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
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principals, charter school leaders, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher
leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations,
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PA Ed Policy Roundup for Nov. 27 2019
Children deserve to learn with dignity in safe, healthy
buildings
Increased
school funding and equitable distribution are needed now.
The notebook Commentary by Vincent Hughes and Helen Gym November 26 — 10:34 am, 2019
Vincent Hughes is a
state senator in the Seventh District, which comprises parts of Montgomery and
Philadelphia Counties. He is the Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations
Committee. Helen Gym is a Philadelphia councilmember at-large.
Our children,
teachers and school staff have been suffering in broken and toxic schools for
far too long. A number of incidents, including school closures, heating and air
quality, asthma-inducing conditions, and more, occurred before the Inquirer‘s reporting
on toxic schools last year. Most notably, Christopher
Trakimas, a facilities mechanic at Edmonds Elementary School in East Mount Airy, died of injuries he suffered in a boiler explosion in 2016. In 2017, 4th grader
Chelsea Mungo wrote
a heartbreaking letter to State Sen. Hughes saying she felt like she was in
prison – or a junkyard – when she was in school at Lewis Cassidy Academics Plus
School in West Philadelphia. “Why does the color of the students’ skin matter
how much money we get for our school?” she asked. Both stories are tragedies in
their own right. Even with the
spotlight from that award-winning
news coverage, we still
had the Ben Franklin
High School and Science Leadership Academy debacle and reports of exposed asbestos at T.M. Peirce
School this fall.
On Good
Morning America, Lea DiRusso, a teacher with 30 years of experience in Philadelphia schools, went
public with her diagnosis of mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer. None of
this should happen, and if we continue to let incidents like these occur, they
will become normalized. This is wrong. We should not be sending our children
into such dangerous conditions – they deserve to learn with dignity in modern
buildings.
How to talk to your family about charter schools during
the holidays
What you
should say when someone starts dissing traditional, neighborhood public schools
and hyping up charter schools.
Medium.com In the
Public Interest by Jeremy Mohler Nov 21 · 4 min read
The holidays are a
time of joy and relaxation but also uncomfortable conversations with family. Will
Uncle Tommy go on another rant about windmills causing cancer? Does grandma
still think Russia is the only reason Trump won? So, what should you say when
someone starts dissing traditional, neighborhood public schools and hyping up
charter schools?
Charter schools generally perform
academically about the same as neighborhood public schools.
Study after study
show that, just like there are high and low performing neighborhood public
schools, there are high and low performing charter schools. In fact, because
some charter schools effectively exclude special education students or expel
students with perceived disciplinary issues, charter school academic success
often can be overstated.
Charter schools can drain school district
budgets, taking resources from neighborhood public school students.
Research is
revealing that, in many states, school districts and the students they serve
are undermined by policies that prioritize opening new charter schools.
The award winning documentary Backpack Full of
Cash that explores the siphoning of funds from traditional public
schools by charters and vouchers will be shown in three locations in the
Philadelphia suburbs in the upcoming weeks.
The film is
narrated by Matt Damon, and some of the footage was shot in Philadelphia.
Members of the
public who are interested in becoming better informed about some of the
challenges to public education posed by privatization are invited to attend.
At all locations, the film will start
promptly at 7 pm, so it is suggested that members of the
audience arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the
screening.
………………………………………….
Backpack Full of
Cash hosted by State
Senator Maria Collett, and State Representatives Liz Hanbidge and Steve
Malagari
Monday,
December 2, 2019
Wissahickon
Valley Public Library, Blue Bell 650 Skippack Pike Blue Bell, PA 19422
………………………………………….
Backpack Full of
Cash hosted by
Montgomery County Democracy for America (Montco DFA)
Thursday,
December 5, 2019
Jenkintown
Library (Park and enter at rear.)
460 York Road
(across from IHOP) Jenkintown, PA 19046
………………………………………….
Backpack Full of
Cash hosted by State
Representatives Mary Jo Daley, Tim Briggs, and Matt Bradford
Monday,
January 6, 2020
Ludington
Library 5 S. Bryn Mawr Avenue Bryn Mawr,
PA 19010
Charter Schools;
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
PENNSYLVANIA
BULLETIN PROPOSED RULEMAKING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [ 22 PA. CODE CH. 711 ]
Chester-Upland Fights
Charter Takeover
Diane Ravitch’s
Blog By dianeravitch November 26, 2019 //
Staff and parents
of students in the remaining public schools of the Chester-Upland district in
Pennsylvania, are planning a
rally to
protest the charter proposal to take over all the elementary students. The
district’s big charter, owned by a for-profit corporation that belongs to a
wealthy lawyer, has lower scores on state tests than the public schools it
wants to close. Chester Community Charter School, owned by wealthy Republican
donor Vahan Gureghian, is a low-performing charter. The charter aims to
eliminate one choice: local public schools. If the supporters of the public
schools had external funding, they could buy everyone a matching T-shirt, like
charters do.
JOIN EDUCATORS,
PARENTS, AND CHESTER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO SAVE CHESTER UPLAND SCHOOLS
TUESDAY, DEC. 3, 2019 4:30 P.M.
CHESTER HIGH SCHOOL
200 WEST NINTH STREET CHESTER, PA 19013 (ADMINISTRATION SIDE OF BUILDING)
PSEA Flyer November
22, 2019
This rally will
occur on the eve of an important court hearing on the future of the district’s
public schools. The Chester Community Charter School has filed a petition with
the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas asking a judge to convert all Chester
Upland public schools for prekindergarten through eighth-grade students to
charter schools under the district’s Financial Recovery Plan.
“Goodman the fourth lawmaker to announce
this month that he will not be seeking re-election in 2020. So far, Reps. Steve
Barrar, R-Delaware; Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, and Steve McCarter, D-Montgomery,
have also announced plans to retire.”
Democratic Rep. Neal
Goodman is the latest legislative retirement
PA Capital Star By John L. Micek November 26, 2019
State Rep. Neal P.
Goodman, a nine-term Democrat from Schuylkill County’s coal country, is the
latest lawmaker to announce they won’t be seeking re-election in 2020. Speaking
exclusively to his hometown
Pottsville Republican-Herald on Monday, Goodman, 62, said the decision to step away from the
House didn’t come easily. “Now is the time to announce because, shortly after
Thanksgiving, people start thinking about nominating petitions and things like
that,” he said. “So I think this is the best time to make an announcement like
this,” Goodman told the newspaper.
Dush announces
retirement in 2020; third lawmaker to call it quits this November
PA Capital Star By Stephen Caruso November 26, 2019
Yet another
Harrisburg lawmaker has announced their retirement, the third this November, as
preparations for the next election heat up. Rep. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, said
in a statement Nov. 18 that he would not seek a fourth term, keeping a campaign promise he
made when he won office in 2014. Quoting from the Bible, Dush — one of the
House’s most ardent conservatives — said despite pleas for him to run again
from constituents, he would not go back on his word. “While I’m flattered and
honored by [my constituents] trust in me, I must point out several things
beginning with Deuteronomy 23:23, which clearly says, ‘Whatever your lips utter
you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God
with your own mouth,’” Dush said in a statement. “In short, I must honor my
commitment as made unto God.”
“More than 15,000 properties currently have the abatement. The total value that is exempt from taxes under the abatement
is $11.6 billion, according to property records. The city and School District
would net about $162 million in annual revenue if those properties were taxed
in full.”
Philadelphia’s controversial 10-year tax abatement soon
could change for the first time. Here’s what you need to know.
Inquirer by Laura McCrystal, Updated: 17 minutes ago
A major
Philadelphia real estate tax break is close to seeing its first changes in the
almost 20 years since it became law. City Council is considering changes
to the controversial 10-year tax abatement. A flurry of negotiations and lobbying is underway in City Hall to
influence legislation that could pass before the end of 2019. Council President
Darrell L. Clarke hopes to see enacted a bill that would effectively halve the
exemption for new construction of residential properties. The abatement has
long had vocal supporters
and critics. But the
legislation introduced in November marks the first time a reform measure has
had a
good chance of passing.
Here’s what you
need to know about the abatement.
Teaching at a Philly school left me so ‘utterly broken’ I
had to quit | Perspective
Brian Gallagher, For the Inquirer Updated: November 26, 2019 - 12:40 PM
Brian Gallagher joined
the School District of Philadelphia three years ago as a teacher at McDaniel
Elementary. This piece was adapted from a speech he gave at a School Board
meeting on November 21, 2019.
During my first
year as a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, I was nominated to be
featured on the District website’s “Inspiration Corner.” I helped facilitate
the Writer’s Matter program for my students, helping one win an award. I ran
for, and won, our school’s election for building representative. When the
district did walkthroughs, my principal consistently told me that I was the
“shining star.” When deciding if I would come back this year, she joked that
she wouldn’t be a good reference for me because she wanted me to stay. I don’t
say any of this to brag but to show that I have been committed, dedicated, and
respected. I also say this because this week, I handed in my resignation. During
my first two years at McDaniel Elementary, I have witnessed some terrible and
tragic things — countless staff leaving, violence between students, toward
staff, and from outside adults attacking students. All of this, and I still
decided to come back because I wanted to be part of helping to change the
culture of the school. The staff who returned this year were strong and
incredibly dedicated. Every adult in that building cares immensely for the
wellbeing of our students.
With no deal in place for Bangor teachers, strike remains
‘a possibility’
By Rudy
Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com Updated Nov 26, 2019;Posted Nov 26, 2019
Bangor Area School
District’s teachers and school board representatives came away from Monday’s
sit-down without any tentative contract in place. The teachers presented a
proposal and now the school board needs to review it prior to the next
scheduled meeting Dec. 5, according to Bangor Area Education Association
President Ed Ziegenfuss. Asked whether a strike is likely, Ziegenfuss said,
“It’s a possibility but we are hopeful the board will accept our proposal or
counter with something reasonable. If that doesn’t happen then a strike is
realistic.” School board President Mike Goffredo said the full board will
review the counter proposal, then decide what to do next. The teachers have
been working without a contract since June. A fact
finder was
brought in to try to negotiate a deal, but the school board rejected
that compromise in
October.
What Happens If SAT Scores Consider Adversity? Find Your
School
The Wall
Street Journal obtained the list, and it offers a glimpse of the effects on
test scores
Wall Street Journal
By Douglas Belkin | Graphics by Elbert Wang Updated Nov. 26,
2019 10:07 am ET
What if SAT scores
could take into account whether a student went to an elite boarding school in
New England or a struggling public school in Chicago’s poorest neighborhood? The
College Board, which administers the SAT, asked this question and developed an
adversity score for every
U.S. high school, measuring about 15 factors such as income level and crime
rate in a school’s neighborhood. It abandoned the single-number measurement
over the summer after a public
outcry from
educators and parents. Instead, it plans to give colleges a range of
socioeconomic data on high schools and their neighborhoods. The Wall Street
Journal obtained the College Board school-adversity scores, which ranked
schools from 1 to 100 in degree of adversity. It then asked a Georgetown
University data scientist to use those scores to adjust the average SAT results
of 10,353 high schools where at least 30 students took the SAT.
Minority Voters Chafe as Democratic Candidates Abandon
Charter Schools
The
front-runners for the presidential nomination are moving away from the charter
school movement, and black and Latino families ask why their concerns are lost.
New York Times By Erica
L. Green and Eliza
Shapiro Nov. 26, 2019Updated 9:50 a.m.
ET
ATLANTA — The night
before Democratic presidential candidates took to a debate stage here last
week, black and Latino charter school parents and supporters gathered in a
bland hotel conference room nearby to make signs they hoped would get the
politicians’ attention. “Charter schools = self-determination,” one sign read.
“Black Democrats want charters!” another blared. At issue is the delicate
politics of race and education. For more than two decades, Democrats have
largely backed public charter schools as part of a compromise to deliver black
and Latino families a way out of failing district schools. Charters were
embraced as an alternative to the taxpayer-funded vouchers for private-school
tuition supported by Republicans, who were using the issue to woo minority
voters. But this year, in a major shift, the leading Democratic candidates are
backing away from charter schools, and siding with the teachers’ unions that
oppose their expansion. And that has left some black and Latino families
feeling betrayed.
Deep Dive: Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren on Charter
Schools
Education Week November
18, 2019
Perhaps no
education issue has been as divisive among Democrats in recent years as charter
schools. Support for charters in the national Democratic Party has
diminished in recent years, although many Democratic voters still support them.
And in the 2020 campaign, no two candidates for president have criticized
charters as sharply as front-runners Sens. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, and
Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts. Their stated plans would cause a dramatic
upheaval in the charter school community, which includes more than 7,000
schools and roughly 3.2 million students. But how many of their aggressive
goals are realistic, and do they accurately describe what happens in charter
schools today? You might have noticed by now that you can interact with
sections of this article that have been highlighted in yellow. Click on those
sections to see our annotations about the parts of the Sanders and Warren
platforms that deal with charters to address how (or if) their plans would
work, and to share background information about funding, oversight, and more.
A Networking and
Supportive Event for K-12 Educators of Color (teachers, school counselors, and
administrators)! Thursday, December
12, 7:00-8:30 pm Villanova University, Dougherty Hall, West Lounge
You are cordially
invited to this gathering, with the goal of networking and lending support and
sustenance to our K-12 Educators of Color and their allies. This is your chance
to make requests, share resources, and build up our community. Please feel free
to bring a school counselor, teacher, or administrator friend! Light
refreshments provided.
Where: Villanova
University, Dougherty Hall, West Lounge (first floor, back of building)
Directions, campus
and parking map found here
Parking: Free
parking in lot L2. Turn on St. Thomas Way, off of Lancaster Avenue. You will
need to print a parking pass that will be emailed shortly before the event to
all who register.
Questions? Contact
an event organizer: Dr. Krista Malott (krista.malott@villanova.edu), Dr.
Jerusha Conner (Jerusha.conner@villanova.edu), Department of Education &
Counseling, and Dr. Anthony Stevenson, Administrator, Radnor School District
(Anthony.Stevenson@rtsd.org)
PSBA Alumni Forum: Leaving school board service?
Continue your connection and commitment to public education by joining PSBA Alumni Forum. Benefits of the complimentary membership includes:
Continue your connection and commitment to public education by joining PSBA Alumni Forum. Benefits of the complimentary membership includes:
- electronic access to PSBA Bulletin
- legislative information via email
- Daily EDition e-newsletter
- Special access to one dedicated annual briefing
Register
today online. Contact Crista Degregorio at Crista.Degregorio@psba.org with questions.
Save the Date: PSBA/PASA/PAIU Advocacy Day at the Capitol-- March 23, 2020
Registration
will open on December 2, 2019
PSBA New and Advanced
School Director Training in Dec & Jan
Do you want
high-impact, engaging training that newly elected and reseated school directors
can attend to be certified in new and advanced required training? PSBA has been
supporting new school directors for more than 50 years by enlisting statewide experts
in school law, finance and governance to deliver a one-day foundational
training. This year, we are adding a parallel track of sessions for those who
need advanced school director training to meet their compliance requirements.
These sessions will be delivered by the same experts but with advanced content.
Look for a compact evening training or a longer Saturday session at a location
near you. All sites will include one hour of trauma-informed training required
by Act 18 of 2019. Weekend sites will include an extra hour for a legislative
update from PSBA’s government affairs team.
New School
Director Training
Week Nights:
Registration opens 3:00 p.m., program starts 3:30 p.m. -9:00 p.m., dinner with
break included
Saturdays: Registration opens at 8:00 a.m., program starts at 9:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m., lunch with break included
Saturdays: Registration opens at 8:00 a.m., program starts at 9:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m., lunch with break included
Advanced
School Director Training
Week Nights:
Registration with dinner provided opens at 4:30 p.m., program starts 5:30 p.m.
-9:00 p.m.
Saturdays: Registration opens at 10:00 a.m., program starts at 11:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., lunch with break included
Saturdays: Registration opens at 10:00 a.m., program starts at 11:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., lunch with break included
Locations
and dates
- Saturday, December 7 — AW Beattie
Career Center, 9600 Babcock Blvd., Allison Park, PA 15101
- Saturday, December 7 — Radnor
Township School District, 135 S. Wayne Ave., Wayne, PA 19087
- Tuesday, December 10 — Grove City
Area School District, 511 Highland Avenue, Grove City, PA 16127
- Tuesday, December 10 — Penn Manor
School District, 2950 Charlestown Road, Lancaster, PA 17603
- Tuesday, December 10 — CTC of
Lackawanna County, 3201 Rockwell Ave, Scranton, PA 18508
- Wednesday, December 11 — Upper St. Clair
Township SD, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241
- Wednesday, December 11 — Montoursville
Area High School, 700 Mulberry St, Montoursville, PA 17754
- Wednesday, December 11 — Berks County
IU 14, 1111 Commons Blvd, Reading, PA 19605
- Thursday, December 12 — Richland
School District, 1 Academic Avenue, Suite 200, Johnstown, PA 15904
- Thursday, December 12 — Seneca Highlands
IU 9, 119 S Mechanic St, Smethport, PA 16749
- Thursday, December 12 — School
District of Haverford Twp, 50 East Eagle Road, Havertown, PA 19083
- Saturday, December 14 — State College
Area High School, 650 Westerly Pkwy, State College, PA 16801
- Saturday, January 11, 2020 — PSBA
Headquarters, 400 Bent Creek Blvd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Congress, Courts, and
a National Election: 50 Million Children’s Futures Are at Stake. Be their
champion at the 2020 Advocacy Institute.
NSBA Advocacy Institute
Feb. 2-4, 2020 Marriot Marquis, Washington, D.C.
Join school leaders
from across the country on Capitol Hill, Feb. 2-4, 2020 to influence the
legislative agenda & shape decisions that impact public schools. Check out
the schedule & more at https://nsba.org/Events/Advocacy-Institute
Register now for
Network for Public Education Action National Conference in Philadelphia March
28-29, 2020
Registration, hotel
information, keynote speakers and panels:
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.