Tuesday, January 5, 2021

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Jan. 5, 2021: Reform PA cyber charter authorization, funding

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 Jan. 5, 2021

Reform PA cyber charter authorization, funding

  

Reform PA cyber charter authorization, funding

York Daily Record Opinion By Eric Wolfgang January 4, 2021

Eric Wolfgang is president of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there has been a huge increase in cyber charter school enrollment across the country, including in Pennsylvania, where cyber charter school enrollment is up by 63% to 62,000 students as of Oct. 1.  This trend should have Pennsylvania parents and taxpayers extremely concerned for two glaring reasons. First, the financial implications this enrollment increase will have on school districts. To put this impact into numbers, school districts can expect as much as a $350 million increase in their cyber charter tuition bills this year alone due to the pandemic-generated cyber charter school enrollment increases. It’s important to keep in mind that this massive sum is only part of the overall $475 million overall charter school tuition increase this school year that school districts are facing in addition to navigating through a global pandemic. The $475 million increase in charter school tuition this school year effectively nullifies the majority of the federal funds public schools received under the CARES Act. This means most of those funds will not have their intended impact — to aid our public schools in a time of crisis. Moreover, for many districts, their Act 1 index rate will not allow for them to increase property taxes to cover the gap in increased charter school payments, leaving hopelessly unbalanced budgets.

https://www.ydr.com/story/opinion/2021/01/04/op-ed-reform-pennsylvania-cyber-charter-authorization-funding/4061921001/

 

Applicants Pitch Five New Philly Charter Schools: December 21, 2020

Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools by Lynda Rubin 

As in any drama or comedy, the cast of characters hints at things to come. The 2020 presentation of new charter applications brought back the same privatizing cast, some with different names, who continue the weakening of Philadelphia public education for their own financial and political gain. This is the annual attempt to expand the companies’ existing charter companies with the funding and protection of non-profits. The organizations behind the new charters may be non-profit in tax terms, but they are backed by for-profit edu-investors whose goal is to take the public out of public education. For years, Philadelphia has been a Ground Zero for carrying out the ideology of the wealthy proponents of school choice.  Charter companies made many promises but produced few actual gains. Charter operators, with the collaboration of the SRC and the Board, have eluded meaningful oversight for over two decades.  APPS will testify again that the District does not need, and cannot afford, any new charters–especially in the face of the dire financial straits laid out by Chief Financial Officer Uri Monson. We cannot continue to divert public funds away from public schools and into the coffers of privately managed schools. We can afford neither the stranded costs nor the exorbitant charter CEO salaries. This introductory hearing, with District General Counsel Lynn Rauch acting as Hearing Examiner, allowed fifteen minutes for each of the five applicants.  Charter School Office (CSO) Executive Director Peng Chao, CSO Director Roger Kligerman, CSO Assistant Director Biridiana Rodriguez, and CSO Applications Project Manager Cameron Voss attended and were called on to testify. None of the Board members attended.  Rauch stated that the law dictates that a final vote would have to be made by March 7, 2021. That means the Board will probably take its vote at the February Action Meeting.

https://appsphilly.net/applicants-pitch-five-new-charter-schools-december-21-2020/

 

10 questions about the stimulus for schools, answered

Chalkbeat Philly By Matt Barnum  Updated Jan 4, 2021, 1:18pm EST

After months of waiting and watching, public schools will receive billions to help respond to and recover from the pandemic. In December, Congress passed a package designed to boost the economy, help families, and support K-12 and higher education; after initially criticizing the deal, President Trump eventually signed it into law. So what will the new money and other provisions mean for school reopening, learning loss, and your school district? Let’s dig in.

https://www.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/22/22195843/stimulus-schools-education-explainer

 

Gov. Tom Wolf's 2021 agenda for Pennsylvania: Public health, economy, schools. By Tom Wolf

GoErie Opinion by Governor Tom Wolf January 3, 2021

My first priority in the new year is to protect the health and safety of Pennsylvanians. The COVID-19 pandemic has cruelly and indiscriminately affected the lives of Pennsylvanians over the past year. It brought financial insecurity along with the stark danger it poses to the public health. I know that many families are grieving, and much has been lost over the past several months — including our ability to connect with one another, to gather together to comfort one another in the face of pain and loss. Pennsylvanians are generous, loving people, and I am always proud of how we join together to celebrate the good times and to provide comfort in bad times. 

https://www.goerie.com/story/opinion/columns/2021/01/03/governor-wolf-names-hopes-priorities-pennsylvania-2021/4064169001/

 

Meet Pa. House GOP leader Kerry Benninghoff: Woodworker, history buff, knows how to make an impression

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated Jan 04, 2021; Posted Jan 04, 2021

House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff is entering his 13th term of office in the state House of Representatives. Before he was a state representative, he served as Centre County coroner. While his service in those elected positions may be common knowledge or readily available on his website, there are some other lesser known aspects of his life he recently shared with PennLive.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/01/meet-pa-house-gop-leader-kerry-benninghoff-woodworker-history-buff-knows-how-to-make-an-impression.html

 

The Constitution will guide our way in 2021

GoErie Opinion by Bryan Cutler January 3, 2021

Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-100, is the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. His legislative district covers part of Lancaster County. 

There is no way to accurately describe what so many families have experienced in 2020. For too many, the loss of loved ones will leave a hole in hearts that will never be filled, and I continue to pray for those impacted in our community. I hear from constituents daily on the impact of the last 10 months as we all continue to recognize the lasting effects of what we are all experiencing. Sadly, I am sure that nearly all Pennsylvanians can also name at least one business near their home that has permanently closed, or know friends and family searching for work. Our children face constant uncertainty over how and where they will be educated.

https://www.goerie.com/story/opinion/columns/2021/01/03/cutler-constitution-guide-our-way-2021/4041329001/

 

Blogger note: Rep. Mark Longietti (D-07), Mercer County, a member of the PA House since 2007 and a long time education committee member, will assume the minority chair

House Democrats announce committee chairs for 2021-22 legislative session

PA House Democratic Caucus by Rep. Joanna E. McClinton    January 4, 2021

HARRISBURG, Jan. 4 – House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, today announced the members of the House Democratic Caucus who will serve as Democratic chairs of the standing committees for the 2021-22 legislative session beginning Tuesday. “Our committees do the heavy lifting. They are the places where legislation is refined and decisions are made that can either extend more power to the people or give it to the special interests -- and those committees need a steady hand and a strong vision to lead them,” McClinton said. “I am confident these proven leaders are more than up to the challenge and will always make sure any legislation advanced to the full House of Representatives must put the people first.”

 The list of Democratic committee chairs follows:

  • Aging & Older Adult Services Committee – Rep. Steve Samuelson, Northampton County
  • Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee – Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, Luzerne County
  • Children & Youth Committee – Rep. Pam DeLissio, Montgomery & Philadelphia counties
  • Commerce Committee – Rep. John Galloway, Bucks County
  • Consumer Affairs Committee – Rep. Robert Matzie, Beaver & Allegheny counties
  • Education Committee – Rep. Mark Longietti, Mercer County
  • Environmental Resources & Energy Committee – Rep. Greg Vitali, Delaware & Montgomery counties
  • Finance Committee – Rep. Kevin Boyle, Philadelphia
  • Game and Fisheries Committee – Rep. Ed Neilson, Philadelphia
  • Gaming Oversight Committee – Rep. Scott Conklin, Centre County
  • Health Committee – Rep. Dan Frankel, Allegheny County
  • Human Services Committee – Rep. Angel Cruz, Philadelphia
  • Insurance Committee – Rep. Tony DeLuca, Allegheny County
  • Judiciary Committee – Rep. Tim Briggs, Montgomery County
  • Labor & Industry Committee – Rep. Gerald Mullery, Luzerne County
  • Liquor Control Committee – Rep. Dan Deasy, Allegheny County
  • Local Government Committee – Rep. Bob Freeman, Northampton County
  • Professional Licensure Committee – Rep. Jake Wheatley, Allegheny County
  • State Government Committee – Rep. Margo Davidson, Delaware County
  • Tourism & Recreational Development Committee – Rep. Mary Jo Daley, Montgomery County
  • Transportation Committee – Rep. Mike Carroll, Lackawanna & Luzerne counties
  • Urban Affairs Committee – Rep. Mike Sturla, Lancaster County
  • Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee – Rep. Chris Sainato, Lawrence County

https://www.pahouse.com/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=117839

 

Pa. Senate GOP leader to delay seating an incumbent Democratic senator

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated Jan 04, 2021; Posted Jan 04, 2021

Senate Republicans plan to refuse to seat Allegheny County Democratic Sen. Jim Brewster on Swearing-in Day Tuesday due to a challenge filed by his GOP opponent. Brewster, who has represented the 45th senatorial district seat since 2010, was certified by the Department of State as the winner in the race for a four-year term, capturing 69 more votes than Republican challenger Nicole Ziccarelli. However, Ziccarelli has a pending federal lawsuit challenging the validity of 2,349 ballots received in Allegheny County from voters who failed to write a date on them, including 311 in the senatorial district. Including those ballots in the vote count gives Brewster the majority of votes; if those ballots are excluded, Ziccarelli would have more votes than Brewster.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/01/pa-senate-gop-leader-to-delay-seating-an-incumbent-democratic-senator.html

 

GOP leaders in Pa. Senate will refuse to seat Democrat certified by state as winner

Inquirer by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA, Updated: January 4, 2021- 7:07 PM

HARRISBURG — Setting the stage for a postelection showdown, Republicans who control the Pennsylvania Senate will refuse to seat a Democratic senator whose narrow win in November is being challenged in federal court, even as it has been certified by state officials. Republican leaders confirmed Sen. Jim Brewster of Allegheny County will not be permitted to take the oath of office Tuesday when the legislature returns to launch a new two-year session. The top Republican in the Senate, Jake Corman, said that he and his colleagues believe a decision in a legal challenge brought by Brewster’s GOP opponent is necessary before the chamber can act. “Our goal is to get it right, not get it fast,” Corman said. At the heart of the dispute is Republican Nicole Ziccarelli’s request to throw out several hundred mail ballots that lacked a handwritten date on the outer ballot envelope, as required by state law. Those ballots gave Brewster the edge he needed to eke out a win. The issue has already been litigated in the state court system, where Ziccarelli ultimately lost. “We believe this is an illegal, unlawful attempt not to seat Sen. Brewster,” said Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D., Allegheny). He described the maneuver as out of the “Trump playbook” of contesting legitimate and certified election results.

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/spl/jim-brewster-pennsylvania-senate-gop-refuse-to-seat-nicole-ziccarelli-20210104.html

 

Official: Republican Pa. Rep. Mike Reese dies following apparent brain aneurysm, after testing positive for COVID-19

A top lawmaker says a state GOP House member who was elected to serve as the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus chairman in the 2020-21 session has died.

Inquirer by Associated Press, The Associated Press Published  Jan 3, 2021

HARRISBURG — A state lawmaker who was elected to serve as the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus chairman in the 2020-21 session has died, the House GOP leader said Saturday. Rep. Mike Reese, 42, who represented Westmoreland and Somerset Counties, “died peacefully with his family by his side Saturday afternoon at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg following an apparent brain aneurysm,” Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, the majority leader, said in a statement also posted on Reese’s official House website and his Facebook page. Reese said Dec. 7 he had recently learned that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and had been quarantining for the previous week after learning of his exposure to the virus. It was unclear Sunday whether that diagnosis had any connection to the aneurysm that reportedly killed him. First elected to the state House in 2008, Reese served as the House GOP caucus secretary in the 2019-20 session.

 

How Philly’s biggest 2020 real estate deal could create opportunities for Philly students

WHYY By Claire Marie Porter December 31, 2020

When Hilco Redevelopment Partners (HRP), a real estate investor that remediates obsolete industrial sites, bought the 1,300-acre former Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery out of bankruptcy in June, all eyes were on the Chicago-based company. For $225 million, Hilco bought the sprawling site with a plan to transform it into a distribution and commercial hub with warehouses and the state-of-the-art logistics infrastructure needed in the era of Instacart and Amazon. Environmentalists, Philadelphia residents, and advocacy groups demanded environmental justice and a cleaner future for the site, as well as equitable job-creation to replace the refinery’s lost union jobs. The refinery was the biggest polluter in the city and the cause of longstanding suffering for the surrounding community, both before and after the site’s explosion and fire in June 2019. Now, the South Philadelphia refinery is offering a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership that promises a new pathway into skilled professions that historically have been dominated in Philly by white men groomed by the city’s powerful unions. The new initiative, called a Career-Connected Learning System, pledges to connect thousands of Philadelphia public school graduates to an estimated 20,000 jobs in the fields of logistics and distribution, with guaranteed opportunities for upward mobility after a year-long apprenticeship.

https://whyy.org/articles/how-phillys-biggest-2020-real-estate-deal-could-create-opportunities-for-philly-students/

 

PPS hoping to get staff, students into schools sooner rather than later in 2021

ANDREW GOLDSTEIN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agoldstein@post-gazette.com JAN 4, 2021 5:45 AM

The calendar may have flipped to a new year, but schools are still facing the same old challenges from COVID-19. Pittsburgh Public Schools last week said staff members and students will not be back in their buildings until mid- to late January at the earliest.   According to the district, staff members are not expected to return any sooner than the week of Jan. 18. Students are not expected back until at least Jan. 27, the start of the second semester. Even then, the return would be done in phases.  The vast majority of city schools students have not been in a classroom since March when schools in Pennsylvania closed in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Although the district had the option to reopen this fall, the school board approved a measure that delayed in-person instruction for the first nine weeks of the academic year. The district began to bring students back using a phased approach in early November, but the attempt stopped after a few days because COVID-19 case numbers spiked at the same time in Allegheny County.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2021/01/04/PPS-staff-students-Pittsburgh-public-school-pandemic-covid-19-return-classroom-teaching/stories/202012310132

 

Science education couldn’t be more important as we endure the COVID-19 pandemic | Opinion

As we emerge from this current crisis, increased philanthropic investment from the private and public sector is essential for STEM education.

Inquirer Opinion by Larry Dubinski, For the Inquirer Published  Jan 4, 2021

Larry Dubinski is President & CEO of The Franklin Institute and Chair of the Association of Science and Technology Centers.

Science matters, especially in times of crisis. As modern history shows, we relied on science to help solve some of the most pressing technical challenges and identify solutions that would address major public health crises, including the Spanish flu, polio, and HIV/AIDS. In the role of bettering the human condition, science has been largely dependable. It’s been a constant. Now, in the throes of yet another test, science has a critical moment. Over the past several months, scientists have mobilized unprecedentedly, through global collaborations and innovative technologies, to give us our best chance at beating COVID-19. On Dec. 14, as the first batch of a federally approved coronavirus vaccine was administered to health care workers across the United States, science emerged victorious.

https://fusion.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/stem-education-coronavirus-museum-closures-philadelphia-franklin-institute-20210104.html

 

Delaware Valley School District reports 20 new COVID-19 cases over winter break

Times Tribune by FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY  Jan 5, 2021 Updated 35 min ago

The Delaware Valley School District had 20 new cases of COVID-19 across its schools during winter break, according to an update from the district on Monday. In the update, Superintendent Dr. John J. Bell reported at least one case in each of the district's seven schools, with Delaware Valley High School accounting for the largest share of coronavirus cases with seven. Bell anticipates short-term closures over the next few months, according to the update. If schools reach a certain threshold of positive cases in a 14-day period, which varies based on school size, the school will switch to remote learning for at least one day for disinfecting, contact tracing and case investigations, Bell wrote. Because the 20 cases occurred while the district was closed, all schools opened with their 14-day counts at zero. The district learned of its first new case since reopening Monday at the Delaware Valley Middle School, Bell wrote, adding that no one needs to quarantine because the student hasn't been in school since December.

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/coronavirus/delaware-valley-school-district-reports-20-new-covid-19-cases-over-winter-break/article_fea66626-d88e-5fe9-8704-843fc1da57a6.html

 

“Much of the letter serves as a final appeal for school choice legislation that DeVos pushed for nearly two years while failing to gain support from Democrats and many Republicans. The proposal would provide tax breaks for donations to organizations that sponsor students attending private schools or other alternatives to traditional public education.”

In farewell, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urges Congress to reject Joe Biden’s policies

“While my time as Secretary is finite, my time as an advocate for children and students knows no limits,” she said in a farewell letter to Congress.

Inquirer by Collin Binkley, The Associated Press Published  Jan 4, 2021

In a farewell letter to Congress on Monday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urged lawmakers to reject President-elect Joe Biden’s education agenda, while imploring them to shield Trump administration policies that Biden has promised to eliminate. DeVos does not explicitly acknowledge President Donald Trump’s election defeat nor does she refer to Biden by name. Instead, her letter offers lawmakers “some encouragement and closing thoughts.” As DeVos prepares to exit the Education Department, she says the coronavirus pandemic has exposed much that is “not encouraging” about U.S. education. “While my time as Secretary is finite, my time as an advocate for children and students knows no limits,” she said in the letter, obtained by The Associated Press. It was sent to leaders in the House and Senate and to committees that oversee the Education Department. DeVos offered an unemotional farewell to a Congress that had a chilly relationship with her from the start. Her 2017 Senate confirmation required a tiebreaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence, and she remained a persistent target for Democrats in both chambers.

https://fusion.inquirer.com/education/betsy-devos-farewell-letter-congress-joe-biden-20210104.html

 

 

PSBA Webinar: New Congress, New Dynamics

JAN 14, 2021 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

The 2020 election brings significant changes to the 117th U.S. Congress. How will the newly sworn-in senators and representatives impact public education? What issues will need to be addressed this session? To become an effective legislative advocate you’ll need to understand the new players and dynamics. Our experts will profile key new members, discuss what big trends you can expect and highlight the issues that will be debated over the next two years.

Presenters: Jared Solomon, senior public advisor, BOSE Public Affairs Group
John Callahan, chief advocacy officer, PSBA

Cost: Complimentary for members.

Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CQkk1Sd0QmOhdJ3VmlSzGg 

https://www.psba.org/event/new-congress-new-dynamics/

 

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

 

337 PA school boards have adopted charter reform resolutions

Charter school funding reform continues to be a concern as over 330 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.

The school boards from the following districts have adopted resolutions calling for charter funding reform. 

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 necessarily reflect the opinions of any other person or organization that I may be affiliated with.


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