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
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These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
PA Ed Policy Roundup July 24, 2019
Taxpayers in Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman’s school
districts had to send over $7.6 million to chronically underperforming cyber
charter schools for 2017-18.
Take the four-week PSBA
advocacy challenge
POSTED ON JULY 22,
2019 IN PSBA
NEWS
Calling all public education
advocates! Even though students are out for the summer, we need you to continue
your efforts to share your district's story, and the needs of public
schools across the state, with your legislators. Follow the four easy steps on
the challenge to increase your engagement with lawmakers this summer and you'll
receive some PSBA swag as a thank-you. We've also included some talking points
to help inform you on the latest issues. Contact Advocacy Coordinator Jamie
Zuvich at jamie.zuvich@psba.org with
questions. Click here to see the
challenge and talking points.
Taxpayers in Senate
Majority Leader Jake Corman’s school districts had to send over $7.6 million to
chronically underperforming cyber charter schools for 2017-18.
The table below lists the school district
name, total 2017-18 cyber tuition paid and the percent of the district’s budget
that was spent on cyber tuition.
Data Source: PDE via PSBA.
|
Bald Eagle Area SD
|
$286,206.93
|
1.0%
|
|
Bellefonte Area SD
|
$704,632.52
|
1.5%
|
|
Greenwood SD
|
$456,466.22
|
3.8%
|
|
Huntingdon Area SD
|
$628,157.81
|
2.4%
|
|
Juniata County SD
|
$839,126.62
|
2.4%
|
|
Juniata Valley SD
|
$217,512.06
|
2.1%
|
|
Keystone Central SD
|
$1,360,245.56
|
1.9%
|
|
Mifflin County SD
|
$654,730.26
|
1.0%
|
|
Mount Union Area SD
|
$612,768.10
|
3.0%
|
|
Penns Valley Area SD
|
$264,784.94
|
1.1%
|
|
Philipsburg-Osceola Area SD
|
$410,235.27
|
1.5%
|
|
State College Area SD
|
$824,321.13
|
0.6%
|
|
Tyrone Area SD
|
$429,319.35
|
1.9%
|
|
|
$7,688,506.77
|
|
‘It was about shaming people’: Philly businessman
rebuffed in efforts to clear Pa. kids’ school-lunch debt
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Updated: July
23, 2019- 1:06 PM
Todd Carmichael grew up poor. His family
relied on food stamps, and he qualified for free school lunches, something that
made him feel ashamed. So when Carmichael, now the CEO of La Colombe coffee,
heard about a Northeastern Pennsylvania school district threatening to put a
group of students in foster care because their parents hadn’t paid their school
lunch debts, he had a visceral reaction. He didn’t want other children to feel
the shame he once did. Carmichael then proposed a solution: He offered to write
a check for $22,467 to the Wyoming Valley West School District in Luzerne
County. But school board president Joseph Mazur said no to Carmichael,
whose progressive politics have become increasingly
high-profile. “I am offering to pay this debt in
full,” Carmichael wrote in a letter addressed to Mazur and published in the
Wilkes-Barre Citizens’ Voice. “By saying no, you are not just shaming families
who elected you, but you are placing this burden on the WVW taxpayers, and that
is completely unfair.” Carmichael, a self-described activist against the
policies of President Donald Trump and his administration, has been jailed in the
past for causes he cares about. He supports a $15 per hour minimum wage and
better state funding of Pennsylvania public schools, and has come out against
tax breaks for corporations. But the Wyoming Valley West situation really
touched a nerve, he said Tuesday.
“The same holds true for our school districts. I recently spoke
with a superintendent who explained that if a child needs a prescribed drug
while at school, the school nurse will administer it — except for medical
marijuana, since it is still a federal crime, regardless of the state law. A
child would need to leave the school grounds to take the prescribed marijuana
and could not return if there remains any marijuana in his or her system. The
problem is that the active ingredient in marijuana can stay in a person’s body
for several days or even weeks. Again, what a maddening situation! Here’s the
issue: Our Legislature rightfully legalized medical marijuana, and it is a real
blessing for those who battle the pain of illness or disease. Unfortunately,
our lawmakers forgot that businesses and schools are bound by the federal law
regulating drug use at the worksite and at school.”
Lawmakers put schools and businesses in a bind with
medical marijuana. They need to fix it | Opinion
By John Dame Capital-Star Op-Ed Contributor July 24,
2019
More than 40 years ago I ran a rock radio
station, Starview 92.7-FM in Central Pennsylvania. We were the first radio
station to offer special midnight movies. These movies included a 1930s
anti-drug movie called “Reefer Madness,” which warned of a descent into madness
for those lured into trying marijuana. This propaganda film was quite campy and
funny, especially in the culture of the late 1970s, where pot smoking was
pervasive. Today, we have a different version of reefer madness facing us — and
it’s one that should be taken in a bit more serious tone. It stems from the
unintended consequences of the legalization of medical marijuana in
Pennsylvania, which occurred in August 2016. Marijuana and its active
ingredients (in various forms) can help patients deal with symptoms of
migraines, cancer, Parkinson’s, seizures and glaucoma, among a host of other
diseases and illnesses. The positive results of taking medical marijuana are
incredibly real for patients who struggle every day to live and work. While the
Pennsylvania Legislature voted to legalize medical marijuana, they did very
little to provide guidance for businesses and schools that now struggle with
how to deal with employees and students who have been prescribed medical
marijuana. Most organizations have clear policies regarding the usage of any
illegal substances, including marijuana.
Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology receives
grant to support welding training program
PA Business Report BY KEVIN RANDOLPH | JULY
23, 2019
Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced that the
Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology will receive a $200,000 grant
through the Manufacturing PA initiative to support its post-secondary training
program for certified welding and metal fabrication. “This grant will enable the Mifflin County
Academy of Science and Technology to significantly expand manufacturing
training and job opportunities for Mifflin and Juniata residents,” Wolf said.
“We are excited to support the manufacturing workforce as it evolves to meet
the demands of the 21st-century economy.” The grant will support an initiative
that will provide training opportunities for certified welding through
collaboration with local manufacturers and identify and teach the skills that
entry-level applicants need. Local manufacturing companies involved in the
project include Overhead Door Corporation, Central PA Dock & Door and
Meeker Equipment Co, Inc.
Brittni Jennings helps her students connect their own
lives to history
She makes use of the Harkness discussion
method, which requires students to take the lead.
The notebook by Makoto Manheim July 23 — 6:42
pm, 2019
“Students would benefit more if they had
figures like them representing black history now…because black history is a
continuum; it’s not [just] the story of oppression.” Those were the words of
Brittni Jennings when talking about the creation of the Black History Expo at
Constitution High School. Jennings teaches African American History, as well as
Contemporary Issues, and is one of 60 recipients in Philadelphia schools this
year of the Lindback Award for distinguished teaching. Jennings majored in
English education at West Chester University, but spent five years working in
banking before committing to a teaching career. A turning point for her was her
volunteer work at an afterschool program called New Directions, which served
elementary school students in the West Chester area, while she worked at TD
Bank and PNC. “There was a sense of urgency there,” she said. “The kids weren’t
living in ideal conditions, and they chose the community center as a safe
space. Interacting with them and the volunteers made me seriously think about
being an educator.” Before becoming an educator, however, Jennings thought
about what kind of educator she wanted to be. She thought of her art teacher,
Ms. Robb, the only black teacher she had growing up in the Upper Darby School
District. The way that Ms. Robb carried herself left a major impression on her
and was the embodiment of the ideal teacher. When Jennings moved full-time into
a career in education, she sought out a similar type of District and community
that would enable her to replicate her role model.
Thousands of Students Could Lose Free School Meals if
SNAP Changes
Education Week By Evie Blad on July
23, 2019 4:14 PM
A Trump administration plan to tighten
eligibility requirements for the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program could have a secondary effect: hundreds of
thousands of children losing automatic eligibility for free school lunches,
child hunger groups warn. The proposal, announced Tuesday, would
curb broad-based categorical eligibility, an provision that allows
states to streamline the application process SNAP, commonly known as food
stamps, for families who participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families program. What does SNAP have to do with schools? Children in families
who participate in SNAP are "directly certified" for participation in
federally subsidized free school meal programs without filling out a separate
application, a move that cuts red tape that can prevent participation, those
groups say. In addition, schools where large number of students are directly
certified in free meal programs, through participation in SNAP or other federal
anti-poverty programs, may provide universal free meals to all students through
a federal provision called community eligibility. Tightening up SNAP
qualifications could cause about 265,000 students to lose eligibility
for free meals, said Lisa Davis, the senior vice
president of Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign, in testimony before
the House agriculture committee's subcommittee on nutrition in June.
“The bill contained a promise that the federal government would
fund 40 percent of the costs of implementing IDEA. Today, the government funds
just 14.7 percent.
Noting this discrepancy, legislators have filed the IDEA Full
Funding Act to fully fund IDEA by 2023. I’m glad that this bill has been filed,
but what I don’t understand is why IDEA wasn’t fully funded 44 years ago.”
Congress broke a promise to properly fund a law
protecting students with disabilities. Here are the serious consequences.
Washington Post Answer Sheet By Valerie Strauss Reporter July
23 at 7:00 AM
In January 2017, Betsy DeVos, who was soon to
become President Trump’s education secretary, appeared before Congress at her
confirmation hearing and displayed ignorance
about a key federal law aimed at protecting
students with disabilities. The law is the Individuals With Disabilities Act,
known as IDEA, and DeVos appeared not to realize it is a federal law that all
states must follow. During conversations about it, first with Sen. Tim Kaine
(D-Va.) and later with Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), DeVos repeatedly said it
was up to the states to decide whether to follow the law. Hassan at one point
told her that IDEA is a federal civil rights law and asked DeVos: “So were you
unaware when I just asked you about the IDEA that it was a federal law?” DeVos
responded, “I may have confused it.” DeVos did, in fact, confuse it, but it is
also true that Congress hasn’t lived up to its promises about IDEA — and that
failure has harmed many students with disabilities. This post explains the
broken promises and the consequences. It was written by Meghan Schrader, who
has a master’s degree in musicology and has served as an affiliate faculty
member in disability studies. Her experience growing up with a learning
disorder also inspired her to serve on the governing board of Boston ASAN
(Autistic Self Advocacy Network) in 2015 and to volunteer as an education
advocate for disabled students in foster care.
PCCY: 2 seconds for
$200,000 and a game-changing opportunity for kids
PCCY needs
your votes! We are in the running for a $200,000 Key to the Community
Grant from the Philadelphia Foundation! Our idea is simple – give more parents in the Greater Philadelphia region
tools, resources and networks to amplify their voices in advocacy and policy
impacting our children. To launch the Parent Advocacy Accelerator, we need your
help. The Philadelphia Foundation is running an on-line voting
contest. The idea that gets the most votes in a category, wins the grant. Voting
is quick and easy at https://www.philafound.org/vote/. Just scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and vote for the
project listed as the Parent Advocacy Accelerator under the “Community and
Civic Engagement" category, Every vote, every day counts. VOTE EVERY DAY UNTIL JULY 26! Share with your networks in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, or
Delaware and ask them to vote every day, too.
Thank you for your
votes and support!
In November, many boards will be
preparing to welcome new directors to their governance Team of Ten. This event
will help attendees create a full year on-boarding schedule based on best
practices and thoughtful prioritization. Register now:
PSBA: Start Strong:
Developing a District On-Boarding Plan for New Directors
SEP 11, 2019 • 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
In November, many boards
will be faced with a significant transition as they prepare to welcome new
directors to their governance Team of Ten. This single-day program facilitated
by PSBA trainers and an experienced PA board president will guide attendees to
creating a strong, full year on-boarding schedule based on best practices and
thoughtful prioritization. Grounded in PSBA’s Principles for Governance and
Leadership, attendees will hear best practices from their colleagues and leave
with a full year’s schedule, a jump drive of resources, ideas for effective
local training, and a plan to start strong.
Register online at MyPSBA: www.psba.org and click on “MyPSBA” in the upper right corner.
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.
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