Started in November 2010, daily postings from the Keystone State
Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education
policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and
congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of
Education, Wolf education transition team members, superintendents, school solicitors,
principals, charter school leaders, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher
leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations,
education professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory
agencies, professional associations and education advocacy organizations via
emails, website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
If any of your colleagues would like to be added to the
email list please have them send their name, title and affiliation to KeystoneStateEdCoalition@gmail.com
PA Ed Policy Roundup for Dec. 17, 2019:
Highlights for K-12
from just-released federal spending deal:
From tweets last
evening by @AndrewUjifusa, Education Week Politics K12 Blog
+$450 million for
Title I for disadvantaged students, to over 16 billion.
+$410 million for
special education state grants, to $13.6 billion.
+$40 million for
Title IV grants, to over $1.2 billion.
The federal Charter
Schools Program grants are flat-funded, at $440 million, in the new federal
spending deal. No change from last year to this year.
“An oft-cited study from Johns Hopkins
University suggests that Black students who had at least one Black teacher by
the time they reached third grade were significantly more likely to attend college. Pennsylvania’s teaching force is getting whiter, however, and
there’s been a sharp drop in the number of Black college students earning
teaching degrees. In Philadelphia, Black teachers made up more than a third of
the teaching force as recently as 2000. Now, they represent less than a quarter of city educators.”
Sixers star Tobias Harris supports Black male teachers
with a surprise visit to Bethune Elementary
WHYY By Avi Wolfman-Arent December 16, 2019
You’re probably
familiar with stories about celebrities surprising groups of giddy school
children and causing pandemonium. This story is ever so slightly different. On
Monday morning, about a dozen teachers gathered inside a common room at Mary
McLeod Bethune School in North Philadelphia for a professional development
session. At least that’s what they thought they were doing. Then, Philadelphia
76ers star Tobias Harris ducked through the door. No one jumped up and down,
but there was hearty applause, broad smiles, and lots of
pictures. Harris wanted to meet with the men because they were men — Black men,
to be precise. In Pennsylvania, just one percent of educators identify as Black men. But Bethune has become a beacon for male teachers of color. Black and brown men make up 43 percent
of the school’s teaching force. “Just like kids may
look up to an athlete as a role model, I look up to you guys as teachers, as
educators, as people of influence,” Harris said, before gifting the men $100 to
spend on school supplies and inviting them to hang with him for a “fellas
night” at a future Sixers game.
Cyber charter school CEO: We’re not opposed to reform, if
it’s the right kind | Opinion
By Express-Times
guest columnist Michael Conti Posted Dec 16, 2019
Michael Conti is the CEO of Agora Cyber
Charter School.
Let me start off by
saying this is not a rant against any and all potential reform impacting
charter school operation in Pennsylvania. My organization, Agora Cyber Charter School, and I have consistently asserted our voice in favor of robust and
comprehensive reform. We support the charter
reform bills that passed
the Pennsylvania House of Representatives back in June (HB 355-358) and now
reside in the Senate. We applaud and encourage healthy debate and new
regulations that are based in fact and focused on providing more and better
opportunities for today’s youth. However, there are some who want to drown out
these visions and reforms — using misinformation and skewed statistics —
seemingly with the sole mission of saving school districts money. This comes at
the expense of parents and students who are desperately in need of the option
that has changed the educational lives of tens of thousands of students across
the state, the cyber charter option. Most notable among the reforms on the
table is a bill sponsored by House Education Committee Chairman Curt Sonney,
which would eliminate
all 14 of the current cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania.
Join us in Harrisburg to support public
education Monday March 23, 2020!
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. Click here for
more information or register 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
Philly Board of Education has done little to change
status quo | Opinion
Lisa Haver, For the Inquirer Updated: December 16, 2019 - 2:16 PM
Eighteen months
have passed since the Board of Education was restored as the governing body of
the School District of Philadelphia. For 17
years, the state-imposed School Reform Commission carried out the corporate
reform agenda of
closing neighborhood schools, expanding the number and size of privately
operated charter schools,
eliminating union-held jobs through outsourcing, and ramping up standardized
testing, targeting neighborhood schools for charter-ization or permanent
closure. Those who organized the fight to abolish the SRC wanted not just new
faces but a new mission — to restore community control and shift the district’s
spending priorities from funding edu-vendors to meeting the true needs of the
city’s schoolchildren. District observers acknowledge the commitment that board
members have made. A committee process has been established so that the public
can offer informed comments on official items before the board votes, in stark
contrast to the SRC’s swift voting with little public deliberation. Committee
meetings provide a venue for dialogue and actual answers to public speakers’
questions. Board members have visited neighborhood schools and attended
community forums. They have met with constituents and worked with district
staff to resolve concerns. But the board’s voting record, especially on budget
priorities, shows little change in the status quo. Principal training, staff
professional development, curriculum development, and other professional
services are still outsourced to groups including TNTP and the Philadelphia School
Partnership.
With Pittsburgh Public Schools tax vote nearing,
divisions remain
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE localnews@post-gazette.com DEC 16, 2019 11:18 PM
Most of the 10 city
residents who spoke about the Pittsburgh Public Schools budget Monday evening
at an open hearing before the school board said they supported the proposed
2.3% tax increase. But those who came out in opposition — including one school
board member who decided to make his opinion public — made it clear that
there is still some division. The hearing at the district office in Oakland
came two days before the school board members are scheduled to vote on whether
they will adopt the $665.6 million general fund budget for 2020. “I don’t
envy your situation and applaud your willingness to serve,” Michele Traficante,
of Brookline, told the school board. “That’s said, let’s talk about your
service. Serving your district means voicing the opinions of your constituents.
Do your constituents want a property tax increase? The answer is no.” The
proposed budget calls for a millage increase from 9.84 mills to 10.07 mills, or
an additional $23 on every $100,000 of assessed real estate value. This is the
first time in five years that the school district is seeking to increase taxes.
Mayor Bill Peduto and Superintendent Anthony Hamlet meet
to talk taxes, make peace
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE localnews@post-gazette.com DEC 16, 2019 4:30 PM
Following weeks of
sparring over taxes, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Pittsburgh Public Schools
Superintendent Anthony Hamlet met in the City-County Building Monday and agreed
to look for ways to work together and avoid future public spats, according to
one of the participants. “It was an opportunity to clear the air,” said Mr.
Peduto, shortly after the meeting ended. “There have been a lot of public
comments that have been made between us, and it was an opportunity to sit down
and look at ways that we can work together. At the end of the day, it’s the
children of Pittsburgh that are the mission for both of us.” Mr. Hamlet entered
and left the building without facing reporters. Relations between the mayor and
the superintendent soured after school leaders publicly discussed reversal of a
15-year-old arrangement in which the city receives a fraction of the district’s
earned income tax, now worth $18 million a year. The mayor opposed the proposed
tax shift, questioned the district’s commitment to good fiscal management, and
came out against a proposed school property tax increase.
Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School makes the
case for new school
By Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com Today 6:30 AM
Lafayette
College student
Lauren Parkinson credits her education at Lehigh
Valley Academy Regional Charter School with turning her into a global citizen and fostering her interest
in genetic research. The Hanover Township, Northampton County, charter school’s
International Baccalaureate-centered curriculum shaped the way Parkinson learns
and taught her to see the world through an international lens, the 2016
graduate said. The school allowed her to develop her interests in crucial ways
that landed her at Lafayette, where she’s using genetic editing to study
hearing loss. Parkinson was one of a slew of Lehigh Valley Academy parents and teachers
who spoke Monday night at a Bethlehem
Area School Board hearing on
the 18-year-old school’s new charter application. Its existing charter expires
December 2021. The K-12 charter school wants to relocate to a new three-story,
200,000-square-foot school it hopes to build on 55-acres in Bethlehem Township.
The project was estimated to cost $50.4 million, but school CEO Susan Mauser
acknowledged Monday the current construction environment means those costs have
grown. Rather than ask its chartering school districts -- Bethlehem
Area and Saucon
Valley -- for
a modification to its existing charter, the school is asking for a new
five-year application that takes it beyond the projected opening of its new
building.
SE Delco sets
Wednesday hearing for charter school application
Delco Times By Kevin Tustin
ktustin@21st-centurymedia.com December 17, 2019
FOLCROFT — A
charter school seeks to have the right “vision” to open in Southeast Delco
School District. The school board will hear an application Wednesday night for
a school reportedly named Vision Academy Charter School of Excellence of
Excellence - the name of the school switches throughout the application from
this name, to the Vision Academy Charter School of Excellence and the Vision
Academy Charter School - proposed for a warehouse located on East Glenolden
Avenue in Folcroft. There is currently no charter school operating within
district boundaries. The district is no stranger competing with charter schools
as they plan to spend approximately $5 million in charter school tuition to
support about 400 students this school year in online and brick-and-mortar
programs. Charter tuition costs have put a noticeable effect on the district as
it worked with a $2 million budget shortfall, after a tax increase, to create
the current school year budget. The district is mandated to pay the tuition. According
to the district’s BoardDocs archives, the school board last voted on a charter
school application in February 2015 resulting in a denial of Read Charter
School to open in the district. The hearing for the Vision Academy Charter
School of Excellence of Excellence is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the district’s
administration building at 1560 Delmar Drive.
Bethlehem Area School
Board sends letter to neighboring district calling director’s comments on
superintendent ‘troubling’
By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO THE MORNING CALL | DEC 16, 2019 | 8:55 PM
In light of the
Saucon Valley School Board President saying Bethlehem Area Superintendent
Joseph Roy should resign over his comments about charter schools, race and
poverty, the Bethlehem Area School Board has sent a letter to the neighboring
district calling the Saucon Valley board president’s comments “troubling and
frankly unacceptable," and have asked his fellow board members to censure
him. At Monday’s Bethlehem Area School Board meeting, president Michael
Faccinetto issued a statement of support of Roy and read from a letter the
board is sending Saucon Valley saying board President Shamim Pakzad personally
attacked Roy in his comments. Roy also said he will not apologize,
despite 10
charter school parents who reside in the Bethlehem Area School District sending
a letter demanding he apologize. “Let me be crystal
clear, this board, all nine publicly elected members, support Dr. Roy and echo
his comments,” Faccinetto said Monday night. “We will not back down in the
fight for charter reform and we will not ask Dr. Roy to back down or be
silenced because a few, unelected lobbyists disagree with the facts.”
Centennial,
Pennsbury, Abington make AP Central Honor Roll
Bucks County Courier Times By Chris Ullery Posted Dec 16, 2019 at 6:01 AM
Centennial,
Pennsbury and Abington school districts were recognized with 250 other U.S. and
Canadian school districts for increasing Advanced Placement enrollment. Centennial,
Pennsbury and Abington school districts were recognized with 250 other U.S. and
Canadian school districts for increasing Advanced Placement enrollment. The AP
Central Honor Roll requires districts to have increased access for
college-level courses while maintaining standardized testing scores of 3 out of
5 points for at least 70% of students testing. This is the second consecutive
year Centennial and Pennsbury were included on the list, but all three
districts have been included in past years as well. “Making the AP honor roll
is something to be proud of, making it twice in a row is phenomenal!”
Centennial Superintendent David Baugh said Thursday. Pennsbury High School East
Principal Reggie Meadows said his school has seen a growing number of students
enrolling in the college-level courses as the school continued adding them for
various topics.
“Our success is
testament to the hard work of the AP instructors and the students who take
their courses,” Meadows said.
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
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:
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
Additional sessions now being offered in
Bucks and Beaver Counties
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 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
- Saturday, January 25,
2020 — Bucks County IU 22, 705 N Shady Retreat Rd,
Doylestown, PA 18901
- Monday, February 3, 2020 — Beaver Valley IU 27, 147
Poplar Avenue, Monaca, PA 15061
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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