Tuesday, September 23, 2014

PA Ed Policy Roundup Sept 23: Statewide coverage of first gubernatorial debate

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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for September 23, 2014:
Statewide coverage of first gubernatorial debate


Corbett, Wolf clash over taxes, finances in 1st Pa gubernatorial debate
Delco Times By MARC LEVY, Associated Press POSTED: 09/23/14, 5:03 AM EDT |
HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — Taxes, state government finances and education policy dominated the first debate in the Pennsylvania governor’s race Monday night, as Republican Gov. Tom Corbett sought to raise questions about the viability of Democrat Tom Wolf’s policy goals and Wolf attacked Corbett’s handling of the economy and schools.  Corbett cast himself as the candidate who will resist increasing government spending and repeatedly questioned where Wolf would find the money to raise the state’s share of public school spending to 50 percent, plus meet other priorities.

Corbett, Wolf go toe-to-toe over education, taxes and more in first debate
Penn Live By Christina Kauffman | ckauffman@pennlive.com  on September 22, 2014 at 10:07 PM, updated September 22, 2014 at 10:24 PM
In their first face-to-face debate, Gov. Tom Corbett and Democratic challenger Tom Wolf exchanged civil but pointed discourse Tuesday during the best-attended dinner in the history of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.  The candidates used the questions posed during the business and economy-focused debate to cut different paths to an audience of about 2,000 businesspeople.  Wolf, a York County businessman, emphasized his private-sector experience and the rescue of a family business on the brink of bankruptcy during the recession.
Corbett stressed his pro-business and free-enterprise taxation policies.

In first debate, an energized Corbett landed blows. But was it enough?: John L. Micek
Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com 
on September 22, 2014 at 9:09 PM, updated September 22, 2014 at 10:01 PM
HERSHEY —  On Monday night, a Tom Corbett apparently pining for the predictable rules and structure of a courtroom — not the rock 'em, sock 'em  chaos of state government — finally got his chance to make his argument to a jury of what he likely considered his peers: the annual dinner of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.  For nearly an hour, the former, two-term top cop-turned-Republican governor prowled the stage at the Hershey Lodge, prodding Democratic challenger Tom Wolf on the fine-print specifics of his plan to reform Pennsylvania's personal income tax.

"No incumbent Pennsylvania governor has lost reelection since 1974, the first election cycle after the state constitution was changed to allow second terms. From World War II until that point, the governor's office alternated between the two parties every eight years."
Corbett hits Wolf hard in first of 3 debates
THOMAS FITZGERALD AND AMY WORDEN, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, September 23, 2014, 1:08 AM POSTED: Monday, September 22, 2014, 9:55 PM
HERSHEY, Pa. - Behind in the polls, Gov. Corbett went on offense Monday night in the first televised debate of the Pennsylvania governor's race, defending himself as a steady steward of taxpayers' money while characterizing Democrat Tom Wolf as an untested entity with vague promises.  "Everybody makes mistakes," Corbett said when asked to reflect on his first term. "Have I communicated the best? Probably not." But he said he had "changed the culture of Harrisburg from tax-and-spend" to fiscal responsibility.

Corbett, Wolf spar in first of three gubernatorial debates
By James O'Toole / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette September 23, 2014 12:03 AM
HERSHEY, Pa. -- Maybe it was the friendly crowd. Maybe it was the arrival of the new twin grandchildren that he announced form the stage. But a quietly combative Gov. Tom Corbett appeared relaxed and fended off attacks on his education and economic record Monday night, while trying to portray his challenger, Democrat Tom Wolf, as a figure eager to raise taxes.
The first of their three scheduled debates featured uniformly civil exchanges and offered no bombshells likely to instantly transform a race in which Mr. Wolf has been the consistent front-runner. But Mr. Corbett was more often the low-key aggressor on the stage of the Hershey Lodge before a business-friendly audience gathered at the annual dinner of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.  Mr. Wolf appeared unfazed by the incumbent’s criticism, or the repeated queries from a moderator pressing him for more specifics on how he would change the state’s tax structure or how much more money would be needed to bring the educational improvements he has advocated.

Taxes at forefront of 1st Pa. governor debate between Corbett, Wolf
Trib Live By Brad Bumsted Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, 7:03 p.m.
HERSHEY — Republican Gov. Tom Corbett and Democratic challenger Tom Wolf traded charges over taxes and education in their first debate before Pennsylvania voters choose their next governor on Nov. 4.  Trailing in the polls, Corbett pressed Wolf for specifics on his tax plan. Wolf decried cuts in education under Corbett resulting in 27,000 job losses in education and “property taxes through the roof.”  Corbett, 65, of Shaler and Wolf, 65, of York County squared off on Monday night in the debate before almost 1,900 people attending the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry's annual dinner in the Hershey Lodge. Two more debates will follow: Oct. 1 in Philadelphia and Oct. 8 in Wilkinsburg.
Tom Corbett and Tom Wolf debate tax policy, education spending
By Laura Olson,Of The Morning Call September 22, 2014
Tom Corbett and Tom Wolf face off in their first of three debates.
— Republican Gov. Tom Corbett and Democratic challenger Tom Wolf faced off in their first debate Monday evening, sparring over tax policy, education spending and the direction the state is heading.  There were few fireworks between the two men. Wolf was calm and collected throughout the 45-minute debate, launching few pointed attacks on the incumbent, and Corbett grew more comfortable as he responded to his opponent's criticisms.  Corbett, who consistently has trailed Wolf by wide margins in public opinion polls, repeatedly pressed the York businessman to provide specifics on how he would revamp education spending and Pennsylvania's income tax system.  Wolf provided few details, instead sticking to his broad plans for creating what he says would be a "fairer" tax system and an education system that would better prepare Pennsylvanians for available jobs.

Corbett, Wolf spar over spending, taxes in first gubernatorial debate
Lancaster Online By KAREN SHUEY | Staff Writer Posted: Monday, September 22, 2014 3:00 pm | Updated: 11:05 pm, Mon Sep 22, 2014.
He came out swinging.
Seeming confident and self-assured despite facing a double-digit deficit in the polls, Gov. Tom Corbett stood center stage at the Hershey Lodge Monday night and took aim at his Democratic challenger Tom Wolf. The two candidates for governor took part in the first of their three scheduled debates, and Corbett very much played the role of the aggressor.
He dissected Wolf's tax plan. He questioned his opponent about the state’s pension crisis. He shared his own plan for generating the revenue needed to run his vision of the state.
His back against the wall, Corbett seemingly gave it everything he had. But it likely won’t be enough.  “This is pretty much what I expected with the exception of the comfort level we’ve seen from the governor,” said political analyst G. Terry Madonna minutes after the debate ended. “But it’s still not the game-changer he needed to make up ground.”

Corbett shows spunk in debate, perhaps too late
WHYY Newsworks BY MARY WILSON SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
The stakes were high for Republican Governor Tom Corbett going into his first debate with Tom Wolf, his Democratic challenger.  An averaging of recent polls shows the governor trailing by double digits.  At Corbett's first opportunity to speak, it looked like he would forfeit the debate before it even got started. He was preoccupied with the clock, and he cut himself off when he saw he had used up his allotted time for opening remarks. But it was a momentary falter in a 45-minute exchange that eventually had the crowd punctuating Corbett's remarks with applause.
The debate was hosted by the PA Chamber of Business and Industry, which supports the administration's pro-business policies. They were in his corner before the debate began, but Corbett's energy made them want to be there a little bit more.

Corbett makes a showing - is it enough?
WHYY Newsworks DAVE DAVIES OFF MIC  A BLOG BY DAVE DAVIES SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
 My scorecard in Pennsylvania's first gubernatorial debate: Corbett wins on points, with no knockout.  Corbett, the incumbent Republican governor, squared off with Democrat Tom Wolf for about 45 mintes before the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry in an event ably moderated by Dennis Owens of ABC27 in Harrisburg. By the way, I like the single-moderator format and the 45 minute length.  There were no game-changing gaffes. Nobody unsheathed some unknown fact about the others' past, or reeled off a cutting one liner, as you sometimes see in these things.  Both stuck to familiar lines of attack and policy points, though the stakes were much higher for Corbett, who trails badly in independent polls.

House passes new cigarette tax option for Philadelphia
Penn Live By Charles Thompson | cthompson@pennlive.com 
on September 22, 2014 at 6:44 PM, updated September 22, 2014 at 8:12 PM
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted 114-84 Monday to grant the Philadelphia officials the option to impose a local, $2-per-pack cigarette tax to help fund cash-strapped city schools.  The tax bill now moves to the state Senate, which could vote the measure later this week. If it passes there, Gov. Tom Corbett is expected to sign it.   The bipartisan vote, following months of on-again, off-again negotiations and legislative maneuvering, was carried to passage by 74 Democrats and 40 Republicans - including most of those from the Philadelphia suburbs.  Seventy Republicans and 14 Democrats were opposed.

Pa. House passes cigarette tax, next up is Senate
AMY WORDEN AND KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, September 23, 2014, 1:08 AM
After a months-long delay, the Pennsylvania House approved a bill Monday authorizing Philadelphia to impose a tax of $2 per pack on cigarettes to fund schools.  The bill - which passed without debate largely along party lines, 114-84 - next goes to the Senate, which could take a final vote as early as Wednesday.  Philadelphia lawmakers applauded the bill's passage as a way to generate funds to address an $80 million school budget shortfall.

"The amendment allows new charter applicants to petition the state charter appeals board (CAB) if they are rejected by the Philadelphia School Reform Commission.  …Proponents of the measure say it will give Philadelphia citizens better educational options. Opponents worry the change could lead to unfettered charter expansion, which would further deplete the district's resources, undercutting the short-term gains of the cigarette tax.
Pa. House passes $2-per-pack Philly cigarette tax on to Senate"
WHYY Newsworks BY KEVIN MCCORRY SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
In a 114-84 vote, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Monday once again approved the $2-per-pack Philadelphia cigarette tax for city schools.  The measure could get a vote in the Senate as soon as Wednesday. Gov. Tom Corbett has pledged to sign the bill upon passage.  The Philadelphia School District is counting on the cigarette tax to generate $49 million this fiscal year to avoid a slate of more than 1,000 layoffs that district officials warn would turn schools into "empty shells."  In order to generate this revenue, the district says collections must begin by Oct. 1.

"The reforms to the school construction project would streamline the school construction approval process taking it from a current 11-step process to a five-step process. Further it would allow districts to submit documents electronically and check on the status of their application online, among other changes."
House passes education bill that deals with school construction, snow make-up days and accountability
By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com  on September 22, 2014 at 6:47 PM, updated September 22, 2014 at 10:01 PM
The state House passed a multi-faceted education bill on Monday that streamlines the school construction approval process, creates a publicly accessible database to monitor school spending, and puts into law an option for dealing with school closures due to weather emergencies.  By a 196-2 vote, the House approved the Senate-passed bill, sending it over to Senate for concurrence on the myriad of changes the House made to it.
When the legislation left the Senate, it only dealt with giving districts options to counting the 180-day minimum length of a school year in 900 hours for first through sixth-graders and 990 hours for seventh- through 12th graders to make up days lost to weather emergencies. It also would provide for the option of having school on one Saturday a month.

PA Pension Crisis: Central Dauphin School Board votes 7-1 to support financial transaction tax study
Penn Live By Marijon Shearer | Special to PennLive on September 22, 2014 at 10:48 PM
With final revisions to make it clear they are just asking for a study of one "possible solution" to pension debt in Pennsylvania's public schools, seven members of the Central Dauphin School Board voted September 22 to ask state lawmakers to consider a temporary tax on financial transactions.  The resolution asks legislators to order a study of a proposed temporary sales tax on financial instruments such as stocks and derivatives. Revenue from the tax would be used exclusively for school district pension debt, the resolution says.

PA Pension Crisis: Signe Wilkinson September 22, 2014
Solution to our pension problem?

PA Pension Crisis: Legislators eye state pension system fix
Philly Trib by Damon C. Williams Tribune Staff Writer Thursday, September 18, 2014 3:04 pm
The Pennsylvania Legislature appears to be moving toward reform of the state’s pension system.
“The public pension crisis that exists in Pennsylvania is huge, but the answer to fixing it is right in front of us,” said State Rep. Mike Tobash. “Now is the time to implement sustainable reform. The Commonwealth is currently facing a $50 billion public pension debt and that number will only continue to grow until reform is enacted. Pennsylvania needs public pension reform and we need it now.”  Tobash rolled out a new website this month to outline Pennsylvania’s current pension crisis.

Prosecutors ask for mental evaluation of Dorothy June Brown
MARTHA WOODALL, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, September 23, 2014, 1:08 AM POSTED: Monday, September 22, 2014, 5:57 PM
Federal prosecutors asked a judge Monday to place charter school founder Dorothy June Brown in custody for up to 30 days to undergo a mental evaluation, to determine whether she is competent to be retried on charges that she defrauded the four schools she established of $6.3 million.  In its filing, the U.S. Attorney's Office said it was seeking to have Brown, 77, placed in federal custody for the exam "based on the information obtained to date." No other details were given.

DN Editorial: THE 'KILL THE SRC' FALLACY Local control is pointless without a school board with taxing power
Philly Daily News Editorial POSTED: Monday, September 22, 2014, 3:01 AM
VOTERS won't be seeing a referendum question on abolishing the School Reform Commission on November's ballot, since City Council had too short a time between passing the resolution last week and the deadline for inclusion; the bill is still on Mayor Nutter's desk, waiting for a signature.
Maybe it will appear in May, but voters should pay attention now to what they'll see - and won't see.  They may see a nonbinding vote saying something like, "Should Philadelphia abolish the SRC?" What they won't see is the rest of the question that should be on there if Council were honest about the move making any difference: " . . . and elect a school board that has the power to raise property taxes?"

DePasquale right on DOE
Scranton Times-Tribune BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD Published: September 22, 2014
Even though the Corbett administration has failed to produce any work product from former Education Secretary Ron Tomalis, who was kept on as an adviser after the governor sacked him, it also contends there is something wrong with Auditor General Eugene DePasquale continuing to look for it.  A DOE spokesman contended that Mr. DePasquale is playing politics, after the auditor general announced that he would expand an ongoing routine audit of the department to examine the performance of its paid advisers, including Mr. Tomalis.

Bethlehem Area School District to appeal charter school expansion to state Supreme Court
By Sara K. Satullo | The Express-Times  on September 22, 2014 at 8:54 PM, updated September 23, 2014 at 6:19 AM
The Bethlehem Area School District plans to appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court a lower court ruling that could allow a Bethlehem charter school to open a second location.
The Bethlehem Area School Board has authorized its solicitor to file the appeal of a state Commonwealth Court ruling that paves the way for the Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School to open a second building, Superintendent Joseph Roy said Monday night.

Charter school in uncharted territory, says audit
PA Independent By Rachel Martin | Watchdog.org
PITTSBURGH — The School District of the City of Erie may decide as early as next month whether it will renew the charter for the Erie RISE Leadership Academy Charter School. The audit — and the district’s decision-making about the school — highlight an ongoing struggle that’s built into the Pennsylvania Charter School Law.  “Today, many school districts and charter schools are combatants fighting for students and for public dollars, oftentimes having acrimonious or nonexistent relationships with one another,” the auditor general’s office stated in a prior special report.  The audit of Erie RISE began in January. Susan Woods, a spokeswoman for the auditor’s office, said the school’s records were “in disarray or nonexistent.” The auditors took the “extremely rare step” of issuing an interim report, she said.  The final audit report, released last week, discussed a litany of issues at the school, including a CEO who hired relatives, a lack of basic policies such as tracking attendance and even employees who improperly collected both salaries and pensions.

SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS- THE SOLUTION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 12 YEARS
SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS- THE SOLUTION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 12 YEARS
If you didn’t know Jim Rhoades, or should I see Senator Jim Rhoades, you lost a great opportunity to meet once of the nicest and sincerest guys around. He was as pro-kid as anyone that I have come across. At the end of PARSS v. Ridge in September of 1999, a bunch of us in the alphabet soup of educators met to discuss how we were going to fund schools.  About a year later, Senator Rhoades approached me and asked me to show him what was called, “The PARSS” solution. He read it with keen interest and said that he might be interested in sponsoring it. After about a year, with the help of his staff member and eventual Executive Director of the Senate Education Committee, David Broderic, the proposal was cleaned up and came out as the Rhoades Proposal.  In the Spring of 2002, the Rhoades Proposal saw the light of day in SB 1373.

Pilot program allows Pennsylvania schools to use snow days for digital instruction
By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette September 22, 2014 11:31 AM
With a new pilot program on flexible instructional days, snow days this school year won't necessarily mean a day off from school.  The state Department of Education today announced school districts can apply to "use non-traditional educational delivery methods on regularly scheduled school days in which circumstances, such as inclement weather, necessitate an alternate approach."  Up to five days in a school year can be counted, if certain requirements are met.

Gusick named to head T/E schools in Chesco
LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, September 23, 2014, 1:08 AM
TREDYFFRIN The Tredyffrin/Easttown School District has promoted from within for its next superintendent, picking Richard Gusick, the current director of curriculum, instruction, staff development and planning, for the post.  Gusick will begin the job, being vacated by Daniel Waters, on July 1, 2015.  In a news release, Gusick said the district "succeeds because of talented, dedicated teachers; caring support staff; strong administrative leaders; a supportive board and community; and the best students anyone could hope for anywhere."

School counselors' duties expanding with growth of social media
Trib Live By Kellie B. Gormly Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, 9:00 p.m.
When Jennifer DiVittis was in high school, she went to her guidance counselor for help scheduling classes and applying for college.  Now that she's a counselor herself — at Norwin Middle School, DiVittis not only handles schedules and college prep, she also must help students with personal problems and with their social and problem-solving skills.
Psychological issues, she says, form “the majority of our work. We do it all.”
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA AND PENN’S GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION LAUNCH FIRST-EVER FORMAL RESEARCHER-PRACTITIONER PARTNERSHIP
Penn GSE Press Room September 22, 2014
Philadelphia, PA, September 22, 2014 – A formal research partnership between Penn’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) and The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) has been launched, with the aim of assisting the District’s school turnaround and new schools efforts. The School District of Philadelphia-Penn Graduate School of Education Shared Solutions (SDP-Penn GSE Shared Solutions) effort is one of 20 researcher-practitioner partnerships being funded over the next two years by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of Education. The grant, which was awarded on July 1, 2014, was approved by the SDP’s School Reform Commission on August 21.
The partnership will be comprised of Penn GSE faculty and students and SDP leadership and staff, led by Dr. Tonya Wolford, Deputy of Research and Evaluation at the SDP and Professor Laura Desimone of Penn GSE. The IES grant provides seed money—about $100,000 per year for the SDP and $100,000 per year for Penn GSE—to foster research that directly applies to improvement efforts in the District. Partnership work will focus on evaluating the heart of the SDP’s reform initiatives—the District’s several school turnaround and new school efforts. The Partnership has the support and enthusiasm of the highest levels of each organization—Amy Gutmann, the President of the University of Pennsylvania, and William Hite, the Superintendent of the SDP.

NSBA’s Gentzel receives 2014 Education Policy Leadership Award
Thomas J. Gentzel, Executive Director of the National School Boards Association (NSBA), today received the Edward Donley Education Policy Leadership Award from the Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC). Each year EPLC presents the award to individuals who demonstrate commitment to stronger educational opportunities for all, and who work hard to improve the effectiveness of local, state, and national education policy.  “I’m delighted and honored to receive the Edward Donley Education Policy Leadership Award and be recognized for my work and commitment to promoting excellence in public education,” said Gentzel.
Prior to his current position as NSBA’s Executive Director, Gentzel served at the Pennsylvania School Boards Association http://www.psba.org for over 30 years, most recently as Executive Director for the organization.  EPLC president Ron Cowell noted, “For more than three decades, Thomas Gentzel has been a dedicated and effective advocate for public education and Pennsylvania’s children, and one of the most influential voices in education policy debates in Pennsylvania and nationally.”


What About the Schools? A Community Forum on the Next Governor's Education Agenda Oct. 15 7:00 pm WHYY Philly
Pennsylvania's public schools, especially in Philadelphia, are in dire straits. Many hope that the upcoming gubernatorial election will help shine a light on the state's education issues. But how will Harrisburg politics and financial realities limit the next governor’s agenda for education?
Join Research for Action, WHYY, and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey for an interactive community forum designed to suggest an education agenda for the next administration—and to assess the politics of achieving it.  Hear from local educators about what they see as priorities for the schools, and from seasoned policy practitioners on the political realities of Harrisburg.  Then, make your voice heard. Discuss your thoughts and perspectives with other event guests and interact with the panelists. You’ll come away from this spirited discussion with a more nuanced view of the politics of education in both Philadelphia and at the state level.
Admission
This event is FREE and open to the public, but registration is required.
When
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Where
WHYY, Independence Mall West, 150 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, Pa 19106
Contact
Questions? Call 215-351-0511 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

KEYSTONE EXAMS NOT Just Another Standardized Test
What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania’s NEW High School Graduation Requirement
Join the Radnor, Haverford, Chester County, Lower Merion & Narberth Leagues of Women Voters October 7 @ 7:00 pm in Radnor
In partnership with your area schools’ Parent Organizations and supported by your area School Districts
Moderator: Susan Carty, President, League of Women Voters of PA
Panelists Will Include:
Pennsylvania State Senator, Andy Dinniman
Lower Merion School District Board of Directors Member, Lori Actman
Conestoga High School
Principal, Dr. Amy Meisinger
Education Lawyer, Josh Kershenbaum, Esq.
Additional Panelists To Be Announced
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014 at 7:00 PM Radnor Municipal Building, 301 Iven Ave., Radnor
Questions? Please Call 610-446-8383 or e-mail katederiel@verizon.net

January 23rd–25th, 2015 at The Science Leadership Academy, Philadelphia
EduCon is both a conversation and a conference.
It is an innovation conference where we can come together, both in person and virtually, to discuss the future of schools. Every session will be an opportunity to discuss and debate ideas — from the very practical to the big dreams.

Save the date: Bob Herbert book event! Pittsburgh October 9th
Yinzercation Blog September 17, 2014
Save the date – you don’t want to miss this! We are hosting the national launch of Bob Herbert’s new book, Losing Our Way: An Intimate Portrait of a Troubled AmericaYou might remember Mr. Herbert as the award winning and longtime columnist for the New York Times. This book is especially exciting for us because Bob came to Pittsburgh several times to interview parents and teachers in our local grassroots movement and wound up writing three chapters on our fight for public education!
Date:    Thursday, October 9, 2014  Time:    5:30 – 6:30PM, moderated discussion and Q&A.
Doors will open at 5 with student performances.  Followed by book signing.
Location:    McConomy Auditorium, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh 15213.  Free parking in the garage.
Hosted by:    Yinzercation (we are profiled in the book!)
Moderator:    Tony Norman, columnist and associate editor,Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PUBLIC Education Nation October 11
The Network for Public Education will hold a historic event in one month's time
 
PUBLIC Education Nation will deliver the conversation the country has been waiting for. Rather than featuring billionaires and pop singers, this event will be built around intense conversations featuring leading educators, parents, students and community activists. We have waited too long for that seat at someone else's table. This time, the tables are turned, and we are the ones setting the agenda.   This event will be livestreamed on the web on the afternoon of Saturday, October 11, from the auditorium of Brooklyn New School, a public school. There will be four panels focusing on the most critical issues we face in our schools. The event will conclude with a conversation between Diane Ravitch and Jitu Brown.  

Please join us for a symposium on:
“Funding Pennsylvania's Public Schools: A Look Ahead”
This event is co-sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics and the Temple University Center on Regional Politics.
When: Friday, October 3, 2014, 8:30 am to 12 pm
Where: Doubletree Hotel Pittsburgh in Green Tree, PA
Session I:  "Forecasting the Fiscal Future of Pennsylvania's Public Schools"
A panel of legislators and public officials will respond to a presentation by Penn State Professor William Hartman and Tim Shrom projecting the fiscal trajectory of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts over the next five years and by University of Pittsburgh Professor Maureen McClure discussing the implications for school finance of an aging tax base.
Session II: "Why Smart Investments in Public Schools Are Critical to Pennsylvania's Economic Future"
Following an address by Eva Tansky Blum, Chairwoman and President of the PNC Foundation, a panel of business and labor leaders will discuss the importance of public school funding reform to the competitiveness of regional and state economies. 
We look forward to your participation!

Pennsylvania Arts Education Network 2014 Arts and Education Symposium
The 2014 Arts and Education Symposium will be held on Thursday, October 2 at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, PA.  Join us for a daylong convening of arts education policy leaders and practitioners for lively discussions about the latest news from the field.
The Symposium registration fee is $45 per person. To register, click here or follow the prompts at the bottom of the page.  The Symposium will include the following:

Register Now – 2014 PAESSP State Conference – October 19-21, 2014
Please join us for the 2014 PAESSP State Conference, “PRINCIPAL EFFECTIVENESS: Leading Schools in a New Age of Accountability,” to be held October 19-21 at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pa.  Featuring Keynote Speakers: Alan November, Michael Fullan & Dr. Ray Jorgensen.  This year’s conference will provided PIL Act 45 hours, numerous workshops, exhibits, multiple resources and an opportunity to network with fellow principals from across the state.

PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference (Oct. 21-24) registration forms now available online
PSBA Website
Make plans today to attend the most talked about education conference of the year. This year's PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference promises to be one of the best with new ideas, innovations, networking opportunities and dynamic speakers. More details are being added every day. Online registration will be available in the next few weeks. If you just can't wait, registration forms are available online now. Other important links are available with more details on:
·         Hotel registration (reservation deadline extended to Sept. 26)
·         Educational Publications Contest (deadline Aug. 6)
·         Student Celebration Showcase (deadline Sept. 19)
·         Poster and Essay Contest (deadline Sept. 19)

Voting for PSBA officers and at-large representatives opens Sept. 9
PSBA Website 9/8/2014
The slate of candidates for 2015 PSBA officer and at-large representatives is available online. Photos, bios and videos also have been posted for candidates. According to recent PSBA Bylaws changes, each member school entity casts one vote per office. Voting will again take place online through a secure, third-party website -- Simply Voting. Voting will open Sept. 9 and closes Oct. 6. One person from the school entity (usually the board secretary) is authorized to register the vote on behalf of the member school entity and each board will need to put on its agenda discussion and voting at one of its meetings in September. Each person authorized to cast the school entity's votes received an email on Aug. 13 and a test ballot was sent to them on Aug. 28. In addition, a memo from PSBA President Richard Frerichs will be mailed in the coming days to all board secretaries and copied to school board presidents and chief school administrators.

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