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
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These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
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If any of your colleagues would
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affiliation to KeystoneStateEdCoalition@gmail.com
PA Ed Policy Roundup for March 12, 2020
PA Dept. of Education
COVID-19 information here:
PA Dept. of Health COVID-19
information here:
In other news….Blogger note: just a heads-up
that Speaker Turzai’s Harrisburg voucher bill HB1800 is back on the House
calendar for March 16th
“The potential for
closures is forcing districts to confront a variety of challenges
without clear answers. Public schools provide free meals for poor students, and
services for children with special needs. Many are grappling with how they
would continue to fulfill those roles in the event they had to close for prolonged
periods.”
How area schools are planning to instruct thousands of
students in the event of long-term coronavirus closures
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna and Kristen A. Graham, Updated: March
11, 2020- 8:03 PM
School districts across the region are
creating online lesson plans and sending students home with packets of
assignments as they brace for the prospect of the spreading coronavirus causing
extended school closures. More than a dozen districts serving thousands of
students said they would preemptively close in the coming days to give
administrators and teachers time to plan how best to deliver instruction to
students in the event that schools are shut down. Others have been asking
families whether they lack internet access, or have been mapping out the number
of state-required instructional days and how coronavirus closures would fit in.
In one Abington elementary school, students were sent home with a folder
Wednesday with 10 days’ worth of work — labeled “Student Assignments for Just
in Case.” “I realize how scary this is for all of us," Washington Township
Superintendent Joseph Bollendorf wrote in a letter to parents Wednesday,
announcing early dismissals next week for teachers to be trained on the remote
learning lesson plans. "We will continue to do what must be done to be
prepared.”
How to get tested for coronavirus in Pennsylvania:
Symptoms, how many cases, who to call and more
By John L. Micek March 11, 2020
As of Wednesday morning, there are 14 presumptive cases of coronavirus in
Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Health.
If you’re concerned, or think you might need
to get tested, here’s what you need to know:
If you’ve been to an area where there is
known coronavirus or if you’ve come in contact with someone who has tested
positive for coronavirus, or been to another state where this is known
coronavirus, then you should get tested for coronavirus, April Hutcheson, a
spokeswoman for the Health Department, told the Capital-Star.
Right now, the Pennsylvania counties that
have been impacted by the virus are:
- Bucks
(2)
- Delaware
(1)
- Monroe
(1)
- Montgomery
(8)
- Philadelphia
(1)
- Wayne
(1)
And here’s what you need to do, according to
Hutcheson:
State College Area Schools close until March 20 due to
coronavirus concerns
Three of the days will be make-up days for
students and two will be training days for faculty and staff.
WITF by Emily Reddy/WPSU MARCH 12, 2020
| 5:47 AM
With our coronavirus coverage, our goal is to
equip you with the information you need. Rather than chase every update, we’ll
try to keep things in context and focus on helping you make decisions. See
all of our stories here.
What you should know
» Coronavirus facts & FAQ
» Map: Confirmed cases in the U.S. and around the world
» How to prepare your home for coronavirus
» Coronavirus facts & FAQ
» Map: Confirmed cases in the U.S. and around the world
» How to prepare your home for coronavirus
(State College) — All schools in the State
College Area School District will stay out of session for students until March
20, 2020 because of coronavirus concerns, superintendent Bob O’Donnell informed
parents in an email today. “At this time, we believe that is the right step to
take for the health and safety of our SCASD families, employees, and the
community at large — especially to protect our students and employees who are
immunosuppressed or at greater risk due to age and other reasons,” O’Donnell
said. All building and district offices will remain open. Three of the days
will be make-up days for students and two will be training days for faculty and
staff. Going forward, the school district will decide whether to reopen on a
week-by-week basis. They’ll decide about the week of March 23-27 on Thursday,
March 19.
Allentown School District shuts down Thursday and Friday,
staff member being tested for coronavirus
By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO THE MORNING
CALL | MAR 11, 2020 | 11:41 PM
The Allentown School District will be closed
Thursday and Friday because an employee is being tested for COVID-19, the
disease caused by the coronavirus, Superintendent Thomas Parker said Wednesday
night. Classes are canceled Thursday. Friday was to be an in-service day when
no classes were scheduled. Parker could not give any more details on the staff
member, except that the person had symptoms. He said Thursday’s School Board
meeting will also be postponed. “We’re taking the abundance of caution and
taking the day and thoroughly cleaning all of our facilities over the weekend,”
Parker said. The district hopes to
reopen Monday. Allentown, which has about 17,000
students, is the first school district in the Lehigh Valley to close amid
coronavirus concerns. The Easton Arts Academy will also be closed Thursday and
Friday, after a parent reported a student with flu-like symptoms.
Pittsburgh Public Schools employee self-quarantined
because family member may have been exposed to coronavirus
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE MAR 12, 2020 4:04 AM
A Pittsburgh Public Schools employee is
self-quarantined out of “extreme caution,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette news partner
KDKA reported. The employee will be quarantined for the next 14 days. According
to KDKA, the district said the employee has a family member from the eastern
part of Pennsylvania that recently came home. That family member is under
self-quarantine due to possibly being exposed to coronavirus at a conference in
Washington, D.C. The district said the employee started to self-quarantine
before their family member returned to Pittsburgh. It also said there is no
risk to students, staff or families.
Commentary: Philly District’s COVID-19 guidelines fall
short, but there is time to improve them
Concerned about safety, some teachers
are spending a personal fortune on hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes.
The notebook Commentary by Andrew
Saltz March 11 — 1:32 pm, 2020
Andrew Saltz teaches 11th and 12th grade
English and computer science at Paul Robeson High School and is a member
of the Caucus of Working Educators.
“You’re a teacher! You must have developed a
strong immune system!”
Phrased as a compliment, this statement is a
tell-tale example of selection bias. The speaker believes that being around
kids and their germs strengthens the immune system. The truth is that
immuno-compromised folk, although they may be master educators, do not last in
teaching. Schools are deprived of many terrific employees because we believe
teachers, students, and paraprofessionals must be strong instead of healthy. Fresh
off the District’s ongoing crises with asbestos, mesothelioma, and toxic
drinking water, Superintendent William Hite has released for novel coronavirus. They are, in short, not
good. Although I am sure that Hite personally wishes the best for all our
students, his lack of decisive leadership will only abet this pandemic. The
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers contract establishes the “3-5-7-9” system
for staff. The District tracks “incidents,” which are defined as a teacher
missing school and their return (so if I miss one day or three days, I am still
docked one “incident”). After three incidents, the teacher may receive a
warning memo, followed by a disciplinary conference, and finally a dreaded SEH-204 unsatisfactory
attendance document. It is consistent only with the madness of the School
District: I am punished for using the sick days I earn even as I am encouraged
to stay home if I feel sick.
“The winner of the April 28 primary will likely face Democrat
Emily Skopov, who is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket, in November.”
Three Republicans now vying for Turzai’s seat in 28th
House District
WITF by Lucy Perkins/WESA MARCH 9, 2020
| 9:13 AM
(Pittsburgh) — Three Republican candidates
are now hoping to replace outgoing House Speaker Mike Turzai in the 28th
District, making for the first competitive contest the district has seen in
years. Michael Heckmann and Libby Blackburn will join Rob Mercuri on the ballot
in April. Heckmann and Blackburn are both native to the district, which spans
several affluent North Hills suburbs, including McCandless, Pine Township, and
Franklin Park, and tout their own proximity to public office as reason to elect
them.
https://www.witf.org/2020/03/09/three-republicans-now-vying-for-turzais-seat-in-28th-house-district/
A new superintendent promotes a tone of racial tolerance
among Cumberland Valley students | PennLive Editorial
By PennLive
Editorial Board Updated Mar 11, 2020; Posted Mar
11, 2020
It’s been only a few months since
Superintendent David Christopher stepped into the hot seat in the Cumberland
Valley School District. He was immediately hit with allegations of bullying,
hostility and outright racism that parents alleged had been allowed to fester
and grow for years. Parents and students shared horror stories of name-calling,
verbal and physical abuse, which they claimed had been dutifully reported to
the prior administration, to no avail. One mother passionately described how
her black son was terrorized at Cumberland Valley High School to the point of
his wanting to die. In a meeting with PennLive’s Editorial Board,
Christopher said he was taking these allegations seriously and would work with
parents and teachers to resolve the problems. PennLive called for Christopher to
make this issue his number one priority. And he did.
2019 H.S. performance score rankings for Allegheny,
Westmoreland, Alle-Kiski Valley
Trib Live by JEFF
HIMLER | Sunday, March
8, 2020 12:01 a.m.
The goal of most high schools is to have
students graduate with skills that prepare them for success in life. One
indication the school is making good on that intention is its building-level
performance score — which is used to evaluate teachers and principals under
Pennsylvania’s Educator Effectiveness System (Act 82 of 2012). The measure was
previously known as the School Performance Profile. Tops in Allegheny County
for 2019 was Upper St. Clair High School, with a score of 97.6 out of 100. It
was followed by North Allegheny (91), Hampton (90.1) and West Allegheny (89.6).
In Westmoreland County, Franklin Regional ranked first with a score of 94.1,
followed by Penn-Trafford (93.8) and Norwin (84.4). Fox Chapel (88.8) ranked
first in the Alle-Kiski Valley, followed by Plum (86) and Freeport Area (82). The
score reflects students’ collective achievement on standardized math, language
arts and science assessment tests, how well they have advanced academically
during the school year, and other factors, including school attendance and
graduation rates. Advanced Placement and college-credit courses offered also
affect the building score at the senior high level. Here is a complete ranking
of schools in Allegheny, Westmoreland and the A-K Valley:
Ears on the Philly Board of Education: February
27, 2020
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools by
Diane Payne March 9, 2019
Board Rejects Three New Charter Applications
When we organize and fight, we can win. By
unanimous vote, the Board rejected applications from High School of Health
Sciences Charter and String Theory/Joan Myers Brown. APPS wrote an analysis of
the applications and the forces behind them, after attending all hearings and
researching the corporate and political connections behind them. The Kensington
Health Sciences Academy–principal, teachers, parents and students–wrote
commentaries and showed up at Board meetings to urge the District to support
their neighborhood school rather than cripple it with charter competition. APPS
attends and reports on every meeting conducted by the Board of Education, as we
did with the School Reform Commission before it. Often, APPS members
provide the only public eyes and ears witnessing and reporting on decisions and
spending that affect our city’s schools. This month, the outsourcing to
unaccredited institutions and corporate edu-vendors continues the policies and
practices of the SRC. The Board awarded contracts to Teach for America and
Relay Graduate School of Education (not accredited in this state) for teacher
recruitment, and the DMG group for administrative consulting. These
edu-vendors maintain a deep connection to charter schools and corporate
disruptors of public education. Either blind to or unconcerned about that
connection, the Board approved a total expenditure of $2,651,000 for these
Items alone. The Board postponed the Action Item allotting $2 million to the
edu-vendor SchoolKit.
EdVotersPA: Take action now to support charter school
reform in PA!
Education Voters PA Published by EDVOPA on February 25, 2020
We have helped build a movement to fix
Pennsylvania’s worst charter school law in the nation in every corner of the
commonwealth. Now it is time to take this movement to Harrisburg! Please click HERE and sign a letter to
your state representative and senator calling on them to support charter school
reform. Ed Voters’ volunteers will hand deliver each constituent letter to
state lawmakers’ offices in mid-March. Make sure yours is included! We will need to deliver thousands of letters
to send a strong message that Pennsylvanians expect lawmakers to take action
this legislative session.
Network for Public Education 2020 Conference in Philly Rescheduled
to November 21-22
NPE Website March 10, 2020 7:10 pm
We so wanted to see you in March, but we need
to wait until November!
Our conference will now take place on November
21 and 22 at the same location in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Please
read the important information below.
Registration: We will be rolling over our
registration information, so there is no reason to register again. You will
be automatically registered for the November dates. If you cannot attend in
November, we ask that you consider donating your registration to absorb some of
the costs associated with rescheduling the conference. If you feel you cannot
make such a donation, please contact: dcimarusti@networkforpubliceducation.org.
PSBA Board Presidents Panel April 27 & 28; 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.
Info and registration: https://www.psba.org/2020/01/board-presidents-panel/
PSBA: Coronavirus Preparedness Guidance
In the last few weeks, the novel coronavirus
(SARS-CoV-2), which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19, has become a topic
of concern nationwide. Although the virus is not widespread in Pennsylvania at
this time, that status could change. Being proactive is key to prevention and
mitigation. Below, you will find a list of resources on all aspects of
preparedness, including guidance on communication planning, policy, emergency
management and disease control. Use these resources to help you make decisions
regarding the safety and health of those in your school district.
Bucks County Intermediate Unit: FLU AND CORONAVIRUS
RESOURCES
Resources for School Leaders; Bucks County
Intermediate Unit Website
This page contains a collection of news
articles, health agency resources, and school system templates related to the
Flu and Coronavirus. This page is by no means exhaustive and in no way
serves as an endorsement for specific resources. Instead, it
serves as a collection point for school leaders seeking resources and
exemplars. Please contact Dr.
Mark Hoffman with any additional documents or links
to post!
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
For more
information: https://www.psba.org/event/advocacy-day-2020/
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
- Wednesday,
March 18, 2020 — Section 7, PSBA
Headquarters, 400 Bent Creek Blvd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
- Tuesday,
March 24, 2020 — Section 1, General McLane
High School, 11761 Edinboro Rd, Edinboro, PA 16412
- Tuesday,
March 24, 2020 — Section 4, Abington
Heights School District, 200 East Grove Street, Clark Summit, PA 18411
- Wednesday,
March 25, 2020 — Section 3, Columbia-Montour
AVTS, 5050 Sweppenheiser Dr., Bloomsburg, PA 17815
- Wednesday,
March 25, 2020 — Section 6, Bedford County
Technical Center, 195 Pennknoll Road, Everett, PA 15537
- Thursday,
March 26, 2020 — Section 2, State College
Area High School, 650 Westerly Pkwy, State College, PA 16801
- Monday,
March 30, 2020 — Section 5, Forbes Road
Career & Technology Center, 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA 15146
- Monday, March 30, 2020 — Section 8, East Penn School District, 800 Pine St, Emmaus,
PA 18049
- Tuesday, April 7, 2020 — Section 5, Washington School District, 311 Allison
Avenue, Washington, PA 15301
- Tuesday, April 7, 2020 — Section 8, School District of Haverford Twp, 50 East Eagle
Road, Havertown, PA 19083
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.
A Free Educational Event Hosted at Capitol
Building in Harrisburg, March 16, 2020
CONTACT Holly Lubart EMAIL HollyL@PANewsMedia.org PHONE 717-703-3032
A Free Sunshine Week Educational Event Hosted
at Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pa.
Guest Speaker: Sarah Hofius Hall, Education
Reporter, The Times-Tribune
Guest Speaker: Representative Curt
Sonney, Chairman, House Education Committee
Guest Speaker from the Wolf Administration
To register for this event, please complete
the form below.
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
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.
Register today for the 2020 PASA/PA Principals
Association PA Educational Leadership Summit, August 2-4, at the Lancaster
Marriott at Penn Square
(hosted by the PA Principals Association and
the PA Association of School Administrators). Participants can earn up to 80
PIL hours (40 hours for the Summit and - for an additional cost of $50 -
40 hours for EdCamp) for
attending the conference and completing program requirements. Register
early to reserve your seat! The deadline to take advantage of the Early Bird
Discount is April 24, 2020.
Click here to
register today!
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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