Wednesday, February 19, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Feb 19, 2020: Professors call on local universities to support District schools rather than proposed charter


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 Feb 19, 2020


“Examples of mandated spending include increased costs for special education that aren’t covered by state or federal funding, health care and pension cost hikes and increases in fees that public schools must pay for students to attend charter schools.”
Gov. Mifflin superintendent says proposed state funding increases don't cover unfunded mandates
By Susan Shelly Reading Eagle correspondent February 18, 2020
Gov. Mifflin School Board members and administrators on Monday commented on a proposed 2020-21 state budget that calls for increases in spending for public schools. Gov. Tom Wolf released the spending plan, which if passed goes into effect July 1, earlier this month. The $36 billion proposed budget includes an increase of $100 million for basic education, which is the main source of funding for school districts throughout the state. The plan also calls for $25 million more for special education and $30 million more for early childhood education. It includes $1 billion to fix schools that contain health hazards, and proposes to raise the minimum yearly salary for teachers in the state to $45,000. The current minimum wage for Pennsylvania teachers is $18,500. Dr. Stephen Gerhard, superintendent, said that while the funding increases for education are encouraging, they don’t keep up with unfunded state mandates that challenge school districts.

Professors call on local universities to support District schools rather than proposed charter
"We ask the universities listed as partners on the High School for Health Sciences Leadership charter application to rethink what they are doing."
The notebook Commentary by Susan L. DeJarnatt, Barbara Ferman, Edwin Mayorga, Akira Drake Rodriguez, Encarna Rodriguez, Elaine L. Simon February 18 — 3:09 pm, 2020
We are professors who teach at local universities and who write and care deeply about public education. We speak for ourselves and not as representatives of our institutions. We ask the universities listed as partners on the High School for Health Sciences Leadership charter application to rethink what they are doing. Those proposed partners are Temple University, Drexel University, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Community College of Philadelphia, and the Jefferson University/Einstein Health Network. We’ve challenged those institutions about why they are not offering this support to existing Philadelphia public schools, but have not received any response. These existing high schools, which all serve low-income students from marginalized communities, include: A. Philip Randolph Technical High School; Carver High School of Engineering & Science; Franklin Learning Center; Northeast Medical, Engineering & Aerospace Magnet; Mastbaum; Edison; King; Lincoln; Overbrook; Sayre; South Philadelphia; Swenson; and Robeson. Varying in size, these schools, according to School District data, are collectively serving 12,332 students. Moreover, there is an existing school, Kensington Health Sciences Academy, with the exact same mission as the proposed charter school.

“The tax credit support of private and religious schools has ignited a fire that burns brightly alongside the debate about charter schools vs. traditional public schools. And here, too, Pennsylvania is at the forefront, with one of the largest charter school systems in the country. Roughly 180 schools now educate about 140,000 students at a cost of nearly $2 billion a year.”
School choice and the fight for public education’s soul
Uniontown Herald Standard by the Inquirer February 19, 2020
The political and philosophical divides that the election of President Trump exposed often play out as a fight for the soul — and the meaning — of the country. It’s perhaps not surprising that we are also seeing a fight for the soul of education in this country. That battle got particularly heated last week on a number of fronts. During the Feb. 4 state of the union address, Trump reiterated his support for school choice — promoted by his Education Secretary Betsy DeVos — and his support for the “Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act.” Those scholarships would be funded by tax credits, meaning public dollars would be used by students to pay tuition for private and religious schools. Pennsylvania already has a massive educational tax credit program that diverts $110 million in revenues to private schools; Governor Wolf has vetoed an expansion of this program, which drew Trump’s criticism during the speech.
The true rift that Trump underscored in his speech was not just over the separation of church and state that such scholarships challenge, but his reference to “failing government schools.” This derisive and dismissive reference to public schools shows that the president lacks an understanding and appreciation for the purpose and aspirations of public education. He is clearly unfamiliar with the importance the founding fathers placed when they created a system of public education, or with the words of President John Adams:
“The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves.”

Philly charter backed by electrical workers’ union abandons plan for new school in South Kensington
Inquirer by Jacob Adelman, Updated: February 18, 2020- 12:44 PM
The Philadelphia charter high school backed by the city’s electrical workers’ union has abandoned its plan for a new building on the South Kensington lot where apartments with coworking offices for local entrepreneurs had been planned. Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School (PETCHS) “is no longer pursuing” the proposal for a $21.1 million classroom building at 1525 N. American St., school chief executive Erin Dougherty said in an email. A six-story residential building is instead being planned at the property, according to the Department of Licenses and Inspections. PETCHS was founded in 2002 by John J. “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, business manager of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Erin Dougherty, John Dougherty’s daughter; and Michael Neill, director of Local 98′s apprentice training program.

Key decisions to be made on charter school funding
West Chester Daily Local Opinion by Susan Spicka Feb 14, 2020
Susan Spicka is the executive director of Education Voters of PA, a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan public education advocacy organization.
In the upcoming months, school districts will prepare budgets for the next fiscal year and make the hard decision about whether to increase property taxes to deal with rising costs. One of the fastest growing costs for all school districts is charter schools—publicly funded, privately operated schools that offer education wholly online or at a site within a community. School districts pay 100 percent of charter school tuition bills, and rapidly increasing tuition payments are a top reason that property taxes continue to rise. Although charter school students represent only 8% of all public school students, in 2017-18, 37 cents of every new property tax dollar raised was sent to a charter or cyber charter school. Pennsylvania taxpayers are spending more than $1.8 billion on tuition bills for students to attend charter and online cyber charter schools. Tuition rates are set by the state, but flawed calculations in Pennsylvania’s 22-year-old charter school law mandate payments well beyond the cost to educate a child. After more than 20 years, the time has come to retool charter funding to bring payments in line with the costs, eliminate questionable and wasteful spending by charters, and bring property tax increases under control.

Warwick students protesting anti-LGBT bullying at school have their voices heard [opinion]
Lancaster Online by THE LNP | LANCASTERONLINE EDITORIAL BOARD February 19, 2020
THE ISSUE: Some Warwick High School students received in-school suspensions for walking out of school last Wednesday in protest of hate speech targeting the LGBT community on campus, LNP | LancasterOnline’s Alex Geli reported. “It’s unclear how many of the 14 students who participated in the protest were suspended, but LNP | LancasterOnline confirmed at least 11 through interviews with students and parents Friday,” Geli wrote. “Several students said they believe everyone will eventually face discipline.”  It’s not easy to take a stand against hatred — especially when you’re the target of that hatred. It’s easier, at least in the short term, to try to fade quietly into the background. But silence in the face of bullying only strengthens the bullies. So we applaud the Warwick High School students who stood up for themselves and their fellow students last week. And we’re impressed by the maturity of student organizer Morgan Hackart, who described the punishment handed out for missing lunch and a class as “lenient.” “I’m just glad they weren’t repercussions for the act of walking out itself,” Hackart, a senior, said. It’s an important distinction, sensibly made clear in a statement on the school district website, which read, “Although students are not disciplined for peaceful protests at Warwick, leaving class without permission and being out of an assigned area are disciplinary infractions.”

Concern rises following ICE arrest of mother after she dropped off child at South Philly school
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna, Updated: February 18, 2020- 6:34 PM
ICE on Tuesday acknowledged that its agents detained a woman last week after she dropped her child off at a South Philadelphia school, an act that advocates for immigrants said sparked new concern in the community and raised questions about the agency’s stated practice of not making arrests at sensitive locations. “It’s getting right up to that line,” said Peter Pedemonti, co-director of New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia. He said the arrest appeared "intended to intimidate and send fear throughout our community” by “touching a place like schools, dropping your kid off.” The arrest, first reported by KYW Newsradio, took place on Feb. 11 after a drop-off at Eliza B. Kirkbride Elementary, according to Philadelphia School District spokesperson Monica Lewis. She said it happened outside the school at Seventh and Dickinson Streets, but did not know whether it was on school property. “To our knowledge, there was no interaction from the school staff" with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, Lewis said. “We don’t know how ICE determined this parent needed to be apprehended by them.”

Editorial: Addressing a mental health crisis in our schools
Bucks County Courier Times Editorial Posted at 5:31 AM February 19, 2020
You’d think it’d be tough to boil down a 1,300-word news story to just four. It wasn’t.
Our students are hurting” topped with painful precision Sunday’s coverage of the growing mental health crisis in our children’s schools. A deeper read yielded how what Rebecca Roberts-Malamis described as “troubled home lives, difficult relationships, unsettling social media interactions and challenging symptoms of anxiety, depression, suicide and suicide ideation (conjuring mental images)” have paralyzed many students’ ability to learn and put them in harm’s way. Roberts-Malamis is the Bucks County Intermediate Unit Deputy Executive Director and one of the educators and administrators from around the region who testified on the topic last week before a bipartisan panel at Washington Crossing United Methodist Church in Upper Makefield. Many of them came armed with alarming statistics and harrowing stories about bullying, cutting, drug use and suicide. They also talked about how “stretched thin” school nurses, counselors and psychologists are every day without considering how overwhelmed they can become in the days and weeks after a tragedy involving a student at their school has occurred. On the receiving end of all of this information were state Reps. Wendi Thomas, R-178, of Northampton, and Malcolm Kenyatta, D-181, of Philadelphia, who are teaming up on legislation they believe will help.
Some help at the state level would surely be appreciated at this point. Pennsylvania does not even mandate that schools retain mental health staff, to say nothing of providing districts with enough funding to alleviate budgetary constraints that force them to make tough staffing choices.
Schools today need to be staffed with mental health professionals.

Here’s who is running to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Congress
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated Feb 18, 2020; Posted Feb 18, 2020
The four Republican congressman representing much of the Susquehanna Valley look to have avoided a primary challenge in their re-election efforts, according to candidate nominating petitions filed as of 6 p.m. Tuesday with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Three of the five midstate congressional districts, though, appear to feature a contest for the Democratic nomination based on the candidates list available at that hour. Tuesday was the deadline for candidates vying for the Republican or Democratic nomination to get on the April 28 primary ballot. Here is a look at the candidates who filed on Tuesday for those five congressional seats followed by candidates in the hunt to be their party’s nominee in the state’s 13 other congressional races. The incumbent is marked with an asterisk.

“Voters in 25 state Senate districts will have the chance to choose new Senators in November, when half of the chamber’s 50 seats are up for reelection. Unofficial data from the Department of State show that 63 candidates have mounted senate campaigns across the state.  That number could grow as officials process paperwork from candidates late in the day on Tuesday.”
On a busy petition filing day, Leach, other Pa. senators face multiple challengers
PA Capital Star By  Elizabeth Hardison February 19, 2020
The race to unseat state Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery, kicked off last June when political novice Sara Atkins said she would challenge the three-term senator in the 2020 Democratic primary. It was the first time Leach faced an opponent from his own party since he won election to the Senate in 2008. But as the embattled suburban Philadelphia lawmaker denied allegations of sexual assault and harassment and ignored calls for his resignationfive other Democratic women joined Atkins in the race to unseat him. Only three of them remained in the running by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the deadline for candidates to file nominating petitions with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Unofficial candidate listings from the Department of State show that Parthenia Izzard, of Haverford Township, Amanda Cappelletti, of East Norriton Township, and Elvira Berry, of Lower Merion, all filed petitions to get on the ballot in the April 28 primary. Haverford resident Ellen Fisher is running unopposed for the Republican nomination.

“Youngblood is the 17th lawmaker to announce her retirement, and the sixth Democrat.”
Rep. Rosita Youngblood, the first Black woman ever elected to a House leadership post, is retiring
PA Capital Star By  Stephen Caruso February 18, 2020
Rep. Rosita Youngblood, D-Philadelphia, will not run for reelection and retire at the end of her current term, her 15th in Harrisburg. Youngblood, the House Democratic Caucus Secretary, was the first Black woman to ever hold a leadership position in the history of the Pennsylvania General Assembly when she was elected by fellow Democrats to the position in 2015. In a letter to House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny, announcing her retirement, Youngblood said she was “humbled to have led the way for my peers.” “I have been blessed beyond measure to represent North and Northwest Philadelphia, but I know the time is right to step down from my position,” she added in the letter.

Otto Voit III of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association said districts across the state have little local control. About 80 percent of a district’s budget, Voit said, is fixed costs to comply with state law.Districts of all sizes also grapple with such requirements as legacy pension costs and contributions to charter schools. He called on lawmakers to consider changing the Pennsylvania tax code.”
Pennsylvania's property tax described as essential to maintaining public schools but devastating to seniors
WFMZ By Dave Fidlin | The Center Square Feb 18, 2020
A proposal to eliminate school property taxes in Pennsylvania is being met with a chorus of different viewpoints. Legislators, representatives of disparate organizations and residents weighed in on the thorny topic. The Pennsylvania Senate Majority Policy Committee held a public workshop to delve into a proposal to end the state’s long-held practice of having property owners pay taxes to a local school district. Proponents of the measure point to rising property taxes, while opponents say its outright elimination would starve school districts across the state of an important financial resource. Resident feedback at the workshop, held in Marysville, offered a window into property owners’ concerns, particularly senior citizens.

Rep. Burns hosts school bullying roundtable in Ebensburg
WTAJ by: Kevin Accettulla Posted: Feb 18, 2020 / 11:45 AM EST 
EBENSBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — State Representative Frank Burns hosted a school bullying roundtable in Ebensburg Tuesday. “I’m holding this roundtable with local educators so that we can share best practives and talk about what works and what doesn’t work when we’re confronting bullying in our schools,” Burns said. “It’s critical that schools have the tools they need to track bullying and that state laws hold students, parents, and officials accountable at all levels so students can focus on learning.” Representatives from 10 local schools joined to discuss school bullying and a pilot program Penn Cambria School District began using this year, using software by Johnstown-area company, HIBster.

Centennial blocks Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp
Bucks County Courier Times By James McGinnis Posted Feb 18, 2020 at 10:30 AM
The district released a list of blocked apps and website after an order from the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
Centennial School District is blocking access to popular social media sites, music and streaming services on school computers and internet servers. On Friday, the district released a four-page list of blocked apps and websites. Centennial said it blocks students of all ages from accessing the social media networks Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Omegle, Snapchat, Tiktok and WhatsApp. The district said it also blocks all students from accessing the music and video streaming services Disney+ , Hulu and Netflix. The music streaming services Soundcloud and Spotify were blocked only for middle school students, district records showed.  Two video streaming websites — Twitch and Xfinity — were blocked only for middle and high school students, records show. All users were also blocked from visiting the gaming sites Drifted, DDDance Party, Flash Games Only, Fortnite, Mario Combat, Play Bullet Force, Total Jerk Face, CS Online, Crazy Games, Agario Modded, Run 3 Free, ZombsRoyale, officials said. Records were released to this news organization after an appeal was filed with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The records were requested as part of a story on how districts monitor and control online activity as schools around the country are under constant threat of cyberattack.


Why Charter Schoolers Are Feuding With Betsy DeVos
Forbes by Frederick Hess Contributor Feb 18, 2020, 08:30am
Charter schools are having a rough stretch. They’ve been under attack from leading Democratic presidential candidates. House Democrats have sought to eliminate federal support for charter schools. Meanwhile, the Trump administration and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have been seen as rock-solid allies. That’s what made last week’s fight between charter schoolers and the Trump administration so notable. Last week, the new Trump budget called for eliminating the $440 million federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) by rolling it into a massive new federal block grant. At the same time, the budget proposed $5 billion for the White House’s proposed Education Freedom Scholarships (a kind of school voucher). While the budget isn’t going anywhere, charter school leaders regarded the proposal to end CSP as a bitter blow. The president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools termed the administration’s budget “chilling.” The criticism clearly bothered the administration. Assistant Secretary of Education Jim Blew, a prominent charter school supporter for two decades, fired back, “The federal lobbyists for charter schools sound a lot like the lobbyists for all of the other competitive grant programs.” He added, “In their desperate communications, they have exaggerated the importance of CSP — just like other lobbyists.” Public and private reactions have made it clear that this back-and-forth confused many observers, for whom it seemed to come out of nowhere. What’s going on?

Rural Schools Cry Foul Over DeVos' Change to Achievement Program Criteria
Education Week By Daarel Burnette II on February 14, 2020 5:45 PM
A change in the U.S. Department of Education's interpretation of how to distribute funds for a federal rural schools program based on poverty is resulting in hundreds of districts receiving significantly less funding this year, according to the AASA, The School Superintendents Association. The change prompted a letter on Feb. 14 from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said more than 100 schools in her state will lose funding from the program because of a $1.2 million drop funds from the department. "If this decision is not reversed, the department risks denying thousands of students living in rural Maine the chance to reach their full potentials," Collins said. In years past, the department distributed a part of the Rural Education Achievement Program funds for poor communities based on the percentage of students who qualify for free of reduced-priced lunch, which is often used as a proxy for low-income families.  The department this year is using U.S. Census Bureau data on families in poverty instead which doesn't necessarily capture the same set of families.  Several states in recent weeks have received letters from the department notifying them of the change and that they will get less money they did than last year.


Blogger note: support Governor Wolf’s proposed charter reforms:
Reprise: PA Ed Policy Roundup for Feb 10, 2020
1. Adopt resolution for charter funding reform
2. Ask your legislators to cosponsor HB2261 or SB1024
3. Register for Advocacy Day on March 23rd

Adopt: the 2020 PSBA resolution for charter school funding reform
PSBA Website POSTED ON FEBRUARY 3, 2020 IN PSBA NEWS
In this legislative session, PSBA has been leading the charge with the Senate, House of Representatives and the Governor’s Administration to push for positive charter reform. We’re now asking you to join the campaign: Adopt the resolution: We’re asking all school boards to adopt the 2020 resolution for charter school funding reform at your next board meeting and submit it to your legislators and to PSBA.

Cosponsor: A 120-page charter reform proposal is being introduced as House Bill 2261 by Rep. Joseph Ciresi (D-Montgomery), and Senate Bill 1024, introduced by Senators Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) and James Brewster (D-Allegheny). Ask your legislator to sign on as a cosponsor to House Bill 2261 or Senate Bill 1024.

Register: Five compelling reasons for .@PSBA .@PASA .@PAIU school leaders to come to the Capitol for Advocacy Day on March 23rd:
Charter Reform
Cyber Charter Reform
Basic Ed Funding
Special Ed Funding
PLANCON
Register at http://mypsba.org

Volunteer your time and talents.
Register Today to Help transform education in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Education Fund
Learn More at PEF's Information Session
Tuesday, February 25, 2020 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Philadelphia Education Fund, 718 Arch Street, Suite 700N Philadelphia, PA 19106
Do you have a willingness to engage with the students we serve through our college access and college persistence programming? The Philadelphia Education Fund supports nearly 6,000 students and serves 16 schools. As a result, we produce and host hundreds of sessions for students on a range of topics that are intended to help our young people navigate a successful journey through high school and college.
This Information Session will explain how you can help!

Hear relevant content from statewide experts, district practitioners and PSBA government affairs staff at PSBA’s annual membership gathering. PSBA Sectional Advisors and Advocacy Ambassadors are on-site to connect with district leaders in their region and share important information for you to take back to your district.
Locations and dates

Sectional Meetings are 6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. (across all locations). Light refreshments will be offered.
Cost: Complimentary for PSBA member entities.
Registration: Registration is now open. To register, please sign into myPSBA and look for Store/Registration on the left.

Allegheny County Legislative Forum on Education March 12
by Allegheny Intermediate Unit Thu, March 12, 2020 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT
Join us on March 12 at 7:00 pm for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit's annual Allegheny County Legislative Forum. The event will feature a discussion with state lawmakers on a variety of issues impacting public schools. We hope you will join us and be part of the conversation about education in Allegheny County.

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:

PSBA Board Presidents Panel April 27, 28 and 29; Multiple Locations
Offered at 10 locations across the state, this annual event supports current and aspiring school board leaders through roundtable conversations with colleagues as well as a facilitated panel of experienced regional and statewide board presidents and superintendents. Board Presidents Panel is designed to equip new and veteran board presidents and vice presidents as well as superintendents and other school directors who may pursue a leadership position in the future.

PARSS Annual Conference April 29 – May 1, 2020 in State College
The 2020 PARSS Conference is April 29 through May 1, 2020, at Wyndham Garden Hotel at Mountain View Country Club in State College. Please register as a member or a vendor by accessing the links below.

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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