Started in November 2010, daily postings from the Keystone State
Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education
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PA Ed Policy Roundup for October 4, 2019
What:
AAUW Informal discussion on cyber charter schools
When: 9 a.m. refreshments, 9:30 a.m. panel, Oct. 7
Where: Central PA Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, 800 E. Park Ave.,
State College
Hershey
Lodge & Convention Center OCT 15, 2019 • 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
As the local
authorizing body, the school board is responsible for approving and evaluating
brick-and-mortar charter schools. This day of training allows district
leadership to learn from experienced Pennsylvania school solicitors as well as
others familiar with authorization, application review and renewal processes.
Attendees will be provided with actionable steps and useful tools for leading
their district through review processes and charter negotiations to ensure
district dollars are being used to offer high-quality educational options to
students.
Space is limited,
so register today! To register, please log in to myPSBA.org.
If this is your
first time registering for a PSBA event, please contact PSBA Registrar Janelle
Hoch. She will respond within 24 hours during the business week to ensure you
are able to successfully register for this event. janelle.hoch@psba.org (717) 506-2450, ext. 3437
Agenda and panel
members info: https://www.psba.org/event/navigating-charter-authorization/
“The framers believed democracy requires
an informed citizenry. Thomas Jefferson observed that “wherever the people are
well-informed they can be trusted with their own government.” Sadly, civics is
not taught comprehensively in our schools. Basic knowledge that is crucial to
the preservation of our democracy has been shoved aside in favor of subjects on
the state-mandated standardized test. While Pennsylvania recently passed a law
requiring schools to test students’ civics knowledge at least once in middle or high school — a step in the
right direction — students do not have to pass the test, and it is unclear how
effectively the curricula will imbue an understanding of our government, rights,
and responsibilities.”
Judge Marjorie Rendell: Civics education is failing |
Opinion
Opinion by Marjorie Rendell, for the Inquirer Updated: October 3, 2019 - 12:33 PM
Marjorie Rendell is Senior Circuit Judge of
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and a former first lady of
Pennsylvania.
I attended a
conference several years ago at which retired Supreme Court Justice David
Souter told a story of a Russian lawyer who visited the Supreme Court. The
lawyer asked Souter what he thought was the most important opinion of the
modern Supreme Court. He replied, as many of us would, that it was Brown
v. Board of Education. Souter could tell that his answer disappointed the
lawyer, so he asked which case the lawyer would have chosen. The lawyer cited
the Nixon tapes decision, in which the Supreme Court ordered President Nixon to
turn over tapes of conversations he had secretly recorded. The Russian lawyer
remarked that, in his country, a court could never tell the head of state what
to do. Souter said that, upon hearing this, he had “an epiphany”: We don’t
teach our children civics, or how special our system really is. At that moment,
I, too, had an epiphany. I resolved to spend my judicial career — and my bully
pulpit as first lady of Pennsylvania — trying to educate our children about
ways in which the framers crafted a form of government that has been the envy
of the world and, indeed, has been emulated by many nations over the years.
New funding boosts Philadelphia School District bond rating
The Bond Buyer By Andrew Coen Published October
03 2019, 3:55pm EDT
Increased financial
pledges from city and state sources triggered a two-notch upgrade for the
long-struggling Philadelphia School district to a higher speculative-grade
rating ahead of a more than $600 million bond deal that will also benefit from
state credit support. Fitch Ratings upgraded the system’s issuer default rating
to BB-plus from BB-minus Thursday, citing positive fiscal improvements achieved
after recent funding increases from Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.
Anita Faas | For 1 in
5 local kids, next meal an uncertainty
Johnstown Tribune
Democrat By Anita Faas tribdem@tribdem.com
It’s hard to
imagine that there are children in our community who leave school on Fridays
not knowing if there will be food for them to eat at home over the weekend. According
to the leading hunger-relief organization Feeding America, one in five – or
5,330 – children in Cambria County live with the uncertainty of where their
next meal is coming from. For those children, meals at school get them through
the week. But what about the weekends? The Johnstown Backpack Project formed in
2012 as a collaboration. Several youth-serving nonprofit organizations in the
Johnstown area, most operating as out-of-school-time programs, served children
in the Greater Johnstown School District. The need was undeniable –
children stealing food, hoarding snacks and hiding food at home for safekeeping.
With seed money from Lee Initiatives and a shared commitment to alleviate child
hunger, the group held its first packing and distribution in March 2013. Sadly,
the demand for this critical weekend food assistance program didn’t lessen; it
grew. Over the past six years, the outreach tripled the number of participants
and expanded from the City of Johnstown to include parts of southern and
central Cambria County. It also improved in its operations and efficiency.
Head of the Class:
Marple Newtown teacher earns 'Oscar' as Milken top educator
Delco Times By Kevin Tustin
ktustin@21st-centurymedia.com October 4, 2019
NEWTOWN — Thursday
was a gold star day like no other for Marple Newtown High School biology
teacher Elizabeth Landes. The teacher was the surprised recipient of the Milken
Family Foundation’s 2019 Milken Education Award during a special schoolwide
assembly. Landes is the only Pennsylvania teacher to be named an honoree for
2019-20 and the first ever for the Marple Newtown School District in the
program’s more than 30-year history noted as the “Oscars” of education awards. Along
with the title Landes will be awarded $25,000 at a March conference in
Indianapolis with all of the year’s other awardees. Pennsylvania Education
Secretary Pedro Rivera was present at the assembly as a ruse to get all of the
teachers and students to witness the surprise announcement that Landes was an
award-winning educator. Rivera and Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President
Jane Foley, Ph.D. presented Landes with the award and a ceremonial check.
Editorial | It’s time for Penn to pay PILOTs
By The Daily Pennsylvanian Editorial Board 10/02/19
9:06pm
Penn has been a
part of the city of Philadelphia for several centuries. The University has
played a fundamental role in the growth and evolution of the city, both because
of the longevity of its existence and the outsize role that Penn’s money and
prestige allows it to play in the community. But Penn’s actions have hurt the
rest of Philadelphia, particularly through rampant gentrification. To this day,
Penn fails to engage with the Philadelphia community in a constructive or
collective manner, and instead uses its status as a nonprofit to avoid paying
desperately needed property taxes. It’s time for Penn to step up and finally
pay Payments in Lieu of Taxes. Paying PILOTs is a fairly common practice among
elite institutions. In fact, Penn
and Columbia University stand alone in the Ivy League as the only schools that do not contribute to their respective
communities through voluntary payment of property taxes. Despite the fact that
the University’s roughly $14 billion endowment and aggressive building projects
have led to massive land accumulation, that land is held nearly completely
tax-free.
Cyber charter school students get away from computer
screens to meet
PA HomePage
by: Cody
Butler Posted: Oct 3, 2019 / 08:24 PM
EDT
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) —
Going from behind a computer into a
classroom. Cyber-charter school students are meeting their virtual classmates
to complete activities that can only be done offline. It’s Back to School
celebration for these K through 12 Reach Cyber Charter School students and
their parents. Each year it’s a night to meet their teachers and fellow cyber
peers. “I like that because you’re sort of restricted to your home really, but
when you come here, you can meet all your friends and talk to them and meet
them in real life,” cyber school student Jude Assih said. Assih used an
airzooka to knock down cups, developing science, technology, engineering, and
math or STEM skills with his peers. “So we’re stacking cups up and then we’re
going to shoot them down like my sister just did,” Assih said. Other students and
parents were supporting collaborative learning by pushing air through a straw
to levitate a ping-pong ball all while enjoying what the night has to offer. “You
get to play games and do crafts and eat,” cyber school student Jordan Reid
said. The charter school incorporates STEM into their curriculum by using STEM
to build apps, design home-built cars, and more all throughout the school year.
“So having kids here and allowing them to be able to get that hands-on build,”
Reach Cyber Charter School Director of Data and Student Assessment Kelley
McConnell said.
“The Massachusetts Senate Thursday night
unanimously passed an education reform bill that would invest a new $1.5
billion in the state’s public K-12 education system over the next seven years
with a focus on providing resources that will help low-income students.”
Mass. State Senate passes ed reform bill
Boston Globe By STATE HOUSE NEWS,
October 3, 2019, 11:11 p.m.
The Massachusetts
Senate Thursday night unanimously passed an education reform bill that would
invest a new $1.5 billion in the state’s public K-12 education system over the
next seven years with a focus on providing resources that will help low-income
students. The bill aims to funnel additional money into the state’s public
education system in a way that would boost every district without reliance on
new or increased taxes to pay for the investment. The Student Opportunity Act, which
passed 39-0, “modernizes K-12 education funding” according to a statement from
Senate President Karen E. Spilka’s office.
As Others See It: Classroom technology doesn't make the
grade
Schools are
spending billions on digital tools but students have little to show for it
Post-Gazette EDITORIAL FROM BLOOMBERG OPINION
OCT 3, 2019 4:30 AM
At least since the
invention of the blackboard two centuries ago, educators have used technology
to enhance classroom instruction. The digital revolution has accelerated that trend,
with the market for educational tech in the U.S. and Europe exceeding $100
billion. What's less clear is whether these investments are doing any good. Advances
in educational software, particularly applications that aim to
"personalize" learning, have the potential to help students, support
teachers and make academics more engaging. But a good deal of the technology
pouring into schools remains unproven, untested and — due to inadequate teacher
training — poorly applied. To avoid squandering further time and tax dollars,
policymakers should limit spending on new technologies until more schools
demonstrate they're able to use them effectively. In many wealthy countries,
digital technology has become a fixture in classrooms. The number of computers
in U.S. public schools tripled between 1995 and 2008, the most recent year for
which national data is available. More than eight in 10 students in the U.S. in
grades four through 12 do at least some of their school work on laptops, and
almost 60% use tablets for learning. Yet there's little evidence that this
technology improves student performance — and excessive use may even have
negative effects. A 2015 study of 38 countries found that those that made large
investments in educational technology showed "no appreciable improvements
in student achievement" on international assessments of math, science and
reading.
Blogger note: the Thomas B. Fordham
Institute is an ideologically conservative American nonprofit education reform
think tank. It is not affiliated with Fordham University.
Charter Schools Ace
Another Test
Minority
students do better overall as charters gain market share.
Wall Street Journal
By The Editorial Board Oct. 3, 2019 7:02 pm ET
Is the success of
charter schools an illusion? Critics claim charters merely skim the best
students, whose parents care enough to apply, while pushing out troublemakers.
So it’s worth noting a
new study showing
that often test scores improve for all students when charters increase their
market share. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute examined 21 urban school
districts with at least 2,500 black students per grade from 2009-2015. As the
“black charter market share” rises in the study to 50% from zero, the
associated educational gain is 0.8 grade level in English and 0.7 in math. This
bump is for all black students in the district, whether they attend a charter
or not. Results are similar for the 27 urban districts with at least 2,500
Hispanic students per grade. As the “Hispanic charter market share” rises to
35% from zero, it’s associated with a gain of 0.7 grade level in English and
0.7 in math. For comparison, the overall racial achievement gap is roughly “two
to three grade levels,” the study says. Other results in the paper aren’t as
dramatic. After adding more than 200 smaller urban districts, those with at
least 100 minority students per class, the gains are 0.3 or 0.4 grade level,
although Hispanics show no bump in English. In large suburban districts, the
data show mostly null results for minority pupils.
Betsy DeVos Tests a Rhetorical Twist on 'School Choice'
Recent speeches twin 'education' with
'freedom'
Education Week By Evie Blad October 1,
2019
When one of the
nation's highest-profile and most divisive supporters of school choice went on
an interstate, back-to-school tour last month, she largely steered clear of
using the phrase "school choice" at all. Instead, U.S. Secretary of
Education Betsy DeVos, who used school visits in six states to promote her federal
tax-credit scholarship proposal, referred to "education freedom," a rebranding that suggests
options that go beyond being expected to choose a school—options like mixing
and matching components to build an educational experience from scratch. Amid
polarizing debates over school choice, can new language move the needle on
public opinion, especially among critics who've called for more attention to
the needs of traditional public schools? As candidates for the
2020 Democratic presidential nomination and lawmakers in states like California have engaged in debates
over charter schools—the
publicly funded, independently run schools that typically have been seen as a
more broadly supported choice option—DeVos has continued to cast a more
dramatic vision that aims further out on the horizon.
In addition to
district-run public schools, DeVos's recent tour included several charters with
innovative approaches, multiple private faith-based schools that enroll
students who rely on public voucher programs to help fund their educations, and
even a meeting with a Christian home-school alliance in Pennsylvania. That's in
contrast to education secretaries from previous administrations, who largely
traveled to public schools.
(PA) 2019 Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools
Annual Conference October 9 - October 11 Harrisburg
The Pennsylvania
Coalition of Public Charter Schools invites charter school leaders, board
members, new school developers, educators, support staff, and advocates to our
second annual conference focused on educating, inspiring, and connecting the
charter movement in Pennsylvania on October 9-11, 2019 in Harrisburg, PA!
Register now for PSBA’s
Sleep & Student Performance Webcast OCT
31, 2019 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 27,
2019 IN PSBA
NEWS
Our students face
many issues today, but who would have imagined sleep deprivation could be a
significant issue? The Joint State Government Commission established an
advisory committee to study the issues, benefits and options related to school
districts instituting later start times in secondary schools. Register now to hear from the executive director of the Commission, Glenn
Pasewicz, commission staff and David Hutchinson, PSBA’s appointee to the
commission, on the results of their study and work.
According to state
law, all school directors must complete training. How many hours are required
if you are a new school director? What about if you’re re-elected? Get the
answers to these and other related questions in this episode of PSBA’s #VideoEDition.
Information about the
education sessions for the 2019 @PasaSupts @PSBA School Leadership Conference are now live on our
website! We hope to see you there! #PASLC2019
What: Informal
discussion on cyber charter schools
When: 9 a.m.
refreshments, 9:30 a.m. panel, Oct. 7
Where: Central
Pennsylvania Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, 800 E. Park Ave., State College
AAUW State College
Branch invites you to attend an informational panel discussion to learn more
about background and issues connected with cyber charter schools. Join us on
Oct. 7, at the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800 E. Park
Ave., State College (visitor center off Porter Road). Refreshments, 9 a.m.;
panel discussion, 9:30 a.m.
The American
Association of University Women State College Branch is part of a nationwide
network of about 1,000 branches that are dedicated to advancing equity for
women and girls.
Adolescent Health and
School Start Times: Science, Strategies, Tactics, & Logistics
Workshop Nov 13, Exton
Join school administrators and staff, including superintendents, transportation directors, principals, athletic directors, teachers, counselors, nurses, and school board members, parents, guardians, health professionals and other concerned community members for an interactive and solutions-oriented workshop on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 9:30 am to 3:00 pm
Join school administrators and staff, including superintendents, transportation directors, principals, athletic directors, teachers, counselors, nurses, and school board members, parents, guardians, health professionals and other concerned community members for an interactive and solutions-oriented workshop on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 9:30 am to 3:00 pm
Clarion Hotel in
Exton, PA
The science is clear. Many middle and high school days in Pennsylvania, and across the nation, start too early in the morning. The American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, and many other major health and education leaders agree and have issued policy statements recommending that secondary schools start no earlier than 8:30 am to allow for sleep, health, and learning. Implementing these recommendations, however, can seem daunting. Discussions will include the science of sleep and its connection to school start times, as well as proven strategies for successfully making change--how to generate optimum community support and work through implementation challenges such as bus routes, athletics, and more. Register for the workshop here: https://ssl-workshop-pa.eventbrite.com Thanks to our generous sponsors, we are able to offer early bird registration for $25, which includes a box-lunch and coffee service. Seating is limited and early bird registration ends on Friday, September 13.
For more information visit the workshop website www.startschoollater.net/workshop---pa or email contact@startschoollater.net
The science is clear. Many middle and high school days in Pennsylvania, and across the nation, start too early in the morning. The American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, and many other major health and education leaders agree and have issued policy statements recommending that secondary schools start no earlier than 8:30 am to allow for sleep, health, and learning. Implementing these recommendations, however, can seem daunting. Discussions will include the science of sleep and its connection to school start times, as well as proven strategies for successfully making change--how to generate optimum community support and work through implementation challenges such as bus routes, athletics, and more. Register for the workshop here: https://ssl-workshop-pa.eventbrite.com Thanks to our generous sponsors, we are able to offer early bird registration for $25, which includes a box-lunch and coffee service. Seating is limited and early bird registration ends on Friday, September 13.
For more information visit the workshop website www.startschoollater.net/workshop---pa or email contact@startschoollater.net
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!
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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