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PA Ed Policy Roundup for May 8, 2020
School
Leaders: If you were previously registered for Advocacy Day at the Capitol,
please register and join us for our first ever Virtual Advocacy Day
on Monday, May 11, 2020, via Zoom. Register now at no
cost on myPSBA.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email
containing information about joining the webinar.
Fitzpatrick, state legislators to attend online teen
forum
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and
Pennsylvania legislators from Bucks County will participate in the first teen
town hall meeting sponsored by Public Citizens for Children and Youth at 10:30
a.m. Friday via Zoom Webinar, streaming live via Facebook. The
first-of-its-kind virtual teen town hall via Zoom will allow students a
platform to discuss challenges facing their public schools during COVID-19
shutdown, as decisions on stimulus legislation and budgets are being made in
Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. Students from each Bucks County School District
and technical high school will participate. State officials participating
include Sens. Steve Santarsiero, D-10; Maria Collett, D-12; and Robert “Tommy”
Tomlinson (staff), R-6; and Reps. Tina Davis, D-41; Frank Farry, R-42; John
Galloway, D-40; Craig Staats, R-145; Wendy Ullman, D-143; KC Tomlinson, R-18;
and Perry Warren (staff), D-31. “At a time when decisions are being made that
will have a tremendous impact on their immediate and long-term future, Bucks
County’s students deserve to have a seat at the table. PCCY is thankful to
Congressman Fitzpatrick and the multiple elected officials and superintendents
who are willing to participate so students can utilize this platform to have a
voice in the matter,” said PCCY spokesman Dan O’Brien.
Harrisburg should not freeze school boards out of local
property tax decisions [editorial]
THE LNP | LANCASTERONLINE EDITORIAL BOARD May
8, 2020
THE ISSUE: With many Pennsylvanians facing
difficult financial situations because of the economic impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic, state House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Peach Bottom, is
championing legislation that would force the state’s 500 school districts to
freeze their property taxes next year. “Cutler said he’d rather districts take
from their so-called ‘rainy day funds’ rather than raising taxes,” LNP | LancasterOnline’s
Alex Geli reported Saturday. Some local
superintendents and state education groups oppose the proposal. Philosophically,
we agree with Cutler’s reasoning. These are stressful times for many, including
those who pay steep annual property tax bills to support public education. Trying
to navigate an uncertain future, homeowners could use the certainty of knowing
that one of their biggest expenses will be fixed for a year. And, for that
reason, we strongly hope Lancaster County’s public school districts can avoid
property taxes increases as they finalize their 2020-21 budgets in the coming
months. As Cutler noted, reserves — or “rainy day funds” — are one option for
some school districts. But we do not believe Harrisburg should pass legislation
mandating such a tax freeze. This decision should remain under local control. We
concur with Hempfield Superintendent Mike Bromirski, who told Geli, “In my
opinion, our locally elected school board members should be the ones deciding
on local school district taxes.” School boards, administrators and teachers
find themselves in an incredibly daunting situation. They must educate more
than 1.5 million students statewide. And now they must radically reenvision how
that education is handled amid a still-unfolding health crisis full of
unknowns. Facility use, classroom size, curricula, technology needs, meal
programs, sports and extracurriculars must all be examined as boards craft next
year’s budgets in the shadow of COVID-19.
And it’s simply not clear where all the
funding will come from.
Coming soon: Philly School District families will have
access to grief counseling, coronavirus support
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Updated: May
7, 2020- 11:49 AM
For Philadelphia students and families having
trouble coping with the loss of months of
in-person school amid the trauma of a pandemic and a
changing world, help is on the way. On Monday, the Philadelphia School District
and Uplift, the Center for Grieving Children, will launch the Philly HopeLine,
a hotline that will connect district children and families to grief support
services, Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. said at a news conference
Thursday. The resource comes in response to a need in the community, said Jayme
Banks, the district’s director of trauma-informed practices. “Speaking with
families and students over the past few months, they’ve shared how difficult
this time is for them,” said Banks. “They feel isolated, disconnected, they
have worries about all of the unknowns.” The hotline, 833-PHL-HOPE, will
operate Monday through Friday from noon to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from
noon to 4 p.m. It will be staffed by master’s-level clinicians and available by
call or text, and will not end when the school year ends for students on June
12.
G-A school board, teachers union begin discussing budget
deficit
By Shawn Hardy The Echo-Pilot May 7,
2020 Updated 17 hrs ago
Members of the Greencastle-Antrim school
board and the district's teachers union met Wednesday to discuss the announcement
by the board last month regarding possible furloughs.
GREENCASTLE, Pa. — Representatives of the
Greencastle-Antrim School Board and the union that represents the district’s
teachers met Wednesday evening, a week after the school board opened the door
for potential staff and program cuts in light of a projected 2020-21 budget
deficit of nearly $2.5 million. The district’s budget must be passed by June 30
and the numbers presented last week by Caroline Royer, chief financial officer,
show estimated revenues of $39,999,478 and estimated expenses of $42,448,579 for
a deficit of $2,449,101. She said the district may lose $1.7 million as a
result of the coronavirus pandemic, including drops in real estate, earned
income and real estate transfer taxes and the possibility of no increase in
basic or special education funding from the state. “Pre-COVID-19 it wasn’t
good, post-COVID-19 it’s disastrous,” Royer said of the district’s fiscal
position. On April 29, the board adopted a resolution as a first step to
possibly cutting professional and support staff, programs and extracurricular
activities. The action was necessary to provide 60-day notice so the board can
act on any or all of the cuts June 29. “We are dedicated to working together to
limit the impact of furloughs,” Mike Still, school board vice president, said
in a joint statement issued by the board and the Greencastle-Antrim
Education Association after Wednesday night’s meeting.
A dying wish for schools
Teacher Lea DiRusso knows she won’t survive
mesothelioma, but hopes Philadelphia schools makes good on its promise to
protect students and staff from asbestos.
Inquirer by Wendy Ruderman and Kristen A. Graham, May 8,
2020
Lea DiRusso stared at the form in front of
her, stuck on the words her doctor wrote to explain why she had to retire early
from her career as a Philadelphia School District teacher: incurable
mesothelioma. “Incurable, incurable, incurable,” DiRusso said Tuesday. “It was
echoing in my head.” DiRusso, 51, spent her 28-year teaching career at two
South Philadelphia elementary schools with known crumbling asbestos that the
school system had largely papered over for decades. It’s been nearly nine
months since she was diagnosed with
an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. She became the public face of the
school district’s failure to protect teachers and students from environmental
hazards inside its aging buildings. DiRusso wants her death to mean something,
her diagnosis to be an impetus for Philadelphia finally ridding its schools of
the carcinogen.
This year’s Lindback award winners announced
The annual awards recognize leadership and
teaching excellence.
The Notebook by Dale Mezzacappa May 7 —
6:38 pm, 2020
Sixty Philadelphia School District teachers
and seven principals have received coveted awards from the Christian R. and
Mary F. Lindback Foundation, which honors educators each year during National
Teacher Appreciation Week. The principals’ award recognizes distinguished
principal leadership and humanitarian contributions to schools and communities,
and the teachers’ award honors educators for promoting learning at the highest
levels. Usually, the winners in each category are celebrated at gala events.
This year, of course, that is not possible. Superintendent William Hite noted
that the awardees “are continuing to support our students and families during
this difficult time through digital learning.”
North Hills school board budget to keep tax rate steady
Post Gazette by SANDY TROZZO MAY 7, 2020 1:51 PM
The North Hills school board approved a
proposed final budget that holds the line on taxes and does not include any
furloughs. “A zero-tax-increase budget with no furloughs is the best thing to
do for our community at this time,” board President Allison Mathis said. The
$83.73 million spending plan holds the millage rate at 18.65, which is
$2,530.81 in taxes per year for the owner of a home with the median value of
$135,000, or $3,730 for the owner of a home assessed at $200,000, said Jerry
Muth, director of finance and operations. “The revenue budget has undergone
multiple revisions to get us to this number,” he said. “Unlike previous years,
revenues are projected to increase 1%, half of previous years.” COVID-19
closures mean less construction, home sales, and business privilege and wage
taxes. Instead of raising taxes or cutting staff, the district plans to
increase some class sizes in kindergarten through third grade by two students,
eliminating the need to hire more teachers. In addition, Jessica Sapsara,
assistant principal for all the elementary schools, will move to the middle
school and will not be replaced at the elementary level. Current middle school
assistant principal Mary Grimm elected to return to the classroom. Also, the
district will not hire a second assistant principal for the middle school when
the sixth grade is added to the school, or another social worker or
psychologist. They will only replace one of two nurses who will be retiring.
SDP expands courses and other offerings to include mental
health services
Philly Trib by Chanel Hill Tribune Staff
Writer May 8, 2020
The School District of Philadelphia is
expanding its course offerings and services beyond its curriculum to include
courses for parents and mental health services. The district is launching a
mental health hotline — Philly Hopeline — in partnership with Uplift Center for
Grieving Children, and offering special online courses through Virtual Family
Academy. “We recognize the mental and emotional toll this pandemic and the
subsequent closing of schools may be having on our students, families, and
caregivers,” district Superintendent William Hite said Thursday during his
weekly conference call with the news media. Philly Hopeline will allow students
and their families to speak with clinicians by video, text and/or phone. If
students and families call outside the window of operation, they will have the
option of leaving a message and will be given a crisis phone number in case of
emergency. All messages will be returned the next day. The Virtual Family
Academy courses are part of the district’s “Learn Where You Live” initiative,
which the district began in 2017 to offer support to families. “The program has
been reformatted to offer virtual webinars as a way for the District to stay
engaged with families and to continue to offer support while schools are
closed,” Hite said.
Duquesne's superintendent worries about what comes after
a 10-day shutdown
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE MAY 7, 2020 11:58 AM
Steering our schools: One in a series of
talks with local superintendents
Ms. Moyer, 45, of Munhall runs the
financially distressed district which serves students from preK-6. She is
pursuing her doctorate, has a 4-year-old daughter and grew up in tiny Mahaffey,
Clearfield County, near Punxsutawney, with about 400 people and not even a
single stoplight. She has one younger brother. Her father was a Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation foreman and her mom was a medical secretary for
rehabilitation services at a hospital. She taught elementary school for 10
years and rose through the ranks in education, including a stint in York,
another distressed district. She graduated from Indiana University of
Pennsylvania.
IAEA SENDS OUT PIZZA GIFT CARDS FOR INDIANA SCHOOL
DISTRICT FAMILIES
Indiana, PA WCCS AM1160 & 101.1FM May 07,
2020 09:48 am
The Indiana Area Education Association, the
union representing teachers in the Indiana School District, helped out students
and their families by providing them with dinner on them. Teachers in the union
donated nearly $19,000 to buy pizza gift cards for every family with students
enrolled in the district. The district has just under 2,000 families
representing 2900 students. Local pizza shops were contacted by the IAEA
and the union purchased vouchers for 1-topping pizzas and mailed them out to families
at the end of last week. Families with three students or more in the
district were given a second voucher to use. The IAEA saw this as an effort to
reconnect with students outside of the virtual classrooms that have been in
place since Governor Wolf’s stay-at-home order went into effect. The
vouchers included a note from the union saying “Dinner’s On Us” and “Your
Teachers Miss You”. Not only was this seen as a benefit for the families, it
was also seen as an infusion of money into the local economy.
Franklin Regional librarians start home-delivery service
for students
Trib Live by PATRICK VARINE | Thursday, May
7, 2020 4:56 p.m.
What’s a school librarian to do with no
students in the buildings?
Take the books to the kids, of course. “Our
theory was: they’re staring at a screen all day, and when we offered them the
possibility of checking out e-books, the thought was ‘Oh, more screen time,’”
said Franklin Regional Senior High School librarian Wade Burtch, who along with
fellow district librarians has begun home delivery of books. Books also are
distributed at the district’s weekly “Grab’n’Go” lunch distributions. “For me,
the idea came through requests for books that aren’t available in the e-book
format,” said Sloan Elementary librarian Cindy Perrott. “Certain publishing
companies are providing free resources to students, but the high-quality,
award-winning novels by big authors are not available for free. Kids were
saying ‘Oh that’s OK, we’ll order it from Amazon.’ Well, it’s sitting right
here on a shelf.” For middle-school librarian Christy Belgiovane, it came down
to the district’s massive amount of free resources. “I think a big part of it
is financial need,” Belgiovane said. “We have a lot of resources, we just need
to connect kids with them. And if we can take and alleviate some stress for
families in this time, we’re happy to do it.” With library books sitting
untouched for six weeks or more, there was little concern about handing out
potentially contaminated books.
Students eligible for free lunch to receive $370 in SNAP
benefits to cover rest of school year
Trib Live by TEGHAN SIMONTON | Thursday, May
7, 2020 4:25 p.m.
The Wolf Administration announced a new
program Thursday that will allow students to benefit from the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The administration received approval for
the program from the Food and Nutrition Services of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals
at school through the National School Lunch Program can now receive funds
through SNAP, under a new, temporary program called Pandemic Electronic Benefit
Transfer (P-EBT). The Department of Human Services (DHS) estimates that about
958,000 Pennsylvania students will qualify for the new program. “As families
adapt to the commonwealth’s school closures and students adjust to learning at home,
parents and guardians shouldn’t have to be concerned about accessing nutritious
meals for their children,” Education Secretary Pedro Rivera said in a
statement. “The Department of Education is proud to be able to partner with DHS
to ensure that our students continue to be served during the pandemic-related
closures.” Human Services will be able to provide SNAP funds to households with
children who have lost access to free or reduced-price school meals. Benefits
will be issued through EBT cards issued to qualified families, according to a
news release.
‘School’ has forever changed
Post Gazette Letter by DEBORAH M. VEREEN Crawford-Roberts
MAY 8, 2020 12:00 AM
I commend educators for working hard to
provide online instruction and ensuring that families without internet access
receive materials. I also celebrate parents for assuming their role at home by
supervising their child’s education and communicating with teachers. However,
educators cannot become complacent when the school year ends because their work
will conclude. Instead, they must begin now to make plans for how students will
be educated next school year. This is critical because the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention published guidelines on April 28 designed to help
schools reopen safely. There are two things to consider as plans are made,
whether or not schools reopen next school year. First, educators must take the
lead in building genuine partnerships with parents to increase engagement.
School-based parent-training programs designed for them to stay connected to
their child’s learning, as they are now, must result. Next, educators from
brick-and-mortar schools must stop considering educators from cyberschools as
competitors who steal students and resources. All educators must collaborate
with those from cyberschools to learn the best practices for total or partial
virtual teaching and learning for the future. “School” has forever changed.
This reality must be accepted as sustainable procedures are developed for
tomorrow.
Pennsylvania's Science and Technology and Environment and
Ecology Standards
PDE Website
In September 2019, the State Board of Education directed
the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to begin the process of
updating Pennsylvania's science standardsOpens In A
New Window to align them with current research and
best practices, including a review of Next Generation Science Standards. The
State Board of Education's current regulations include two sets of science
standards – Science and Technology, and, Environment and
Ecology – which serve as the basis for curriculum development and
instruction in schools. Both sets of standards took effect on January 5, 2002. PDE's
examination of the current standards included input from the public. A series of stakeholder engagement sessions
were held across the state and virtually – the public
was invited to attend and provide input. Access a detailed report of all stakeholder
input compiled to inform the recommendations of the committee drafting the new
standards. PDE sought volunteer content experts to
serve on a committee drafting the new standards. On May 6, the State Board
approved 60 education professionals to serve on the Content Committee and an
additional 18 individuals to serve on a Steering Committee to work in
tandem with the Content Committee.
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry stays on a list of “most
vulnerable” incumbents in 2020 campaign cycle
Penn Live By Charles Thompson |
cthompson@pennlive.com Posted May 06, 11:09 AM
The race for Pennsylvania’s 10th
Congressional District is continuing to grab the interest of people well beyond
the confines of the Capitol region. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, a
conservative Republican from northern York County, has remained on the latest
edition of Roll Call’s list of the 10 incumbent House members who are most
vulnerable to losing their seat in this year’s elections. He is the only
Pennsylvanian in the rankings. Perry, who is seeking a fifth term in what looks
to be his most hotly-contested battle yet, makes the list primarily because of
Pennsylvania’s court-ordered redistricting on 2018, which left him in a much
more politically-balanced district than he had launched his Congressional
career in in 2012, and the challenge those new lines have inspired from sitting
state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale. DePasquale, of course, must still
survive his own June 2 primary race against progressive Democrat Tom Brier, an
attorney from Hershey.
A Few Schools Reopen, But Remote Learning Could Go On For
Years In U.S.
NPR by ANYA KAMENETZ May 7, 20205:00
AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition
May 7 is the date that Montana Gov. Steve
Bullock, a Democrat, declared it was safe to open up schools. The state has had
fewer than 500 reported cases of the coronavirus as of this week. But according to the state's Office of Public
Instruction, just a few school districts in small towns have taken the governor
up on the offer. That gap — between a state executive proclaiming schools OK to
open and the reality of tiny groups of students gathering in just a few schools
— shows the logistical challenges educators and state officials around the
country face in any decision to reopen. Willow Creek School in Three Forks,
Mont., is opening its doors and
expects a few dozen of its 56 students to show up. Troy, a northwestern Montana
town, is holding limited and voluntary "study hall" visits, focusing
on special education students, as well as some outdoor activities. The town of
Glasgow says it will open its schools on a limited basis to students without
devices. Libby, a town of fewer than 3,000 people, is allowing students to come
back to the single middle/high school to meet face to face with teachers, for
what amounts to targeted tutoring sessions. They can sign up for an appointment
to get help in a subject they're struggling with.
K-12 school leaders warn of ‘disaster’ from huge
coronavirus-related budget cuts as layoffs and furloughs begin
Washington Post by Valerie Strauss May 8,
2020 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
Just as they face unprecedented new
challenges and financial costs, leaders of K-12 public school districts around
the country are warning of dire consequences from sharp budget cuts from state
legislatures attempting to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.The
alarm was sounded by school superintendents in 62 cities, who sent a letter to
Congress through the nonprofit Council for the Great City Schools, asking
Congress for billions of dollars in new federal education assistance and
warning that some 275,000 teachers could be laid off in their districts alone
because of budget cuts caused by a drop in state and local revenue during the
crisis. (You can see the letter in full below.) Those would add to existing
shortages in virtually every state. “[D]ark clouds are forming on the
educational horizon that will spell disaster if Congress does not intervene,”
the letter said. “Significant revenue shortfalls are looming for local school
districts that will exacerbate the disruption students have already faced. Some
40 to 50 percent of school district revenue, in fact, come from local sources
that are expected to drop precipitously in the months ahead. This revenue
decline will come on top of revenue losses in the months to come from state
sources that have been more widely reported. Several big city school districts
are now projecting 15 to 25 percent cuts in overall revenue going into next
school year.”
The ‘Most Successful Week’ Of Betsy DeVos’ Tenure As
Education Secretary
DeVos made two moves at the end of April that
critics say help prop up private schools.
Huffington Post By Rebecca Klein05/07/2020 05:45 am ET
During the last week of April, Education
Secretary Betsy DeVos made two
under-the-radar moves to help bolster private schools ― actions that some
school choice proponents praise but that critics say come at the expense of
public education. First, DeVos launched a $180 million competitive grant
program that will give states access to money from the coronavirus stimulus
bill ―- known as the CARES Act ― if they apply with a plan to meet students’
needs amid widespread school closures. States can apply a plan in one of three
categories, including one that would provide “microgrants” to families to pay
for educational expenses, like tutoring and technology or, if they prefer,
private school tuition. Secondly, DeVos released guidance on how another
stream of education funding, also created by the stimulus bill, should be doled
out among schools. While funding will be provided directly to public school
districts mostly based on the proportion of poor students they serve, the
guidance says that private schools ― even affluent ones with affluent students
― are also entitled to a slice of the pie. Public school groups say this new
guidance takes critical funds away from public schools at a time when they need
it the most. DeVos has staked her tenure on helping to expand
choice programs that provide funding to families to help them pay for private
schools. She has unsuccessfully pushed a federal choice program that would
provide billions in tax credits to incentivize donations to private school
scholarships programs. Her critics say that the two recent moves help
prop up private schools at the expense of public ones. The last week in April
represented the most “successful” one of DeVos’ tenure when it comes to
enacting her agenda, said Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director of the School
Superintendents Association.
Statement By AFT President Randi Weingarten And AASA
Executive Director Dan Domenech On Department Of Education’s ‘Equitable
Services’ Guidance For CARES Act Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: James
Minichello jminichello@aasa.org
WASHINGTON—May 6, 2020—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Dan Domenech, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, issued the following statement in response to the Department of Education’s guidance on how school districts should utilize their funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act: “While educators, school administrators and parents struggle to navigate how to meet kids’ needs during a global pandemic, this guidance denies public schools the recovery they desperately need. Low-income students have been disproportionately affected by the realities of schools being closed: They need Wi-Fi and broadband access; counselors, nurses and intervention specialists; and additional resources to help bridge the gap when it’s safe to return to school. Instead, the guidance funnels more money to private schools and undercuts the aid that goes to the students who need it most.
“Fortunately, school districts can—and should—ignore this guidance, which flouts what Congress intended to do with the CARES Act: support students who need it the most, especially as we reimagine learning; take steps toward a safe reopening; and address ways to provide communities what they need, through voluntary summer school, meal programs or other wraparound services. As our country navigates the continued effects of this crisis, it’s more important than ever that states and localities have the funding they need to support our public schools, public hospitals, public services and all of the people who carried us through this crisis.
“Our organizations and the educators we represent are deeply concerned that the equitable services guidance is inequitable, generates dollars for wealthy students in private schools at the direct expense of Title I-eligible students in public schools, is in conflict with the historical pillar of equitable services, and is inconsistent with the underlying language of both the CARES Act and ESSA Section 1117. We urge the secretary to revise her guidance to ensure that CARES Act dollars are allocated equitably and according to Title I. “Prioritizing the needs of the wealthy few over the needs of everyday people is the wrong priority—and it ends here.”
WASHINGTON—May 6, 2020—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Dan Domenech, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, issued the following statement in response to the Department of Education’s guidance on how school districts should utilize their funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act: “While educators, school administrators and parents struggle to navigate how to meet kids’ needs during a global pandemic, this guidance denies public schools the recovery they desperately need. Low-income students have been disproportionately affected by the realities of schools being closed: They need Wi-Fi and broadband access; counselors, nurses and intervention specialists; and additional resources to help bridge the gap when it’s safe to return to school. Instead, the guidance funnels more money to private schools and undercuts the aid that goes to the students who need it most.
“Fortunately, school districts can—and should—ignore this guidance, which flouts what Congress intended to do with the CARES Act: support students who need it the most, especially as we reimagine learning; take steps toward a safe reopening; and address ways to provide communities what they need, through voluntary summer school, meal programs or other wraparound services. As our country navigates the continued effects of this crisis, it’s more important than ever that states and localities have the funding they need to support our public schools, public hospitals, public services and all of the people who carried us through this crisis.
“Our organizations and the educators we represent are deeply concerned that the equitable services guidance is inequitable, generates dollars for wealthy students in private schools at the direct expense of Title I-eligible students in public schools, is in conflict with the historical pillar of equitable services, and is inconsistent with the underlying language of both the CARES Act and ESSA Section 1117. We urge the secretary to revise her guidance to ensure that CARES Act dollars are allocated equitably and according to Title I. “Prioritizing the needs of the wealthy few over the needs of everyday people is the wrong priority—and it ends here.”
If you previously registered for this live event at the Capitol
please register for the virtual event.
PSBA Virtual
Advocacy Day 2020 MAY 11, 2020 • 9:00
AM - 4:30 PM
Now
more than ever before – Make your voice heard!
Join
us virtually to support public education!
All
public school leaders are invited to join us for our first ever Virtual
Advocacy Day on Monday, May 11, 2020 via Zoom. We need all of you to
help strengthen our advocacy impact. The day will center around reaching out to
your legislators to discuss the steps you have taken to deal with the pandemic
crisis and the steps legislators can take to provide schools the flexibility
and creativity needed to weather the storm. Mandate relief, budgeting
flexibility, charter funding reform and other legislative changes need to be
considered to give school district flexibility.
Info
and Registration: https://www.psba.org/event/advocacy-day-2020/
Monday, May 4, 2020 2:18 PM Update:
The PA Educational Leadership Summit for this August has been
canceled due to the COVID-19 situation.
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).
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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