Wednesday, February 5, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Feb 5, 2020: Coverage & Reactions to Governor Wolf’s Budget Address


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 5, 2020



.@PSBA .@PASA .@PAIU school leaders - this is the best shot we've had for charter reform in 20 years. Come meet your legislators in their Capitol offices for Advocacy Day on March 23rd. Register at http://mypsba.org



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.

“The governor didn’t mince words in his budget address. He said some charter schools were “little more than fronts for private management companies, and the only innovations they’re coming up with involve finding new ways to take money out of the pockets of property taxpayers.”
‘Fronts for private management:’ Wolf takes aim at charter schools in state budget
WHYY By Avi Wolfman-Arent February 4, 2020 Updated: 1:37pm
In the annual state budget address, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf hit many of the education talking points he’s covered in previous addresses: more funding for public schools, a push for universal kindergarten and expanded pre-K, to name a few. But there was one education issue atop the governor’s agenda, an issue Wolf has sidestepped in prior speeches: charter schools. In his previous five budget talks, Wolf hadn’t even uttered those words — despite 20 years of debate over how the state should fund and oversee this growing part of Pennsylvania’s public-school profile. That changed Tuesday, when Wolf laid out a plan that would reduce the amount of money school districts must pay when one of their students decide to attend a charter school. The proposal would save traditional school districts approximately $280 million annually, according to Wolf.

Pottstown, Souderton superintendents on hand to cheer Wolf's calls for charter school reform
HARRISBURG — When Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf talked about charter school reform in his budget address Tuesday, he had two local educators cheering him on. Stephen Rodriguez, superintendent of the Pottstown School District, and Frank Gallagher, superintendent of the Souderton Area School District, were both on hand at the invitation of the governor. The invitations were no accident. Both superintendents have been on the forefront of the push to reform how charter schools are funded in Pennsylvania. As the president of the Pennsylvania League of Urban Schools, Rodriguez spearheaded a statewide press conference in December, on the 64th anniversary of the Montgomery bus boycott to call for charter school reform. Gallagher, who has been advocating for charter school reform since at least 2017, was one of the leading speakers among 30 other superintendents last week in Eagleville to announce the formation of a new coalition pushing for charter school reform. The superintendents were announcing the formation of LEARN, or Leaders for Educational Accountability and Reform Network, a coalition of educators whose "first priority is to urge lawmakers to reform Pennsylvania's outdated charter school law." The superintendents no doubt liked what they heard on Tuesday.

Philly charters say Wolf’s budget proposals will devastate them
Education advocates are seeking much larger increases in state funding.
The notebook by Dale Mezzacappa February 5 — 6:42 am, 2020
Gov. Wolf’s budget proposals for revamping how charters are reimbursed for special education will be “devastating” for their students, charter operators say, and especially disadvantage those in Philadelphia, where half the state’s charters are located. At the same time, traditional public school advocates who support Wolf’s proposed charter formula revisions nevertheless say that his overall revenue increases for education, while a positive step, fall far short of what is fair and what is needed. Wolf, declining to ask for a tax increase that the Republican legislature has repeatedly shot down in past years, wants to increase the basic education funding formula by $100 million and special education aid by $25 million. In addition to changing the special education charter reimbursement formula, Wolf also proposes to reduce payments to cyber charters a flat $9,500 per student statewide. Now, districts pay cyber charters, which are authorized by the state, the same as they do brick-and-mortar charters. These changes, if accepted, would save districts $280 million, adding up to $405 million in additional K-12 funds for school districts. While supporting the proposed charter reforms, education advocates say they would also like to see a bigger boost in direct state education aid.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2020-21 budget address, annotated with analysis
PA Post by Ed Mahon FEBRUARY 4, 2020 | 11:41 AM
PA Post reporters will be providing analysis of Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget address for 2020-21. To see the notes, click on the yellow areas. To make your own annotation or to comment on one, sign up for a Genius account.
Harrisburg, PA – Governor Wolf delivered the following speech to the General Assembly:
Lieutenant Governor Fetterman, Speaker Turzai, President Scarnati. . .
Leader Corman, Leader Costa, Leader Cutler, Leader Dermody. . .
Members of the General Assembly, invited guests, friends and family, especially my wife Frances… and my fellow Pennsylvanians,
A couple hours’ drive east of here, near the corner of Crown and Highland streets in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, there’s a plaque marking the spot where, more than 300 years ago, William Penn finalized his first purchase under the charter he’d been granted by King Charles II. And, today, you can stand there and marvel at what William Penn must have been envisioning on that pivotal day.

“Allentown, expected to pay $60 million this year for more than 4,000 students to attend charters, would save $3.7 million if Wolf’s charter school plans pass. While Wolf has pushed charter school reform before, this was the first time he mentioned charter schools in a budget address. Additionally, Wolf is calling for a $100 million increase in the fair funding formula, an additional $25 million increase in funding for special education and a $30 million increase for early childhood education. He is also pushing for districts to offer universal, full-day kindergarten, although most Lehigh Valley districts already do.”
Gov. Tom Wolf highlights Allentown School District in calling for charter school reform, increases to education funding
By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO THE MORNING CALL | FEB 04, 2020 | 1:30 PM
As he has done every budget proposal for the last six years, Gov. Tom Wolf once again called for an increase in education funding, including for early childhood education and special education. But this year, Wolf also pushed for reform to the state’s charter school law and upgrades to aging school buildings. And he did so on Tuesday by highlighting the financially distressed Allentown School District which has railed against charter school tuition for contributing to large deficits in its budgets in recent years and has almost 20 buildings built before 1950. “As the superintendent of the Allentown School District, Thomas [Parker] knows first-hand just how much potential there is in our children,” Wolf said in his remarks. “But he also knows the obstacles that stand in the way of unleashing that potential.” In his $36 billion state spending plan, Wolf called for a total investment of $435 million in education. That investment includes charter school reform to special education and cyber-charter students that he said will save districts statewide a total of $280 million. Charter school changes face a tough passage in the Republican-controlled state Legislature, which created the charter school system.

Last week, a coalition of roughly 30 area superintendents calling themselves the LEARN coalition called for the state to reform charter school funding. North Penn's charter school tuition costs have grown from roughly $1.4 million in 2009-10 to more than $2.7 million in 2020-21 with zero state subsidy since 2011.”
North Penn: Wolf's budget address could impact district's bottom line
LANSDALE — As Gov. Tom Wolf delivered his budget address in Harrisburg Tuesday morning, local officials were watching. Director of Business Administration Steve Skrocki told North Penn's school board Monday night that the budget address is the next key step as local officials work to refine their own 2020-21 budget.  "We pay close attention to this, because these are the governor's initiatives for the upcoming year," Skrocki said. "We are most concerned, of course, with the basic education funding and the special ed funding for the next year," he said.

The changes to the money flowing to charter schools that Wolf would like to see include imposing the same special education funding formula used to distribute money to school districts on charter schools. That is expected to save districts $147 million. Additionally, he wants to establish a flat $9,500 per student per year tuition rate that cyber charter schools can charge districts for educating students who reside within their borders. Currently, districts pay between $7,700 to $21,400 per student, because the rate is based on a percentage of what districts pay to educate their own students.
Pa. budget winner: Gov. Tom Wolf calls for more money for public schools
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated 1:33 PM; Today 11:43 AM
At a glance: Gov. Tom Wolf once again is proving himself to be a friend to pre-K to grade 12 public education in his 2020-21 budget proposal – with his support for charter schools being the exception. His budget calls for a $114.6 million increase in direct support to school districts, raising the basic education funding level to another historic high of nearly $6.86 billion. He also seeks a $25 million increase in special education funding, raising that total to $1.2 billion. As for the programs that serve the state’s youngest students, his budget includes a $25 million increase in preschool funding, for a total of $242.2 million. He also proposes $69.2 million, an increase of $5 million, to supplement federal dollars for Head Start programs. In addition, he is calling for mandating all schools to provide full-day kindergarten for all students and renewing his call to raise the minimum teacher salary to $45,000, from $18,500. On the charter school front, he is asking for changes in funding these independent public schools that live on tuition payments from school districts.

-Public schools would receive an additional $100 million, and the governor is proposing an extra $25 million for special education funding.
-Wolf would boost funding for early childhood education by $30 million: $25 million for Pre-K Counts and $5 million for the Head Start Supplemental program.
-The governor would expand free, full-time kindergarten to every Pennsylvania student, and pay for it through a separate reform plan for charter schools.
-Wolf is again proposing to raise the minimum salary for public school teachers to $45,000 per year, from $18,500 per year.
-Under an expanded grant program, $1 billion in state funding, typically set aside for capital projects would be available to remediate lead- and asbestos-tainted schools, an issue that has been particularly acute in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf wants more money for public schools — and gun control
Inquirer by Cynthia Fernandez and Angela Couloumbis, Updated: February 4, 2020- 11:41 AM
Capitol Notebook by Spotlight PA provides updates on important news and notes from the halls of power in Harrisburg. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday proposed a $36 billion dollar budget with no major tax increases that would boost funding for public education, expand full-day kindergarten to all students, borrow money to address environmental hazards in schools, and make sweeping changes to how charter schools are funded. In his annual address before a joint session of the General Assembly, the Democratic governor also departed from the boundaries of a traditional budget speech to make a strong plea for stricter gun laws in a state with a long history of taking a hands-off approach to the issue. Wolf called for universal background checks, stronger reporting requirements for lost and stolen firearms and a “red flag” law that would give judges the ability to temporarily seize firearms from people considered a threat to themselves or others.

In his 6th budget, Wolf mixes old plans with new pitches for college grants, universal kindergarten
PA Capital Star By  Stephen CarusoElizabeth Hardison February 4, 2020
One year ago, Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled a budget proposal that drew more applause from Republicans than from members of his own Democratic Party. Now, in his sixth budget address, Wolf doubled down on his self-proclaimed title as the “education governor” by pushing progressive policies for learners from cradle to college, as well as cash infusions for gun violence reduction initiatives and workforce development programs.  “This budget is a blueprint for unleashing a new wave of prosperity for our Commonwealth,” Wolf said Tuesday, speaking to the combined General Assembly in Harrisburg. “It will make a tangible difference in the lives of millions of people. And, folks, we can actually do this – together.” The $36 billion budget Wolf proposed would take effect July 1. It represents a $1.4 billion — or 4.2 percent — spending increase from the state’s current spending plan.  The governor renewed his call for a new tax on natural gas production but did not propose any tax hikes, saying revenue surpluses generated by a strong economy and low unemployment would allow for a balanced budget. The address included policies Wolf has pitched, unsuccessfully, each year since his first budget presentation in 2015: a minimum wage increase to $15 an hour and a fee on municipalities to fund state police protection. But it also included new proposals likely to meet resistance in the Republican-controlled General Assembly, including calls to tighten charter school funding and a new scholarship program for state university graduates who agree to work in Pennsylvania.

Most Luzerne County school districts find little to cheer in budget
Times Leader By Mark Guydish mguydish@timesleader.com February 4, 2020
If Luzerne County school districts were hoping for a good-sized shot in the arm from Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed budget, most of them saw those hopes dashed. With the exception of Hazleton Area, which would get a fairly impressive 3.9% boost in basic education funding, local districts would get modest increases. Five would see increases of less than 1%, and Hanover Area faces a decrease of 0.4%. Gov. Wolf earned some overall praise from public education advocate groups for a proposed increase of $100 million in basic education money and $25 million in special education funds. But spread that across 500 districts in the state and the pie slices get pretty slim. Overall, Luzerne County’s 11 districts would see basic education money rise by 2%, to $158.9 million, and special ed money would climb by 2.7%, to $26.2 million. But the increases in individual districts vary quite a bit.

“McInerney said the wealthiest districts in the Commonwealth spend 33% more per student than the poorest school districts. She said the goal is to get the state to adequately maintain and support a thorough and efficient system of public education that meets the needs of all students.”
PA School Budget Increases Called Positive but Insufficient
Pennsylvania ranks 44th in the nation for state share of education funding.
Public News Service February 5, 2020
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Gov. Tom Wolf's budget proposal includes more for schools, but education advocates say there's still a long way to go. The proposed budget includes a package of initiatives that add up to $435 million more in classroom spending. But that won't stop a pending lawsuit filed by the Education Law Center and the Public Interest Law Center, seeking to bring funding up to levels experts consider adequate. Maura McInerney, legal director at the Education Law Center, said a one-year spending increase is welcome but insufficient to meet the needs of Pennsylvania children. "We need a long-term strategy and deep investment to adequately and equitably fund all schools for all students across the Commonwealth," she said. In 2015, the Commonwealth Court dismissed the suit, saying courts cannot get involved in school-funding issues, but that was overruled on appeal, sending the case back to the Commonwealth Court. Trial is tentatively scheduled to begin this fall. Pennsylvania ranks 44th in state share of education funding, and the funding gaps between wealthy and poor districts are among the widest in the nation. McInerney said the school districts named in the lawsuit have given testimony about the consequences.
https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2020-02-05/education/pa-school-budget-increases-called-positive-but-insufficient/a69124-1

“More than 80% of Pittsburgh Public Schools' teachers are white, demographics that do not reflect an enrollment that is more than two-thirds nonwhite, according to district data. District officials said they hope the program will narrow that divide by encouraging paraprofessionals — more than half of whom are nonwhite — to become teachers in the district. Those future teachers, district officials believe, already work in Pittsburgh schools — experience that gives them the tools to thrive as teachers.”
Pittsburgh city schools seek to reset program that focuses on teacher diversity
ANDREW GOLDSTEIN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agoldstein@post-gazette.com FEB 4, 2020 8:08 PM
Pittsburgh Public Schools said Tuesday that it found two new partners for a pilot program that aims to narrow racial disparities between students and instructors by helping classroom aides become teachers. Carlow University and Point Park University have been selected to work with the city schools on the district's Para2Teacher initiative, in which selected paraprofessionals will earn a two-year master’s degree in education online while continuing to work in the district. Pittsburgh Public Schools planned to launch the initiative in October, but suspended its roll-out over concerns about Phoenix-based Grand Canyon University it chose as its partner for the program. The district cited Grand Canyon University’s “lack of disclosure of existing litigation” and “relationships with for-profit affiliates” as reasons for ending the partnership. "Increasing our diversity pipeline and teacher workforce has been on our radar for a long time," said Robert Harris, the district's chief human resources officer. "We're really happy that we're able to do this now so that we'll be able to take advantage of an increased pipeline going into the 2022 school year."

Debate over police in schools causes uproar in Abington
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna, Updated: February 4, 2020- 10:32 PM
Several hundred people packed the Abington Senior High School auditorium Tuesday night as the Board of Education tried to tamp down backlash over remarks by one of its members that students of color were “much more likely to be shot by” school police. As they criticized Tamar Klaiman’s comments — and as Klaiman again apologized — board members navigated their part in the national debate over race and policing, touched off in Abington during an otherwise routine meeting last month as the board reviewed a proposed amendment to a policy on school police.  “We should not be trying to solve the problems of the world around us,” board member and former board president Raymond McGarry said to applause. “If that’s what you want to do, run for a different office or become a political activist.” He and several other board members dismissed Klaiman’s statements as incorrect, inflammatory, and offensive to Abington police, who have two school resource officers working in district schools. The crowd — many of whom held signs reading “Support Abington Police” — gave Abington Police Chief Patrick Molloy a standing ovation, and cheered loudly in support of police.


Voucher supporters denounce calls to stop funding schools that discriminate against gays
ORLANDO SENTINEL | By GRAY ROHRERLESLIE POSTAL and ANNIE MARTIN FEB 04, 2020 | 6:25 PM
TALLAHASSEE -- Supporters of Florida’s largest school voucher program Tuesday denounced efforts by two Orlando lawmakers to pressure companies to stop contributions because some participating private schools have anti-gay policies. The group of about 100 people criticized an “attack” on school vouchers and blamed Democratic lawmakers Anna Eskamani and Carlos Guillermo Smith for pushing companies to halt donations to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program. The lawmakers have urged that action until the state adopts safeguards for gay and transgender students who attend private schools using those scholarships. The Orlando Sentinel published an investigation on Jan. 23 that detailed how more than 150 private schools that take Florida scholarships, often called vouchers, have anti-gay policies. About half of those say they would deny admission to or discipline LGBTQ students; the others declare homosexuality a biblical sin but don’t spell out what that means for students.

“The school choice proposal Trump touted calls for up to $5 billion in federal tax credits that would provide a dollar-for-dollar match in exchange for contributions to to scholarship programs in participating states. Currently, 18 states have tax-credit scholarship programs. Under the Trump administration plan, a taxpayer could receive a tax credit of up to 10 percent of their adjusted gross income in a given year, directing that money toward their children's education instead.”
Trump Pushes Tax Break to Promote School Choice in State of the Union Address
Education Week By Evie Blad on February 4, 2020 10:26 PM
President Donald Trump used his State of the Union Address Tuesday to urge Congress to greenlight a plan that would provide federal tax credits for scholarships to private schools and other education services, offering the largest stage yet for one of his administration's key education priorities. "The next step forward in building an inclusive society is making sure that every young American gets a great education and the opportunity to achieve the American Dream," Trump said.  "Yet, for too long, countless American children have been trapped in failing government schools." States have sought to "rescue these students" with tax-credit scholarship programs, he said, gesturing to invited guests Stephanie Davis, a mother from Philadelphia, and her 4th-grade daughter, Jayinah, who is on the waitlist for Pennsylvania's tax-credit scholarship program. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, vetoed an expansion of the program last year. Trump said a scholarship had "become available" for Jayinah, but it's unclear what he meant because those scholarships are under state control.


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

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:

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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