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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy
Roundup for March 26, 2015:
F&M poll finds 59%
support Gov. Tom Wolf's budget, tax reform aims
Education Voters of PA will hold a forum
about public school funding in Cumberland
County : Wednesday, April 1, 7:00 pm at
the Grace Milliman Pollock
Performing Arts
Center 340 North 21st Street
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
Pennsylvania poll finds
early support for Gov. Tom Wolf's budget, tax reform aims
Penn Live By Charles Thompson |
cthompson@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on March
26, 2015 at 3:00 AM, updated March 26, 2015 at 3:01 AM
It appears Gov. Tom Wolf's far-reaching state budget
proposal has passed its first early test: His constituents - as a whole - seem
at least open to learning more about it.
That's according to results of the first statewide poll since Wolf
released his sweeping $30 billion plan that seeks to marry major school funding
increases, large income and sales tax hikes and significant school property tax
cuts. The Franklin & Marshall
College poll of nearly 600 registered voters between March 17 and March 23
shows that at first blush, 59 percent of respondents say they support the broad
strokes of Wolf's budget plan.
F&M poll: Wolf’s budget
proposal gets good review from state voters
A majority of Pennsylvania
voters support Gov. Tom Wolf’s spending plan that aggressively increases
education funding, a statewide Franklin & Marshall College
The survey found 59 percent of registered voters back the
budget proposal. Thirty-five percent said they are opposed and 6 percent are
unsure how they feel about the plan.
Read the F&M College
OP-ED: Wolf spending sounds
good, but at what cost?
On March 3, Gov. Tom Wolf outlined his budget priorities for
the coming fiscal year. The plan would increase spending from $29 billion to
$33.8 billion, an increase of 16 percent or $4.7 billion in a single year and
$12.7 billion over the next two years. It has become increasingly clear since
his budget address the governor's unprecedented spending increase is built on a
foundation of higher taxes and is harmful to middle-class families and small
business owners. The tax increases Wolf
proposed include an increase in the Personal Income Tax (PIT) by 21 percent and
the Sales and Use Tax (SUT) by over 40 percent. Not only would this result in
Pennsylvanian families facing a higher tax burden, but businesses would also
see higher taxes, since 79 percent of Pennsylvania companies pay their taxes
under the PIT. This is destructive to our economy as small businesses account
for 65 percent of our job creation.
"Kaufmann was among
several York County school officials — superintendents, board members and
business officials — who participated in a forum on school funding Wednesday
night, hosted by Education Voters of PA, the Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 and
the Campaign for Fair Education Funding."
York County school
officials push for new funding formula
A
system that is more equitable and predictable is needed, they said
In South Eastern School District, like many others, local
taxpayers fund the vast majority of the cost of education, with the state
kicking in about 31 percent, said Rona Kaufmann, South Eastern School District
superintendent. Between 2004-05 and
2013-14, taxpayers' costs rose from $18 million to about $32 million. Flat state funding, coupled with South
Eastern being a rural district lacking a solid tax base, plus other factors
like the sluggish economy "really combine to overburden the local
taxpayers in our district," Kaufmann said.
In the same time, economically disadvantaged students have doubled,
cyber charter costs have increased tenfold, and other costs have gone up, too.
It's particularly impacted the district's ability to complete capital projects.
"If you're going to have programs for students, then
you need to provide the facilities and resources and the materials to make
those programs come to life," she said. "So I say we need a fair and
equitable funding formula in Pennsylvania and we need it sooner rather than
later."
Education is more than
‘keeping the doors open’
Chestnut Hill Local by Sue Ann Rybak Posted on March 25, 2015
If you ask any parent with a child in the Philadelphia School
District whether they think Pennsylvania’s current system of funding education
is fair, I doubt that many would agree.
While most states have adopted fair-funding formulas designed
to accurately, fairly and transparently identify costs and distribute funding
to their schools, Pennsylvania has gone backwards. In 2008, the General Assembly implemented a
funding formula to distribute education funding. According to the Education Law
Center, the formula was similar to one that many states are now using. The Pennsylvania formula measured the number
of students in each district, community poverty levels, and local tax effort,
allocating relatively more funding to districts that are larger, are poorer,
and have lower property taxes. But under Gov. Tom Corbett’s administration,
this funding formula was abandoned. But,
that could change, thanks to a lawsuit filed in the Commonwealth Court last
November, claiming that the state had failed to provide a “thorough and
efficient” system of education.
"District officials emphasized the
district's costs have only risen by 1.7 percent before accounting for employee
pension contributions or charter school tuition payments."
"I think it's important to reinforce
the cost of school choice," schools Superintendent Joseph Roy said.
"Two years in a row, we would not have to consider a tax increase in the Bethlehem Area School District
'If Harrisburg
won't step up then we will': Bethlehem
By Sara K.
Satullo | The Express-Times Email the author | Follow on Twitter on
March 25, 2015 at 9:11 PM, updated March 26, 2015 at 5:51 AM
The Bethlehem
Area School District is targeting a 3 percent to 3.5 percent tax hike
as it refines its 2015-16 budget. During
a Wednesday night budget workshop, the school
board gave the administration the nod to craft a $245 million spending
plan that relies on a mix of tax hikes, cuts and a $2 million increase in state
aid. It would also rely on $2 million in district savings, bringing the fund
balance to $16.7 million undesignated.
With a 3.5 percent tax hike, the district still would need to
cut $1.13 million to balance the budget. While that's sizable, it is much
better than
the $11.6 million deficit Bethlehem started the preliminary budget process
with.
We agree - Pa.
PennLive
Op-Ed By Robert Fayfich on
March 25, 2015 at 2:00 PM, updated March 25, 2015 at 2:45 PM
Robert Fayfich is
executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.
In a recent column for GoErie.com, state Sen.
Sean Wiley D-Erie, wrote about how his proposal to create a competitive
bidding process for cyber-education in the Commonwealth would help
reform the system. While we agree that
cyber-charter school reform is long overdue, we believe his column contains
inaccuracies and generalizations that provide the foundation for bad policy.
State asks to withdraw petition
for receivership of York
City
York Dispatch by ERIN
JAMES 505-5439 @ydcity POSTED: 03/25/2015 11:34:40 AM EDT
The state Department of Education has taken a major step toward
ending its attempt to seize control of the York City School District. On Tuesday, the department -- with the
support of the district, its employees' unions and the York NAACP -- filed a
stipulation asking the Commonwealth Court to remand the case back to a York
County judge, said Tom Scott, an attorney representing the district's unions. The stipulation further asks the Commonwealth
Court to direct York County President Judge Stephen P. Linebaugh to allow the
state to withdraw its petition for receivership, Scott said. "And then I would expect the secretary
(of education) to withdraw the petition," Scott said. "I don't think
it's going to take a long time."
Lawyers file application to
end receivership case against the York
City School
District
York Daily Record By Dylan Segelbaum dsegelbaum@ydr.com @dylan_segelbaum
on Twitter UPDATED: 03/25/2015 05:36:27 PM EDT
Attorneys for the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the
York City School District have reached an agreement to end the state's
months-long push for control of the district.
The proposal, which was filed late Tuesday and awaits court approval,
calls for the state Department of Education to withdraw its petition to appoint
a receiver - a person who would have most of school board's powers.
Four Philly schools win funds
for tech, training, turnaround
KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Thursday, March 26,
2015, 1:08 AM POSTED: Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 4:31 PM
Four city schools have won thousands of dollars to spur
turnarounds, pay for training, and create supports to get students back on
track. The grants were announced
Wednesday by the Philadelphia School Partnership. Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti
Catholic High School is getting $150,000 to plan its overhaul. Roxborough High
will get $145,000 for a turnaround; Wissahickon Charter will receive $56,625
for training; and the Workshop School, a project-based public high school in
West Philadelphia, is to get $23,200 for technology and an
academic-intervention program.
Reporting from Tuesday's
education-issues mayoral forum
WHYY Newsworks NINETYNINE A BLOG
BY BRIAN HICKEY MARCH 25,
2015
'Tis the season for a whole lot of mayoral forums all across Philadelphia about a
variety of issues.
What made Tuesday
night's education forum at South Philly's G.W. Childs School stand out
from the pack? The fact that it was moderated
by WHYY/NewsWorks' Kevin McCorry, of course.
On Wednesday, McCorry talked about the experience on NewsWorks
Tonight.
Landmark in Haverford: First
female superintendent outlines her goals for schools
By Lois Puglionesi, Delco
Times Correspondent POSTED: 03/21/15, 10:05 PM EDT
HAVERFORD >> Dr. Maureen Reusche will soon become the
first woman to lead the Haverford Township School District. The board of school directors voted
unanimously Thursday to appoint Reusche superintendent, effective July 1, 2015,
through June 30, 2018. Reusche’s
appointment is contingent upon final approval of a mutually acceptable
contract. Her annual salary is expected to be $207,500, a school official said
Friday. Reusche succeeds Dr. William
Keilbaugh, who is retiring in April after close to 40 years with the district.
Keilbaugh currently earns approximately $220,000. In his remarks at the meeting, board
President Denis Gray said school directors have worked diligently to find a
replacement. Assisting in the months-long, intensive process were consultants
at the national, state and regional level, including Joseph O’Brien of the
Chester County IU.
Who will be at the PSBA Advocacy Forum April 19-20 in
Mechanicsburg and Harrisburg
- Acting
Ed Sec'y Pedro Rivera
- Senate
Ed Committee Majority Chairman Lloyd Smucker
- House
Ed Committee Majority Chairman Stan Saylor
- Senate
Appropriations Committee Chair Pat Browne
- Diane
Ravitch
- House
Majority Leader Dave Reed
- House
Minority Leader Frank Dermody
- 2014
PSBA Tim Allwein Advocacy Award winners Shauna D'Alessandro and Mark
Miller
How about You?
Join PSBA for the second annual Advocacy Forum on April 19-20,
2015. Hear from legislative experts on hot topics and issues regarding public
education on Sunday, April 19, at PSBA headquarters in Mechanicsburg. The next
day you and fellow advocates will meet with legislators at the state capitol.
This is your chance to learn how to successfully advocate on behalf of public
education and make your voice heard on the Hill.
Details and Registration for PSBA members (only $25.00) https://www.psba.org/event/advocacy-forum-day-hill-2015/
INVITATION: Join next Twitter
chat on PA education March 31, 8:00 pm
PSBA's website March 23, 2015
The next monthly Twitter chat with Pennsylvania’s major
education leadership organizations is set for Tuesday, March 31 at 8
p.m. Use hashtag #FairFundingPA to participate and follow
the conversation.
Curmuducation Blog Saturday, March 21, 2015
I don't get out much. I'm a high school English teacher in a
small town, and kind of homebody by nature. When I leave town, it's for family
or work. But in just over a month, on the weekend of April 25-26, I am taking a
trip to Chicago for neither. The Network
for Public Education is the closest thing to an actual formal
organization of the many and varied people standing up for public education in
this modern era of privatizing test-driven corporate education reform. NPE held
a conference last year, and they're doing it again this year-- a gathering of
many of the strongest voices for public education in America today. Last year I followed along on line-- this year I will be there.
Register
Now for EPLC Forum on the State Education Budget – Philadelphia
Education Policy and Leadership Center Pennsylvania
Education Policy Forum
You are invited to attend one of EPLC’s Regional Education
Policy Forums on Governor Wolf’s Proposed Education Budget for
2015-2016 Space is limited. There is no cost, but an
RSVP is required. The program will
include a state budget overview presented by Ron Cowell of EPLC and a
representative of the PA Budget and Policy Center. The presentations are
followed by comments from panelists representing statewide and regional education
and advocacy organizations. Comments from those in the audience and a
question and answer session will conclude the forum. Wednesday, April 1, 2015– EPLC
Education Policy Forum on the Governor’s State Budget Proposal for
Education – 10 a.m.-12 Noon – Penn Center for Educational
Leadership, University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, PA –RSVP
by clicking here.
For this event, sponsored by Public Citizens for Children and
Youth (PCCY), local dentists will provide free screenings and cleanings for
children. Give Kids a Smile Day is especially for children who do not
have health insurance or who have not had a dental exam in the last six months.
Appointments are necessary, so please call PCCY at 215-563-5848 x32 to
schedule one starting Monday, March 16th. Volunteers will be
on hand to answer calls. Smile Day information can also be found on the school
district website and on PCCY’s website - http://www.pccy.org/resource/give-kids-a-smile-day/.
Education Voters of PA will
hold a forum about public school funding in Cumberland County: Wednesday, April
1, 7:00 pm at the Grace Milliman Pollock Performing Arts Center, 340 North 21st
Street, Camp Hill.
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
More info/registration: http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/2015-events/
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