Keystone State Education Coalition

Established in 2006, the Keystone State Education Coalition is a growing grass roots, non-partisan public education advocacy group of several hundred locally elected, volunteer school board members and administrators from school districts throughout Pennsylvania. Our mission is to evaluate, discuss and inform our boards, district constituents and legislators on legislative issues of common interest and to facilitate active engagement in public education advocacy.

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Thursday, December 24, 2015

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec 24: No Merry XMAS, No Wise Men in Hbgh; House goes home; Senate Recycles #PABudget Vetoed in June

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 3800 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

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup December 24, 2015:

No Merry XMAS, No Wise Men in Hbgh; House goes home; Senate Recycles #PABudget Vetoed in June

Blogger commentary: Happy Holidays PA ed policy wonks!

Looks like coal in our #PABudget stockings. A reasonable person might ask just what the hell our state legislators have been doing for the past six months…

Last-ditch budget bill passes, Wolf's bipartisan deal stalls

Morning Call by MARC LEVY and MARK SCOLFORO (AP) December 23 8:26 PM

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's budget impasse is breaking the state's record for futility, after the Senate sent Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf a last-ditch spending bill Wednesday without the tax increase he wanted to deliver a record boost in public school aid and close a long-term deficit. The end of the 6-month-old stalemate remained up in the air. Wolf's office said a decision on whether to sign or veto the bill could take days. The pared-down spending bill emerged Wednesday when it became clear that an eleventh-hour effort to revive the Senate GOP's legislation to restructure public pension benefits had stalled in the House. As a result, leaders of the Senate Republican majority pulled their support from a bipartisan deal with Wolf that called for $30.8 billion in spending, along with a $1 billion-plus tax increase. Instead, Senate Republicans turned to the smaller spending plan approved two weeks ago by the House, when the chamber's huge Republican majority revolted against the prospect of the tax increase.

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-budget2-20151223-story.html

Surprise budget hits governor’s desk, but it faces an uncertain future

The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Once all hope was lost Wednesday after the House abruptly adjourned to send their members on six-hour call while they awaited a pension and tax plan to support a $30.788 billion budget their chamber was ready to pass, the Senate surprised onlookers by taking up a previously-passed House budget ringing in at $30.25 billion and sent it to the governor for his consideration. Without yet-to-be passed nonpreferred appropriations included in the final spend number, the bill sent to the governor’s desk rings in at around $29.7 billion, which was said by senators Wednesday to meet available funds. Regardless of whether the governor signs, vetoes, or line-item vetoes the bill, both sides in the Senate conceded Wednesday that the passage of the bill does not represent the five-party agreement reached before Thanksgiving and still marks a beginning point for reaching agreement on a pension reform and revenue bill that can support the $30.788 billion budget plan.

http://www.plsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/1093/Surprise-budget-hits-governor%E2%80%99s-desk-but-it-faces-an-uncertain-future.aspx

Budget blues: A broken record

Philly.com by Angela Couloumbis and Chris Palmer, HARRISBURG BUREAU. Updated: DECEMBER 24, 2015 — 1:07 AM EST

HARRISBURG - For the last six months, the word record has seeped into nearly every budget conversation in the Capitol.

Record funding for public education.

Record relief for pained property taxpayers statewide.

Record overhaul of a state liquor system that dates to Prohibition.

But on Wednesday, the only record that Gov. Wolf and the Republican-controlled legislature set was solidifying the longest budget impasse in modern state history. As legislators headed home for Christmas without a solution for their deep divisions, political veterans struggled to recall when there last was such paralysis and straight-up dysfunction in the Capitol. Even during prolonged budget battles under another Democrat, Gov. Ed Rendell - he, like Wolf, faced a GOP-dominated legislature, and did so for much of his two terms - the sides worked around ideological differences (and, some would say, egos) to deliver deals.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20151224_Budget_blues__A_broken_record.html#rTsXgB3SdGw8iARA.99

Capitol empties as Pa. budget deal collapses

by Chris Palmer and Angela Couloumbis, HARRISBURG BUREAU. Updated: DECEMBER 24, 2015 — 1:07 AM EST

HARRISBURG - For two whirlwind days, lawmakers tried a flurry of last-ditch maneuvers to end the historic budget gridlock and enact some version of a state spending plan. But by Wednesday night, the Capitol had emptied, presumably for the holiday weekend, with no clear resolution in sight. Again. Earlier in the day, the Senate unexpectedly broke from its agreement with Gov. Wolf to back a $30.8 billion spending plan that included an unprecedented infusion of money for schools. Senators instead approved a scaled-down House budget proposal that their leaders had once rejected, and sent it to Wolf's desk. The governor vetoed a similar plan in June. As Wednesday ended, it remained unclear whether he would do so again, which could extend the impasse that has left many schools, nonprofits, and county governments on the brink of running out of cash. Wolf has 10 days to act. "We must continue our fight for historic education funding," he said in a statement while offering no clues to his next step.

"It seems that the Republican Legislature is intent on continuing the Harrisburg status quo and getting out of town to go on vacation instead of continuing the hard work to move Pennsylvania forward," the governor stated. "Change is difficult ... but we must continue our fight for historic education funding that will begin to restore the cuts from five years ago, and a budget that is balanced, paid for, and fixes our deficit."

Is this the end to prolonged state budget impasse? We'll see

By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on December 23, 2015 at 7:11 PM, updated December 23, 2015 at 10:31 PM

For the third time in six months, the GOP-controlled General Assembly has sent a budget to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk for enactment. And like the first two that he vetoed, this is not the budget he wanted. What he will do with this latest plan is not yet known. However, a statement issued moments after the Senate voted 33-17 on Wednesday afternoon to pass the $30.3 billion budget bill made the prospects of him signing it sound dim.

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/12/is_this_the_end_to_prolonged_s.html#incart_river_index

Pennsylvania House leaders, in the absence of a budget deal, send lawmakers home

Penn Live By Charles Thompson | cthompson@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on December 23, 2015 at 1:56 PM, updated December 23, 2015 at 8:44 PM

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has adjourned for the day, and most members are leaving town for the Christmas holiday, subject to a return to session on a six-hour call.

House Republican leaders announced that decision after a Wednesday morning meeting with Senate Republican leaders produced no movement in an interlocking stand-off over taxes, spending levels and public pension reform.

'We can do this': House Democratic leaders urge budget vote after Republicans call for a recess

Penn Live By Christian Alexandersen | calexandersen@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on December 23, 2015 at 2:03 PM, updated December 23, 2015 at 4:37 PM

Democratic leaders are urging Republicans in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives tocome back into session and vote to end the six-month budget impasse. On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Turzai said no more votes would be taken and place members on six-hour call. Democrats were upset by the decisions because it delayed any consideration of a $30.8 billion budget proposal. Republicans have said they will not vote on the Senate-passed budget bill until it is accompanied with a tax plan. GOP members said they want to know how the state plans to pay for what's contained in the budget.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2015/12/we_can_do_this_house_democrati.html#incart_2box_news

Budget Heads to Governor’s Desk: Includes Record School Funding, Fully Supports Human Service Agencies and Keeps Government Operating

Speaker Turzai's website 12/23/2015

Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) and House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana County) today responded to Senate passage of House Bill 1460, a $30.3 billion spending proposal which would provide an immediate end to the state budget impasse and increase funding for PreK-12 education by $405 million.
"We are convinced the public truly appreciates the work of the Senate to take up the House legislation we passed Dec. 8. By passing the House General Appropriations Bill, House Bill 1460, we now have a responsible budget that lives within our means while still amply providing for core state budget priorities. “We look forward to working with House Democrats, Senate Republicans and Democrats, and the governor to ensure revenues are in place in a timely fashion. It’s time to bring this budget impasse to a conclusion in a manner which respects our taxpayers.
“It is long past time to get money out to our school districts and human service agencies and keep government operating. We urge the governor to sign this bill when it gets to his desk.”
Representative Mike Turzai, Speaker
Representative Dave Reed, Majority Leader
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Governor Wolf Statement on Senate’s Passage of a Budget

Governor Wolf's website December 23, 2015

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Wolf released the following statement regarding the Senate passage of a budget: “It was only one day ago that the House displayed a historic show of bipartisanship that bucked Speaker Turzai and the tea party. Yesterday, the House advanced a responsible budget with historic education funding and placed it on the verge of passage. It is deeply disappointing that today the Senate has caved to those same House leaders and extreme interests to continue the failed status quo and harm our schools and children by denying them these critical additional funds. “A historic compromise budget that included the largest increase in education funding in history, reforms in public pensions, and a reduction in the deficit was within reach. It seems that the Republican legislature is intent on continuing the Harrisburg status quo and getting out of town to go on vacation instead of continuing the hard work to move Pennsylvania forward. “Change is difficult, and clearly more so given this legislature, but we must continue our fight for historic education funding that will begin to restore the cuts from five years ago, and a budget that is balanced, paid for, and fixes our deficit.”

https://www.governor.pa.gov/governor-wolf-statement-on-senates-passage-of-a-budget/

Pa. House, Senate send Gov. Wolf lower-cost state budget bill

By Kate Giammarise / Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau December 24, 2015 12:19 AM

HARRISBURG — In another twist in the state’s ongoing budget stalemate, the state Senate Wednesday passed a House version of a budget it had previously gutted in committee and appeared to reject. In a mostly party-line vote, Senators approved the $30.26 billion spending plan, sending it to the desk of Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. “This is not an agreed-to budget,” said Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, said the plan was “the only way we can get a budget to the governor’s desk.” The governor did not say if he would veto it outright. “A historic compromise budget that included the largest increase in education funding in history, reforms in public pensions, and a reduction in the deficit was within reach. It seems that the Republican legislature is intent on continuing the Harrisburg status quo and getting out of town to go on vacation instead of continuing the hard work to move Pennsylvania forward,” said a statement from Mr. Wolf’s office.

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2015/12/23/Pension-bill-opposition-threatens-to-derail-state-budget/stories/201512230171

Senate sends $30.3B budget to Wolf as record-setting impasse looms

Trib Live By Brad Bumsted Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015, 10:42 a.m.
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf has 10 days to sign a $30.3 billion House-passed budget the Senate sent to him Wednesday or the measure becomes law without his signature. The Senate voted 33-17 to send the bill to the governor in the 176th day of a budget impasse, putting the onus on Wolf as Pennsylvania was about to set a record Thursday for the longest budget stalemate in at least 40 years. The budget would increase spending by 3.7 percent but not raise state taxes. Wolf, a Democrat, did not say whether he would sign or veto the bill. He expressed disappointment and blasted House Republicans for scuttling a deal he had cut with both Senate caucuses and House Democrats for a $30.8 billion budget that would raise taxes but boost funding for public schools by $350 million, reform public pensions and make liquor system changes. It would have increased spending 6 percent.

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/9684265-74/budget-senate-wolf

LNP Editorial: If Pa. only had a state budget

The LNP Editorial Board December 23, 2015

THE ISSUE: The previous modern-day Pennsylvania budget impasse lasted until a deal was reached Dec. 23, 2003. Asked Tuesday if a deal was possible, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s spokesman Jeffrey Sheridan said: “This is all on the House Republicans at this point.” House GOP spokesman Steve Miskin put chances of a deal being reached Tuesday at “zero.” With acknowledgment that a fictional plot — spinning house in the tornado and all — is actually more believable than what’s happening in Harrisburg these days, Pennsylvania’s state budget is beginning to resemble “The Wizard of Oz.” Like Dorothy, our poor state budget is wandering in search of its home. “There’s no place like the governor’s desk,” our protagonist might be saying, clicking its ink-red heels without result. Playing the part of the Wicked Witch of the West is any lawmaker who leaves Harrisburg for Christmas without demanding at least a vote on a full-year budget. House Republican leaders, alas, seem to be playing the parts of the Scarecrow (“If I only had a brain, I’d not keep scuttling deals that would get this done”) and the Lion (“If I only had some nerve, I’d at least permit a vote on the deal that passes muster with the Senate and the governor”). They also are playing the pretend-wizard, the man behind the curtain, who has no real answers — only illusions.

http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/editorials/if-pa-only-had-a-state-budget/article_dad858ee-a8f7-11e5-ac36-c3e547d989f1.html

Five more Tweets that explain what's happening with the #PaBudget: Wednesday Morning Coffee

Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on December 23, 2015 at 8:15 AM, updated December 23, 2015 at 8:18 AM

Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
Now that Tuesday's parliamentary drama in the state House is out of the way, today is for all the marbles. Insurgent Republicans, joined by Democrats, will try to get a #PaBudget bill onto Gov. Tom Wolf's desk, thus ending the state's longest-ever budget stand-off. But, you ask, what of pensions? What of booze? What of taxes? What of the fiscal code and lobbyists hung by the chimney with care? Well on, Turzai! On Reed! On Corman and Wagner! On Christiana! On Evankovich, On Metcalfe and Vereb! Assuming today's push is successful, it can go one of two ways: Lawmakers might well press on with all those items ... ...Or ... they might wait until after Christmas, arguing that the approval of a general fund budget bill gives Wolf the authority to release money to schools and nonprofits and then come back and deal with all of it after the holiday. At least that's the impression we were left with after some conversations we had last night. So to bring you up to speed, here are the five (or so) Tweets that explain where things are with the budget on this 23rd day of December.

http://blog.pennlive.com/capitol-notebook/2015/12/five_more_tweets_that_explain_1.html

Auditor General DePasquale Reopens Audit of Fell Charter School in Lackawanna County to Obtain Tuition Billing Records

Files writ in county court to compel compliance by charter school, former management company

Auditor General DePasquale's website December 21, 2015

SCRANTON (Dec. 21, 2015) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today said he has reopened an audit released earlier this month of Fell Charter School, Lackawanna County, and filed a writ in county court to obtain tuition, enrollment, and principal certification documentation unavailable to auditors during the recent audit. “It is infuriating that Fell Charter School has not produced sufficient documentation to justify tuition bills it sent to local school districts,” DePasquale said. “The public has a right to know whether these tuition charges are justified. On behalf of the taxpayers, today I will file a writ in Lackawanna County Court to compel this charter school and/or its former management company to once and for all completely comply with our requests for these public records.” A writ is an order from a higher court that directs a lower court or a government official to take some kind of action. Writs are generally similar to subpoenas.

Despite a contractual relationship with a management company, charter schools, like other public schools, are required to retain records for a period of not less than six years pursuant to the Public School Code. In addition, as schools organized as public, nonprofit corporations, charter schools are subject to other document retention requirements. DePasquale said the reopened audit also will seek information on the certification of the school’s principal who, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, has not held the required principal certification since the 2009-10 school year, yet has continued to function as the charter school’s principal.

http://www.paauditor.gov/press-releases/auditor-general-depasquale-reopens-audit-of-fell-charter-school-in-lackawanna-county-to-obtain-tuition-billing-records

Blogger note: if these programs were funded by businesses making charitable contributions instead of diverting tax dollars this would not be an issue.

"As it stands as I write this piece, the tax credits for this year will all disappear by Dec. 31, with no budging from the governor."

Wolf, lawmakers must reauthorize school tax credit program for needy kids: Kirk Hallett

PennLive Op-Ed By Kirk Hallett on December 23, 2015 at 10:00 AM, updated December 23, 2015 at 10:04 AM

Kirk Hallett is founder and director of The Joshua Group in Harrisburg's Allison Hill neighborhood.

The Joshua Group is a nonprofit organization operating a Learning and Resource Center on the 1400 block of Allison Hill in Harrisburg. Our mission is focused on the education of the youth in this city. We espouse that education is the anti-poverty program that works. Our center is located right in the middle of the worst poverty situations, offering a variety of educational programs to help kids from the city get the most out of their academic experience. It might be all they have to change the way things are. To that end, several years ago, we started providing early childhood classes at the center for any child on the waiting list of Head Start.

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2015/12/wolf_lawmakers_must_reauthoriz.html#incart_river_index

"But the unprecedented federal intervention that resulted didn't do nearly enough to address all the non-academic challenges that low-performing students bring to the classroom. The federal scheme simply punished schools that aren't full of students who show up ready and eager to learn. Teachers who took on the challenge of educating those students were browbeaten for not being miracle workers."

Inky Editorial: Leaving no child behind

by Inquirer Editorial Board. Updated: DECEMBER 23, 2015 — 3:01 AM EST

President Obama and Congress gave students and teachers across America a welcome holiday present by completely revamping the well-intentioned but hopelessly flawed No Child Left Behind education funding law. President George W. Bush's signature domestic achievement, which was enacted 14 years ago, forced schools to become academic pressure cookers and turned students into "test-taking robots," as some critics put it. The "extras" that make a well-rounded education and encourage the joy of lifelong learning - art, music, physical education, critical thinking, civic participation - became afterthoughts, or were sacrificed altogether. No Child Left Behind was an understandable response to what Bush called "the soft bigotry of low expectations." For too long, the poor education many schools delivered to disadvantaged students had been tolerated as just a grim fact of life.

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20151223_Leaving_no_child_behind.html#dTKUlkmXDbsbDoJq.99

PSBA New School Director Training

School boards who will welcome new directors after the election should plan to attend PSBA training to help everyone feel more confident right from the start. This one-day event is targeted to help members learn the basics of their new roles and responsibilities. Meet the friendly, knowledgeable PSBA team and bring everyone on your “team of 10” to get on the same page fast.

$150 per registrant (No charge if your district has a LEARN Pass. Note: All-Access members also have LEARN Pass.)
One-hour lunch on your own — bring your lunch, go to lunch, or we’ll bring a box lunch to you; coffee/tea provided all day
Course materials available online or we’ll bring a printed copy to you for an additional $25
Registrants receive one month of 100-level online courses for each registrant, after the live class

Remaining Locations:

Butler area — Jan. 9 Midwestern IU 4, Grove City (note: location changed from Penn State New Kensington)
Allentown area — Jan. 16 Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, Schnecksville
Central PA — Jan. 30 Nittany Lion Inn, State College
Delaware Co. IU 25 — Feb. 1
Scranton area — Feb. 6 Abington Heights SD, Clarks Summit
North Central area —Feb. 13 Mansfield University, Mansfield

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.

Save the Dates for These 2016 Annual EPLC Regional State Budget Education Policy Forums

Sponsored by The Education Policy and Leadership Center

Thursday, February 11 - 8:30-11:00 a.m. - Harrisburg
Wednesday, February 17 - 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania)
Thursday, February 25 - 8:30-11:00 a.m. - Pittsburgh

Invitation and more details in January

PASBO 61st Annual Conference and Exhibits March 8 - 11, 2016
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania

http://files.pasbo.org/conf_annual.asp

The Network for Public Education 3rd Annual National Conference April 16-17, 2016 Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Network for Public Education is thrilled to announce the location for our 3rd Annual National Conference. On April 16 and 17, 2016 public education advocates from across the country will gather in Raleigh, North Carolina. We chose Raleigh to highlight the tremendous activist movement that is flourishing in North Carolina. No one exemplifies that movement better than the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, who will be the conference keynote speaker. Rev. Barber is the current president of the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, the National NAACP chair of the Legislative Political Action Committee, and the founder of Moral Mondays.

http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/2016-national-conference/

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

Friday, December 11, 2015

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec 11: Senate Ed Bill: Everything but the kitchen sink - BEF hybrid, Keystones grad reqmt delay; cyber charter funding; state takeover plan; PLANCON reform

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup December 11, 2015:

Senate Ed Bill: Everything but the kitchen sink - BEF hybrid, Keystones grad reqmt delay; cyber charter funding; state takeover plan; PLANCON reform

Campaign for Fair Education Funding: PA Lawmakers need to deliver a #PABudget that meets the needs of every child. Ask them to at:

http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51238/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16556

Today might be an excellent day to reach out to your House members. Phone numbers are here:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/contact.cfm?body=H

New federal law earns high marks from state's top education official

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on December 10, 2015 at 4:52 PM

Pennsylvania's Education Secretary Pedro Rivera welcomes the enactment of a new federal education law that shifts more decision-making powers back to the states. The law, called the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed on Thursday by President Barack Obama represents a sweeping overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act and its one-size-fits-all policies that dictated accountability and improvement for all of the nation's schools. "It's empowering us state and local decision-makers to develop our own system for school improvement," Rivera said. "It's creating more access to high-quality preschool programs. It's understanding that there's far too much of an onerous burden of testing on students and teachers. So it gives a little more flexibility to how we assess education and school districts across the state." What is heartening to Rivera is how the federal sentiment dovetails with Gov. Tom Wolf's education agenda and desire to ensure students graduate career and college ready.

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/12/new_federal_education_law_earn.html#incart_river_index

"It calls for introducing a bi-partisan-backed formula crafted by the Basic Education Funding Commission to distribute some of the $350 million increase proposed for basic education in 2015-16. Districts that would fare better under the current distribution method would receive their share of the new money based on that system. A breakdown of how much individual districts would receive under this hybrid funding system was not available Thursday evening. The hybrid would last only one year as the legislation commits to using only the commission-recommended formula to distribute new money for basic education in future years.

Another aspect of the bill includes delaying until 2018-19 the controversial use of Keystone Exams or a state-approved alternative as a graduation requirement. That requirement is set to take effect for the Class of 2017. It also includes a provision inserted in the House ordering the Department of Education to do a six-month study of alternatives to the exams' use as a graduation requirement.

The Senate-passed bill also proposes a number of House-passed reforms affecting charter schools to improve the accountability and transparency of these independent public schools. It calls for allowing school districts to make certain deductions from tuition payments to cyber charter schools, and capping how much money they can keep in unassigned fund balances. It also would establish a charter school funding commission to recommend a new way to fund these schools that students attend at no cost.

Other highlights of the bill include creating a three-year pilot to try to turnaround five under-performing schools in Philadelphia; reforming the system for state reimbursement of school construction costs;"

Senate-passed education bill likely to face opposition in the House

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on December 10, 2015 at 8:46 PM, updated December 10, 2015 at 8:47 PM

The state Senate on Thursday approved an education bill that would begin to overhaul the way state funding to school districts is distributed and delay by two years the start of using the Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement, among other reforms. The 102-page bill passed by 41-7 vote with no debate, just moments after the measure became public at a Senate Appropriations Committee. It now goes to the House for concurrence, where House Education Committee Chairman Stan Saylor, R-Red Lion, indicated Thursday night it will likely receive a chilly reception. While he was not certain what all was in the bill, he said from what he was told about it, "there's no way the House could pass the bill as they sent it over." "There's no way the House could pass the bill as they sent it over." Rep. Stan Saylor He declined to elaborate on what parts he might not agree with, saying he wanted to review the bill first.

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/12/senate_passes_multi-faceted_ed.html#incart_river_index

"Sources say the votes were a necessary tradeoff in order to secure the roughly $100 million funding boost that would come to city schools as part of the budget framework agreed to by Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican legislative leaders.

The $100 million boost nearly equals the annual funding Philadelphia lost when the state eliminated the "charter reimbursement" line-item. That part of the Pennsylvania budget helped the district cover the added, systemic costs incurred when students enroll in charters. That was cut in the first budget passed during former Gov. Tom Corbett's tenure.

This legislation appears to be a compromise version of a bill forwarded by state Sen. Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster) earlier in the year that was modeled, in part, after Tennessee's "achievement school district."

Pa. Senate passes bill calling for dramatic interventions at bottom performing schools

WHYY Newsworks BY KEVIN MCCORRY DECEMBER 11, 2015

In a bipartisan 42-9 vote, the Pennsylvania Senate approved a school code billThursday evening that would require the state to take drastic intervention at five "persistently low achieving" schools per year. The "opportunity schools" legislation says the state secretary of education will have discretion to choose the five schools from a list of chronic low performers as measured by the state's school performance profile index. The schools would then come under the purview of the Pennsylvania Department of Education for at least three years.

The education department would have five intervention options:

Turn over operations of the school to an outside education management organization
Convert the school into a neighborhood-based charter
Close the school and facilitate transfering students to higher performing schools
Authorize a new charter and guarantee admission preference to students who reside in the area around the low performing school
Replace the principal and at least half of the school's staff

A school district or charter school can appeal the designation of its school as a "chronic low performer" within 30 days. As part of its power as overseer of the "opportunity schools," the Pennsylvania Department of Education would have wide leeway to make staffing changes as it sees fit. The department could hire employees and managers who do not hold state certification. Employees could be reassigned, suspended or dismissed at will. Each of the eight state senators who represent Philadelphia voted for the bill.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/89025-pa-senate-passes-bill-calling-for-dramatic-interventions-at-bottom-performing-schools?linktype=hp_impact

Senate moves Pennsylvania budget fight into House's court

Morning Call by MARC LEVY, AP December 10, 2015 10:01 pm

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Senate sprinted through hundreds of pages of just-unveiled budget legislation Thursday, handing it back to the House Republican majority and all but ensuring that a five-month stalemate that is crippling social services agencies would plow into next week. The House adjourned until Saturday, when Majority Leader Dave Reed said Republicans there should have a better idea of what elements of the package of budget-related legislation they can support and what elements they cannot. The Republican-controlled Senate adjourned Thursday night after a marathon week of passing major bills that authorize $30.8 billion in spending, overhaul public pension benefits and smash state control over the sale of wine. The last bill it passed — a 100-page education policy and school spending bill — came up for a vote within moments of it becoming public. The Senate's legislation has the support of Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, putting pressure on the House GOP to respond as social service agency layoffs mount and borrowing by counties and school districts approaches $1 billion.

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-budget-20151210-story.html

Budget framework back on…kind of

The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Thursday, December 10, 2015

Good news on Thursday if you were hoping to see that budget framework agreement to come back together with all five parties on board; it has, but only kind of. After discussions with Senate colleagues on how to move forward both Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, it appears there is movement in the House Republican caucus to support some version of to-be-tweaked budget framework agreement that was announced just before Thanksgiving. Those close to the inner-workings of the budget deal say the legislative process behind getting the various pieces of legislation through the General Assembly could be wrapped up by the early to mid-part of next week. What the tweaks would be was still a bit of a continuing mystery Thursday evening as House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana) left a meeting with Senate Republican leadership.

“There are some things around the edges potentially on all issues,” he said. “We just haven’t seen the final products yet.”

http://plsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/artmid/472/articleid/1057/Budget-framework-back-on%E2%80%A6kind-of.aspx#.VmoAK9IXg10.twitter

"Another area of potential dispute between the House and Senate was if or how to divvy up an additional $350 million in funding to schools that's a key part of the framework."
Pa. Senate approves budget bills, expansion of wine sales

by Chris Palmer, Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau. Updated: DECEMBER 10, 2015 — 4:47 PM EST

HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Senate on Thursday passed nearly all the final pieces of a long-overdue budget plan, including a bill that would allow consumers for the first time to purchase wine in some supermarkets and restaurants. The bill, which passed 29-21 in the Senate, would enable licensed supermarkets, restaurants, or bars to sell as many as four bottles of wine to customers. Though the votes may indicate progress toward an end to the budget crisis, they came with an elephant in the room no one would discuss: which taxes would be raised to pay for the $30.8 billion spending plan reached by Senators and Gov. Wolf - one that still needs to win support in the House. "Instead of me talking about what I believe is in it, just wait and see," the governor said during a session with reporters Thursday. The lack of details on how to fund the budget has been a key sticking point in budget negotiations this week, and perhaps the central item standing between lawmakers and a completed spending plan.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20151211_Pa__Senate_approves_budget_bills__expansion_of_wine_sales.html#IYqTytj6fSLxpy30.99

Speaker Turzai to be Ousted?

PoliticsPA Written by Jason Addy, Contributing Writer December 10, 2015

As (some) lawmakers work together to bring the budget impasse to an end, straining relationships in the House GOP leadership could bring negotiations to a halting crash.

More than two dozen House Republicans and Democrats have met this week to discuss ousting Rep. Mike Turzai as Speaker of the House, Kevin Zwick of Capitolwire reports. The group has even brought in an experienced attorney to draft a resolution to remove Turzai.

“It’s very serious. I think that members are getting blamed for what’s going on and I think that pot has begun to boil over,” an unnamed House GOP source told Capitolwire. “The credibility of the institution, it’s losing its value by the minute, and the person who gets held responsible in many eyes is the top dog – the Speaker.” The anonymous source said Turzai could be gone as soon as next week if a budget isn’t passed before then, though another source called the talk an “intensified rumor,” with people looking for a scapegoat for the six months of fruitless negotiations

http://www.politicspa.com/speaker-turzai-to-be-ousted/71280/

"According to the report, just five states had 5 percent of African-Americans in high school graduating classes pass at least one AP test in a STEM subject."

Report finds continuing achievement gap in academic performance

By Mary Niederberger / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette December 10, 2015 11:02 AM

While there has been some improvement in academic achievement among African-American students since the early 1990s, overall performance levels remain critically low nationally, and Pennsylvania’s results fall below national averages. That information was contained in the report “The Path Forward: Improving Opportunities For African-American Students,” released today by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the NAACP. “We certainly want to highlight that there is good news. But the reason we are doing this is that we want to impress upon folks that this is a crisis in our community,” said Cheryl Oldham, vice president for the Center for Education and Workforce Development at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2015/12/10/Report-finds-continuing-achievement-gap-in-U-S-academic-performance-Pennsylvania-lags-behind/stories/201512100044

Why the ‘no property tax’ idea that scares PA’s public schools isn’t going away

Billy Penn By Anna Orso December 10, 2015

What if the way most Pennsylvania public schools bring in cash just… went away?

Politicians on both sides of the aisle have been trying just that for years: Scrapping the state’s property tax and replacing the more-than-$13 billion it generates with higher tax rates on sales and personal income. Translation: You’d pay more in taxes out of your paycheck and when you buy things. But you’ll get a huge break if you own a home or a business. The latest bill that would have made Pennsylvania the first state in the union to ditch a property tax completely was narrowly defeated on Nov. 23 in the state Senate. In a vote that literally couldn’t have been closer, Lt. Gov. Mike Stack stepped in to break a tie and voted “no” on the measure. It’s the closest property tax elimination proponents have come in the Keystone State to achieving their decades-old goal: Only two taxes — sales and income — instead of three (even if it’s at the expense of local school districts losing tons of control). Key sponsors of two separate but similar bills, one in the House and one in the Senate, say the fight isn’t over, and this issue is far from dead.

http://billypenn.com/2015/12/10/why-the-no-property-tax-idea-that-scares-pas-public-schools-isnt-going-away/?platform=hootsuite

PSBA pleased with order to block use of Property Tax Relief Funds for charter payments

PSBA Website December 10, 2015

PSBA is pleased with the Order issued Dec. 9 by the Commonwealth Court stating that Property Tax Relief Funds (PTRF) will not be distributed to charter schools by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) or the state Treasury. According to the document, after the state budget is passed, all pending charter redirection requests, including basic education and special education subsidies, will be funded from non-PTRF state subsidies. The Order comes after PSBA filed a lawsuit Oct. 21 in the Commonwealth Court against the PDE and the state Treasury after the PDE announced it was redirecting gaming revenues marked for property tax relief to charter schools. “PSBA fully supports the Order issued by the Commonwealth Court that prohibits the use of Property Tax Relief Funds to make payments to charter schools. These funds are to be used solely to benefit taxpayers,” said PSBA Executive Director Nathan Mains. “We greatly appreciate the support and participation of the Phoenixville Area School District and the Eastern Lancaster County School District, named petitioners with PSBA on the lawsuit filed in regards to this issue. We also thank the MeKeesport Area School District for intervening and providing support to the effort.”

https://www.psba.org/2015/12/psba-pleased-with-order-to-block-use-of-property-tax-relief-funds-for-charter-payments/

"With the help of Penn doctoral student Justice Walker, I recently surveyed 111 public and private high schools in the Philadelphia region to find out what kind of computer science classes are available. In the School District of Philadelphia, just 19 high schools, representing 22 percent of all district high schools, reported offering some type of introductory computing course that goes beyond teaching students how to make PowerPoint presentations."

Schools must make computer science a priority

Philly.com Opinion By Yasmin Kafai Updated: DECEMBER 11, 2015 — 3:01 AM EST

Yasmin Kafai is a professor of learning sciences at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, the author of "Connected Code: Why Children Need to Learn Programming," and a codeveloper of scratch.mit.edu, a free youth programming site. kafai@gse.upenn.edu
This week, students in Philadelphia have been among millions of children and young adults around the world participating in the Hour of Code (hourofcode.com), 60-minute online tutorials intended to demystify computer programming. Participants use characters and themes from Minecraft, Frozen, or Star Wars to create simulated environments and games using basic computer science concepts. The Hour of Code is a teaser: a way to ignite students' interest in computer science. But for thousands of students in Philadelphia area schools, any interest in coding sparked by these online tutorials is likely to be snuffed out by a harsh reality: Very few public high schools offer computer science classes.

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20151211_Schools_must_make_computer_science_a_priority.html#SIWJOXX1o6LTWkEY.99

"Embraced by an unusual coalition of Republican, Democrats, business groups and teachers’ unions, the law was a curiosity in a capital more often gripped lately by partisan gridlock. Mr. Obama referred to the bipartisan bill-signing as “a Christmas miracle.”

President Obama Signs Into Law a Rewrite of No Child Left Behind

New York Times By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS DEC. 10, 2015

The president signed a new education reform bill that shifts power from the federal government to the states on issues of school performance and accountability.

WASHINGTON — Putting an end to more than a decade of strict federal control of public education, President Obama on Thursday signed a sweeping rewrite of the No Child Left Behind act that returns power to states and local districts to determine how to improve troubled schools. The bill is a bipartisan measure that preserves federally mandated standardized testing but eliminates the punitive consequences for states and districts that perform poorly. The new version, renamed the Every Student Succeeds Act, also bars the government from imposing academic requirements like the Common Core. “This bill makes long-overdue fixes to the last education law, replacing the one-size-fits-all approach to reform with a commitment to provide every student with a well-rounded education,” Mr. Obama said at a White House signing ceremony for the law. “With this bill, we reaffirm that fundamental American ideal that every child — regardless of race, income, background, the ZIP code where they live — deserves the chance to make out of their lives what they will.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/11/us/politics/president-obama-signs-into-law-a-rewrite-of-no-child-left-behind.html?ref=education&_r=0

No Child Left Behind: An Obituary

NPR by CORY TURNER All Things Considered Runtime: 3:24 Updated December 9, 2015 5:49 PM ET

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote as soon as Wednesday on replacing the nation's big education law, known since 2001 as No Child Left Behind. And President Obama is expected to sign the new version, ending an era marked by bitter fights between the federal government, states and schools. So as it dies, we thought an obituary was in order. Yup, an obituary. Because the law's critics and defenders all agree on one thing: No Child Left Behind took on a life of its own. Actually, they agree on one other thing, too: "If No Child Left Behind was a person, he or she should have died a long time ago." That's how outgoing U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan puts it. "It's about time to finish it off and to bury it. And to do something much better."

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/12/08/458844737/no-child-left-behind-an-obituary

The State of Charter Schools, A Report by Pro-Charter Advocacy Group

Diane Ravitch's Blog By dianeravitch December 10, 2015 //

Bellwether Education Partners is a consulting firm that works with “reform” organizations, with charter chains, Teach for America, and others who promote the privatization of public education and the replacement of the teaching profession with inexperienced short-timers.It prepared this very interesting report on the state of charter schools today. It projects that by the year 2035, between 20-40 percent of all students will be in charter schools (p. 60). The report contains a wealth of information about which states and cities have the most charters, about which states do not permit charters (there are five of them), about the demographics of charters, about how many charters have opened and how many have closed, etc. The language of the report is much like an annual report to the board of directors of a corporation.

http://dianeravitch.net/2015/12/10/the-state-of-charter-schools-a-report-by-pro-charter-advocacy-group/

Charter schools are a ‘gravy train,’ say researchers

A new report examines the methods charter school operators can use to enrich themselves

AlJazeera America by Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff December 10, 2015 12:01AM ET

The policy framework for U.S. charter schools encourages “privatization and profiteering,” a research institute said in a report released Thursday. Charter schools are able to siphon off large quantities of public money for private gain — and only substantial changes to state policies regarding charter schools can stop this, according to the authors of the report from the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) at University of Colorado Boulder. Many education reform advocates argue that the charter school model — under which publicly funded schools are administered by bodies other than the school board, such as private Education Management Organizations (EMOs) — promotes experimentation and newer, fresher teaching methods. But the same permissive charter regulations intended to boost innovation can also help EMOs pocket cash better spent elsewhere, the NEPC report said. “What we found is that there are a host of real estate and tax laws that were not put in place with charter schools in mind, but that the owners of charter school enterprises are using in order to profit,” NEPC Director Kevin Welner said. “I think that understanding the nature of the charter school gravy train, as I call it, is extremely important for the public and policymakers."

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/10/charter-schools-are-a-gravy-train-say-researchers.html