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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Keystone
State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for October 27, 2020
In the
substantial category for Oct. 16-22 are Berks, Bradford, Centre, Elk,
Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne, Mifflin, Montour,
Northumberland, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and Westmoreland counties
Why are cyber
charter tuition rates the same as brick and mortar tuition?
Taxpayers in House Ed Committee Member Jared Solomon’s school district
paid over $106 million in 2018-2019 cyber charter tuition. Statewide, PA taxpayers paid over $600 million for cyber charter
tuition in 2018-2019.
|
Philadelphia City SD |
$106,152,521.20 |
Source: PDE via
PSBA
Botel: As a Former Trump Administration Education
Official, I Saw the President Up Close. That’s Why We Need Joe Biden to Win the
Election
The74 by Jason Botel October 26, 2020
A former official at the U.S. Department
of Education, Jason Botel has served in a number of education-related roles,
including as a public school teacher, a public charter school founder and
leader, and an education policy advocate.
In November 2016, much to my surprise, I was
asked whether I would consider serving in a role that then-President-elect
Donald Trump’s team was planning to create in his administration — senior White
House adviser for education. I had grown up in relatively diverse areas near
Philadelphia, and from a pretty early age I had felt committed to doing what I
could to eradicate poverty and racism. While in my estimation neither the
Democratic nor the Republican Party has been effective at, or adequately
committed to, ending socioeconomic and racial inequities, Democratic platforms
have seemed more likely to make progress. I have been a registered Democrat for
a long time and I have almost always voted for Democratic candidates. I
supported Barack Obama’s and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns, and I
have been supportive of Black Lives Matter since the early days of the
movement. I believed that many of the policies candidate Trump advocated during
the 2016 campaign, and the racist, divisive, chauvinist, xenophobic,
anti-Semitic and lawless things he said and promoted, were a threat to
individuals, to the United States and to the world. I had not wanted to see a
Trump presidency. But as one was imminent, I decided to accept the position in
his administration for several reasons:
“Brouillette said the (Commonwealth Leaders Fund) group — funded
primarily by donations from Students First PAC (Yass, Dantchik, Greenberg) — decides to get involved in races where
there’s the greatest opportunity to elect someone who will support expanded
charter schools and more tax credits that fund tuition at private schools.”
Millions pour into Pa. House, Senate races as Democrats
vie for control
Inquirer by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA, Posted: October
27, 2020- 5:00 AM
Spotlight
PA is an independent, non-partisan
newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The
Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign
up for our free newsletters.
If you want to understand the big-money
battle for control of Pennsylvania’s legislature, look to Dauphin County. This
year alone, records show Gov. Tom Wolf’s campaign committee spent $300,000 of
its war chest on Democrat George Scott, a pastor, former U.S. Army officer, and
failed congressional candidate who is trying to wrest control of a Senate seat
from Republican John DiSanto. The money may seem like chump change compared
to the presidential race in Pennsylvania, but it
represents a serious investment in what records show is one of the most
expensive General Assembly races going into November. A Spotlight PA review of
campaign finance reports filed between January and Oct. 23 shows donors,
lawmakers, and outside interest groups are pouring millions of dollars into a
few dozen races as Democrats fight for control of the state House and Senate.
One week to go before Election Day: 3 things to think
about | Tuesday Morning Coffee
PA Capital Star Commentary By John L. Micek October 27,
2020
Good Tuesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
All right this is it, the strangest,
angriest, and most divisive campaign in recent memory is into its final days.
And while Pennsylvanians are used to being the center of electoral attention
every four years, the Keystone State is especially in the national spotlight
this year for reasons that have to do with both its importance as an Electoral
College prize and the potential for sheer chaos that a late count of ballots
could engender. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at three of the
biggest issues as we head into the last seven days of Campaign 2020.
Democrats have control of the Pennsylvania state House
within their reach
Inquirer by Andrew Seidman and Ed Mahon of Spotlight
PA, Updated: October 26, 2020- 1:13 PM
Pennsylvania Democrats are in striking
distance of taking control of the state House, strategists in both parties say,
as President Donald Trump’s unpopularity in the
suburbs threatens down-ballot
Republicans, and Democrats pummel GOP incumbents on the airwaves. Democratic
candidates and outside groups are outspending Republicans by a margin of more
than three to one across the most competitive battleground districts, according
to data from the ad-tracking firm Advertising Analytics. Democrats need a net gain
of nine seats to win a majority. Republicans
have a tighter grip on control of the state Senate, though Democrats are also
spending heavily in their bid to flip the four seats necessary for an effective
majority. A takeover of either chamber would boost Gov. Tom Wolf’s agenda
during his final two years in office on issues like infrastructure spending,
the minimum wage, and protections for the LGBTQ community. That would be a
stark contrast from the first six years of his tenure when the
legislature often brawled with Wolf, a Democrat, on taxes and spending.
During Wolf’s early years in office, the state went months without
passing a budget. More recently, the governor and GOP majority have clashed
over the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. But the
stakes are even higher this year: The next General Assembly will draw new
congressional district boundaries that will shape Pennsylvania politics for
years to come.
Pennsylvania is a congressional battleground, too: 4 key
races to watch
Bucks County Courier Times by J.D. Prose,
Samantha Ruland, Kathryne Rubright and Anthony DiMattia October 20,
2020
Many pundits say Pennsylvania is the crucial
presidential battleground state this year. But the Keystone State is also a
congressional battleground. The state's 18 House seats are split evenly among
Democrats and Republicans, and there are several close races that could tip the
party balance one way or the other. Here's a look at four key Pennsylvania
congressional races:
School boards mull options for in-person lessons as
COVID-19 cases rise regionally
Times Tribune BY KATHLEEN BOLUS, FRANK WILKES
LESNEFSKY AND SARAH HOFIUS HALL STAFF WRITERS Oct 26, 2020 Updated 48
min ago
As Lackawanna County started its second week
at the highest tier of community spread for COVID-19, North Pocono, Carbondale
Area and Scranton school boards continued Monday to discuss next steps for
students and staff. For North Pocono, that means staying in a hybrid learning
program. Carbondale Area School Board tabled a decision to move from
all-virtual to hybrid instruction and the Scranton School Board discussed when
the district could move from virtual to hybrid during a work session. The state
Department of Health designated Lackawanna County’s level of transmission
“substantial” again Monday. Under that tier, which is calculated by incidence
rate and the percent positivity of diagnostic testing, the state Department of
Education recommends school districts move fully to online learning. It’s up to
district representatives how to proceed. Districts can return to hybrid
learning, or stay virtual, after two weeks at the moderate level, the state
recommends. School leaders pointed to few cases within schools and individual
communities as reasons to keep in-person classes open.
Lackawanna County school districts deciding whether or
not to go virtual
The state says Lackawanna County is in its
second week of "substantial" community transmission.
WNEP by Elizabeth Worthington Published: 5:48
PM EDT October 26, 2020
CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. — Students in some
Lackawanna County schools are heading back home this week to learn
online. The county is considered by the Department of Health to have
"substantial" community transmission, prompting state officials to
recommend schools move to fully virtual learning. The state also made
that recommendation last week, but said
school districts could wait to see if the county remained in the
"substantial" category for two consecutive weeks. But it's only a
recommendation, not a requirement, and the state says it's a local
decision. Abington Heights School District is taking a closer look at the
numbers in its community before making a decision at a public meeting this
Thursday. "One of the things we think about is that if there's no
transmission in our buildings, as of now, and our students are then forced to
go into a daycare or other environments, that's not to say that they're going
into a safer environment that promotes public health," said Abington
Heights Superintendent Michael Mahon. In a letter to parents, Riverside
School District cites its low local case numbers, in the boroughs of Moosic and
Taylor, as the reason it will continue with the hybrid model. Meanwhile,
some school districts have decided to temporarily move to all online learning,
including Lakeland School District, which only just moved to a hybrid model two
weeks ago.
Luzerne County has 'substantial' level of COVID-19
transmission
The Citizens Voice BY JAMES HALPIN STAFF WRITER Oct 27,
2020 Updated 39 min ago
After a week of rising COVID-19 cases,
Luzerne County on Monday was listed as having a “substantial” level of virus
transmission — a designation that could have an immediate impact area schools. The
county’s percent positivity for the past week went up to 7.5%, a number state
health officials described as “concerning.” The statewide rate is 5%, according
to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. “Our percent positivity and incidence
rate for the Commonwealth increased significantly in the midst of our fall
resurgence,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement. “We cannot emphasize enough the
importance of Pennsylvanians being united in taking actions to protect
ourselves and others, such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing,
washing our hands and avoiding gatherings.” According to the health department,
Luzerne County experienced another 54 cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, for a
total of 5,195. One death was reported to bring the death toll to 197. Statewide,
there were 1,407 new cases, for a total of 195,695. Seven deaths bring the
death toll to 8,673. The increased positivity rate landed Luzerne County among
15 counties in the state with “substantial” levels of transmission.
“Also in the substantial category for Oct. 16-22 are Berks,
Bradford, Centre, Elk, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne,
Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Philadelphia and Schuylkill counties.”
State Officials Recommend Westmoreland County Schools Go
Online-Only As Coronavirus Cases Rise
The state recommends schools in counties with
substantial levels of coronavirus community transmission switch to full remote
learning.
CBS Pittsburgh By Ross Guidotti October 26,
2020 at 2:23 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) – For the second week
in a row, the state says Westmoreland County has a substantial level of
coronavirus community transmission, meaning it’s recommended schools switch to
online-only learning. The state’s COVID-19 Early Warning
Monitoring Dashboard for the week of Oct. 16-22 puts
Westmoreland County in the “substantial” category when it comes to the level of
community transmission. The county was moved from “moderate” to “substantial”
during the week of Oct. 9-15. “We can’t wait until it’s over, everything is
cleared up and it’s over,” says parent Donald Hoyman. Hoyman has four children
in the Hempfield Area School District, which is one of many mulling over going
completely online because of the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in the
county. “As parents, we want to see out kids going to school. Some of our kids
aren’t as good with the online learning, but I understand safety has to be a
number one priority for the school districts themselves,” he says. The state’s
dashboard says Westmoreland County has a 8.4% percent-positivity in the last 7
days. The rest of the state has a 5% percent-positivity.
All-online learning in Westmoreland County could
aggravate longstanding internet problems
KRIS B. MAMULA AND NICK TROMBOLA Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette OCT 26, 2020 6:04 AM
In recent weeks, school officials across
Westmoreland County have been watching with concern as COVID-19 rates headed in
the wrong direction. As various schools in the county have closed after cases
kept popping up, the state is on the brink of recommending suspending all
in-classroom teaching and sending kids home to tamp down infections. If that
happens — and if the county’s 17 school superintendents go along with such a
recommendation — that could tip many districts and their thousands of students
into a technological no man’s land that they’ve been working hard to outrun: a
lack of good access to the internet and computer equipment across their student
populations.
LCTI closing for a week because of COVID cases
By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO THE MORNING
CALL | OCT 26, 2020 AT 12:23 PM
Lehigh Career and Technical Institute will
close for a week after three staff members tested positive for COVID-19. LCTI
closed Monday at noon and will reopen Nov. 2. Spokeswoman Precious Petty said
last week one staff member tested positive and two more did Monday. “We thought
it was in the best interest of our staff members and students [to close,]”
Petty said for closing. Instruction will continue remotely for all students
while LCTI is closed. LCTI students come from each of Lehigh County’s high
schools. Students typically start their mornings attending homeroom at their
district high school, and then they are bused to LCTI’s campus in
Schnecksville. At LCTI, students learn in areas such as business, engineering,
human services and technology. Since schools reopened this fall, a few,
including Saucon Valley High School and Weisenberg Elementary in Northwestern
Lehigh, have had to close for a short time because of COVID-19 cases.
Two additional COVID-19 cases found at Garnet Valley
schools
Delco Times Pete Bannan Pbannan@21st-Centurymedia.com October 27,
2020
CONCORD — The Garnet Valley School
District reported two additional students have tested positive for the COVID-19
virus. One student was in the high school and one in the middle school,” school
district Superintendent Marc Bertranado told parents in a letter over the
weekend. The two cases were founded not
to have been related to a case in the high school last Wednesday. The district
is working in conjunction with the Chester County Department of Health to
identify close contacts and notify specific students or staff who are required
to quarantine. Bertrando said quarantining is a mitigation strategy to help
slow the spread of the virus. The high school staff began contacting parents
whose children may have been in contact with the student either in school or on
the bus so that they have advanced notice. The school has also informed the
student's teachers.
Hempfield to continue with hybrid model of learning
Trib Live by MEGAN TOMASIC | Monday,
October 26, 2020 11:03 p.m.
Students in the Hempfield Area School
District will continue to follow a hybrid model of learning as coronavirus
cases continue to rise in the county. During the school board’s first in-person
meeting in months, members voted 8-1 to follow the current plan, which has
elementary students attend in-person classes five days a week and middle and
high school students alternate between online and in-person classes. Board
member Diane Ciabattoni voted against the motion.
https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/hempfield-to-continue-with-hybrid-model-of-learning/
Norwin postpones school reopening; closes middle school
Trib Live by JOE
NAPSHA | Monday,
October 26, 2020 7:01 p.m.
Faced with more coronavirus cases at school
and in the community, Norwin School District officials said Monday the middle
school will close for at least two days this week and the full reopening of its
schools will be postponed from Nov. 4 to at least Nov. 18. Two positive cases
were identified in the middle school. Superintendent Jeff Taylor said Monday
the community spread and transmission rates in the North Huntingdon-Irwin area
remain in the “substantial category” and has increased in the past two weeks.
The positivity rate for school district residents being infected with
coronavirus has increased from 11.5% on Oct. 5 to 16.3% as of Oct. 26. The most
recent data shows more than one-third of the corona virus cases in Westmoreland
County are now among youth ages 12 to 17, Taylor said.
https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/norwin-postpones-school-reopening-closes-middle-school/
Coronavirus case confirmed at Leechburg Middle/Senior
High School
Trib Live by MADASYN
LEE | Monday,
October 26, 2020 1:19 p.m.
A staffer at Leechburg Middle/Senior High
School has tested positive for coronavirus, according to Superintendent Tiffany
Nix. The district notified families of the positive case in a letter dated
Thursday. The letter did not identify the infected individual.
Susquehanna Township School District to remain open
despite confirmed COVID-19 case
ABC27 Posted: Oct 26, 2020 / 03:33 PM
EDT / Updated: Oct 26, 2020 / 03:33 PM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Susquehanna Township
School District confirmed a positive COVID-19 case at Susquehanna Township High
School on Monday. During this time, the district schools will remain open, and
safety protocols will continue to be implemented. The positive COVID-19 case
originated on the STHS Field Hockey Team, and thus all STHS Field
Hockey-related activities will be suspended through Saturday, Nov. 7. Isolation
protocols established by the PA Department of Health and Center for Disease
Control will be followed before the positive case returns to school.
3 Greencastle-Antrim Middle School students test positive
for COVID-19 in one week
Herald Mail Media By Shawn Hardy Greencastle
Echo Pilot October 26, 2020
GREENCASTLE, Pa. — Two more cases of COVID-19
have been detected at Greencastle-Antrim Middle School — bringing the total to
three. The superintendent is asking families to screen children before they go
to school and to help with the emotional side of the virus. The first case was
reported Oct. 18, followed by a second one Friday and a third Sunday.
Students at two Crawford County schools back to in-person
learning following positive cases
YourErie.com Posted: Oct 26, 2020 /
02:47 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 26, 2020 / 02:47 PM EDT
Students at two schools in the Crawford County
Central School District are now back to school after two people tested positive
for COVID-19. Officials with the Crawford County Central School District
announced students are back to in-person learning. This, after students and
staff from both Meadville Area Senior High School and First District Elementary
School went to remote learning for two days. Athletic events are also back in
session. According to a post on the district’s Facebook page, a teacher
at the high school and student at First District have tested positive for
COVID-19.
Teachers At Seneca Valley Test Positive For COVID-19
Butler Radio Posted By: Tyler
Frie lon: October 27, 2020In: Featured
News
Two members of the Seneca Valley teaching
staff have tested positive for COVID-19. The district says one of the staff
members is primarily an online teacher and was last in a building on October
14th. The other teacher is from Ryan Gloyer Middle School, but had minimal
contact with students. Both teachers are quarantining.
https://butlerradio.com/teachers-at-seneca-valley-test-positive-for-covid-19/
Albert Gallatin Area High School employee positive for
COVID-19
Herald Standard By Alyssa Choiniere achoiniere@heraldstandard.com Oct 26,
2020
An employee at Albert Gallatin Area High
School tested positive for COVID-19, Superintendent Christopher Pegg announced
in a letter to parents Sunday. The employee is under quarantine and the school
remained opened Monday after the building was thoroughly cleaned and
disinfected Sunday. The school is working with the state Department of Health
(DOH) and following its procedures, the letter said.
These 10 counties had the highest rates of new
coronavirus cases for Oct. 20-26
LANCASTERONLINE | Staff October 27,
2020
The rate of new coronavirus cases in
Pennsylvania jumped 24% in the past week, compared with the week before,
according to Department of Health data. The state recorded 12,380 new COVID-19
cases over the seven-day period of Oct. 20-26, up from 10,011 for Oct. 13-19. That
translates to a one-week per-capita rate of 97 new cases per 100,000
population, up from 78 in the previous week. Rates varied widely among the
state’s 67 counties, though most saw increases. The number of new cases
increased in 53 counties, decreased in 10 counties and remained the same in
four counties. Lancaster County’s rate of 80 new cases per 100,000 population ranked
it 36th, but two of its neighboring counties, Lebanon and Berks, made the top
10. Per-capita rates of new cases ranged from a high of 363 per 100,000 in
Huntingdon County to zero in Cameron County, which has had no new COVID-19
cases since early August. Rates in counties bordering Lancaster were Lebanon,
205; Berks, 154; Dauphin, 98; York, 93; and Chester, 60. Here are the 10 counties
with the highest per-capita rates of new coronavirus cases for the seven-day
period of Oct. 20-26, and how that rate compares with the rate the previous
seven days. Rates are new cases per 100,000 population.
Pa. names 30 counties that bear watching for coronavirus;
statewide, positive rate rises to 5%
Penn Live By Ron
Southwick | rsouthwick@pennlive.com Posted
Oct 26, 2020
Pennsylvania is seeing a higher rate of
positive tests for the coronavirus and now nearly half of the state’s counties
bear monitoring for COVID-19, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said Monday. Across
Pennsylvania, the percentage of positive tests has risen to 5%, Levine said at
a news conference Monday. Levine said the positive rate rising to 5% represents
a “crossroads,” since the rate was at 4.2% a week ago. The health secretary has
said a rate of 5% is a benchmark of wider community spread. The Wolf
administration said 30 of the state’s 67 counties bear watching because at
least 5% of those tested are positive for the coronavirus. A week ago, 21
counties hit that benchmark. Each week, the state provides a listing of
counties that bear monitoring for coronavirus cases. These counties now bear
watching, according to the Wolf administration: Huntingdon (12.0%), Bradford
(11.2%), Lawrence (9.0%), Lebanon (8.7%), Westmoreland (8.4%), Perry (8.2%), Bedford
(7.6%), Luzerne (7.5%), Schuylkill (7.5%), Tioga (7.2%), York (7.2%), Indiana
(7.0%), Lackawanna (7.0%), Venango (7.0%), Mifflin (6.8%), Armstrong (6.7%),
Berks (6.6%), Cumberland (6.6%), Montour (6.3%), Philadelphia (6.1%), Franklin
(6.0%), Elk (5.9%), Washington (5.9%), Mercer (5.6%), Dauphin (5.5%),
Susquehanna (5.5%), Blair (5.3%), Clinton (5.3%), Clarion (5.1%) and
Northumberland (5.1%).
PPS board could give Hamlet power to determine return to
school
ANDREW GOLDSTEIN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agoldstein@post-gazette.com OCT 26,
2020 11:25 AM
The Pittsburgh Public Schools board this week
will vote on a plan that allows Superintendent Anthony Hamlet to decide if the
district should transition into a hybrid instruction model next month. The
district has held all classes virtually so far this academic year and has not
had any in-person instruction since March when COVID-19 cases first started
appearing in the region. A resolution that authorizes Mr. Hamlet to implement
the hybrid instruction model goes for a vote before the school board Wednesday.
If approved, students could return as soon as Nov. 9. Community members will
have the opportunity to speak about the resolution and other school topics at a
public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday.
PPS teachers oppose district’s hybrid instruction plan
ANDREW GOLDSTEIN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agoldstein@post-gazette.com OCT 26,
2020 10:09 PM
Dozens of Pittsburgh Public Schools staff members
Monday asked the school board to extend the district’s fully remote instruction
model as COVID-19 case numbers continue to spike. Classes in the district have
been held virtually so far this school year, but students could return in
person as soon as Nov. 9 if a hybrid instruction model is implemented. “Teachers
are scared, parents are scared, students are scared,” Lorilyn Crabb, a teacher
at Westwood K-5, said at a school board public hearing. “The unknowns are many
and the answers are few as we enter the darkest 12 weeks in the COVID pandemic,
according to scientists and physicians. We are not ready to begin the hybrid
model.”
With breaks approaching, will Centre County schools make
more calendar changes?
Centre daily Times BY
MARLEY PARISH OCTOBER 26, 2020 10:42 AM, UPDATED
OCTOBER 26, 2020 11:02 AM
School calendars look much different for the
2020-21 year, but with the holidays around the corner and after Penn State’s
decision to cancel spring break, some local districts are exploring more
changes. Earlier this month, Penn State announced it
eliminated its spring break and replaced the week off with
scheduled “wellness days.” To discourage travel during the pandemic, the State
College Area School District last week began to explore changes to its spring
break week. Other districts don’t foresee more calendar changes but are
planning ahead for the best ways to keep school communities safe after breaks. State
College students are in class for the majority of February and March, so
Superintendent Bob O’Donnell said at a school board meeting last week that
scheduling time off from learning would help alleviate the “long haul of winter.”
SCASD’s planned spring break week is March 8-12.
https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/article246608648.html#storylink=mainstage_card2
Our Kids need you! PA Parents Demand Action Virtual Rally
- 10/29 at 4 pm
PCCY - With just days before the
big election, it has never been more important to VOTE for
lawmakers that support children’s issues than right now. At the PA Parents
Demand Action virtual rally, parents, students and community members will
be demanding that Washington pass a
funding package and Harrisburg uses it to fund K-12 education,
child care, pre-k and children’s issues first! We are putting lawmakers
on notice that a failure to invest in our children at all levels this year and
next, will harm our children, our families and Pennsylvania’s economy. We
are watching, speaking out and holding them accountable.
Join us for the Virtual Rally on 10/29 at 4pm
and invite all of your friends! Register here via zoom now: http://bit.ly/MomsRally
What's the connection between reading early and high
school dropout rates? Learn with us at the Education First Compact on 11/5.
Philadelphia Education Fund Free Virtual
Event Thursday November 5, 2020 9:00 am - 10:30 am
From Pre-K to Fifth Grade: Early Literacy as
Dropout Prevention
It’s long been understood that literacy is
the gateway to learning. No doubt you’ve heard the maxim: In grades
K-3, a student must learn to read, so that in grades 4-12 they can read to
learn.
In the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2014
report, “Double Jeopardy,” researchers also found a link between 4th
grade reading proficiency and high school completion rates. Astonishingly,
they discovered that students with low levels of proficiency were four times as
likely to drop out of high school. In Philadelphia, the struggle to improve
upon rates of early literacy is a collaborative one. At the center of
these local efforts are the School District of Philadelphia, the Children’s
Literacy Initiative, and various community partners engaged through
Philadelphia’s Read By 4th Campaign. Join us for the November Education First
Compact to probe such questions as: What lessons has been learned prior to and
during COVID? What adjustments are being made during this period of distance
learning? What challenges remain? And, most importantly, what role can the
larger Philadelphia community play in the effort?
Panelists:
- Caryn
Henning, Children’s Literacy Initiative
- Jenny
Bogoni, Read By 4th Campaign
- Nyshawana
Francis-Thompson, School District Office of Instruction and Curriculum
Host: Farah
Jimenez, President and CEO of Philadelphia Education Fund
Schedule: 9:00 – 9:45am
Presentation
9:45 – 10:15am Q & A
Attendance is free, but registration is
required.
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: http://ow.ly/yJWA50B2R72
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.
Resolution for charter funding reform (pdf)
Link
to submit your adopted resolution to PSBA
310 PA school boards have
adopted charter reform resolutions
Charter school funding reform continues to be
a concern as over 300 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.
https://www.psba.org/2020/03/adopted-charter-reform-resolutions/
Know Your Facts on Funding and Charter Performance. Then
Call for Charter Change!
PSBA Charter Change Website:
https://www.pacharterchange.org/
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
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