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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PA Ed Policy Roundup for April 9, 2020
Tweet from @GovernorTomWolf: I
can’t say it enough: Thank you to everyone working on the front lines of this
pandemic. You’re putting yourself at risk to take care of your fellow
Pennsylvanians, and your bravery and sacrifice do not go unnoticed.
Coronavirus closed schools. Here’s how those that serve
the most vulnerable are still providing lifelines.
by Kristen A. Graham, Updated: April
8, 2020- 4:06 PM
As a public service, The Inquirer is making
this article and other critical public health and safety coverage of the
coronavirus available to all readers.
A pandemic forced Francis Scott Key
Elementary to lock its doors in mid-March. But principal Pauline Cheung is
keenly aware of the role played by Key and many other schools that serve the
region’s most vulnerable children. “Our schools are not closed. The buildings
are,” said Cheung. “I feel that we have to be open more than ever.” Schools
that have outsize roles in their students’ lives are doing their best to serve
as safety nets, not just places where children learn reading and math. Educators
— especially those in the Philadelphia School District, where more than
three-quarters of pupils are considered economically disadvantaged — are still
finding ways to feed hungry families, connecting
parents to resources for unemployment benefits, internet access, and tech
support. Mostly, they’re reminding families that they’re not alone even during
the COVID-19 outbreak, which closed hundreds of schools in Philadelphia and
beyond on March 13.
NPR by ANYA KAMENETZ April 8,
20209:30 AM ET
With most schools closed nationwide because
of the coronavirus pandemic, a national poll of young people ages 13 to 17
suggests distance learning has been far from a universal substitute. The poll
of 849 teenagers, by Common Sense Media, conducted with SurveyMonkey, found
that as schools across the country transition to some form of online learning,
41% of teenagers overall, including 47% of public school students, say they
haven't attended a single online or virtual class. This broad lack of
engagement with online learning could be due to many factors. The survey was
conducted between March 24 and April 1; some districts may have been on spring
break or not have begun regular online classes. There are also resource gaps.
In the past few weeks, school districts have purchased and started loaning out hundreds of thousands of
laptops and tablets and worked with telecom providers to get
families set up with Internet. But the need is large. Before the pandemic, it
was estimated that about 12 million students had no
broadband access at home. There is a big gap between public and private school
students in the survey, with 47% of public school students saying they have not
attended a class, compared with just 18% of private school students.
‘How do you create a version of school that truly is for
everybody but is also virtual?’
WHYY By Jennifer
Lynn April 8, 2020
Some students are better equipped than others
to assimilate to remote learning plans during the coronavirus pandemic. In a
perfect world, all kids have school-issued laptops, strong internet access, and
someone they listen to around — to make sure they stay on top of lessons. But
online school during COVID-19 is far from perfect. Keystone Crossroads’ Avi
Wolfman-Arent covers education and joins us to talk about this.
Guest Column: Wolf, Legislature should act now to protect
kids' education
Delco Times By Susan Spicka Times Guest
Columnist April 9, 2020
For most Pennsylvanians, the COVID-19
pandemic became real on March 13 when Gov. Tom Wolf ordered Pennsylvania’s
schools to close. While there was resistance in many quarters, this action
protected our children from illness, and protected their parents and
grandparents from this rapidly spreading, lethal virus. Soon after, the
Pennsylvania General Assembly passed legislation to provide stability and
clarity for Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts. Schools remain funded at
pre-pandemic levels; school employees remain on duty for teaching, counseling
and food distribution activities; and the secretary of education has
flexibility to respond quickly in the ever-changing environment. With this
certainty, school leaders and educators sprang into action to transform, within
days, to a new system of remote learning. Consider the challenge – keeping
fidgety first graders engaged, helping fourth and fifth graders, old enough to
feel their parents’ anxiety, remain interested in science and social studies,
and keeping high schoolers on track for graduation. We should acknowledge the
urgency and creativity of teachers and administrators responding to this
challenge. We must also acknowledge the tremendous inequities in school
districts’ ability to provide remote learning to students in Pennsylvania’s
urban and rural school districts.
Wherever educators are, we’re there for our students |
Opinion
By Rich Askey Capital-Star Op-Ed Contributor April 9,
2020
Rich Askey is a Harrisburg music teacher and
president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state’s largest
teachers union.
A global pandemic has closed schools across
Pennsylvania and the nation, creating unprecedented challenges for public
education. That’s the bad news. The good news is that educators, support staff,
and parents are rising to meet this challenge and make sure students continue
to learn and have their needs met, even when they can’t go to school. The one
sentiment I hear again and again from so many educators during this crisis is:
“We miss our kids.” That’s why teachers and support staff in many communities
have organized “watch and wave” parades, where they drive slowly through local
neighborhoods to greet students at safe distances and remind them just how much
they care. From the start of this crisis, these caring professionals never
stopped putting their students first. You see that in all the news stories
about cafeteria workers who report to school, day after day, to prepare
grab-and-go meals so that students don’t go hungry. Some teachers and support
staff, such as those in the Selinsgrove Area School District in
central Pennsylvania, have even collected food to give out to people in their
community who are struggling.
What Erie-area schools are getting in federal virus aid
GoErie By Ed
Palattella @etnpalattella Posted
Apr 8, 2020 at 7:03 PM
Pa. to distribute $471 million in federal
CARES Act to schools statewide. Formula based on aid for low-income students.
The federal COVID-19 rescue package includes
billions of dollars for school districts nationwide. The Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act, became law on March
27 and authorized $2 trillion in federal aid, and it also includes stimulus
checks of up to $1,200 per person as well as loans to small businesses. The act
sets aside $13.5 billion for the Elementary and
Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which
features direct grants to schools. Of that amount, Pennsylvania is estimated to
receive $471 million, with all of the state’s 500 school districts benefiting.
The money is to help pay for technology needs for distance learning and other
costs associated with the coronavirus. Each school district’s share of the
funding will be proportional to how much it receives in federal Title I, Part A funding. That
funding provides assistance to school districts and other local educational
institutions to help educate children from low-income families. Amounts of
Title I, Part A funding are based primarily on estimates from census poverty
data and the cost of education in each state. Based on the application of the
funding formulas, area school districts will receive the following funding
amounts under the CARES Act, according to data from the Northwest Tri-County
Intermediate Unit and the Erie School District.
Pa.’s 2020 budget could be up to $1.8 billion short
because of COVID-19 business closings
PA Capital Star By Stephen Caruso April 8,
2020
Pennsylvania could lose as much as $4 billion
in tax revenues over the next 15 months due to the coronavirus-related economic
shutdowns, according to estimates published by a state agency. The Independent Fiscal Office, which analyzes
Pennsylvania budgets and policies, estimated that
state coffers will be between $2.7 to $3.9 billion short of expectations as
businesses close and workers lose jobs to fight the spread of COVID-19. Between
$1.3 to $1.8 billion of that impact could hit before the state closes its books
on the 2019-20 fiscal year on June 30, the IFO projected. The lower number is
based on business closings lasting for six weeks, until April 27. The
higher number is an estimate if business closures last for 10 weeks, until May
20. Gov. Tom Wolf, who ordered all non-“life-sustaining” businesses
to close on March 19, extended his shutdown order until at least April 30. A
University of Washington study estimates
Pennsylvania’s coronavirus outbreak will peak on April 13. The IFO’s
projections do not take into account federal stimulus money, which
could add between $400 million to $500 million to the state treasury.
Pennsylvania facing up to $4 billion budget shortfall as coronavirus
shutdown upends state budget
by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight
PA | April 8, 2020
Spotlight
PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom
powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette and PennLive/Patriot-News. Sign
up for our free weekly newsletter.
HARRISBURG — The coronavirus outbreak could
cost Pennsylvania $2.7 billion in lost tax revenue over the next 15 months,
blowing a serious hole in the state budget, according to a report released
Wednesday by the state’s Independent Fiscal Office. And that’s the best case
scenario, assuming that businesses can reopen by April 27. If the statewide
shutdown has to remain in place for another six weeks, the office estimates,
the state would be facing a financial hit of $3.7 billion in lost revenues. Even
that grim number is “cautiously optimistic,” said Matthew Knittel, the director
of the fiscal office. “Taxpayers should be prepared for a significant reduction
in state resources,” Knittel said. “What we’re seeing, there’s just no
precedent for it.” Those numbers don’t take into account the effects of the
recent $2.2 trillion federal stimulus package, which will bring roughly $50
billion to Pennsylvania through a variety of programs. The federal funding will
help soften the blow, but won’t be enough to offset the revenue losses
altogether, Knittel said.
Harrisburg School District distributes computers to all
high school students
by CBS21 News Wednesday, April 8th 2020
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Today, Harrisburg
School District Acting Superintendent, Mr. Chris Celmer, announced phase three
of the District's planned academic enrichment programming and computer
distribution for students to continue learning at home during the coronavirus
pandemic. The district's phase three rollout includes a three-day
drive-up/walk-up device distribution plan for students in grades 9-12 at
Harrisburg High School John Harris Campus and SciTech Campus. To receive a
computer, students are required to have their school ID or student ID number at
pick up. Devices must be properly used, maintained, and returned in the condition
they were issued.
Harrisburg High School parents, guardians,
and students have been advised to follow the device distribution schedule
below, specific guidance for device pick-up, and criteria for social
distancing.
Coronavirus Latest: How Philadelphia School District Is
Getting Lunches To Students Who Need Them Most
CBS3 By Alecia Reid April 8,
2020 at 7:10 pm
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Getting food to children
who need it most during the coronavirus pandemic is a challenge schools have
faced since students began learning at home. The School District of
Philadelphia is making sure lunches are getting to its students who need them
most. Sorting and bagging for hours, these food
service employees have a seamless system. “We value our teams in every location
because, without them, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” Training Manager Jarred
Lee said. Each station is sanitized and manned by one individual to ensure
proper etiquette and safe social distancing. “Each station has gloves, masks,
disinfectant wipes,” Lee said. “We wipe down the stations, set everything up.” Since
Philadelphia’s meal distributing program started in mid-March, the school
district has provided more than a half-million meals to students. There are 49
other locations across the city like this one with school district employees
and volunteers loading up breakfast and lunch for students that need it. “After
every service, we step back to see what worked, what didn’t work, what do we
need to change,” Lee said. On Monday, about 1,000 students were served,
compared to several dozen in its first week.
Boyertown School Board rejects move to give
superintendent more authority during crisis
Pottstown Mercury by Evan Brandt ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com
@PottstownNews on Twitter April 8, 2020
With a 5-4 vote, the Boyertown Area School
Board rejected a move to give Superintendent Dana Bedden more authority to act
on his own during the coronavirus crisis. The vote came at the tail end of a
three-hour online virtual board meeting Tuesday night during which one
administrator after the next reviewed the extraordinary measures being taken to
keep the district running and to try to re-start some semblance of learning for
students. Frustration was evident on both sides of the matter. With his
computer battery running low, School Board President Brandon Foose went in
search of a charger at a crucial point in the meeting and thus was unable to
offer his comments before the vote, which was begun in his absence, took place.
After throwing a piece of paper in evident frustration, Foose offered his
comments at length after the vote. Those comments then spurred angry responses
from those who had voted against the measure. Those voting against the
resolution were Ruth Dierolf, Christine Neiman, James Brophy, Roger Updegrove
and Brian Hemingway. Joining Foose in supporting the motion were Jill Dennin,
Melody McWherter and Lisa Hogan. The five-page resolution would have allowed
Bedden to hire staff, make payroll, make purchases, pay bills, determine who
needs to report to work, and other matters, all subject to subsequent
ratification by the board. The resolution would have stayed in place until the
stay-at-home order is lifted, or until the board voted to lift it.
Bus company mobilizes to deliver meals to students
Beaver County Times By Marsha
Keefer Posted at 4:02 AM
Frye Transportation Group normally delivers
students in area school districts from Point A to Point B, but now delivers
meals to them since schools are closed due to novel coronavirus. The
nine-passenger, white van pulls in front of Gordon Camp Apartments in
Rochester, the first stop of about 20 Jimmy Brant makes this day. Normally, he
drives a big, yellow school bus for Frye Transportation Group on this route,
transporting elementary and high school students to classes in Rochester Area
School District. Now, with schools in Pennsylvania closed indefinitely due to
novel coronavirus, Brant delivers plastic bags filled with breakfast, lunch and
dinner to students on his route, the meals subsidized through the National
School Lunch Program, a federally assisted program that provides nutritionally
balanced, low- or no-cost lunches to children each school day. “Anything for
the kids,” Brant, 37, says. “I enjoy doing it. If it means getting them food,
I’ll do anything I can for them.” He and other drivers meet at 9 a.m. for daily
safety meetings. At 10:25 a.m., Brant’s the last of three van drivers to leave
the terminal in Brighton Township. All don masks and gloves before sliding
behind the wheel, a layer of protection against this insidious virus.
Coronavirus Aid Might Not Prevent Cuts to School Funding,
Analysis Shows
Education Week By Andrew Ujifusa April 7,
2020
Even with $13.5 billion in coronavirus relief aid provided
to schools by Congress last month, an across-the-board 8 percent cut to states’
school funding would lead to a decline in per-pupil spending in all 50 states,
a new analysis shows. In addition, the analysis by Michael Griffith, a veteran
school finance consultant, finds that the K-12 relief package signed by
President Donald Trump on March 27 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security Act amounts to less than 2 percent of all spending on public
schools. As a souring economy eats into states’ resources this year, the
emergency airlift of federal money could help mitigate the damage to the nation
as a whole and states in particular. Yet already, states are seeing their
economies start to slide and are slashing their spending.
School budgets are in big trouble, especially in
high-poverty areas. Here’s why — and what could help
Chalkbeat By Matt
Barnum April 8, 2020
When the last recession hit school budgets
about a decade ago, it didn’t hit them equally.
Affluent school districts saw their state
funding drop by more than $500 per student after the downturn. High-poverty
districts in the same state lost much
more: over $1,500 per student in state funds. Now,
the coronavirus has brought much of the American economy to a halt. Another
recession is possible, even likely. And the poorest school districts, which are
particularly reliant on state funds, may once again bear the brunt of the
budget crunch. That has some school finance experts nervous. Research has found that
spending cuts in the wake of the Great Recession hurt students academically,
and right now, students from low-income families are experiencing particular challenges accessing
online learning and other services with schools closed nationwide. “There’s a
potential squeeze that’s happening here that is going to destroy equity if
we’re not very careful — that is, increased need in areas that are very, very
vulnerable to state funding cuts,” said Rebecca Sibilia, head of the school
funding group EdBuild. But
allowing the highest-poverty districts to absorb the biggest cuts is also
avoidable.
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2020/04/07/coronavirus-school-funding-great-recession-lessons-equity/
PSBA FAQ Sheet Regarding Closure of School Due to
Coronavirus
PSBA has compiled answers to your most
pressing questions surrounding school closures due to the #coronavirus outbreak.
View this resource here:
Request@PSBA.org: PSBA establishes
channel to answer COVID-19 questions
POSTED ON MARCH 19, 2020 IN PSBA
NEWS
In light of statewide school closings and as
the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve, PSBA is here to provide support to
members and answer questions regarding how schools will operate, meet
instructional requirements and provide services both now and in the future.
Please send your questions to request@psba.org with
your name, district and contact information. A member of PSBA staff will
respond directly or will funnel your inquires to the Pennsylvania Department of
Education. PSBA will act as your voice and ensure you receive the answers and
information you need to make decisions at this crucial time.
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.
Rescheduled: Join us for Advocacy Day in Harrisburg to support public
education Monday May 11, 2020! (subject to change)
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
Moving to a virtual format; details to come
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.
Cancelled: PARSS Annual Conference April 29 – May 1, 2020
in State College
Due to current conditions caused by the
coronavirus pandemic, we have cancelled the 2020 PARSS Conference, scheduled
for April 29 through May 1, 2020. Please read our cancellation letter for
important information.
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!
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.
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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