Showing posts with label Intermediate Units. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Intermediate Units. Show all posts

Friday, August 11, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Aug 11: Harrisburg, where more people get less done

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition team members, superintendents, school solicitors, principals, 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 Aug 11, 2017:


“Charter advocates hope this spurs momentum to pass a revision to the state's decades old charter law.  The most recent version of that bill, as green-lit by the state Senate, would expressly allow charters to seek to amend their deals at any time. School boards then would need to vote on the proposals. If rejected, charters could appeal to the CAB, which, under the bill, would become friendlier to the charter sector.”
Pa. Supreme Court ruling helps school districts limit charter school expansion
WHYY Newsworks BY KEVIN MCCORRY AUGUST 10, 2017
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court delivered a ruling this week that gives traditional public school districts more power to limit charter school growth.  The case involved Discovery Charter School in Philadelphia, which, in 2013, during renewal negotiations, had been seeking to amend its agreement with the city school district to increase its enrollment by 70 percent.   The School District of Philadelphia recommended renewal, but, citing budget concerns, the School Reform Commission declined to vote on anything that increased the charter's enrollment.  Left in limbo, Discovery took this as a rejection, and filed an appeal to a state board.  So the essential question in the case was this: Does the state Charter Appeals Board (CAB) have jurisdiction when a charter seeks to amend its deal with a district, but is then left in limbo without a vote?  This week, the Supreme Court said 'no,' noting the lower court's decision didn't have backing in the state's charter school law.   "It sets a precedent now, statewide, for any charter school that wants to amend its charter to either increase enrollment or relocate. A school district now has a loophole where they can ignore the request for an amendment to the charter, and the charter has no recourse," said Tim Eller, executive director of the Keystone Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

“There was a time when lawmakers would show more spark headed into an election year. Alas, gerrymandering has created so many safe seats that many lack incentive to compromise. That largely explains the present situation, the budget process only half done a month and half into the fiscal year, with service cuts, bill deferments and a credit downgrade on the near-horizon.”
Budget slackers: State House betrays citizens by ignoring deadline
Post Gazette Editorial by THE EDITORIAL BOARD 12:00 AM AUG 11, 2017
The state Legislature has one big job every year: passing a budget. The deadline is the same every year: June 30. The outcome is pretty much the same every year: It doesn’t get done, and lawmakers posture while hardworking Pennsylvanians — who actually have to meet deadlines at their jobs — wonder how the stalemate will affect them. This is government at its worst.  This time around, the GOP-controlled Legislature passed a spending plan of nearly $32 billion by the deadline but failed to deliver a revenue package to cover the authorized expenses. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, allowed the spending plan to become law without his signature.

House GOP leader hopes to finalize 2017-18 budget by end of August
Penn Live By Jan Murphy jmurphy@pennlive.com Posted on August 10, 2017 at 5:29 PM
Six weeks into the 2017-18 fiscal year, Pennsylvania remains in that awkward position of having an enacted $32 billion spending plan in place that lacks the money to fully pay for it.  House Majority Leader Dave Reed said on Thursday informal discussions among the legislative leaders and Wolf administration officials and staff have been happening but full-scale negotiations on a finalized revenue plan have yet to get started.  House Republicans are still in the process of crafting their counter-proposal to the $2.2 billion Senate-passed tax and borrowing plan that was sent over to the House for consideration on July 27.  Reed, an Indiana County Republican, spent 10 minutes talking to reporters on Thursday about the House Republicans' reaction to the Senate's revenue package. He suggested there are some parts of it that the House Republicans are willing to consider but strong disagreement with one particular tax hike it includes.   That would be the expansion of the gross receipts tax, or GRT as it is referred to, on natural gas and telephones and increasing the rate on electricity that is booked to raise about $400 million.
Reed made it clear that tax hike is a non-starter with his caucus and likely some House Democrats as well.

Pa. House leader signals budget impasse likely to linger
Inquirer by Liz Navratil, HARRISBURG BUREAU Updated: AUGUST 10, 2017 — 3:59 PM EDT
HARRISBURG — House Majority Leader Dave Reed said Thursday that Republicans have serious concerns about some taxes included in budget bills passed by the Senate, the latest signal that their impasse could linger for at least a few more weeks.  “We respect the fact that they sent it over to us. We respect the fact that this is where the Senate is,” Reed, a Republican from Indiana County, told Capitol reporters. “It’s not where we are.”  The GOP-controlled legislature passed a nearly $32 billion spending plan on June 30 — inching in under a midnight deadline — but has since been unable to agree on a way to pay for it.  Negotiators have struggled with how to plug a $1.5 billion shortfall still lingering from last year’s budget and a $700 million deficit projected for the fiscal year that began July 1.  The lack of a revenue package has raised questions about whether the state can continue to spend money — the constitution requires a balanced budget — and if it might experience a costly credit downgrade.

BRIAN O'NEILL Pittsburgh Post-Gazette boneill@post-gazette.com 6:00 AM AUG 10, 2017
When our state treasurer calls the state’s budget mess “extraordinary and without precedent,” Pennsylvanians take notice.  We notice because if there’s anything ordinary and precedented, it’s a summertime budget mess. That’s as much of a tradition hereabouts as ants at a picnic. I called Treasurer Joe Torsella’s office to ask what makes this snafu different. Sure, America’s Largest Full-Time State Legislature has approved a $32 billion spending plan without any plan of how to pay for it, but that all seems merely a variation on an old theme. Right?  Not on your autographed picture of Charles Ponzi.  The two-word answer to what’s different this time is “a lot,” Treasury Department spokesman Mike Connolly said. The longer answer is we’ve gone into the red earlier and bigger than we ever have before.  “There are no more reserves,” Mr. Connolly said. “There’s no such thing anymore. The rainy day fund can’t even last one rainy day.”

Gas severance tax won’t have big impact in Pennsylvania, says research group
State Impact BY MARIE CUSICK AUGUST 10, 2017 | 2:27 PM
The severance tax recently approved by the state Senate is unlikely to have a major impact on drilling activity or government revenues, according to research from an environmental economic think tank.  A natural gas severance tax has been a hot-button issue in Harrisburg for nearly a decade, but the plan recently approved by the state Senate is unlikely to have a major impact–  either in terms of government revenue, or drilling company investment decisions, according to research from the nonpartisan environmental economic think tank, Resources for the Future.  The severance tax is now in the GOP-controlled House where its future is uncertain. Republican legislative leaders have argued over the years it would harm the state’s economy. Yet passing the tax has been a major focus of Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat.  The tax rate approved by the Senate last month would change, based on the average annual price of natural gas– ranging from 1.5 cents per thousand cubic feet to 3.5 cents. It’s expected to raise $100 million this year to help plug a $2.2 billion budget hole. It would be added on top of the roughly $200 million in impact fees gas companies already pay, which are based on the number of wells they drill.  StateImpact Pennsylvania talked about the new tax measure with Daniel Raimi, a senior research associate at Resources for the Future and author of the forthcoming book, The Fracking Debate.

Guest Column: Senate budget package would harm environment
Delco Times Opinion By Rep. Greg Vitali, Times Guest Columnist POSTED: 08/10/17, 9:14 PM EDT 
A bill package recently approved by the state Senate to help pay for the commonwealth’s spending plan contains provisions that would cripple environmental protection in Pennsylvania. Even though these bills provide some needed revenue, the House and Gov. Wolf should reject this legislation.  The most damaging provisions are contained in the tax code. One provision would privatize the environmental permitting process, allowing gas drillers and other applicants to seek permit approval from third parties rather than the Department of Environmental Protection. This would eliminate a core protective function of the DEP, introduce conflicts of interest that would weaken protections for public health and the environment, remove public participation from the permitting process, and deprive DEP of the application fees it needs to support the staff who protect all of us.  Another provision would establish a politically appointed advisory committee to decide on air quality permits for unconventional gas well sites. This is a direct attack on the methane-reduction strategy proposed by Wolf last year. Reducing fugitive methane emissions is one of the most important things Pennsylvania can do to address climate change and protect public health in the gas fields.

Voters will decide on constitutional change to provide property tax relief
Penn Live By Jan Murphy jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated on August 10, 2017 at 4:31 PM Posted on August 10, 2017 at 10:35 AM
Voters in November will have an opportunity to vote on an amendment to the state constitution that could open the door to provide property tax relief for Pennsylvania homeowners. The proposed amendment to Article VIII of the constitution would increase the exclusion level to up to 100 percent of the value of each "homesteads," or primary residences, in a municipality, county or school district.  The current exclusion level, adopted in 1997, is capped at 50 percent of the median assessed value of all homesteads in a local taxing jurisdiction.   If ratified by voters, Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks County, who sponsored the proposed amendment, said the implementation of this amendment would require the General Assembly to pass enabling legislation to establish guidelines for local jurisdictions to follow.

Steel Valley adding cyber charter classes for elementary school students
Post Gazette by ANNE CLOONAN 12:00 AM AUG 11, 2017
Steel Valley School District will add classes for elementary school-aged children to its cyber charter school academy this fall.  Ed Colebank, the district’s director of academics, information and technology, said Steel Valley officials met on July 25 with parents who would like to return their children to the district from charter schools.  Parents of elementary, middle school and high school students were in attendance, he said. District administrators have been working to bring back students who live in Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall and attend non-Steel Valley charter schools.  Mr. Colebank said the new classes will allow the elementary school students “to stay here and participate in everything the district has to offer.”  The district has offered cyber charter school classes for secondary students who live in the district for eight years, and to middle school students within the past five years, Mr. Colebank said,

Intermediate Units provide high-quality, cost-effective online learning solutions
Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units
A quality 21st century education includes virtual learning, and Pennsylvania’s Intermediate Units (IUs) are leading the way by assisting their local school districts in meeting that need. IUs have responded by establishing a network of affordable, high-quality online learning options throughout the commonwealth that meet the needs of all learners. Each year, more than 15,000 students statewide select from over 5,000 online courses provided by intermediate units. Intermediate units collaborate with 245 public and non-public schools to ensure that all online learning students’ needs are met, while also ensuring that students have all of the benefits of remaining a part of their local school district or non-public/private school of choice. As a result, students have the benefit of meeting with guidance counselors and school support personnel in person, taking all their courses online or accessing face-toface instruction as desired. For local taxpayers, their dollars stay in their district of residence, thus enabling school districts to expand their educational options and services for all students while controlling costs and ensuring fiscal responsibility.

SCASD could implement new online learning management system
Centre Daily Times BY LEON VALSECHI lvalsechi@centredaily.com STATE COLLEGE 
After about one year of research, the State College Area School District has decided on a new online learning management system that it says will better connect students, teachers and parents.  The district assembled a committee of 23 students, teachers, parents and district technology personnel to test 14 platforms. After narrowing the list down to three, the committee viewed presentations from the finalists and decided to move forward with Canvas LMS.  Nicole Steele, director of computer services and telecommunications, told the school board on Monday that the decision was made based on not only the platform’s look and feel, but how it easily integrates with the Google educational programs the district uses, allows teachers to provide feedback using video and audio, and is compatible with the student information system.
“We’re really excited about it moving forward,” Steele said. “It will provide a one-stop shop, so to speak, for our teachers and students to be able to access all of the tools and information that they need in one system.”

Thackston Charter addressing district concerns, but audits still incomplete
York Dispatch by David Weissman, 505-5431/@DispatchDavid Published 1:35 p.m. ET Aug. 10, 2017 | Updated 2:51 p.m. ET Aug. 10, 2017
Helen Thackston Charter School, facing revocation of its charter, has addressed many deficiencies in a laundry list of complaints from York City School District, but three years' worth of overdue audits remain incomplete.  Thackston's school board met Wednesday, Aug. 9, for a meeting that was rescheduled from July 27 because not enough board members had showed up to vote.  The four members absent July 27 were President Danyiell Newman, Nacole Gaines, Robert Safran and Kayla Sanchez. All four were present Wednesday, while Marcia Glover and Lisa Kennedy were absent. Vice President Frank Hawkins was present for both meetings.

Allentown School District looking into renewing contract with substitute teacher services
Jacqueline Palochko Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call August 10, 2017
The Allentown School District is considering renewing its contract with the company it uses to outsource its substitute teachers, even though the agency has struggled to fill positions.  At Thursday's Finance Committee meeting, the school board advanced a proposal to renew a contract with Substitute Teacher Service, a Delaware County company that has been providing services to the school district since 2014.  The district did not have numbers for how Substitute Teacher Service performed for the 2016-17 school year, but numbers The Morning Call previously obtained for the 2015-16 school year showed the company did not meet its goal of an 80 percent fill rate. Substitute Teacher Service had a fill rate — the percentage of times a district is able to get a qualified teacher into a classroom — of 73 percent, and some schools were much lower than that.

Bucks school's makeover aims to give students a head start on careers
Inquirer by Kathy Boccella, Staff Writer  @Kathy_Boccella |  kboccella@phillynews.com Updated: AUGUST 11, 2017 — 3:01 AM EDT
The stylish new internet cafĂ© coming to lower Bucks County this fall — boasting a brightly colored carpet with geometric design and sleek workstations with multiple outlets to plug in devices — won’t be open to the general public. It’s part of a radical makeover in the way kids in Bensalem High School will learn and look forward to future careers.  “Doesn’t it look like Starbucks?” asked Kathy Leon, Bensalem’s assistant superintendent, showing off one highlight of a $78 million renovation project that took five years to carry out. “That’s what the kids are used to.”  But it’s the academic transformation of the 1,800-student Bensalem High that has officials even more excited than its dramatic physical overhaul. The start of classes this month will mark the launch of a career academies program that will allow high schoolers to focus on fields such as health care, science and technology, business, or arts and communications.

Philly's Spanish-speaking students lag in English language achievement
WHYY Newsworks BY AVI WOLFMAN-ARENT AUGUST 11, 2017
This story is about an achievement gap.  No, not the achievement gap — a term used to describe how white and wealthy students perform better on standardized tests than minority and low-income students.  This is an achievement gap you might not know much about, even though researchers have puzzled over it for more than a decade.  This one has to do with language.  We're writing about it now partly because it popped up in a recent Philadelphia study, with new data  pointing to its distressing magnitude.  Earlier this year, the Philadelphia Education Research Consortium released a study looking at English learners — or ELs — who entered the district as kindergartners in 2008-09. It tracked their progress through the end of third grade because the city has a goal of ensuring all students can read on grade level by the beginning of fourth grade.
The study found a lot of interesting things, but one data point stood out. 

OPINION: The One Big Thing Missing From Allan Domb’s Plan to Grow the City
Can we get 10 more Centrals?
PhillyMag BY GENE MARKS  |  AUGUST 9, 2017 AT 12:19 PM
As we’ve unfortunately learned, some business leaders may not be the most effective political leaders. But Allan Domb doesn’t fall into that category.  Since taking office as an at-large City Council member last year, Domb has dived into the job with enthusiasm, commitment, and energy. He doesn’t need to be doing this. He’s made plenty of money selling and managing real estate over the past few decades. But clearly he wants to make a difference. He wants Philadelphia to grow — and not just because the city’s growth will help him sell and manage more real estate. But because he cares about the city’s future.  To that end, Domb has outlined three steps to grow Philadelphia. He wants to take 100,000 people out of poverty, create 100,000 new jobs, and bring 100,000 new residents to the city. “What we need to do is expand our base,” he told columnist Stu Bykofsky recently. “Bring more people into the store to pay for the overhead.” He plans to do this through better collection of overdue taxes, more education about the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and, most important, attracting tech companies to the area.
Is this a sensible plan? It’s a start. But there’s one big thing missing that could make it a winner.


Arizona school voucher expansion put on hold as opponents challenge new law
Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss August 10 at 3:49 PM 
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who hasn’t met a school voucher program she doesn’t like, can’t possibly like this piece of news: Public education advocates have managed to force the state of Arizona to put on hold a voucher program expansion recently signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey (R).  Expansion of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, which uses public tax dollars to pay for private and religious school tuition and other educational expenses, was challenged by a volunteer group called Save Our Schools Arizona (SOS), which filed with authorities 111,540 Arizona voter signatures on a petition challenging the law and seeking that voters decide on it in the 2018 elections.  The Arizona Republic quoted Elections Director Eric Spencer as telling the group after it delivered the signatures: “For now, the law is stayed.”  The group needs 75,000 valid signatures to force the issue onto the ballot, and authorities will attempt to verify every one of them over the next few weeks. But even before the signatures were filed, supporters of the law, including the American Federation for Children, which was founded years ago by DeVos, were planning to fight the challenge. 

“It’s also a program that U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has applauded — which means Indiana offers a helpful glimpse at how a DeVos-led national expansion of vouchers might shape up.  Our investigation found that roughly one in 10 of Indiana’s voucher schools publicly shares a policy suggesting or declaring that LGBT students are not welcome. Together, the 27 schools received over $16 million in public funds for participating last year.”
Choice for most: In nation’s largest voucher program, $16 million went to schools with anti-LGBT policies
Chalkbeat BY JULIA DONHEISER  -  August 10, 2017
When it comes to school choice, options are more limited for Indiana’s LGBT students.
Lighthouse Christian Academy in Bloomington recently made headlines for promising students an excellent, “biblically integrated” education — unless they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The school also received more than $650,000 in public funds last year through the state’s voucher program.  The school’s admissions policy has made Lighthouse the focus of an intensifying national debate: whether private schools that discriminate against students on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity should be able to receive taxpayer dollars.  But as that debate heats up, it’s been unclear how many schools have policies like Lighthouse’s.  Chalkbeat tried to find out. In Indiana, over 34,299 students used vouchers to attend a private school last fall, making it the largest such program in the country.

Florida Fraud Reaches Ohio or vice versa
League of Women Voters Education Issues Website Posted on August 10, 2017 by Sue Legg
We have posted the Newpoint charter education management story of fraud and corruption previously. It spread from Bay County, Florida to Pinellas and included 15 charters. It’s a story of fake courses, fiscal mismanagement and out right fraud. School leaders face a criminal trial. Now it appears that the same company reaches into Ohio.  Sometimes it is difficult to keep track of these companies. They organize in small groups with different names. In Florida, they are Newpoint; in Ohio their nineteen schools are called Cambridge. They share leadership, and it is not yet clear how much else. At issue are kickbacks for high priced merchandise, misuse of federal charter school expansion funds, grand theft, racketeering, fraudulent invoices, overcharging families for uniforms…the list goes on.  It’s instructive to note that this is really a conspiracy. Here’s a list of their associated companies: Apex Learning; Consolidus, School Warehouse, Red Ignition, and Epiphany Management Group. They are all intertwined. Even worse, this charter organization was formed when the organizers left White Hat charter management firm. It had collapsed due to fraud uncovered in Ohio several years ago.  We in the League and others have asked for better regulation and oversight. Leaders, particularly in the Florida House, seem deaf to the calls. Of course several key legislators have direct ties to their own charter schools.  You can read the Ohio story here.

Is It True that Nobody Really Knows What to Do to Help Struggling Schools?
Jan Ressenger’s Blog Posted on August 9, 2017 by janresseger
Early this week, in a column for the Washington Post, Emma Brown wondered: “What should America do about its worst public schools?” Does anybody know?  Brown notes that not one of the plans states are submitting to the U.S. Department of Education, as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act, seems to include a solid plan to help the lowest scoring public schools.  Brown explains: Congress thought it had answers for the problem of low-performing schools when it passed No Child Left Behind in 2001. The bipartisan law, meant to fight what president George W. Bush called ‘the soft bigotry of low expectations,’ laid out consequences for schools that failed to meet escalating performance targets. After a school missed targets for two years, students were allowed to transfer out. After three years, schools had to offer free tutoring. After four and five years, there was a menu of options, from replacing the curriculum to firing staff, reopening as a charter school, or turning over management to state authorities… A decade after the law passed nearly everyone agreed it was broken… Despite some bright spots and success stories, a federal analysis released this year showed that, on average, test scores, graduation rates and college enrollment were no different in schools that received the money than in those that did not.”

A New Kind of Classroom: No Grades, No Failing, No Hurry
New York Times By KYLE SPENCER AUG. 11, 2017
Few middle schoolers are as clued in to their mathematical strengths and weakness as Moheeb Kaied. Now a seventh grader at Brooklyn’s Middle School 442, he can easily rattle off his computational profile.  “Let’s see,” he said one morning this spring. “I can find the area and perimeter of a polygon. I can solve mathematical and real-world problems using a coordinate plane. I still need to get better at dividing multiple-digit numbers, which means I should probably practice that more.”  Moheeb is part of a new program that is challenging the way teachers and students think about academic accomplishments, and his school is one of hundreds that have done away with traditional letter grades inside their classrooms. At M.S. 442, students are encouraged to focus instead on mastering a set of grade-level skills, like writing a scientific hypothesis or identifying themes in a story, moving to the next set of skills when they have demonstrated that they are ready. In these schools, there is no such thing as a C or a D for a lazily written term paper. There is no failing. The only goal is to learn the material, sooner or later.


PSBA Officer Elections: Slate of Candidates
PSBA Website August 2017
PSBA members seeking election to office for the association were required to submit a nomination form no later than June 1, 2017, to be considered. All candidates who properly completed applications by the deadline are included on the slate of candidates below. In addition, the Leadership Development Committee met on June 17 at PSBA headquarters in Mechanicsburg to interview candidates. According to bylaws, the Leadership Development Committee may determine candidates highly qualified for the office they seek. This is noted next to each person's name with an asterisk (*).

The deadline to submit cover letter, resume and application is August 25, 2017.
PSBA seeking experienced education leaders: Become an Advocacy Ambassador
POSTED ON JUL 17, 2017 IN PSBA NEWS
PSBA is seeking applications for six Advocacy Ambassadors who have been involved in day-to-day functions of a school district, on the school board, or in a school leadership position. The purpose of the PSBA Advocacy Ambassador program is to facilitate the education and engagement of local school directors and public education stakeholders through the advocacy leadership of the ambassadors. Each Advocacy Ambassador will be an active leader in an assigned section of the state, and is kept up to date on current legislation and PSBA position based on PSBA priorities to accomplish advocacy goals.  PSBA Advocacy Ambassadors are independent contractors representing PSBA, and serve as liaisons between PSBA and their local and federal elected officials. Advocacy Ambassadors also commit to building strong relationships with PSBA members with the purpose of engaging the designated members to be active and committed grassroots advocates for PSBA’s legislative priorities.  This is a 9-month independent contractor position with a monthly stipend and potential renewal for a second year. Successful candidates must commit to the full 9-month contract, agree to fulfill assigned Advocacy Ambassador duties and responsibilities, and actively participate in conference calls and in-person meetings

CONSIDER IT: SCHOOL CHOICE AND THE CASES FOR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CHARTER SCHOOLS
September 19 @ 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Hilton Reading
Berks County Community Foundation
Panelists:
Carol Corbett Burris: Executive Director of the Network for Public Education
Alyson Miles: Deputy Director of Government Affairs for the American Federation for Children
James Paul: Senior Policy Analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation
Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig: Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and the Director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership at California State University Sacramento
Karin Mallett: The WFMZ TV anchor and reporter returns as the moderator
School choice has been a hot topic in Berks County, in part due to a lengthy and costly dispute between the Reading School District and I-LEAD Charter School. The topic has also been in the national spotlight as President Trump and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have focused on expanding education choice.  With this in mind, a discussion on school choice is being organized as part of Berks County Community Foundation’s Consider It initiative. State Sen. Judy Schwank and Berks County Commissioners Chairman Christian Leinbach are co-chairs of this nonpartisan program, which is designed to promote thoughtful discussion of divisive local and national issues while maintaining a level of civility among participants.  The next Consider It Dinner will take place Tuesday, September 19, 2017, at 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, 701 Penn St., Reading, Pa. Tickets are available here.  For $10 each, tickets include dinner, the panel discussion, reading material, and an opportunity to participate in the conversation.


Apply Now for EPLC's 2017-2018 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program!
Education Policy and Leadership Center
Applications are available now for the 2017-2018 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).  The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC). Click here for the program calendar of sessions.  With more than 500 graduates in its first eighteen years, this Program is a premier professional development opportunity for educators, state and local policymakers, advocates, and community leaders.  State Board of Accountancy (SBA) credits are available to certified public accountants. Past participants include state policymakers, district superintendents and principals, school business officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide association leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education and community leaders. Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer or another organization.  The Fellowship Program begins with a two-day retreat on September 14-15, 2017 and continues to graduation in June 2018.

Using Minecraft to Imagine a Better World and Build It Together.
Saturday, September 16, 2017 or Sunday, September 17, 2017 at the University of the Sciences, 43rd & Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia
PCCY, the region’s most influential advocacy organization for children, leverages the world’s greatest video game for the year’s most engaging fundraising event for kids. Join us on Saturday, September 16, 2017 or Sunday, September 17, 2017 at the University of the Sciences, 43rd & Woodland Avenue for a fun, creative and unique gaming opportunity.

Education Law Center’s 2017 Annual Celebration
ELC invites you to join us for our Annual Celebration on September 27 in Philadelphia.
The Annual Celebration will take place this year on September 27, 2017 at The Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia. The event begins at 5:30 PM. We anticipate more than 300 legal, corporate, and community supporters joining us for a cocktail reception, silent auction, and dinner presentation.  Our annual celebrations honor outstanding champions of public education. This proud tradition continues at this year’s event, when together we will salute these deserving honorees:
·         PNC Bank: for the signature philanthropic cause of the PNC Foundation, PNC Grow Up Great, a bilingual $350 million, multi-year early education initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life; and its support of the Equal Justice Works Fellowship, which enables new lawyers to pursue careers in public interest law;
·         Joan Mazzotti: for her 16 years of outstanding leadership as the Executive Director of Philadelphia Futures, a college access and success program serving Philadelphia’s low-income, first-generation-to-college students;
·         Dr. Bruce Campbell Jr., PhD: for his invaluable service to ELC, as he rotates out of the chairman position on our Board of Directors. Dr. Campbell is an Arcadia University Associate Professor in the School of Education; and
·         ELC Pro Bono Awardee Richard Shephard of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP: for his exceptional work as pro bono counsel, making lasting contributions to the lives of many vulnerable families.Questions? Contact Tracy Callahan tcallahan@elc-pa.org or 215-238-6970 ext. 308.

STAY WOKE: THE INAUGURAL NATIONAL BLACK MALE EDUCATORS CONVENING; Philadelphia Fri, Oct 13, 2017 4:00 pm Sun, Oct 15, 2017 7:00pm
TEACHER DIVERSITY WORKS. Increasing the number of Black male educators in our nation’s teacher corps will improve education for all our students, especially for African-American boys.  Today Black men represent only two percent of teachers nationwide. This is a national problem that demands a national response.  Come participate in the inaugural National Black Male Educators Convening to advance policy solutions, learn from one another, and fight for social justice. All are welcome.

Save the Date 2017 PA Principals Association State Conference October 14. 15, 16, 2017 Doubletree Hotel Cranberry Township, PA

Save the Date: PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference October 18-20, Hershey PA

Registration now open for the 67th Annual PASCD Conference  Nov. 12-13 Harrisburg: Sparking Innovation: Personalized Learning, STEM, 4C's
This year's conference will begin on Sunday, November 12th and end on Monday, November 13th. There will also be a free pre-conference on Saturday, November 11th.  You can register for this year's conference online with a credit card payment or have an invoice sent to you.  Click here to register for the conference.
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/PASCD-Conference-Registration-is-Now-Open.html?soid=1101415141682&aid=5F-ceLtbZDs

Save the Date! NSBA 2018 Advocacy Institute February 4-6, 2018 Marriott Marquis, Washington D.C.
Registration Opens Tuesday, September 26, 2017


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Thursday, October 15, 2015

PA Ed Policy Roundup Oct 15: Is this the "Trade Secret" that has been used to ignore Right-To-Know requests for several years?

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 3750 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition team members, Superintendents, 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 and LinkedIn

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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup October 15, 2015
Is this the "Trade Secret" that has been used to ignore Right-To-Know requests for several years?


Pennsylvania state budget talks resume, quietly
Penn Live By Charles Thompson | cthompson@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on October 14, 2015 at 10:20 PM
Can Pennsylvania's stalled state budget talks find some new momentum?  We're about to find out.  Staffers from the four House and Senate caucuses began meeting at the Capitol Wednesday in an effort to see if a new, legislative-driven effort can produce a compromise that's acceptable to Gov. Tom Wolf.  No details from the first round were available Wednesday night, and it seemed as if most participants were making a conscious effort to keep details out of the press to see if any momentum could be generated.  But the staff level talks are expected to continue on Thursday and Friday, hopefully setting up new leadership meetings and full- caucus briefings by early next week.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/10/pa_budget_talks_resume_with_st.html#incart_river

Concessions not enough for GOP rivals, Pa. Gov. Wolf says
Trib Live By Jason Cato and Tom Fontaine Wednesday - Oct. 14, 2015
Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday he's made $1 billion in concessions from his original spending plan but Republicans haven't reciprocated to help end Pennsylvania's budget impasse, in its 107th day.  “I have taken $1 billion out of my original March 3 proposals … because I want to get to an agreement. That agreement has to be mathematically sound,” Wolf said during a stop at the Washington County Courthouse. His administration did not provide specifics on how the governor came up with that figure.  House GOP spokesman Stephen Miskin disputed Wolf's claim and said that given the governor's proposal to raise taxes by $4 billion to $5 billion, “Moving $1 billion is not really that much.”
http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/9258649-74/wolf-budget-billion

Budget reality and new revenue possible in coming weeks?
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Wednesday, October 14, 2015
As budget negotiations continued on the staff level Wednesday, GOP leaders pointed out that they are expecting their Democratic counterparts to come around to the new reality of what it will take to get a budget done - particularly as it relates to the unviable prospects of increasing sales and personal income taxes - but also did not close the door on the use of new recurring revenue sources to plug budget holes.  “I think the word to use now is ‘reality’,” Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) told The PLS Reporter in a brief interview. “I’ve had Senate Democrats coming to me with recognizing the reality that a sales tax increase and a personal income tax increase did not have all the votes in their caucus and I think the governor has found that out with the vote last week.”  He relayed Senate Republican leadership will be updating their caucus next week on the fiscal and financial condition of where the Commonwealth currently is and preparing them to look “at what the reality is.”
http://www.theplsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/944/Budget-reality-and-new-revenue-possible-in-coming-weeks.aspx

"If the charter schools are now willing and able to get by being compensated $27,000 for each special education student, why was Chester Upland, one of the poorest districts in Pennsylvania, on the hook for that $40,000 figure for years?"
Editorial: One last chance for Chester Upland
Delco Times Editorial POSTED: 10/15/15, 12:26 AM EDT
This might be the Chester Upland School District’s last chance.
After decades being under state control, none of which seem to have stemmed the tide of red ink and financial mismanagement that has been the district’s calling card, Chester Upland is getting one more chance.  This time the district needs to make it work.
Delaware County Common Pleas Judge Chad Kenney placed the paddles on Chester Upland’s chest and jolted them back to a life with two critical measures, jolt of new state funding (of course) and a new formula for reimbursement to local charter schools for special education students.
Chester Upland and the three major local charter schools have been at odds over the cost of educating special education students for years.  Just weeks before the start of the school year, the state’s appointed receiver, Francis Barnes, went into court with still another revised financial recovery plan aimed at putting the perennially broke district back on an even fiscal footing.
http://www.delcotimes.com/opinion/20151015/editorial-one-last-chance-for-chester-upland

'Trade secret' - Randi J. Vladimer, an attorney representing the charter school, said in the appeal, filed Monday in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, that the management company's records were not covered by the Right to Know Law because it was a private business.
She also argued that the Office of Open Records made a technical error in the timing of its decision that invalidated it. Further, she said the records were a "trade secret or confidential information" that could hurt the management company's competitive position if disclosed."
Charter school appeals to block release of records
(Blogger note: this posting is several years old; originally posted on the Inquirer's website, it is no longer there; I do not have the publication date)
The Chester Community Charter School has filed a court appeal to a recent Pennsylvania Office of Open Records ruling that gave The Inquirer access to a wide range of financial records from the management company that operates the school.
The Delaware County school, the state's largest charter, and Charter School Management Inc., a private, for-profit management company, have repeatedly denied requests by the newspaper for details about how millions of dollars in public money were spent and how much the company and its owner, Vahan H. Gureghian, were making. Because Charter School Management Inc. is a private business that hires all school employees and manages the school's finances, it has been able to keep many aspects of its financial operations secret, in contrast to most charters, which have to disclose more information in nonprofit reports.
http://phillyacse.org/charter-news/89-charter-school-appeals-to-block-release-of-records

Here's Dan Hardy's coverage of the same issue from 2012:
Chester Upland: State special ed formula drains millions from district
Inquirer By Dan Hardy, Inquirer Staff Writer
POSTED: FEBRUARY 06, 2012
As Delaware County's financially troubled Chester Upland School District struggles to stay afloat, officials there say they are paying millions more than they should on special-education students who attend charter schools.
School districts pay charters to teach their children, using a complicated formula set by state law. About 45 percent of Chester Upland's students attend charters.
Chester Upland's payments are based on the previous year's expense of educating students in its own schools, minus some costs charters do not incur.
For regular-education Chester Upland students this year, that figure is $9,858 per child.
But flaws in the state charter-school law, district officials say, make payments to charter schools for special-education students much higher, costing Chester Upland about $8 million more than is reasonable.
Chester Upland's per-student special-education charter-school payment this year is $24,528, more than twice as much as for regular students and thousands per student more than the state average.
http://articles.philly.com/2012-02-06/news/31030424_1_charter-schools-special-education-cost-special-education

KEYSEC Posting Monday, August 24, 2015
PA Ed Policy Roundup Aug 24: $40,316 per speech/language special ed child: Two possible reasons special ed funding reforms that would have addressed this outrageous charter tuition rate were not adopted in 2014
http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2015/08/pa-ed-policy-roundup-aug-24-40316-per.html

"The owner is a trust linked to Philadelphia lawyer and charter-school entrepreneur Vahan Gureghian and his lawyer wife, Danielle. Three years ago, she told town officials the house was the couple’s dream home, but their plans appear to have changed."
North End mansion listed at $84.5M
Listed at $84.5 million, a mansion under construction at 1071 N. Ocean Blvd. has entered the market as the most expensive property for sale in Palm Beach, according to the local multiple listing service.
By Darrell Hofheinz Palm Beach Daily News Real Estate Writer March 30, 2015
Priced at $84.5 million, a direct-oceanfront mansion under construction on the North End has entered the market as the island’s most expensive property, according to the local multiple listing service.  Sporting its own bowling alley, the French-style house is rising on the double lot – expansive even by Palm Beach standards – that measures about 2 acres with 242 feet of beachfront at 1071 N. Ocean Blvd.  With about 35,000 square feet of living space, inside and out, the house should be ready for occupancy some time next season, according to listing broker Christian J. Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate.  Angle’s sales listing showed up Friday in the Palm Beach Board of Realtors MLS. The roughly H-shaped floor plan includes six bedrooms in the main part of the house plus a pair of two-bedroom guest apartments with ocean views. The house stands a third of a mile north of the Palm Beach Country Club.
- See more at: http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/local/north-end-mansion-listed-at-845m/nkhyf/#sthash.N9r3D4gt.dpuf

The Tenuous Fate of Pennsylvania’s Public Schools
The legislature’s budget disagreements could mean that many of the Keystone State’s schools are about to shut down.
The Atlantic by MAREESA NICOSIA   OCT 13, 2015
Pennsylvania public schools are now at Defcon 1—borrowing millions of dollars to keep the lights on, starting to ask teachers to work without pay, and even voting to shut the schoolhouse doors and send the kids home—all because an unprecedented state budget crisis has left them within weeks of insolvency.  Funds are running out so fast in Erie, the state’s fourth-largest city, that the schools could shut down by November 1. The school board last month unanimously authorized this previously unthinkable option. If the money runs dry, Erie would consider requiring its 12,000 students to stay home for a week or two.  Yes, it would disrupt their learning. Yes, it would present families with unexpected childcare chaos. But talking to the anxious administrators on the ground, it soon becomes clear: Their options are disappearing as quickly as their bank accounts.
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/10/pennsylvania-budget-legislature-school-funding/409936/

NEIU warns employees it will run out of cash by December
Scranton Times-Tribune by TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER, STAFF WRITER Published: October 15, 2015
ARCHBALD — About 300 employees of the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit were told they might not get paid starting in December because of the ongoing state budget stalemate.  Executive Director Robert McTiernan said the intermediate unit has enough money to meet payroll for the immediate future, but the situation will soon become dire. He called an employee meeting Wednesday afternoon to give workers sufficient time to plan for a worst-case scenario.  “The bottom line is you know we have a budget impasse. We have zero money coming through,” Mr. McTiernan told a standing-room-only crowd of teachers and other staff during the meeting at its headquarters on Line Street in Archbald. “Without additional borrowing, we project we are going to run out of cash somewhere around first payroll in December.”  The NEIU provides special education services to 20 area school districts. The NEIU board, like many area school districts, took out a $6 million loan in June to cover the revenue shortfall caused by a lack of state funds. It’s already spent about $2.8 million of the loan to cover payroll and health care benefits, which cost about $2 million a month, Mr. McTiernan said.
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/neiu-warns-employees-it-will-run-out-of-cash-by-december-1.1957843

Pennsylvania Senate OKs limits on union dues, PAC collection
Penn Live By The Associated Press  on October 14, 2015 at 1:32 PM
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Legislation that would weaken the ability of public-sector labor unions to collect full dues and political action committee contributions from members' paychecks is on the move in the Pennsylvania Legislature.  The GOP-controlled Senate approved the legislation Wednesday, 26-23, and sent it to the House of Representatives. All 19 Democrats and four southeastern Pennsylvania Republicans opposed it.  It's opposed by Gov. Tom Wolf. Similar legislation failed last year in the Senate, 20-28. An amendment to exempt police and firefighters' unions failed.  The bill would bar the state, school districts and local government employers from deducting any portion of union dues that underwrite political activity and union political action committee contributions from the paychecks of unionized workers.  Only deductions that pay for contract negotiation costs and other non-political activity would be allowed.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/10/pennsylvania_senate_oks_limits.html#incart_river_home

Pa. Senate passes 'paycheck protection,' flexing GOP majority muscle
WHYY Newsworks BY MARY WILSON OCTOBER 14, 2015
On the enrollment form for the largest teachers union in Pennsylvania, you can check a box that allows an annual, automatic deduction from your paycheck to go to political action committees that support "friends of public education."  The entire section would have to be erased under a proposal passed by the state Senate Wednesday and headed to the House for consideration. The approved measure would prohibit funneling an automatic deduction from a public employee's wages to any political activity.  Republican supporters say a government payroll system shouldn't be assisting in a money transfer that furthers political goals.  "They certainly can continue to collect money to represent these people in their role as a union," said the bill's sponsor, Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair, who has been a foe of labor unions. "Where we have to draw the line, which seems very reasonable, is that they cannot any longer collect political money."  Democrats call the plan a cynical attempt to bust public worker unions, as the lack of automatic deductions is expected to make it harder for unions to collect full dues and political contributions.
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/87226-pa-senate-passes-paycheck-protection-flexing-gop-majority-muscle

PCN will re-air the debate at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
State Supreme Court candidates debate as pivotal election nears
Chris Potter/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 15, 2015 12:00 AM
Several of the candidates running for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agree there’s at least one thing that panel can’t judge: itself.  Three Democrats, three Republicans, and one independent appeared in a debate aired by public-affairs cable channel PCN Wednesday night. It was the first time all seven candidates have appeared together, and will likely be the last. With an unprecedented three seats up for grabs, the Nov. 3 election could shape the seven-member court for a generation, and ethics issues have taken center stage.
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2015/10/15/State-Supreme-Court-candidates-debate-as-pivotal-election-nears/stories/201510150132

Get to know the candidates for state Supreme Court
Lancaster Online Staff October 14, 2015
On Nov. 3, Pennsylvania will elect an unprecedented three new justices to the state Supreme Court, making it an election with far-reaching and lasting consequences.  The state Supreme Court, in recent years, has been rocked by scandal. One former justice was convicted on campaign corruption charges; two judges engaged in a prolonged, public and highly personal feud; and one was embroiled in the state's pornographic email scandal, and stepped down from the bench after four of his fellow justices voted to suspend him.  Repairing the reputation of the court will be a priority for those elected to it.  In an effort to help voters get to know the candidates, the LNP Editorial Board has invited them in for separate 45-minute interviews. These videos are intended to help you make your choice Nov. 3.  The first interviews took place Wednesday, Oct. 7. More will follow so please check back for more videos.
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/get-to-know-the-candidates-for-state-supreme-court/article_65c426d4-6d45-11e5-b74f-6babb36c03bb.html

Education adrift: A tough audit says Pennsylvania has much to do
Post Gazette By the Editorial Board October 8, 2015 12:00 AM
The terrible financial hit that Pennsylvania’s schools absorbed wasn’t the only form of neglect inflicted by the state during the four-year term of former Gov. Tom Corbett. Administrators in Harrisburg also fell down on the job in performing fundamental duties that had little to do with money.  State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s comprehensive review of five years of records called out the state Education Department, and by extension the state Board of Education, for a long list of failures.  The most prominent example of irresponsibility was the employment of Mr. Corbett’s former Cabinet secretary, Ron Tomalis, in a do-nothing job with a salary of $139,542. Beyond Mr. Tomalis’ case, the department also failed to properly oversee other contracted workers, including retirees who were retained for specific tasks after they left the department. Although their work was supposed to be limited and on an emergency basis, the 89-page report revealed that 14 of the 38 workers were employed in three or more years; one person worked during all five years covered by the audit, 2010 to 2015.
http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2015/10/08/Education-adrift-A-tough-audit-says-Pennsylvania-has-much-to-do/stories/201510080042

Pennsylvania bills aim to protect students’ data
By Rich Lord / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 14, 2015 12:26 PM
Those apps and websites the kids bring home from school — which access everything from their grades, attendance and essays to lunch preferences — would get new scrutiny under legislation introduced Wednesday in Harrisburg.  Under a two-bill package, schools could still use education technology products that amass, sell or share student data — but only after notifying parents and allowing them to opt out. That approach should strongly deter the use of technology that doesn’t respect student privacy, without stifling classroom innovation, said bill authors Reps. Dan Miller, D-Mt. Lebanon, and Tedd Nesbit, R-Grove City.  “I want to see us utilize more technology” in schools, said Mr. Nesbit. “But at the same time, we’re putting personal data out there, and people should be aware of it. … Russians and Chinese are trying to hack our schools.”
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/surveillance-society/2015/10/14/Legislation-introduced-to-protect-student-privacy-pennsylvania/stories/201510140188

Nazareth district officials, teachers returning to bargaining table
Sarah M. Wojcik Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call October 14, 2015
Nazareth Area School District, teachers set to continue contract talks ahead of possible strike
The Nazareth School District and its teachers will try to resolve their differences amid the threat of a strike next week, according to Superintendent Dennis Riker.  A 4 p.m. Thursday meeting is set between the district and the Nazareth Area Education Association, which has been working without a contract since Aug. 31. The two sides started negotiations last October, but failed to come to a consensus on key issues including compensation, health benefits, family leave and tuition reimbursement.  In a news release, Riker said he hoped further talks would yield results.  "The district is optimistic that the negotiation session on Thursday will serve as a springboard for future negotiation sessions in which the contract can be developed expeditiously and at the same time be fair to all parties," Riker said.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/nazareth/mc-nazaerth-school-district-teacher-contract-1014-20151014-story.html

Mastery gets $9.6 million federal grant to expand
the notebook By Greg Windle on Oct 14, 2015 05:56 PM
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has awarded Mastery Charter Schools a $9.6 million federal grant with the goal of opening 12 new schools over the next five years as a part of the department’s Replication and Expansion for High-Quality Charter Schools program.  These new schools would serve an estimated 6,800 students.  Mastery now serves about 12,000 students in grades K-12 in its schools in Philadelphia and Camden. The charter management organization operates 17 schools in the two cities, 11 of which are turnarounds of low-performing public and charter schools.  "The quality of the education and the teaching Mastery provides starts with the expectation that our kids have unbounded potential,” Mastery CEO Scott Gordon said in a press release. “The DOE award validates the effort and results our students have attained."
Mastery's grant proposal says the goal is to have schools in Delaware and Washington, D.C., in addition to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  The money will be used to plan, design, and implement new charter programs, but Mastery said it will also be using the money to evaluate the effectiveness of its existing charters.
http://thenotebook.org/blog/159084/mastery-gets-96-million-expansion-grant

Hite 'out of patience' with sub firm
Inquirer by Kristen Graham POSTED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015, 3:46 PM
The official business was a City Council hearing: Philadelphia School District officials called to testify on the remaining $25 million in new money Council has yet to appropriate to the school system.  But the Wednesday hearing was brief - a record 21 minutes - and it was clear that last week's announcement that the district had agreed to a data-sharing deal with Council had smoothed the way for the transfer. Council President Darrell Clarke, who for the last several months has expressed frustration and disappointment with district leaders, essentially said the agreement was a reset of the relationship. 
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/school_files/Hite-out-of-patience-with-sub-firm.html#ex4Ayw3Q4XGG5vvY.99

"According to Farnese, a budget that looks forward includes the fair funding formula for state public schools as well as increasing funding for education and human services.  On the fair funding formula, Farnese referenced recommendations made in June by the Basic Education Funding Commission. “The commission recommended a series of factors to determine how schools should be funded such as the number of children living in poverty, density and special needs,” Farnese explained."
State Senator Farnese engaged with residents at Center City Town Hall
Philadelphia Free Press By Nicole Contosta Staff Reporter October 14, 2015
Approximately sixty center city residents filled the Broad Street Ministry for a town hall styled meeting with Pennsylvania’s First District State Senator Lawrence Farnese Thursday, October 8th.  The Republican and Democratic stalemate over the state budget underscored Farnese’s discussion. Nonetheless, Farnese also reviewed other priorities and answered constituent questions. Farnese’s top priorities included the Fair Funding Formula, SLAPP Legislation, the PA Fairness Act and gun control. Constituent questions ranged from gun laws to the state introducing legislation that would allow Philadelphia to tax commercial property owners at a higher rate than residential and small business owners. 
http://weeklypress.com/state-senator-farnese-engaged-with-residents-at-center-city-town-hall-p5566-1.htm

Philly charter schools getting by during budget impasse — for now
WatchDog.org By Evan Grossman  /   October 14, 2015
PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania schools, if the budget impasse lingers on, could be forced to close until lawmakers pass a new plan.  Through the first three months of the stalemate, public schools have taken out loans and dipped into their reserves to pay bills while state funding is frozen.  But, in some places, those reserves are on the verge of drying up.  “It’s hard to imagine a scenario where they’re just letting school districts crumble and fold and they’re just letting kids run loose in the streets because there’s no public schools open,” KIPP Philadelphia charter network CEO Marc Mannella told Watchdog.
http://watchdog.org/242476/philly-charter-schools-getting-budget-impasse-now/

Advocacy group to Gov. Wolf: Get rid of SRC member
REGINA MEDINA, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER MEDINAR@PHILLYNEWS.COM, 215-854-5985 POSTED: Wednesday, October 14, 2015, 12:16 AM
A LOCAL GROUP of education advocates has sent Gov. Wolf a letter asking for the removal of Farah Jimenez from the School Reform Commission because of her husband's association with charter schools.  The Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools says it is also concerned about Jimenez's oversight of the school district's Charter School Office, which she details on her LinkedIn page.  The group alleges in an Oct. 8 letter obtained by the Daily News that Jimenez, who was appointed to the SRC in February 2014 by former Gov. Tom Corbett, "has taken actions which raise additional problems with her continuing as a Commissioner."  SRC Chairwoman Marjorie Neff calls the alliance's contentions "misplaced allegations."
http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20151014_Advocacy_group_to_Gov__Wolf__Get_rid_of_SRC_member.html#Jfvd4XOtleyFOTAw.99

Inaugural cohort of Fellowship in School Governance recognized at PASA-PSBA conference
PSBA website October 15, 2015
Twenty school board directors from across the state were recognized at the 2015 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference Oct. 14 for their completion of the Fellowship in School Governance program. The program was started by The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) in early 2015 and is a capstone program for interested school board members who wish to go “above and beyond” in their commitment and professional preparation.  Program graduates will received pins at the conference and will deliver an education session outlining the findings of a team project.  The Fellowship program requires a time commitment over the course of a program year (January-October). Candidates are expected to actively participate and contribute to the work of the cohort for the entire program year.
https://www.psba.org/2015/10/inaugural-cohort-of-fellowship-in-school-governance-recognized-at-pasa-psba-conference/

Foltz receives PSBA advocacy award
PSBA website October 14, 2015
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) today awarded Lynn Foltz, school director from Wilmington Area School District, with the Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award at the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference in Hershey, Oct. 13.  The award was established in 2011 by PSBA in memory of Tim Allwein, the association’s former assistant executive director for Governmental and Member Relations. It is presented annually to an individual school director or entire school board to recognize outstanding leadership in legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of public education and students that are consistent with the positions in PSBA’s Legislative Platform.  A nominator praised Foltz for being a “tireless advocate for public education, a fearless champion for children, and an extremely dedicated board member.” Another said, “She continually mobilizes us into action relative to contacting our legislators regarding these important education issues. We have heard Lynn speak on many occasions at numerous venues, and only walk away more impressed each and every time.”  Foltz is a PSBA Region 2 Director,  serves on the board at Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4 and co-chairs the Keystone State Education Coalition, a non-partisan public education advocacy group. In the past, she has been a member of the PSBA Board of Directors.
https://www.psba.org/2015/10/foltz-receives-psba-advocacy-award/


NSBA Advocacy Institute 2016; January 24 - 26 in Washington, D.C.
Housing and meeting registration is open for Advocacy Institute 2016.  The theme, “Election Year Politics & Public Schools,” celebrates the exciting year ahead for school board advocacy.  Strong legislative programming will be paramount at this year’s conference in January.  Visit www.nsba.org/advocacyinstitute for more information.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  School Play is going on tour!  Click below for more information about tour dates in your county.  All performances are FREE!
School Play, a documentary-based live theatre piece, is here to put school funding center stage. Compiled from a series of interviews, the play premiered in Philadelphia in April, 2015 and is now available for free for performances around the Commonwealth.
Schuylkill County – October 15th
Click here to download a PDF flyer with all performance locations, dates and times.

Register Now – PAESSP State Conference – Oct. 18-20 – State College, PA
Registration is now open for PAESSP's State Conference to be held October 18-20 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA! This year's theme is @EVERYLEADER and features three nationally-known keynote speakers (Dr. James Stronge, Justin Baeder and Dr. Mike Schmoker), professional breakout sessions, a legal update, exhibits, Tech Learning Labs and many opportunities to network with your colleagues (Monday evening event with Jay Paterno).  Once again, in conjunction with its conference, PAESSP will offer two 30-hour Act 45 PIL-approved programs, Linking Student Learning to Teacher Supervision and Evaluation (pre-conference offering on 10/17/15); and Improving Student Learning Through Research-Based Practices: The Power of an Effective Principal (held during the conference, 10/18/15 -10/20/15). Register for either or both PIL programs when you register for the Full Conference!
REGISTER TODAY for the Conference and Act 45 PIL program/s at:
http://www.paessp.org/state-conference/register-now

Back to School Special Education Seminar October 20th
Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
Join us on October 20, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for our first special education conference of the 2015-2016 school year!
Building on last year’s successful Back to School seminar, this year you will hear about the current state of special education law and engage in dialogue about today’s most pressing matters.
Topics
  • Early Intervention
  • Inclusion
  • Assistive Technology
  • General update on the state of special education, both in Philadelphia and nationally
Presenters
  • HUNE
  • The PEAL Center
  • Sonja Kerr
Our “Know Your Child’s Rights” Special Education workshops aim to educate parents, educators, attorneys and advocates so that they can advocate for the rights of children with disabilities. CLE credit is available for attorneys in Pennsylvania that attend the seminar in person.  Questions? Email mberton@pilcop.org or call 267.546.1303.
- See more at: http://www.pilcop.org/backtoschool2015/#sthash.W9zA7fZg.dpuf

Registration is open for the 19th Annual Eastern Pennsylvania Special Education Administrators’ Conference on October 21-23rd in Hershey. 
Educators in the field of special education from public, charter and nonpublic schools are invited to attend.  The conference offers rich professional development sessions and exceptional networking opportunities.  Keynote speakers are Shane Burcaw and Jodee Blanco.  Register at https://www.paiu.org/epaseac/conf_registration.php

Register Now for the Fifth Annual Arts and Education Symposium Oct. 29th Harrisburg
Thursday, October 29, 2015 Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Convention Center 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Act 48 Credit is available. The event will be a daylong convening of arts education policy leaders and practitioners for lively discussions about important policy issues and the latest news from the field. The symposium is hosted by EPLC and the Pennsylvania Arts Education Network, and supported by a generous grant from The Heinz Endowments.
http://www.artseducationpa.org/register-now-for-the-fifth-annual-arts-and-education-symposium/

SCHOOL CHOICE: THE ROLE OF THE CONSTITUTION AND THE COURTS IN IMPROVING EDUCATION
Constitution Center, Philadelphia Monday, November 2, 2015 at 4 p.m.
Free for Members • $7 teachers & students • $10 public
Become a Member today for free admission to this program and more!
Click here to join and learn more or call 215-409-6767.
Does the Constitution guarantee an “equal education” to every child? What do the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions say about school choice, teacher tenure, standardized testing, and more? The Constitution Center hosts two conversations exploring these questions.
In the first discussion, education policy experts—Donna Cooper of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, Mark Gleason of the Philadelphia School Partnership, Deborah Gordon Klehr of the Education Law Center, and Ina Lipman of the Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia—examine the state of Philadelphia public education, what an "equal education" in Philadelphia would look like, and their specific proposals for getting there. They also explain what, if anything, the Pennsylvania state constitution says about these questions, and how state government interacts with local government in setting education policy.
In the second discussion, James Finberg of Altshuler Berzon and Joshua Lipshutz of Gibson Dunn—two attorneys involved in Vergara v. California, a landmark dispute over the legality of teacher retention policies—present the best arguments on both sides and discuss what's next in the case. They also explain what the U.S. Constitution and major Supreme Court cases like Brown v. Board of Education, San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez and Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 say about education and our national debates.
http://constitutioncenter.org/calendar/school-choice-the-role-of-the-constitution-and-the-courts-in-improving-educ

Register now for the 2015 PASCD 65th Annual Conference, Leading and Achieving in an Interconnected World, to be held November 15-17, 2015 at Pittsburgh Monroeville Convention Center.
The Conference will Feature Keynote Speakers: Meenoo Rami – Teacher and Author “Thrive: 5 Ways to (Re)Invigorate Your Teaching,”  Mr. Pedro Rivera, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Heidi Hayes-Jacobs – Founder and President of Curriculum Design, Inc. and David Griffith – ASCD Senior Director of Public Policy.  This annual conference features small group sessions focused on: Curriculum and Supervision, Personalized and Individualized Learning, Innovation, and Blended and Online Learning. The PASCD Conference is a great opportunity to stay connected to the latest approaches for innovative change in your school or district.  Join us forPASCD 2015!  Online registration is available by visiting www.pascd.org <http://www.pascd.org/>

Interested in letting our elected leadership know your thoughts on education funding, a severance tax, property taxes and the budget?
Governor Tom Wolf, (717) 787-2500

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Turzai, (717) 772-9943
House Majority Leader Rep. Dave Reed, (717) 705-7173
Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Joe Scarnati, (717) 787-7084
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Jake Corman, (717) 787-1377
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