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 Jan. 8, 2020
Letter to Gov. Wolf calls for increase of $100 million
in special ed funding and more $$ in basic ed funding to close state’s massive
adequacy gap
Letter to @GovernorTomWolf from dozens
of PA orgs & advocates urges him to address significant unmet needs of over
270K students w #disabilities by
increasing investment in #SpecialEducation and basic
education in his FY2020-21 budget.
Tweet by @EdLawCenterPA January 7, 2020
…For the over 270,000 students with disabilities
across Pennsylvania, the need for significant state investment in special
education is urgent. We strongly urge you to commit to restoring the state’s
share of special education funding back to its 2008- 09 level of 32%. This
commitment will require significant ongoing investments in state funding for
special education services. Such increases are needed to prevent the allocation
of funding between state and local sources from becoming increasingly more inequitable
and unsustainable and to ensure that children with disabilities receive the
high-quality, inclusive education they need and to which they are legally
entitled. Inadequate special education funding has resulted in an insufficient
number of staff to support our students as well as deep cuts to critical
resources and services that these students need to make educational progress.
Relatedly, funding deficits in basic education also impact students with
disabilities. We urge you to close the approximately $4 billion basic education
funding adequacy gap that plagues our schools and children. By using the
bipartisan basic education funding formula to distribute the increased
investment, dollars will be allocated based on actual district and student
need. This investment is crucial because, due to past divestment and
inequitable distribution of funding, students with disabilities—and their
classmates across the Commonwealth— are not receiving an adequate or equitable
education.
On Tuesday, January 14th from
12:00-12:30, the Education Law Center and the Arc of Pennsylvania will be
discussing special education funding.
The Education Law Center released a report in
October, “Still
Shortchanging Children with Disabilities: State Underfunding of Special
Education Continues,” that found “Between 2008 and 2018,
Pennsylvania increased state special education funding by $95 million, or about
10%. Yet during that time, total special education costs to local school
districts increased by $1.7 billion ‒ or 58%.” Special education funding
will be a hot topic during budget season in Harrisburg and this webinar will
give you important information to use in advocating for the funding students
with disabilities need and deserve.
Philly school
board appointment process begins Wednesday
Interested residents can apply between Jan. 8
and 23.
the Notebook January 7 — 10:57
pm, 2020
The mayor will launch the process to appoint the
nine members of the Board of Education on Wednesday, as required at the
beginning of his new term. The appointment process begins with a meeting of the
nominating panel, followed by a two-week application window. The panel reviews
the applicants and selects 27 candidates for Mayor Kenney to choose from later
this month. The tentative timeline is:
- Jan. 8: Nominating
Panel convenes
- Jan. 23: Board of
Education application closes
- February: Nominating
Panel recommends 27 candidates; date to be determined
- February: Mayor shares
his nominations with City Council; date to be determined
- May 1: Appointed
members of the Board of Education begin their four-year terms
“This will be the first four-year term for Board of
Education members since we returned our public schools to local control,” Mayor
Kenney said in a statement. “Nothing is more important than the education
and well-being of our city’s children, and an experienced and dedicated Board
of Education is vital to the success of our public education system. I look
forward to working with the Nominating Panel and City Council during the
appointment process.” Individuals who are interested in applying to the Board
of Education can submit their application online. Paper
applications will be available at City Hall, Room 115, or at the School
District at 440 N. Broad St. beginning Jan. 8.
Six Beaver
County school districts awarded $25,000 teacher workplace grants
Beaver
County Times By J.D.
Prose Posted at 3:04 PM
Six school districts will receive $25,000
each to send teachers into local businesses to learn about employers’ needs.
Six Beaver County school districts will receive
grants to allow teachers to visit local businesses so they can take that
experience back to classrooms. Beaver Area, Blackhawk, Freedom Area, Hopewell
Area, Riverside and Western Beaver will each receive $25,000 through federally
funded Teacher in the Workplace grants disbursed through the Pennsylvania
Department of Education. In Lawrence County, districts receiving similar grants
are Laurel, Mohawk Area, New Castle Area and Union City Area. “It’s critical
that we connect our schools to local businesses so we can prepare students with
the skills they need for in-demand jobs,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement
announcing more than $2 million in grants statewide. “By connecting directly
with employers,” Wolf said, “teachers can learn firsthand about the skills and
industry trends that will enhance their classroom instruction, student learning
and career readiness.” Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera said in
the same statement that the Teacher in the Workplace program “enables educators
to participate in real-world, employer-based experiences that they can use to
inform classroom instruction and prepare students for career, college and
community success.”
Governor Wolf Announces $2.2 Million in Teacher in the
Workplace Grants to Connect Schools and Local Employers
Governor Wolf’s Website January 06, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf today announced $2.2 million
in Teacher
in the Workplace grants have been awarded to 92 local
education agencies (LEA) to enable teachers to visit local employers and learn
the skills and industry trends to enhance their classroom instruction, student
learning, and career readiness. Each LEA will receive a $25,000 Targeted Grant
through the Department of Education (PDE). “It’s critical that we connect our
schools to local businesses so we can prepare students with the skills they
need for in-demand jobs,” said Governor Wolf. “By connecting directly with
employers, teachers can learn first-hand about the skills and industry trends
that will enhance their classroom instruction, student learning, and career
readiness.” Building on the success of the program, the governor proposed to
double Teacher in the Workforce grant funding to $5 million, which he signed
into law in June. Grants are available through PDE and the Department of Labor
and Industry (L&I). The L&I grants will be announced soon. “Local
business leaders know what skills are needed for their employees to be
successful in the workplace, so they can provide valuable insight to school
administrators and teachers,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “The
Teacher in the Workplace program enables educators to participate in
real-world, employer-based experiences that they can use to inform classroom
instruction and prepare students for career, college and community success.”
Wolf Administration Announces PA Farm Bill Grant
Funding to Increase Agriculture Education Opportunities
Governor Wolf’s Website January 06, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf today announced the approval of
$500,000 in Ag and Youth Grants to fund 55 projects that will improve access to
agriculture education in the commonwealth, with a goal of addressing the
looming 75,000 workforce deficit Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry faces in
the coming decade. “Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs,
scientists, and agribusiness owners,” said Gov. Wolf. “This $500,000 is the
seed to tomorrow’s bountiful future for Pennsylvania agriculture.” In July of
this year, Governor Wolf signed Act 40 to reenact Pennsylvania’s Ag and Youth
Grant Program as part of the state’s first-ever Pennsylvania Farm Bill. The
program, funded at $500,000, provides youth organizations direct, non-matching
grants of up to $7,500 to defray costs of eligible projects and matching
reimbursement grants of up to $25,000 for capital projects or equipment
purchases. Eligible projects included those that are for education or workforce
development seminars or field trips; agricultural safety training programs; and
capital projects or equipment. “All youth should have access to the same
opportunities for growth and career development,” said Agriculture Secretary
Russell Redding. “These programs are urban, rural, or suburban, and they all
further our mission to grow the industry’s future leaders. It’s experiences in
these programs that we hope will influence PA youth for a lifetime.” The
$500,000 in ag and youth grants approved for funding will benefit 55 projects
in 25 counties. The approved projects include the following direct grant
projects:
Houlahan: Funds secured by critical education programs
in Chester, Berks counties
Pottstown Mercury MediaNews Group January 7, 2020
DOWNINGTOWN — This week, U.S. Representative Chrissy
Houlahan announced federal grants totaling $4,730,485 to the Head Start
Programs at the Berks County Intermediate Unit and the Chester County
Intermediate Unit. This money helps fund early childhood education,
particularly among English Language learners, in both Chester and Berks
counties. Studies indicate that Head Start participation improves a student’s
chance of pursuing and completing higher education and contributes positively
to both economic and behavioral outcomes. "I’m immensely proud of and
grateful to both the Berks County Intermediate Unit and the Chester County
Intermediate Unit,” said Houlahan. “This week, I witnessed some of the work
they do and recognize just how important it is to the youngest members of our
community. Head Start provides a basis for literacy and enables kids to be on a
successful pathway as lifetime learners. As a former educator, I know how
critical these federal funds are, and it was my privilege to share the news
with our fantastic Head Start programs.”
OP-ED:
Schools must hire more black teachers
York Dispatch
by Rann Miller, Tribune News Service Published 10:09 a.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020
A recent article from New Jersey news outlet NJ.com
provided fresh evidence for something we’ve known for years: black students
nationwide are disciplined more often than other kids. During the 2013-14
school year (the most recent for which state data are available), black
students made up only 16% of New Jersey’s student population but represented
44% of all students suspended. Black students also accounted for much higher
rates of school expulsions. Past inquiries into this phenomenon have found that
black children are disciplined more than others because of zero-tolerance
policies, a lack of school counselors and an increase in police presence at
schools. They have also identified an underutilized solution: Hire more black
teachers. Black students who have one or more black teacher have much better
outcomes. They are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college and
are less likely to drop out of school. Black students are also less likely to
receive exclusionary discipline at the hands of a black teacher.
Turzai schedules March 17 special elections for three
House seats
PA Capital Star By Stephen Caruso January 7, 2020
Raising the ire of Democrats, House Speaker Mike
Turzai has scheduled three special elections barely a month ahead of
Pennsylvania’s 2020 presidential primary. I have called the special elections for the 8th, 18th and 58th
legislative districts for March 17, 2019. I have also appointed Rep. Tom Murt
to chair the Human Services Committee and Rep. Gary Day to chair the Aging
Committee. The March 17 elections will allow voters to pick
replacements for three Republican lawmakers who won election last November to
municipal offices in Mercer, Westmoreland and Bucks counties for the 8th, 18th
and 58th House Districts. Reps. Ted Nesbit, of Mercer County, and Justin Walsh,
of Westmoreland County, won county judgeships. Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, a veteran moderate from Bucks
County, won a county commissionership. In response, Democrats said Turzai was
inconveniencing voters and election workers while wasting taxpayer
dollars by not scheduling the elections for the April 28 presidential
primary. “There’s no good reason to hold these elections on a separate date so
close to the primary,” House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny, said
in a statement. “It’s a large cost, one that’s unbudgeted, and a needless
complication that benefits nobody except a few political insiders.”
House GOP retirements continue, as State Government
Committee chair announces exit
PA Capital Star By Stephen Caruso January 7, 2020
Add another tally to the retirement tracker. Rep.
Garth Everett, R-Lycoming, told the Williamsport
Sun-Gazette on Tuesday that he plans to retire at
the end of his seventh term this year. Everett gave no reason for stepping
down. He is the ninth House lawmaker to announce retirement plans for 2020, and
the seventh Republican.
Killion announces re-election bid for 9th District Pa.
Senate seat
Delco Times by MediaNews Group January 7, 2020
CHADDS FORD — State Sen. Tom Killion, whose district
has been held by Republicans since the 1800s, has announced his re-election bid
for the seat he has held since 2016, and which straddles the boundaries of two
suburban Philadelphia counties that have recently seen Democratic victories at
the polls. In his announcement, Killion, R-9 of Middletown, Delaware County,
pointed to his efforts in Harrisburg on a number of suburban friendly issues as
the keystone of his election run. “Whether it’s working to end gun violence,
stopping repeat DUI offenders, protecting the environment, ensuring affordable
healthcare, strengthening our schools or growing our economy, I’ve been
fighting for real change for our families,” said Killion. “While we’ve
accomplished much over the last few years, more must be done for our
communities.” In 2018, Killion’s legislation to get guns out of the hands of
domestic abusers with protection from abuse orders (PFAs) passed the Senate
unanimously. The legislation was later incorporated into a larger domestic
violence bill that was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf.
Central Pa.
lawmaker joins Democratic primary field for auditor general
Inquirer
by Associated Press, Updated: January 7, 2020- 11:59 AM
HARRISBURG, Pa. — A seven-term state lawmaker from
central Pennsylvania said Monday that he will seek the Democratic nomination to
run for the open state auditor general’s office this year. Scott Conklin enters
a crowded field ahead of Pennsylvania's Feb. 18 deadline to submit nomination
petitions to the state elections bureau to get on the April primary ballot. Conklin,
of Centre County, was also the party's nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010
on that year's failed Democratic gubernatorial ticket. Other Democrats who have
said they are running include Pittsburgh’s third-term city controller Michael
Lamb, Christina Hartman, a former congressional candidate from Lancaster
County, Nina Ahmad, a former Philadelphia deputy mayor, and Tracie Fountain, a
three-decade veteran employee of the auditor general's office. Pennsylvania’s
current auditor general, Democrat Eugene DePasquale, is completing a second
four-year term and is constitutionally barred from seeking another. On the
Republican side, Lancaster County Commissioner Dennis Stuckey has said he will
seek his party’s nomination. The last Republican to hold the office was Barbara
Hafer, whose term ended in 1997.
Garth
Everett isn’t running after finishing out 7th term
Williamsport Sun Gazette JAN 7, 2020
A Muncy area state lawmaker is calling it quits in
November, after 14 years of service in the state House of Representatives. State
Rep. Garth D. Everett, R-Pennsdale, told the Sun-Gazette editorial board Monday
he would finish out his term ending then. Everett, who turns age 66 next month,
is chairman of the state Government Committee. “This will be seven terms,” Everett
said.
An Overlooked Danger: School Shootings After Hours
New
York Times By Mitch
Smith and Denise
Lu Jan. 6, 2020
MOBILE, Ala. — Jarvis Murphy tried to get away. He
joined a fleeing crowd, heard gunshots echo on the stadium concourse, felt a
bullet pierce the ground a few inches from his left shoe. He kept running —
toward the exit, toward his car, willing himself forward even as he got a jolt
in one leg, then the other. Outside the stadium, Mr. Murphy fell to the ground.
When he rolled up his jeans, he found a gunshot wound below each knee. And the worst
pain he had experienced in his 18 years. “I was scared. I was really scared,”
said Mr. Murphy, who was one of nine people shot in August after a high school
football game in Mobile. He said he had never worried about someone bringing a
gun to a game. “I’ll be cautious everywhere I go now. I’ll be scared something
will happen.” Mr. Murphy became a casualty that evening of an overlooked
epidemic of school shootings — the kind that happens after class lets out, the
kind that draws little attention despite a national push to fortify schools and
protect children. Since mid-August, gunfire has erupted more than 20 times at
or near school sporting events around the country, more shootings than took
place during school hours. Since the start of 2013, at least 19 people have
been killed and more than 100 wounded in shootings with some connection to
school sporting events.
Warren: 'We
Are Failing on Our Country's Promise' to Children With Disabilities
Education Week By Corey Mitchell on January
2, 2020 4:10 PM
UPDATED: This post has
been updated to reflect that Warren is a former speech-language pathologist who
worked with students with disabilties.
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren
on Monday introduced a plan designed to protect the rights of people with
disabilities, including children in the nation's public schools, and ensure
equitable treatment for them. Warren's campaign released "Protecting the Rights and Equality of
People with Disabilities" on Monday,
providing more detail on her broader K-12 education plan and her pledge to
commit an additional $20 billion in grant funding for the Individuals with
Disabilities Act and expand the program to cover more services for children,
ages 3 to 5. The document touches on some of the most glaring issues in special
education: disparities for students with disabilities; school buildings that
aren't Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant; and discipline practices that
disproportionately affect black, Latino, and Native American students with
disabilities. The national graduation rate for students with disabilities is 68
percent, roughly 18 percentage points lower than the rate for student without
disabilities.
U.S. Schools
See Surge in Number of Arabic- and Chinese-Speaking English-Learners
Education Week By Corey Mitchell on January
7, 2020 12:50 PM
Spanish remains the language most frequently spoken
by English-learners in U.S. schools by a wide margin, with roughly 76 percent
of the nation's 5 million English-learners speaking Spanish, but the numbers
for several other languages are surging. Overall, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese,
Vietnamese, and Somali were the top five languages spoken by English-language
learners in the nation's K-12 public schools during the 2016-17 school year, according
to recently released data from the U.S.
Department of Education. The percentage of Arabic-speaking
English-learners, the second-largest group, has increased 75 percent over the
past eight years to 122,000. But even with the rapid growth of
native Arabic speakers in U.S. schools, this group still
accounts for only about 2.5 percent of the entire English-learner population.
WBAI Radio: Charter Schools Out of Control; Wednesday
10 am
Excited 2 hear @carolburris guests on @WBAI Wednesday's #TalkOutOfSchool radio show -
Retired teacher & blogger Peter Greene @palan57 & @EdVotersPA Executive Director
@SusanSpicka You can tune in
live Wed. 10 a.m. EST https://wbai.org/listen-live/ Call w/ ? (212)
209-2877
PA SCHOOLS WORK:
Special Education Funding Webinar Tue, Jan 14, 2020 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM EST
Charter
Schools; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN PROPOSED RULEMAKING DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION [ 22 PA. CODE CH. 711 ]
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.
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, 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
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
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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