Friday, August 7, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for August 7, 2020 Editorial: Make cyber ed school district core function


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, 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 August 7, 2020
Editorial: Make cyber ed school district core function


Blogger note: I am compiling a list of school districts that have announced 100% virtual openings. It appears towards the end of today’s postings. Please drop me a note if your district has done so. Thanks!

Please note that the ED Policy Roundup will be offline next week, resuming on August 17th. Don’t let anything newsworthy happen in the meantime.



Antietam SD
$420,462.81
Brandywine Heights Area SD
$215,769.99
Daniel Boone Area SD
$1,226,052.92
Exeter Township SD
$1,166,954.44
Fleetwood Area SD
$792,772.05
Governor Mifflin SD
$836,787.40
Kutztown Area SD
$616,343.17
Muhlenberg SD
$1,375,538.32
Oley Valley SD
$581,370.91
Reading SD
$6,699,373.04
Schuylkill Valley SD
$830,507.78
Twin Valley SD
$822,432.39
Wilson SD
$474,630.10
Wyomissing Area SD
$519,767.71

$16,578,763.03
Data Source: PDE via PSBA

Why are cyber charter tuition rates the same as brick and mortar tuition?
Why are PA taxpayers paying twice what it costs to provide a cyber education?

Editorial: Make cyber ed school district core function
Times Tribune BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD August 7, 2020
Given the uncertainty over reopening school amid the resurgent COVID-19 crisis, it makes sense that many more parents than usual in Pennsylvania have at least inquired about enrolling their children in cyber charter schools. That poses peril and opportunity for Pennsylvania’s beleaguered public school districts, which do not yet know whether other elements of the government will make them whole. Given the uncertainty over reopening schools amid the resurgent COVID-19 crisis, it makes sense that online charter schools have recorded major increases in parental inquiries about enrollment. The state’s 500 school districts have suffered massive revenue losses resulting from the pandemic’s economic fallout. Increased cyberschool enrollment only worsens the districts’ uncertainty, all the more so because the Legislature has refused to reform a funding formula that produces a substantial windfall for online operations, which do not have the same costs as districts with physical facilities. Charter schools, including those that operate online, are public schools and are funded by tax money. Local districts pay tuition for each child in their jurisdiction who attends a cyberschool, based on each district’s cost-per-student rather than the charter school’s actual costs. Reduced local and state tax revenue, coupled with the need to pay more charter school tuition, severely could hamper the ability of public schools to deliver services to children who attend the regular district schools. Democratic state Rep. Steve McCarter of Montgomery County plans to introduce a bill freezing online charter school enrollment at July 1 levels to prevent a further cost shock to school districts.
There is a better solution. Charter schools are problematic because they consume hundreds of millions of dollars in tax money but do not have the same level of accountability as local school districts. Their boards are appointed rather than elected.
Meanwhile, the pandemic forced many conventional public schools to switch to online instruction. Rather than funneling more district money to online charters, the Legislature should make online instruction a core function of public school districts, thus providing the choice now offered by online charter schools but stopping the transfer of public tax dollars and creating the same level of accountability for physical and online instruction.

EDITORIAL: School districts need help to find a new normal
York Dispatch Editorial Board August 7, 2020
In a normal year, families would be doing their back-to-school shopping right now. Kids would be finishing one last camp or trying to fit in a last day at the pool. Teachers would be decorating their classrooms.  But this is 2020, and nothing is normal now. Instead, here we are, two to three weeks away from the start of classes in York County's 16 school districts, and each district is tasked with finding its own path to how it will continue the job of educating students this fall. As with so many situations during this coronavirus pandemic, it didn't have to be like this. As Pennsylvania State Education Association President Rich Askey testified Wednesday before state lawmakers, the state took the lead in March, with Gov. Tom Wolf closing all of the schools in the state initially and then extending that order to the end of the academic year. And while that shutdown undoubtedly slowed the spread of the coronavirus and helped keep COVID-19 from overwhelming our health care systems, the lack of quick testing along with a rush to reopen and a resistance to wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines has kept the virus in play.  By Thursday, 92 people in York County had died from COVID-19 and 2,444 had tested positive for the coronavirus. Across the state, 7,282 have died, and nationally more than 158,000 people have died.  Granted, only 5% of the 116,521 people in Pennsylvania who have tested positive are 18 or younger. But we are well past the point of community spread of this disease and far removed from universal testing. 

Mark DiRocco: Decisions should not fall to educators
Pa.'s should not take the blame for reopening challenges
Post Gazette Opinion by MARK DIROCCO AUG 6, 2020 5:00 AM
Mark DiRocco is the executive director for the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.
With just weeks until the start of a new school year, Pennsylvania’s public school districts find themselves under siege, facing extreme public pressure and scrutiny, as they furiously plan for how to safely reopen schools. It’s a fight they shouldn’t have to wage alone. They’re calling on the state’s leaders to support them and the 1.7 million students they educate as we move into the next phase of the pandemic.
Amid a backdrop of rapidly changing guidance and direction, school superintendents have spent the summer leading their districts through an emotionally charged public discernment process — one many of them feel was unfairly put upon their districts. While the state has emphasized a need for local decision-making, school leaders have questioned time and again why decisions about public health have been placed in the hands of educators.
Perhaps the most frustrating decision point has been the conflicting and nebulous guidance schools have been given about social distancing. Numerous reports suggest 6 feet as the gold standard, but schools have been told to use this guidance “when feasible,” forcing many to consider whether 4 or 5 feet is “good enough” to bring schools back at full capacity. As school districts have debated whether to use “hybrid models” that would allow distancing by reducing capacity (meaning students would not be able to attend school every day), their communities have anxiously voiced serious concerns about child care and the practicality of these plans

'We are not medical professionals': When it comes to testing for COVID-19, Lancaster County schools say it's beyond their control
Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff WriterHEATHER STAUFFER | Staff Writer August 7, 2020
After watching Penn Manor’s school board meeting from her Los Angeles apartment Monday night, Chelsea Shover was concerned, to say the least. Shover, 31, is an epidemiologist and post-doctoral research fellow at Stanford University, though she took a temporary leave to supervise other epidemiologists studying COVID-19 in Los Angeles County. She watched as Penn Manor, her alma mater, approved a hybrid reopening plan that calls for most students to attend school twice a week, with the remainder of the week online, with health protocols, such as mask-wearing, routine cleaning and social distancing, in place. But, for Shover, one key effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in schools was missing: Testing. “This will happen. If you bring people back, you will have cases and outbreaks, and having a system to deal with that ahead of time is really important,” Shover told LNP | LancasterOnline Wednesday. That means conducting routine testing and having a comprehensive process in place so schools know what to do when a student or employee tests positive. Lancaster County schools, though, don’t plan to test students, according to school officials. And what happens after a case is confirmed, they say, is largely out of their hands.

Lori Falce: The math of school safety and coronavirus
Trib Live Opinion by LORI FALCE  | Thursday, August 6, 2020 6:55 p.m.
A year ago, I was writing a column about school safety.
I had just attended orientation for my son, learning the ropes and checking out the rooms at the middle school he was excited to start. The safety issues were guns and active shooter situations, with a side note of bullying. What a difference a year makes. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the definition. Today the words “school safety” mean something very different. We aren’t worrying as much about the people who come into the schools as what they bring in their lungs. We don’t fear the small bullets that could be fired as much as the small particles of disease they could breathe out. I have answered surveys from my school district about what I wanted to see happen as my sixth-grader becomes a seventh-grader. What would make me comfortable? What do I need out of this school year? But last week I had to check a box to declare my intentions.

Parents Scramble to Keep Up With Changing Plans From School Districts
NBC10 Video Runtime 2:06
School districts across the region are constantly changing their plans for reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic and parents are struggling to keep up. NBC10’s Stephanía Jiménez has the details.

Gov. Wolf: $10.5 Million to Help Career and Technical Education Centers Resume Operations
Governor Wolf Press Release August 06, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf is dedicating approximately $10.5 million to Career and Technical Education Centers (CTC) to assist them in implementing public health and safety plans and help them to resume operations. CTC Equity grants provide funding to support effective continuity of education programs such as summer and other expanded programming, and industry credential assessments for students enrolled in CTCs negatively impacted by COVID-19 mitigation efforts. “CTCs across Pennsylvania are preparing students to enter the commonwealth’s work force, and our communities depend on having these highly-skilled students complete their education and earn their certifications,” Gov. Wolf said. “This funding will help these institutions resume instruction safely.” The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorizes governors to determine the educational use of Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds. Grants were calculated based on the allocation formula for federal Perkins CTC grants, which takes into account the population of students ages 5-17 and the percent of poverty within the same age group. In addition, the formula includes a factor to account for a local education agency’s overall student enrollment in career and technical education programs.

Pa. recommends no school sports until 2021: Gov. Wolf
Penn Live By Edward Sutelan | esutelan@pennlive.com Updated 11:11 AM; Today 10:48 AM
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday he believes there should be no sports in Pennsylvania for the remainder of the year. During a his press conference, Wolf was asked about the PIAA giving sports the green light to resume athletics in the state, to which he responded that “the recommendation is that we don’t do any sports until January 1st.” “The guidance is that we ought to avoid any congregate settings,” Wolf said. “And that means anything that brings people together is going to help that virus get us and we ought to do everything we can to defeat that virus. So any time we get together for any reason, that’s a problem because it makes it easier for that virus to spread.” The statement from the governor comes just over a week after the PIAA released guidelines for how to return to competition at the high school level in the state. The guidelines issued by the governing body also gave schools three different options for when they could begin the season, with one being on time, which would be Aug. 28 for football and Sept. 4 for other sports; adopt an alternate schedule, which would have fall sports start on Sept. 14 and football start on Sept. 18; or go with a hybrid schedule, which allows athletics to begin no later than Oct. 5 unless approved by the respective district chairman.

Wolf Administration Provides Recommendation for School and Recreational Youth Sports
Governor Wolf’s Website Press Release August 06, 2020
The Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of Education today jointly recommended that Pre-K–12 school and recreational youth sports be postponed until at least Jan. 1, 2021, to protect children and teens from COVID-19. The administration is providing this strong recommendation and not an order or mandate. As with deciding whether students should return to in-person classes, remote learning or a blend of the two this fall, school administrators and locally elected school boards should make decisions on sports.
Highlights of the recommendation to pause youth sports until Jan. 1, 2021:
  • Applies to team and individual, school and non-school recreational youth sports;
  • Includes competitions, intramural play and scrimmages;
  • Continue conditioning, drills and other training activities on an individual basis;
  • Does not apply to collegiate and professional sports;
  • Gathering limits remain unchanged – no more than 25 persons may gather indoors and 250 outdoors.
The administration is updating existing sports guidance to reflect this recommendation.
The administration recognizes the importance of getting children back to school, while also protecting the safety and well-being of students and educators. Guidance for schools is available. The guidance represents endorsed best public health practices related to social distancing, face coverings, hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfecting in school settings. It also outlines how to accommodate individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions, procedures for monitoring symptoms, and responding to confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in the school community.

PIAA reacts to Governor Wolf’s statement about shutting down sports until Jan. 1
Willkes Barre Times Leader By John Erzar jerzar@timesleader.com August 6, 2020
The PIAA Board of Directors held an emergency meeting Thursday afternoon after Governor Tom Wolf said in a statement he strongly recommended shutting down scholastic and recreational youth sports until Jan. 1. Here is the PIAA statement:
“Today, Governor Wolf issued a statement of strongly recommending no interscholastic and recreational sports until January 1st. We are tremendously disappointed in this decision. Our member schools have worked diligently to develop health and safety plans to allow students the safe return to interscholastic athletics. The PIAA Board of Directors will meet tomorrow afternoon, Friday, August 7, 2020, to review this action. PIAA will have an official statement tomorrow afternoon.”

PA House Leader Implores Gov. Wolf To Use Untouched CARES Money
HARRISBURG (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) –
The Wolf administration has yet to use $104 million in federal funds that Pennsylvania received through the CARES Act, according to a story from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. On Thursday, House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff urged Governor Wolf to use the untapped reservoir of CARES funding on internet connectivity improvements for rural students. As online learning is set to spike because of COVID-19, Benninghoff is suggesting that the funding be used for internet enhancement to better serve rural students across the state and give them better educational opportunities. "With the first day of school just weeks away, it is well past time for the governor to deploy this remaining funding to do things like improve rural broadband access for the benefit of students across Pennsylvania. "For the past two days, the House Education Committee has heard from school leaders about the lack of guidance and remaining questions from the administration as they start the process of reopening their schools.

Free internet coming for 35,000 Philly families: city, schools, Comcast to spend $17M on digital equity plan
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Posted: August 6, 2020
With the start of a school year just weeks away, city officials Thursday announced a plan to provide free internet access for 35,000 low-income families that currently lack it. Under the plan — which will cost $17 million over two years, paid for with a mixture of philanthropic, school and local CARES Act funding — some households will be wired for free broadband access via Comcast’s Internet Essentials program and other families will receive at no charge wireless hot spots purchased by the city from T-Mobile. The offer will apply to city families with children in the Philadelphia School District and charter schools; both district and charters have provided or will provide laptops or tablets for each student. Under the plan, families will also have access to “digital navigators” charged with providing technology support. Families will be guaranteed free access for two years, but city officials said they mean to continue the program, given adequate financial support. The city has been working with the district, Comcast and others on the project since COVID-19 forced school online in March, officials said, but Thursday’s announcement comes amid growing public concerns and pressure - including two rallies outside Comcast this week - after the district recently announced plans to begin the year online only starting Sept. 2..

Gov. Wolf: $10.5 million to help career and tech educational centers reopen
WTAJ by: Kelsey Rogers Posted: Aug 6, 2020 / 02:35 PM EDT / Updated: Aug 6, 2020 / 02:36 PM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) —Governor Tom Wolf is dedicating $10.5 million to Career and Technical Education Centers (CTC) to help with implementation of public health and safety plans to resume operations. The CTC equity grants are under the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds, which is authorized by the CARES Act. The CARES Act authorizes governors to determine the educational use of the funds. “CTCs across Pennsylvania are preparing students to enter the commonwealth’s work force, and our communities depend on having these highly-skilled students complete their education and earn their certifications,” Gov. Wolf said. “This funding will help these institutions resume instruction safely.” Grants were calculated based on an allocation formula for federal Perkins CTC grants. This takes the population of students ages 5-17 and the rate of poverty within the same age group into account, along with a local education agency’s overall student enrollment in career and technical education programs. The GEER funds can be used toward the safe reopening of schools due to COVID-19.
The list of grant recipients can be found here. They will receive direct communication with the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

North Hills OKs plan to begin classes online only for first 5 weeks
TRIBUNE-REVIEW by TONY LARUSSA   | Friday, August 7, 2020 5:10 a.m.
Students in the North Hills School District will begin the school year with online only classes for at least five weeks before switching to a mix of virtual and in-person instruction. The school board voted 6-3 on Thursday evening to follow the return-to-school plan recommended by Superintendent Pat Mannarino. “I never expected to be in this situation for the start of the school year,” Mannarino told the board. “But this virus is alive and active in Allegheny County and in our communities. “the best place for children to receive their education is in person from our amazing teachers. But we are a large district, and even at a reduced capacity in our most restrictive in-person model, we have large numbers of people congregating our buildings for seven hours a day,” he said. The superintendent said in-person classes could create a situation where coronavirus can quickly spread “before we know it’s upon us.”

Reading School Board votes to go full virtual learning and suspends sports
The Reading School Board voted Wednesday night for a full virtual reopening of classes for students and staff and  voted to suspend all extracurricular activities, including sports.
“We take our stand in this very, very seriously,” said board President Robin Constenbader-Jacobson. “We are concerned about your lives, your welfare, your children’s lives and the education of your children.” The board voted 8-1 to move to virtual learning through Nov. 4. The board also voted 8-1 to end all extracurricular activities, including sports. Board member Patrica Wright voted against both measures. The first day of school is Aug. 31. The district is the fourth largest school district in the state. Superintendent Dr. Khalid N. Mumin presented a plan that would have had students learning virtually and teachers coming to the school buildings on a regular basis.

West Jefferson Hills students to start first week of school online, gradually return to buildings
Trib Live by MICHAEL DIVITTORIO   | Thursday, August 6, 2020 10:23 p.m.
West Jefferson Hills School District students will start their first week of the upcoming school year online and slowly transition back into buildings as time progresses. The first day of classes in the 2020-21 school year for the estimated 3,100 students in kindergarten through 12th grade is Monday, Aug. 24. The district intends to move to a school week that is partly in the classroom and partly online starting Monday, Aug. 31. And it is planning for students to return to regular full weeks of in-school instruction on Monday, Sept. 28. The reopening plan was unanimously approved by the school board Thursday night. Superintendent Michael Ghilani said teachers and staff will take the first week to get acclimated with the new health and safety procedures as well as their classrooms. “Going online that first week’s a good way of getting them back, get them feeling safe,” he said. “Get them used to the mitigation strategies. We have a new learning management system called Canvas. Our teachers have been in training all summer, but our kids and parents haven’t had the training yet. So we’re going to that that week as well.”

Upper Merion Schools going virtual for new school year
UPPER MERION —  As the school board considered the best approach for the opening of schools this fall, Monday’s online meeting marked an historic occasion in many ways, noted board member Gary Ledebur. “We anticipate up to 1,000 people watching,” he said, adding that the board and the administration had been struggling with the decision, “trying to balance the needs of kids to attend a school, versus the needs of kids to be safe and healthy. It is not an easy thing to do. This is probably the most important vote, or significant vote, that all of our board members have ever had to make. I ask that the community of Upper Merion School District give us the patience and help us as we go forward in these uncharted areas. No school district has ever had to do this before. These are difficult times. We have a talented staff, we have a talented administration, we have a talented faculty. But I still ask that the community give them the benefit of the doubt and try as best we can to make this positive and go forward for the students of Upper Merion School District.” The board voted 9-0 in favor of going fully virtual when school begins on Aug. 31.`

Springfield (DELCO) School District Continues to Follow the Medical Experts; Will Reopen Virtually Starting September 8, 2020. Press Release 08/06/20

Tweet from me August 6, 2020 10:00 pm
At tonight's board meeting the board of school directors of the School District of Haverford Township voted unanimously to open virtually until October 2nd. .@haverfordsd We also unanimously adopted a Resolution Supporting the Development of an Antiracist School Climate.

Pottsgrove Dumps Hybrid Plan, Votes 5-3 for Online
Digital Notebook by Evan Brandt Thursday, August 6, 2020
Families in the Pottsgrove School District went from having two choices for how their children would return to school this fall, to no choice. For the past several months, the administration and school board have proceeded along parallel lines, with a "hybrid choice" to physically attend school two days a week," and online schooling the other three days; or a complete on-line program. Families were given a deadline to choose which option their child or children would be using when school opens. But that all changed Tuesday night. That's when a special meeting of the school board resulted in a 5-3 vote to offer only virtual online classes when school begins.

State teachers union president urges Bucks County to change social distancing guidelines
Bucks County Courier Times By Chris English @CourierEnglish Posted at 6:00 AM August 7, 2020
County Commissioners Chairwoman Diane Ellis-Marseglia said the state teachers union head is mischaracterizing the county’s guidance, and called his letter “frustrating and provocative.” The three-feet versus six-feet social distancing debate for schools goes on, this time in the form of a letter from state teachers union President Rich Askey to Bucks County officials urging them to recommend six feet. County Commissioners Chairwoman Diane Ellis-Marseglia responded Thursday that Pennsylvania State Education Associaton head Askey is mischaracterizing the county’s guidance, called his letter “frustrating and provocative” and indicated there would be no change in the advice. “Bucks County’s current guidelines, recommending three feet of social distance, are at odds with virtually every generally understood health guidance,” Askey wrote. “Six feet of social distance is now the norm in Pennsylvania. “To recommend anything less in school buildings will put students, teachers, support professionals and their families at unnecessary risk of contracting COVID-19 and increase the likelihood that they will spread the virus to others.” Several Bucks County school districts, including Centennial, Council Rock and Pennsbury, have adopted reopening plans that feature all-virtual starts and then the addition of a hybrid instructional model that mixes in-person and remote learning.

Ephrata Area delays start of school by a week to better prepare for reopening
Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer August 6, 2020
Ephrata Area School District has delayed the first day of school by one week as it prepares to reopen, Superintendent Brian Troop said in an email to families Thursday afternoon. The school district, which plans to bring back students full-time for in-person instruction, with the exception of students whose families opt into the district's online program or a blended model, was slated to start classes Aug. 24.  "We are continuing to work to prepare for the variety of instructional modes created to keep students and staff safe, reengage all students in structural learning, and be responsive to the need for choice," Troop said in the email.  Moving the first day to Aug. 31 allows the district to ensure every classroom is setup for social distancing, test new technologies, train faculty and staff, among other objectives, Troop said.  "We recognize that this may cause some hardship with family schedules," Troop said, "but (we) felt the critical nature of the work needed to provide a safe and successful opening in these unprecedented times deserves an additional week of consideration and care." Ephrata Area's last day of school remains June 4, as the Pennsylvania Department of Education allowed the district to make a change without extending the school year, Troop said.

“Among other accomplishments, he turned Paul Robeson High School for Human Services, a school with a 90-percent poverty rate and 100-percent minority population and one that the District had been planning to close in 2013, into one with a 95-percent graduation rate.”
“BUILD YOUR OWN BRAND”
Could the key to turning around Philly schools come down to human connection? Robeson High School Principal Richard Gordon IV thinks so—and he has the outcomes to prove it
Philadelphia Citizen BY JESSICA BLATT PRESS AUG. 05, 2020
Most educators do not conclude their time with students by saying “I love you.”
Richard Gordon IV is not most educators.
So on a recent summer morning Zoom check-in, it surprised none of the five students he’d assembled when he ended the call by saying: “I love you, I miss you, text me later!” But even if he hadn’t said it, the kids feel Gordon’s devotion to them every day. “He always tells me he’s proud of me,” says rising senior Jalen Paden. “I never had a good relationship with my principal before, but Mr. Gordon checks up on me and keeps me motivated. He’s open and honest and helpful.” “Mr. Gordon is like a father figure to me,” says fellow rising senior Mujaheed Muhammed. “I could play around a lot, but Mr. Gordon always keeps me on the right path.”
Father Figure - Gordon’s name appears in local media coverage often. Most recently, this summer he was named the 2020-21 State Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Principals Association. He scored a perfect 100 percent on nearly every metric in the most recent Philadelphia Academy of School Leader’s 2019 teacher survey, which is compiled by the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership. But Gordon is more than an award magnet: With nearly 25 years of urban education experience, he’s got the depth and expertise to validate the attention he attracts.

Girls’ High grad to lead the National Education Association, the country’s largest union
Inquirer by Susan Snyder, Posted: August 6, 2020- 1:21 PM
When Becky Pringle was a young mother and teacher in the Susquehanna Township School District near Harrisburg, she was upset to learn there would be 33 students in her son’s kindergarten class, too many for adequate learning to take place. So she went to the school board meeting and, with a local television station filming, she took on the superintendent. The local teachers’ union president noticed. “You need to be involved in a union,” the president told her. “You have a big mouth, and we need that.” Now, Pringle, a Philadelphia native and a former Philadelphia public-school teacher, albeit briefly, will lead the country’s largest union, the three-million-member National Education Association. With a career-long passion for social justice and equity, she assumes the role at a time when the country has been shaken by the pandemic that has disproportionately affected communities of color and is facing a racial reckoning following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Blogger note: just following news regarding Students First PAC principal Jeff Yass. His PAC has been a major contributor to Pennsylvania legislators in support of school privatization for several years……

“As the only candidates to receive outside support, Sethi and Hagerty have been at the center of the race. Sethi’s support has come from Protect Freedom PAC, which has spent $1.5 million backing his Senate bid. Protect Freedom PAC has connections to one of Sethi’s major endorsers — Paul — and is mainly financed by Jeff Yass. Yass is a stock trader who sits on the board of the libertarian Cato Institute and was a major donor to Paul’s 2016 presidential campaign.”
Big money pours into Republican primary for Senate in Tennessee
In the Tennessee Republican Senate primary, wealthy donors — and the candidates themselves — are pouring millions into the crowded contest that has largely turned into a two-person race.  The winner of the Aug. 6 primary will run to replace retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), and will most likely cruise to victory in the general election. The Cook Political Report currently rates the race as “solid R.” Bill Hagerty, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan in the Trump administration, is the favorite of Republican establishment figures. President Donald Trump endorsed him a year before the primaries, and both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) also endorsed Hagerty.  Meanwhile, Manny Sethi — a trauma surgeon and university professor — is running as a conservative outsider, sporting endorsements from Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Despite his medical background, Sethi has rejected the mask mandate at recent campaign events, drawing attention and some criticism for going against the recommendations of the nation’s top doctors

New report finds high closure rates for charter schools over time
Washington Post By Valerie Strauss August 6, 2020 at 10:18 a.m. EDT
A comprehensive examination released Thursday of charter school failure rates between 1999 and 2017 found that more than one-quarter of the schools closed after operating for five years, and about half closed after 15 years, displacing a total of more than 867,000 students. The report, using information available from the U.S. Education Department, also found that in three of the poorest cities in the country — Detroit, Tucson and Milwaukee — there were more charter closures in areas with higher rates of poverty than in those with lower rates. The analysis (see in full below) is the latest in a series of reports on charter schools by the Network for Public Education, a nonprofit organization that advocates for traditional public schools and was co-founded by historian and activist Diane Ravitch. Earlier reports focused on waste and fraud in public charter school funding.

Broken Promises: An Analysis of Charter School Closures From 1999 – 2017
Network for Public Education Report August 2020
This report provides the first comprehensive examination of charter failure rates over time—beginning in 1999 and ending in 2017. By following all charter schools, from the year they opened, we were able to determine how long they lasted before closing down. We also determined how many students have been displaced by failing charter schools and where those closures are most likely to occur. This digital version of the report contains an animated map that shows charter closures distributed across 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, between 1999–2017. The animated map is not available in the downloadable pdf, however you can download and print the report and the executive summary as pdfs by clicking the buttons below.

You could see 100 meteors an hour zoom by next week. Here’s how to watch the Perseids
Centre Daily Times BY MADDIE CAPRON AUGUST 06, 2020 06:04 PM , UPDATED AUGUST 06, 2020 06:15 PM
A shower of some of the brightest known meteors will light up the skies worldwide next week.
The annual Perseids meteor shower will peak in the early mornings Aug. 11, 12 and 13, according to EarthSky. The Perseids are bright, and stargazers can typically see between 40 to 50 meteors per hour, EarthSky reported. In some years, more than 100 meteors zoom through the sky per hour, but that is not very likely this year, according to EarthSky. “In a typical year, meteor numbers increase after midnight,” astronomers said on EarthSky. “But – before dawn on all three peak mornings (August 11, 12 and 13) – fairly bright moonlight will flood the sky.” The Perseids are one of the most popular meteor showers of the year, Space.com reported. People who caught the shower last year could be impressed by the number of visible meteors this year. The moon could have a smaller impact on stargazers’ ability to spot the meteors this year, Space.com reported.


Blogger note: this is work in process. Please let me know if you have additions or corrections to this list
School Districts Reportedly Opening Virtual Only as of August 7, 2020

Large Urban Districts
Allentown
Lancaster
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Reading

Allegheny and Westmoreland County and Western PA
Carlynton
East Allegheny
Riverview
Moon
North Hills
West Jefferson Hills (First week of school only)
Wilkinsburg
Woodland Hills

Northeastern PA
Carbondale
Lakeland

Berks County
Exeter

Central PA
West Shore

Bucks County
Centennial
Council Rock
Pennsbury

Delaware County
Chester Upland
Garnet Valley (voting 8/10)
Haverford
Marple Newtown
Penn Delco (voting 8/10)
Rose Tree Media (voting 8/16)
Springfield
Upper Darby
William Penn

Montgomery County
Cheltenham
Hatboro Horsham
Lower Merion
Methacton
North Penn
Norristown
Pottstown
Pottsgrove
Spring-Ford
Upper Dublin
Upper Merion
Upper Perkiomen

Chester County
Avon Grove
Coatesville
Downingtown
Octorara (K-6 face to face; 7-12 virtual)
West Chester


Blogger commentary:
Parents considering cyber charters due to COVID might not be aware of their consistent track record of academic underperformance. As those parents face an expected blitz of advertising by cybers, in order for them to make a more informed decision, you might consider providing them with some of the info listed below:

A June 2 paper from the highly respected Brookings Institution stated, “We find the impact of attending a virtual charter on student achievement is uniformly and profoundly negative,” and then went on to say that “there is no evidence that virtual charter students improve in subsequent years.”

In 2016, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, and the national charter lobbying group 50CAN released a report on cyber charters that found that overall, cyber students make no significant gains in math and less than half the gains in reading compared with their peers in traditional public schools.

Stanford University CREDO Study in 2015 found that cyber students on average lost 72 days a year in reading and 180 days a year in math compared with students in traditional public schools.

From 2005 through 2012 under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, most Pennsylvania cybers never made “adequate yearly progress.”

Following NCLB, for all five years (2013-2017) that Pennsylvania’s School Performance Profile system was in place, not one cyber charter ever achieved a passing score of 70.

Under Pennsylvania’s current accountability system, the Future Ready PA Index, all 15 cyber charters that operated 2018-2019 have been identified for some level of support and improvement.


Cybers charters are paid at the same tuition rates as brick & mortar charter schools, even though they have none of the expenses associated with operating school buildings. It has been estimated that cyber charters are paid approximately twice what it costs them to provide an online education. Those excess funds are then not available to serve all of the students who remain in the sending school districts.


Save The Date: The PSBA 2020 Equity Summit is happening virtually on October 13th.
Discover how to build a foundation for equity in practice and policy.

TRAUMA INFORMED EDUCATION COALITION (TIEC) AUGUST SUMMIT
August 5th, 12th, 19th
ACT 48 credits available PA NASW CEU’s
This TIEC Summit is designed to provide in-depth, trauma-informed training for educators and other practitioners whose agencies or organizations service children and their families. Those who participate in the Summit sessions will be exposed to information and practices that enable them to approach their work through a trauma-informed lens.

PSBA: Adopt the resolution against racial inequity.
School boards are asked to adopt this resolution supporting the development of an anti-racist climate. Once adopted, share your resolution with your local community and submit a copy to PSBA. Learn more:

The 2021 PA Superintendent of the Year nominations are now open.
 Those seeking to nominate must first register on the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) Superintendent of the Year website. For more information, visit: https://t.co/2omWRnyHSv

Interested in becoming an Advocacy Ambassador? PSBA is seeking ambassadors to fill anticipated vacancies for Sections 1, 2 and 6.
PSBA Advocacy Ambassador program brings legislators to you
POSTED ON JULY 1, 2020 IN PSBA NEWS
PSBA’s Advocacy Ambassador program is a key resource helping public school leaders connect with their state legislators on important education issues. Our six ambassadors build strong relationships with the school leaders and legislators in their areas to support advocacy efforts at the local level. They also encourage legislators to visit school districts and create opportunities for you to have positive conversations and tell your stories about your schools and students. PSBA thanks those school districts that have worked with their advocacy ambassador and invites those who have not to reach out to their ambassador to talk about the ways they can support your advocacy efforts. Interested in becoming an Advocacy Ambassador? PSBA is seeking ambassadors to fill anticipated vacancies for Sections 1, 2 and 6. For more information contact jamie.zuvich@psba.org

PSBA Fall Virtual Advocacy Day: OCT 8, 2020 • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sign up now for PSBA’s Virtual Advocacy Day this fall!
All public school leaders are invited to join us for our fall Virtual Advocacy Day on Thursday, October 8, 2020, via Zoom. We need all of you to help strengthen our advocacy impact. The day will center around contacting legislators to discuss critical issues affecting public education. Registrants will receive the meeting invitation with a link to our fall Virtual Advocacy Day website that contains talking points, a link to locate contact information for your legislator and additional information to help you have a successful day.
Cost: As a membership benefit, there is no cost to register.
Registration: School directors can register online now by logging in to myPSBA. If you have questions about Virtual Advocacy Day, or need additional information, contact Jamie.Zuvich@psba.org.

Apply Now for EPLC's 2020-2021 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program!
Applications are available now for the 2020-2021 Education Policy Fellowship Program
The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC).  The 2020-2021 Program will be conducted in briefer, more frequent, and mostly online sessions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The content will be substantially the same as the traditional Fellowship Program, with some changes necessitated by the new format and a desire to reduce costs to sponsors in these uncertain fiscal times.
The commitment of EPLC remains the same. The Fellowship Program will continue to be Pennsylvania's premier education policy leadership program for education, community, policy and advocacy leaders! The Fellowship Program begins with two 3-hour virtual sessions on September 17-18, and the Program ends with a graduation event in June 2021.
The application may be copied from the EPLC web site, but it must be submitted by mail or scanned and e-mailed, with the necessary signatures of applicant and sponsor.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the Fellowship Program and its requirements, please contact EPLC Executive Director Ron Cowell at 412-298-4796 or COWELL@EPLC.ORG

Adopt the 2020 PSBA resolution for charter school funding reform
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.

283 PA school boards have adopted charter reform resolutions
Charter school funding reform continues to be a concern as over 280 school boards across the state have adopted a resolution calling for legislators to enact significant reforms to the Charter School Law to provide funding relief and ensure all schools are held to the same quality and ethics standards. Now more than ever, there is a growing momentum from school officials across the state to call for charter school funding reform. Legislators are hearing loud and clear that school districts need relief from the unfair funding system that results in school districts overpaying millions of dollars to charter schools.

Know Your Facts on Funding and Charter Performance. Then Call for Charter Change!
PSBA Charter Change Website:

The Network for Public Education Action Conference has been rescheduled to April 24-25, 2021 at the Philadelphia Doubletree Hotel


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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