiscal responsibility
North Central PA By
Rep. Bryan Cutler and Rep. Stan Saylor July 1, 2019
State Rep.
Bryan Cutler is the Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives and Rep. Stan Saylor is the chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee.
After months of
debate and bipartisan cooperation, Pennsylvania has a balanced budget that
doesn’t raise taxes, puts more money into education, and sets money aside in
the state’s Rainy Day Fund to prevent the calls for future tax increases. This
on-time budget keeps our promise to Pennsylvanians by being respectful of the
tax dollars they entrust to us. House
Bill 790 is the
General Appropriations bill for the 2019-20 fiscal year. The budget spends
$33.997 billion and only grows by 1.8 percent as compared to the current
2018-19 fiscal year. There are no new taxes or fees in this budget. For years
the citizens of Pennsylvania have been badgered by false rhetoric that if their
taxes are not raised the Commonwealth would fall into economic collapse. House
Republicans stood up for taxpayers and said no to new taxes. By holding strong,
we proved that the governor’s proposed taxes were unnecessary. The result of
rejecting these calls for new taxes is that we have seen a surging economy
while still making historic investments in PreK-12 education.
Harrisburg School District’s receiver sweeps out the old
staff, brings in a new agency: Why?
Penn Live By Christine Vendel | cvendel@pennlive.com Updated
6:21 AM; Today 5:15 AM
When Janet Samuels
took over the Harrisburg School District as receiver this month, she eliminated
14 administrative positions and signed a $1.4 million annual contract with an
outside agency to provide all business, operational and human resource
functions for three years. So why clean house and go with an outside agency instead
of hiring a new superintendent, chief financial officer and other key staff
members to fill vacancies? Because this novel approach should show results more
quickly and attract more highly-qualified candidates for vital positions who
might otherwise not consider working for the troubled district, according to
education experts. Instead of spending months advertising for positions,
interviewing candidates and making hiring decisions, the team from the
Montgomery County Intermediate Unit can hit the ground running, the experts
said. Candidates who might be leery about leaving a stable job to work for the
Harrisburg School District after years of scandals and dysfunction could be
more willing to work for the Intermediate Unit, experts said, with its infrastructure
in place and its strong track record. The Harrisburg School District plans to
hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday to introduce some of the new leaders
from the Intermediate Unit, including John George, the intermediate unit’s
executive director, who will serve as Harrisburg’s Financial Recovery Plan
Service Director. George lead the team that previously pulled off what the
auditor general called a “miraculous” financial and academic recovery in
Reading, arguably one of the state’s poorest school districts.
Harrisburg School District in good hands, but she will
need all hands on deck | PennLive Editorial
By PennLive Editorial Board Posted Jul 1, 3:16 PM
At last. After
years of dysfunction and a momentous month of June, a qualified individual
without an ax to grind is firmly in the driver’s seat of the Harrisburg School
District. Dr. Janet Samuels took over last week as a court-appointed receiver
empowered to do virtually whatever it takes to get the beleaguered district on
solid academic, financial and operational footing. She must steer a perilous
route for the foreseeable future, while tuning out some dangerously distracting
backseat drivers (a lame-duck school board and possibly others). Yet there are
strong reasons for hope. Samuels has moved quickly and decisively to assert
control. She contracted with the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit to provide
business office and human resource department functions, as of July 1, and with
the IU’s executive director, John L. George, to serve as the financial recovery
plan service director. Samuels notes that George has a track record of working
miracles, having led the transformation of the Reading School District, which
was hailed by Auditor General Eugene DePasquale as the “most miraculous
recovery of a school system he’d witnessed.”
North Allegheny chooses tax hike over cutting music
classes
Post-Gazette by SANDY TROZZO JUL 1, 2019 2:21 PM
A majority of North
Allegheny school board members opted to raise taxes rather than cut music
classes, increase class sizes and raid the fund balance to an extent that would
hurt the district’s bond rating. The school board on June 26 approved a $175.9
million budget that raises taxes by 0.6851 mills. The new millage rate is
19.1408, which is the sixth-lowest among the 42 suburban districts in Allegheny
County. North Allegheny has the largest enrollment – 8,493 – and the
14th-lowest cost-per-student in the suburbs, according to data released with
the budget. “Our spending per student is about $3,000 below the average for the
districts in Allegheny County,” said board member Kevin Mahler. “We are not a
middle-of-the-road school district, but we spend like one.” The increase will
cost the owner of an average home valued at $239,000 approximately $163 per
year.
“Superintendent Mark Holtzman said while
he took Ms. Weiss’s comments seriously, the district has been “put at a huge
disadvantage with charter schools” to which the McKeesport Area pays $7 million
a year. Additionally, he said increases in pension costs are also part of the
reason for the tax increase. Mr. Holtzman added McKeesport Area relies heavily
on state and federal funding, which makes up about 70 percent of its revenues.
“When the state fails us, there’s
nowhere else to turn to for funding,” he said.”
McKeesport Area approves budget with 0.68-mill tax
increase
Post-Gazette by DEANA CARPENTER JUL 1, 2019 5:27 PM
Taxes in the
McKeesport Area School District are going up by 0.68 mills for the 2019-20
school year. The school board on June 26 approved the district’s $69 million
budget, which sets the millage rate at 20.16 mills. The vote was 6-2, with
board members Joseph Lopretto, Mary Jane Keller, Tom Filotei, Ivan Hampton,
Steven Kondrosky and Jim Poston voting yes. Board members James Brown and Dave
Donoto voted no. Mindy Sturgess was absent. The new rate would mean property
owners would pay $2,016 in school taxes per $100,000 of assessed value, a $68
increase from last year. Prior to the vote, resident Frances Weiss expressed
concern about the tax increase, saying that senior citizens like herself on
fixed incomes struggle to pay their taxes. “I fear the new tax increase will be
the one that forces us out of our homes,” Ms. Weiss said.
Moon Area approves budget with 1-mill increase
Post-Gazette by SUSAN SCHMEICHEL JUL 1, 2019 6:47 PM
The Moon Area
school board voted to balance the district's 2019-2020 budget by raising the
property tax rate by 0.98 mills and by using money from its fund balance. The
budget calls for expenditures of $80.9 million with an expected revenue of
$79.5 million causing a shortfall of $1,461,247. The approved real estate tax
is 22.10 mills. The budget was approved unanimously on June 24. "The
district does have a fund balance, but that amount is to be determined,"
explained Jill Regan, director of fiscal and school services. "It is
estimated to be $4 million. The district will use these funds to balance the
2019-2020 budget. Emergency expenses are evaluated as these happen. Capital
Reserve funds would be used in this case depending on the amount." District
officials had anticipated the need to dip into the fund balance to cover the
coming school year's expenses, with Ms. Regan, proposing the idea earlier this
year.
Philly Student Board of Education representatives end
their term with proposals for change
The
recommendations include setting up a system so that student districtwide have
equal access to advanced courses.
The notebook by Makoto
Manheim July 1 — 11:23 am, 2019
“You’ve upped the game for all of us.” Philadelphia
Board of Education President Joyce Wilkerson was speaking to Julia Frank and
Alfredo Praticò, two students who have served for the last year as non-voting
advisory members to the nine-member board. Frank and Praticò coordinated
student feedback and passed along policy recommendations for the board to
consider. As the first student board representatives in 17 years – the School
Reform Commission had no student advisers during its time in control of the
District– they had to establish a lot about the position on their own. “We
crafted our own set of objectives,” Frank said. Those objectives were: to
obtain feedback from students on how the board could better support them, to
bridge the gap between board members and students by advocating for students’
interests and explaining the board’s decisions, and to encourage student voice,
engagement, and involvement in School District decisions.
State grant boosts
environmental education in Pottstown
Pottstown Mercury
by MediaNews Group July 2, 2019
POTTSTOWN — State
Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist., has announced that Pottstown School District
has been awarded an environmental education grant. The $3,000 grant will be
used to support the Pottstown Powered by Nature program, teaching fourth- to
sixth-grade students scientific inquiry in environmental issues. “I’m delighted
to see Pottstown School District receive this funding,” said Ciresi. “We know that every dollar spent on our public
school children pays dividends," he said."In a world where our
children will be dealing with the effects of climate change, funding
specifically earmarked for environmental education is doubly impactful,” Ciresi
said. Administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, the Environmental Education Grant Program awards funding to
organizations to implement educational projects that focus on priority topics
of climate change, water, or environmental justice. Projects range from
creative, hands-on lessons for students, teacher training programs, and outdoor
learning resources to conservation education for adults.
PSBA Members: State
Budget Webcast JUL 9, 2019 • 12:00 PM - 1:00
PM
Join PSBA
government affairs experts for an in-depth look at the 2019-20 state budget and
related School Code bills. What do the new numbers and policy changes mean for
your school district, teachers and students? Bring your questions to this
complimentary webcast for members!
Presenters: PSBA Chief Advocacy Officer John Callahan, Director of Government
Affairs Jonathan Berger and Director of Research Andy Christ. This webcast
is for PSBA members only. Members may register at no cost online
through PSBA’s webconferencing host: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7177219780206800141.
The deadline to
submit a cover letter, resume and application is August 19,
2019.
Become a 2019-2020 PSBA Advocacy Ambassador
PSBA is seeking
applications for two open Advocacy Ambassador positions. Candidates
should have experience in day-to-day functions of a school district,
on the school board, or in a school leadership position. The purpose of the
PSBA Advocacy Ambassador program is to facilitate the education and engagement
of local school directors and public education stakeholders through the
advocacy leadership of the ambassadors. Each Advocacy Ambassador will
be responsible for assisting PSBA in achieving its advocacy goals. To
achieve their mission, ambassadors will be kept up to date on current
legislation and PSBA positions on legislation. The current open
positions will cover PSBA Sections 3 and 4, and
Section 7.
PSBA Advocacy
Ambassadors are independent contractors representing PSBA and serve
as liaisons between PSBA and their local elected officials. Advocacy
Ambassadors also commit to building strong relationships with PSBA members with
the purpose of engaging the designated members to be active and committed
grassroots advocates for PSBA’s legislative priorities.
PSBA: Nominations for The Allwein Society are open!
This award program
recognizes school directors who are outstanding leaders & advocates on
behalf of public schools & students. Nominations are accepted year-round
with selections announced early fall: http://ow.ly/CchG50uDoxq
EPLC is accepting
applications for the 2019-20 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program
Education Policy & Leadership Center
PA's premier education policy leadership program for education, policy
& community leaders with 582 alumni since 1999. Application with program
schedule & agenda are at http://www.eplc.org
2019 PASA-PSBA School
Leadership Conference Oct. 16-18, 2019
WHERE: Hershey Lodge and
Convention Center 325 University Drive, Hershey, PA
WHEN: Wednesday, October
16 to Friday, October 18, 201
Registration is now open!
Growth from knowledge acquired. Vision inspired by innovation. Impact
created by a synergized leadership community. You are called upon to be the
drivers of a thriving public education system. It’s a complex and challenging
role. Expand your skillset and give yourself the tools needed for the
challenge. Packed into two and a half daysꟷꟷgain access to top-notch education
and insights, dynamic speakers, peer learning opportunities and the latest
product and service innovations. Come to the PASA-PSBA School Leadership
Conference to grow!
NPE Action National
Conference - Save the Date - March 28-29, 2020 in Philadelphia, PA.
The window is now open for workshop proposals for the Network for Public
Education conference, March 28-29, 2020, in Philadelphia. I hope you all sign
on to present on a panel and certainly we want all to attend. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBCNDKK
Any comments contained herein are my comments, alone, and
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other person or organization
that I may be affiliated with.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.