Friday, December 13, 2019

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Dec. 13, 2019: NJ Dept. of Ed seeks to close Gureghian’s Camden Community Charter School for academic reasons


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.

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PA Ed Policy Roundup for Dec. 13, 2019



PSBA Members - Register now for PSBA Advocacy Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg Monday March 23, 2020
Register for PSBA Advocacy Day now at http://www.mypsba.org/
School directors can register online now by logging in to myPSBA. If you need assistance logging in and registering contact Alysha Newingham, Member Data System Administrator at alysha.newingham@psba.org



Tom Wolf: Pennsylvania leads the way on education
There is no better place for a debate on the future of education policy
Post-Gazette Opinion by TOM WOLF DEC 13, 2019 4:45 AM
Tom Wolf is the governor of Pennsylvania.
The Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election will soon be arriving in Pittsburgh to debate education policy. There’s no place better for them to learn about using education to drive long-term economic growth and spur success for every resident than right here in Pennsylvania. We’ve been strategically investing in education at all ages in a model that can be used as a template for national success. Our investments in the past five years include $1.2 billion in increased funding for pre-K to 12 classrooms. We’ve doubled state support for early childhood education and elevated diverse career training programs to ensure we’re using every opportunity to prepare Pennsylvanians for the workforce. Just last month, I visited with Pre-K Counts preschoolers in Whitehall who are integrating STEM into story time. Kindergarteners in Delaware County are learning to code and program robots. Allegheny Intermediate Unit and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation are providing STEM equipment to hundreds of Western Pennsylvania schools. And students from across Pennsylvania are building and coding robots for the Pennsylvania Rural Robotics Initiative.

What To Watch For At The Democratic Education Town Hall In Pittsburgh Saturday 9:45 a.m.
Forbes by Peter Greene Senior Contributor Dec 12, 2019, 02:46pm
I look at K-12 policies and practices from the classroom perspective.
This Saturday, a consortium of education groups is teaming up with MSNBC to host a forum for Democratic Presidential candidates, centered around education issues. The event kicks off at 9:45 and will run most of the day; it will all be livestreamed. The crowd of about 1,000 invitation-only attendees (I’ll be one of them) includes a sampling of teachers and parents, as well as members of unions and civil rights groups. They are largely pro-public education; at least one pro-charter ed reform group (the Center for Education Reform) has put out an e-mail call to mount a protest at the event. The format will allow each of the attending candidates to take the stage, make their pitch, and then take questions from the audience. Currently eight candidates are expected; each will have their own baggage to heft onto the stage. Here’s what to watch for with each.

“Camden Community Charter, which opened in 2013, is managed by CSMI. The company also manages Chester Community Charter School in Pennsylvania and Atlantic City Community Charter School. The company’s CEO is Vahan Gureghian, a Main Line lawyer and prolific political donor. He was a to the super PAC supporting Gov. Christie’s unsuccessful presidential campaign, and has given more than $15,000 to the campaign committee of U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, a South Jersey Democrat, among a multitude of federal and state donations.
Camden charter school says it has mayor’s support, will ‘aggressively fight’ closure
Livingston Ledger Written by Livingston Contributor on December 13, 2019
The Camden charter school directed to close by June 30 is telling parents it intends to “aggressively fight” the state’s decision. Camden Community Charter School also says it is supported by the city’s mayor, Dana L. Redd, according to a copy of a letter students at the North Camden school were given Friday. “I am proud to let you know that we have received the full support of Mayor Dana Redd and other education leaders in the community who know what an important role our school is playing in the education of your sons and daughters,” the president of the school’s board of trustees, Edmond George, said in the letter, addressed to parents. “Mayor Redd and others who have visited the school have witnessed firsthand the impact that CCCS is having, the education it is providing, and the opportunities it is helping its students realize,” George said. A spokesman for Redd asked for a copy of the letter and then did not respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon. The state Department of Education the school’s charter for academic reasons, citing inadequate growth scores on the PARCC assessment and the share of students meeting grade-level expectations. The school, which has kindergarten through eighth grade, enrolled 679 students in the 2015-16 school year. During site visits by the department, “many observed classrooms were characterized by low levels of student engagement and disruptive behavior,” acting Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington said in a letter to George.

“Representatives McClinton, Maria Donatucci, D-185 of Philadelphia, and Mike Zabel, D-163 of Upper Darby, collaborated to get $500,000 more in block grant funds. There were no immediate plans on how to spend the money as Harbert and her administrative team had only recently received the guidelines from PDE outlining how the funds must be spent. The state lawmakers released a statement expressing their happiness to help William Penn. “I’m proud that our collective efforts on behalf of the William Penn School District have helped to garner this funding,” said state Rep. Margo Davidson, D-164 of Upper Darby, who chairs the Pennsylvania House Democratic Southeast Delegation that fought for the grants. “This grant money will help level the playing field, giving the children of Delaware County the chance at an education they deserve. This funding is a critical investment in our children and our society’s future.” The district is currently in the swell of an ongoing lawsuit in Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court as the lead plaintiff against the state for the right to constitutionally protected equal education. That case is expecting to go to trial next summer.”
William Penn gets $1M boost in Pa. funding
Delco Times By Kevin Tustin ktustin@21st-centurymedia.com December 12, 2019
A large chunk of state education grant money is heading to William Penn School District classrooms. Local state lawmakers announced that $1 million in various grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Education have been awarded to the district, equaling a $500,000 grant each from the state House of Representatives and the state Senate. Senators Tim Kearney, D-26 of Swarthmore, and Anthony Williams, D-9 of Philadelphia, were able to secure a grant from PDE’s Job Training and Education Program fund that will be used to purchase 240 Chromebooks for students in grades 7-12, 60 interactive televisions for classrooms in grades 7-12, and English Language Arts Curriculum Technology Package for students in grades K-6. This new technology will provide enhanced instruction, make learning more fun and engaging, and offer the applications and access students need to help prepare them for their future careers.
Last year, William Penn School District received $700,000 from the same fund, thanks to Williams and Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-191 of Philadelphia. This will be William Penn’s first year receiving additional Ready to Learn Grant funds. “Our students need technology in the classroom. We have to respect the needs of modern students, as they are engaging with technology outside of the classroom on a daily basis,” said William Penn Superintendent Jane Ann Harbert. “It’s part of their lifestyle and they love it. As educators, we have to respect that inclination.” On top of what was appropriated through the state budget, William Penn for the first time received additional Ready to Learn Block Grant funds.

Philly Board of Education renews six charters
It also hears from neighborhood HS fearing that proposed new charter will undercut it. And the District could lose Medicaid reimbursements as a result of not replacing its chief medical officer.
The notebook by Bill Hangley Jr. December 12 — 11:56 pm, 2019
The Board of Education met for the final time in 2019 on Thursday, approving five-year renewals for six charter schools, and moving to resolve a health-care situation first raised last month. The board also heard from staff at a neighborhood high school in Kensington that fears its growing roster of career and technical programs will be undercut by a proposed new charter high school in North Philadelphia. The board unanimously approved five-year renewals for five Mastery charter schools, as well as for the Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School, which was co-founded by City Council member Helen Gym. Mastery supporters crowded the room, cheering loudly as a parade of staff and students from various schools delivered passionate testimony – about a dozen speakers in total. Typical testimony was that of Juliet Reyes, a Mastery Smedley parent and employee, who described a stable, supportive, effective school that deserves five more years. “As a parent, I don’t need the data. I see my daughters,” she said. “I will continue to fight for our school.” The five Mastery renewals – Hardy Williams, Thomas, Smedley, Harrity and Lenfest – collectively educate about 3500 students. The District’s renewal procedures do not include cost estimates, but the watchdog group the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools estimates the annual cost to be about $65 million annually, or about $325 million over the life of the charters, based on 2019 budget figures. By the same estimates, FACTS, with about 500 students, will receive $6.3 million annually, or about $31.5 million over the five-year charter. APPS’ Lisa Haver called the group’s figures “a rough estimate” based on past budget spending.  Final spending figures will depend on enrollment and per-pupil allotments, which fluctuate annually, she said.

“At a news conference last week at Bethlehem’s Northeast Middle School about charter school law reform, Roy was asked why parents choose to send their children to charter schools. More than 2,000 students from the Bethlehem Area School District attend charter schools, costing the district about $30 million a year. Roy listed a number of reasons why parents choose charters such as bus transportation, longer school days, specific academic programs and required uniforms. He then mentioned race as an issue too. “The honest fact is, not all, but some parents send their kids from urban districts to charters to avoid having their kids be with kids coming from poverty or kids with skin that doesn’t look like theirs,” Roy said last week. “That’s a fact.”
Ten charter school parents send letter to Bethlehem Area School District demanding superintendent apologize for comments on race
Morning Call By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO THE MORNING CALL  DEC 12, 2019 7:32 PM
Local parents who send their children to charter and cybercharter schools have sent a letter to the Bethlehem Area School District demanding that Superintendent Joseph Roy apologize for his comments that some parents in urban districts choose charter schools so their children won’t have to attend school with poor children or minorities. The letter, sent on behalf of the campaign 143K Rising through the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, was signed by 10 parents and delivered Thursday to Roy and school board President Michael Faccinetto. Roy confirmed that his office received the letter. “We are taxpayers of the Bethlehem Area School District,” the letter states. “Dr. Roy works for us. We are respectfully requesting that the Bethlehem Area School Board direct Dr. Roy to issue a public apology for his hurtful comments and read his apology at a school board meeting.” The parents who signed the letter send their children to Circle of Seasons Charter School in Weisenberg Township, Seven Generations Charter School in Emmaus, Pa Cyber Charter School and Commonwealth Charter Academy (a cybercharter).

Black Families Haven’t Been Hoodwinked, We Come From a Legacy of School Choice
Education Post by Sharif El-Mekki POSTED DEC. 12, 2019 IN CHARTER SCHOOLS
Sharif El-Mekki is the principal of Mastery Charter School–Shoemaker Campus, a neighborhood public charter school in Philadelphia, and he is a principal fellow with the U.S. Department of Education. FULL PROFILE →
The Democratic party once embraced charter schools as a tool for equity and opportunity. Now, as Andre Perry points out in his recent op-ed, “Support for charters in 2020 election comes with a price,” many prominent Democrats have largely reversed their position in the current political climate. Unfortunately, that’s about the only accurate observation in Perry’s op-ed. I respect Andre Perry, and I think his work on poverty and a lot of his ideas about his hometown of Pittsburgh, for example, should influence the work. But his latest piece misses the mark. Badly. I’m a staunch advocate for Black families to have access to a continuum of education choices for their children, including and especially charter schools. But Perry accuses people like me of trying to clean up the “messes” that charters created.  But he’s got it backward. When I chose to spend 11 years leading a charter school—a turnaround school in my old neighborhood in West Philadelphia—it was because of the mess the traditional system had left in my community, having long forsaken any attempt to hold itself accountable for Black student outcomes.

Support for charters in 2020 election comes with a price
Black leaders must not sacrifice jobs, communities for false charter promises
Hechinger Report Column by ANDRE PERRY December 4, 2019
At a campaign rally in Atlanta for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a day after the fifth presidential debate in November, dozens of charter school supporters interrupted Warren’s speech to protest the presidential candidate’s plan to curb charter school growth. The New York Times reported that the protesters were members of the Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools, an alliance of black and Latino education leaders, who toted signs that read “Charter schools = self-determination,” and “Black Democrats want charters!” Rep. Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts, a black lawmaker and Warren surrogate, threw the presidential candidate a life preserver. “We are grateful for your activism and your voice and you are welcome here,” Pressley told the activists. But she also made it very clear that Warren’s voice would not be silenced. It was, once again, an example of black leaders rushing to the rescue. Oddly enough, the charter activists and Pressley were both coming to the defense of white-led causes that could stand more vigorous feedback from black people. Because Democrats have to earn the black vote in black cities, the black community has leverage to demand that our concerns be addressed. Warren needs to learn from black voices — but the charter school movement is not ours to defend.

STEM and shredding guitars: Unique class at Mifflin HS
WFMZ byJim Vasil Dec 12, 2019 Updated 13 hrs ago
SHILLINGTON, Pa. - The sounds of the electric guitar playing in a wood shop are a far cry from what you'd expect from a science, technology, engineering, or math class, but at Governor Mifflin High School, one STEM class shreds any pre-conceived notion you may have about the subject. "I think this is a really cool experience," said senior Beny Iordanescu. In this class, students studying STEM fields learn how to design and, yes, build electric guitars. "It's actually a national program called the STEM Guitar Building Project," said tech-ed teacher Tyler Smith. "I said, 'I gotta be a part of this.'" The class uses curriculum developed by professors and backed by the National Science Foundation.

Free public education | PennLive letters
PennLive Letters to the Editor by David L. Faust, Selinsgrove Posted Dec 12, 2019
Did you know that the U.S. Constitution does not give responsibility for free public education to the federal government? That’s right! That responsibility rests with the Pennsylvania State Government. However, the Pennsylvania Department of Education delegates some of its power to local school districts. Unfortunately, the revenue that is necessary to operate the local public schools is generated by unfair and/or unpopular taxes. Free public education, like other public services, is supported by taxpayers regardless of their use or not. Therefore, it is not necessary for students to solicit donations or to participate in fundraising activities. It is the Board of Education’s responsibility to collect enough tax revenue to pay for all the educational programs and school-sponsored activities, such as band and sports teams, without fees, so that any student can participate regardless of family income. The best thing that ever happened for the children of Pennsylvania is free public education.

How Philadelphia finally changed the loved and loathed 10-year tax abatement
Inquirer by Laura McCrystal, Updated: December 12, 2019- 6:23 PM
Colorful signs filled the gallery in Philadelphia City Council chambers this month, held up by longtime residents worried their neighborhoods are gentrifying too quickly and parents pleading for more money for schools. “END IT," one sign said as lawmakers debated an almost two-decades-old tax break for new construction that has become a lightning rod for critics who say it contributes to economic inequality. Developers also crowded the room, making their own argument: Changing Philadelphia’s 10-year tax abatement could plunge the city’s real estate market into a recession. The debate wasn’t new. But for the first time since the 10-year abatement took effect, business interests were unable to keep calls for reform at bay. City Council unanimously gave final passage Thursday to legislation that will cut the value of the tax break roughly in half. After years of failed attempts at change, the moment grew from a combination of political will, public pressure, rising property taxes, calls for more school funding, and an election in which many candidates voiced support for changing or eliminating the abatement.

City Council passes changes to the city’s 10-year tax abatement — shrinking the controversial tax break
The value of the abatement, which resulted in millions less for schools, is approximately cut in half.
The notebook by Jake Blumgart, Plan Philly, WHYY NEWS December 12 — 5:42 pm, 2019
After weeks of heated debate, City Council President Darrell Clarke’s reform to the 10-year property tax abatement on new residential construction moved smoothly through the legislative body. It passed 17-to-0 on Thursday, the last City Council session of the term. Mayor Jim Kenney has already promised to sign the bill into law before the end of the year. The long-awaited reform essentially halves the value of the controversial tax incentive, which was established in the 1990s to encourage development in the city after decades of urban population loss. Philadelphia no longer needs to be so generous in stoking new development, Clarke said Thursday. He did not rule out further changes in the new year. “There are a lot of people that would like to see this go further,” Clarke said. “But we think we hit the sweet spot in terms of being fair and equitable. The conversation around that will probably continue.” The bill will phase out each individual abatement so that the tax break’s value will be 100% in the first year and ratchet down 10% each subsequent year. It will go into effect at the beginning of 2021. The starting date reflects a concession to the development industry won after Mayor Jim Kenney threatened a pocket veto of the legislation if the implementation date was not pushed back.

Heavy turnout at District’s skilled-trades job fair
Some attendees were motivated by reports of problems in schools. But training and experience are needed.
The notebook by Bill Hangley Jr. December 12 — 2:18 pm, 2019
Prospective applicants line up at the School District's skilled-trades job fair on Wednesday. At a time when School District officials are promising a surge of repairs for Philadelphia’s aging school buildings, more than 100 prospective workers turned out at the District’s latest skilled-trades job fair, held Wednesday evening at Dobbins High School in North Philadelphia. “We definitely got a good turnout,” said the District’s director of recruitment, Sara Metzger. “There’s a lot of really excited folks here.” The Dobbins fair drew a total of 132 job seekers – about three times as many as District officials had expected. “We got 80 RSVPs, so normally from that, we would expect 40 or 50 people,” said District recruiter Nikia Sterling. The hiring surge comes as the District prepares to borrow half a billion dollars to invest in facilities that are in potentially dangerous conditions due to years of bare-bones maintenance. District leaders have said that they plan to rely on expanded staff and contractors to handle asbestos remediation and other facilities repairs.

Philly schools will lose money because of medical services gap
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Updated: December 12, 2019- 9:48 PM
The Philadelphia School District will lose out on revenue because of a gap when it was without a district physician, officials said Thursday night. Typically, the district bills Medicaid for some services provided by its nurse-practitioners, physical and occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and other providers. But because it went weeks without a physician, services performed in that period will not be reimbursed. Medicaid reimbursements typically pay for expensive equipment needed by children with special needs that allows them to sit, stand, and communicate. Robin Roberts, a district physical therapist, called the problem “a self-inflicted wound.” She estimated that the district would lose out on $2.5 million because of the physician gap. The district’s chief financial officer, Uri Monson, said that number was way too high.
“There is probably a loss — we’re still trying to figure it out. The early estimate of the most at risk we would be is less than 10% of the amount cited tonight," Monson said after the meeting. That would put the loss at $250,000. The board moved Thursday night to pay the city Public Health Department up to $100,000 to serve as interim district physician until the end of the year, effective retroactively to Wednesday.

Cracking the code -- schools compete in robotics coding event at CMU
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE Got a news tip? 412-263-1601 localnews@post-gazette.com DEC 12, 2019 7:21 PM
It wasn't secret code when fifth through eighth grade students from five states competed in a regional virtual robotics coding tournament at Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland Thursday. The final round of the region was a live in-person one-day event where two student teams from each finalist school to wrote code to manipulate virtual robots in real-time. The teams wrote code for their missions on Intelitek’s CoderZ Cyber Robotics Learning Environment, a cloud-based programming platform featuring LEGO's Mindstorms EV3 robots. The Cyber Robotics Coding Competition judges evaluated teams from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Missouri for scores based on time to complete, number of missions attempted and completed, quality of code and team strategy. Professionals, college and graduate students talked with students, their families and educators about their STEM/STEAM experiences and STEM/STEAM-related study and career opportunities.

Opinion submission guidelines: Op-eds, commentary and letters to the editor | Philadelphia Inquirer
Inquirer Updated: October 27, 2019 - 4:15 PM
WHAT IS AN OP-ED?
An opinion or commentary piece is written about a news issue by someone outside our newsroom. The author could be anyone from an elected official to your next door neighbor. You can find them online at inquirer.com/opinion and on weekdays, in print on the editorial pages at the back of the A section. On Sundays, opinions run in the Currents section, which will sometimes explore a special theme or issue. Opinion or commentary pieces are sometimes called op-eds, meaning opposite of editorial, a reference to their traditional placement on the page in the print newspaper. The Inquirer is looking for pieces that are well-written with a fact-based viewpoint. That primarily takes the shape of commentary on news events, but we also strive to publish reflections on cultural trends, and the occasional personal or explanatory essay.
Op-eds are reviewed and edited by:
» Deputy Editor, Opinion: Erica Palan epalan@inquirer.com
» Coverage Editor, Opinion: Elena Gooray egooray@inquirer.com

Sandy Hook lawsuit against gun-maker set for trial in 2021
Education Week December 12, 2019
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut judge said Wednesday a lawsuit by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims against Remington Arms will go to trial in September of 2021. A survivor and relatives of nine victims of the 2012 massacre filed the wrongful death lawsuit against Remington in 2015, saying the company should have never sold such a dangerous weapon to the public and alleging it targeted younger, at-risk males in marketing and product placement in violent video games. Remington, based in Madison, North Carolina, made the Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle used to kill 20 first graders and six educators at the Newtown, Connecticut, school on Dec. 14, 2012. The Hartford Courant reported that Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis in Waterbury set the court date after nearly two hours of discussions with attorneys for Remington and the families. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled 4-3 in March that Remington could be sued under state law over how it marketed the rifle. The decision overturned a ruling by a state trial court judge who dismissed the lawsuit based on a federal law that shields gun-makers from liability, in most cases, when their products are used in crimes. Remington appealed that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case.

“Alan Weller, president of the New Jersey chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said as doctors, “we all have a responsibility to protect...children in schools who cannot be vaccinated” because of a compromised immune system. "Your right to practice religion freely does not include...exposing the community or a child to a communicable disease,” Weller said.”
N.J. bill to remove religion as reason to avoid vaccinating kids enrages parents at hearing
NJ.com By Susan K. Livio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Updated Dec 13, 2019;Posted Dec 12, 2019
Unpersuaded by hundreds of pleading and occasionally hostile parents, a state Senate panel voted Thursday to eliminate religion as an acceptable reason for New Jersey children to avoid vaccines required for school attendance. After seven years of stalled efforts to compel better vaccine compliance and a recent reemergence of measles, state lawmakers are moving quickly to end the religious exemption that allowed 14,000 students to decline their shots last year.
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee approved the bill (A3818) by a 6-4 vote Thursday. Even before the hearing, the measure was listed on Monday’s agenda for action by the full 40-member body. But hundreds of parents amassed outside the Statehouse in Trenton anyway. The crowds started arriving hours before the afternoon hearing. Hundreds of sign-waving, child-toting parents queued up in the first-floor hallway waiting for space inside the committee room. Before the hearing began, the audience recited the “Serenity Prayer."
They said they were outraged by what they see as government intrusion in violation of their First Amendment right of religious freedom. They vowed to pull their children out of school or move out of New Jersey.


Training: Enhancing School Safety Jan. 9th, 8 am – 1 pm Council Rock High School South
The training is provided by the United States Secret Service and the Office PA Rep Wendi Thomas, in partnership with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, Bucks County DA Matt Weintraub and PSEA.
Date: Thursday, January 9, 2020, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Council Rock High School South, 2002 Rock Way, Holland PA 18954
This is the region’s first presentation of the National Threat Assessment Center's (NTAC) 2020 research on actionable plans to prevent violence in schools. The training is provided by the United States Secret Service (USSS) and is based on updated operational research conducted by the USSS and the NTAC. The training will offer best practices on preventing incidents of targeted school violence. This workshop will focus solely on how to proactively identify, assess, and manage individuals exhibiting concerning behavior based on USSS methodologies.
At the conclusion of the training, attendees will be able to:
·     Understand operational research on preventing incidents of targeted school violence;
·     Be able to proactively identify, using USSS methodologies, concerning behaviors prior to an incident;
·     Be able to assess concerning behaviors using best practice standards and use identified methods to better manage individuals who exhibit concerning behaviors with the goal of preventing school violence.

Charter Schools; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN PROPOSED RULEMAKING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [ 22 PA. CODE CH. 711 ]

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

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:
  • 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.

Register Today for PSBA/PASA/PAIU Advocacy Day at the Capitol-- March 23, 2020
PSBA Advocacy Day 2020 MAR 23, 2020 • 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM
STRENGTHEN OUR VOICE.
Join us in Harrisburg to support public education!
All school leaders are invited to attend Advocacy Day at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units (PAIU) and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) are partnering together to strengthen our advocacy impact. The day will center around meetings with legislators to discuss critical issues affecting public education.
Registration: As a membership benefit, there is no cost to register. Your legislator appointments will be coordinated with the completion of your registration. The day will begin with a continental breakfast and issue briefing prior to the legislator visits. Registrants will receive talking points, materials and leave-behinds to use with their meetings. Staff will be stationed at a table in the Main Rotunda during the day to answer questions and provide assistance.
Sign up today at myPSBA.org.

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
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
Locations and dates

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.

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