Tuesday, April 14, 2015

PA Ed Policy Roundup April 14: Yo - PA legislators! How much do you know about education in Philadelphia? Take this test….

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 3550 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
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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for April 14, 2015:
Yo - PA legislators!  How much do you know about education in Philadelphia?  Take this test….



Lehigh Valley Forum on School Funding April 22, 7:00-8:30 
Penn State Lehigh Valley, 2809 Saucon Valley Rd, Center Valley, PA 18034 
The entrance is at the back of the building and parking is available in lots by the school. 
Confirmed panelists include:
Dr. Bill Haberl, superintendent, Pen Argyl Area SD
Dr. Joe Roy, superintendent, Bethlehem Area SD
Mr. Rich Sniscak, superintendent, Parkland SD
Mr. Russ Giordano, school board director, Salisbury Township SD
Dr. Russ Mayo, superintendent, Allentown SD
Ms. Stacy Gober, CFO, Bethlehem Area SD
Ms. Susan Gobreski, Executive Director, Education Voters of PA
Moderator:  Roberta Marcus, School Board Director, Parkland SD
Register HERE to attend the Lehigh Valley education forum.



“The biggest hurdle for all of us is at what point is the administration going to understand what the General Assembly is willing to lift,” he said. “You got an $8 billion tax increase on the table, which—we’re nowhere near that—we’re not even in the same ballpark. You really can’t start off their document and work back because we are nowhere near went.”  Sticking to previous comments, Sen. Corman said pension reform legislation still must come first and projected a Senate pension reform bill could be considered within the month.  “Pension reform is the most pressing problem we have, unfortunately it’s also the most complicated bill to write, so we’re still in the process of it,” he said. “We certainly hope to get that done in the next month or so, so that we can get it out and it’ll be part of the discussion.”  Like House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana), Sen. Corman will be meeting with the governor tomorrow to discuss the budget."
Corman previews meeting with Gov. Wolf, Senate GOP spring agenda
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Monday, April 13, 2015/Categories: News and Views
Following a nearly two hour Senate GOP caucus, The PLS Reporter caught up with Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre) and he provided a preview of the Senate GOP’s spring agenda and what he hopes to see during a scheduled meeting with Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday.  During Monday’s caucus, Senate Republicans heard a presentation from Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) on medical marijuana, something Sen. Corman said still has a lot of support in the Senate.  “He’ll have a bill out of committee before too long and my guess is we’ll address it,” he said. “The Senate has quite a few new members, so I’m not sure what the changes might be, but I think it was 43-7 last time, so I suspect something will get through the Senate.”  As far as a broader goal for the spring and coming budget talks, Sen. Corman said the biggest thing for Senate Republicans will be finding compromise from the governor.

Senate Democratic leaders discuss budget strategy, property tax relief with governor
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Monday, April 13, 2015/Categories: News and Views
Upon their leaving a meeting with Gov. Tom Wolf, The PLS Reporter caught up with two members of Senate Democratic leadership who discussed its contents and their views of the conversation.  “It was just a general meeting, that’s all,” said Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). “We’re back after a long legislative break, through the budget hearings and now we’re sort of getting coordinated in learning what we learned over the last several weeks and how we move forward.”  While Sen. Costa did say the budget came up in the conversation, it was only in the context of a broad discussion following budget hearings.  “Where we’re at and how we move forward,” he said.  Senate Appropriations Minority Chairman Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) agreed that the only discussions around the budget were general.

How much do you know about education in Philadelphia? Test your knowledge with this 10-question quiz: 
How educated are you about Philly education?
Philly.com REPORTING BY TOM FERRICK JR. / THE NEXT MAYOR
INTERACTIVE BY OLIVIA HALL / PHILLY.COM
Voters tell pollsters that education is the No. 1 issue in this year's mayoral election. Yet, most Philadelphians don't have much firsthand knowledge about the district.
How much do you know about education in Philadelphia? Test your knowledge with this 10-question quiz: 

Greater Johnstown School District has starring role in play about education funding
Johnstown Tribune Democrat By John Finnerty jfinnerty@cnhi.com Saturday, April 11, 2015
The producers of a play intended to highlight the crisis caused by school funding cuts didn’t want the audience to mistakenly believe this problem is confined to Philadelphia.  So, they spent three days interviewing people in Johnstown. Subjects include schools Superintendent Gerald Zahorchak, who laughed when acknowledging that the finished product features a character modeled after him.  “I think they cast that guy who plays ‘Batman’ for the role,” he joked.  While the idea of seeing himself represented onstage made Zahorchak chuckle, the message of the production and many of its heartwrenching stories are painfully serious.  The play grew from an event two years ago when 20 parents traveled from Philadelphia to Harrisburg to present 4,000 letters from students pleading for more money for their schools, said Donna Cooper, executive director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, the advocacy group putting on the play.

Lehigh Valley forum on school funding planned for April 22
By Sara K. Satullo | The Express-Times  Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on April 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, updated April 13, 2015 at 4:54 PM
A community forum on public education funding is scheduled for Wednesday April 22 at Penn State Lehigh ValleyLehigh Valley school district officials and school board members will discuss how state funding issues are impacting their district's educational offerings, school taxes and the community.  Education Voters of PA will offer tips on how to advocate on education issues and attendees will be able to ask panelists questions.  The forum runs from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Penn State Lehigh Valley, 2809 Saucon Valley Road in Upper Saucon Township. The entrance is to the rear of the building and parking is available in the school's lots.

"District director of business services Jeremy Melber said that of the 4.5 percent jump in spending, 2.4 percent will go toward paying increased costs of employee benefits such as pensions and health insurance.  The district's fund balance, which is similar to a savings account, has $18.8 million, of which Melber said $15.2 million will be withdrawn to cover the $11.2 million increase in employee benefits cost."
Property taxes hold the line in Southern Lehigh School District's preliminary budget
By Charles Malinchak Special to The Morning Call April 13, 2015
School taxes are set to remain steady for the third consecutive year in the Southern Lehigh School District The school under a preliminary $60.7 million budget for 2015-2015.  The school board unanimously approved the preliminary spending plan Monday night that shows spending up by 4.5 percent from the current $58.4 million budget and keeps the property tax rate at 15.37 mills.  The owner of an average property assessed at $200,000 will continue to pay $3,074 in school property taxes next year.

Saylor introduces property tax relief bill
York Dispatch By GREG GROSS 505-5433/@ydpolitics  04/13/2015 09:51:45 PM EDT 
A York County representative has introduced a bill in the House that promises to, on average, halve school property taxes by increasing earned income and sales taxes.  Rep. Stan Saylor, the bill's author, said the increases in income and sales taxes would generate an additional $4.3 billion annually that would then be distributed dollar-for-dollar to property owners.  The bill calls for increasing the personal income tax rate 20 percent, from 3.07 to 3.70 percent, and sales tax from 6 to 7 percent.  But Saylor said "not everyone is going to be happy" with the bill. Some legislators want property taxes fully eliminated, while others want the taxes to remain in place.

"What would Stevens, savior of Pennsylvania public schools, say if he were to witness today’s debate over education funding in Harrisburg? He would redeliver his Free Schools Act speech, word for word, of course! He would add, quoting the Commonwealth’s Constitution, “The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education.” He would note that Pennsylvania, in 2015, is spending a third less per child in poor school districts than in wealthy ones. He would call attention to the steady decrease in the percentage of state support over the past 40 years.
Who will speak for Stevens in today’s Pennsylvania General Assembly, to ensure a quality free public education is available to all of our children?"
The statesman championed cause of education funding
Lancaster Online by Kathy Brabson Posted: Sunday, April 12, 2015 6:00 am
Kathy Brabson, Ph.D., a Manor Township resident and an adjunct instructor in Educational Foundations at Millersville University, is the author of “Life of Thad Stevens: What Part of ‘All Men Are Created Equal’ Do You Not Understand?”
Given the battle over Gov. Tom Wolf’s call for increased funding for public education, what would Thaddeus Stevens likely say if he were to witness the current debate?  Stevens, a 19th century Pennsylvania legislator, widely regarded as savior of the state’s public schools, certainly would weigh in if he were in Harrisburg today. More accurately — if history can be trusted as a predictor — the outspoken, brilliant, uncompromising orator would control the debate, fully impacting the results.

Pennsylvania: Reasons for Hope
Diane Ravitch's Blog By dianeravitch April 12, 2015 //
Tom Wolf, the newly elected Governor of Pennsylvania, may turn out to be true friend of public education. In a landscape crowded with foes of public education, like Scott Walker, John Kasich, Doug Ducey, Rick Scott, and Andrew Cuoo, this is quite a distinction for Governor Wolf.  After years of devastating cuts by Governor Tom Corbett, Wolf has vowed to fund public schools. He appointed a one-time rival, John Hanger, as secretary of policy and planning (Hanger is strongly pro-public schools).  Governor Wolf recently visited a public school in Philadelphia. At a time when so many governors have sworn their fealty to charter schools, it is refreshing to read about a governor who recognizes public responsibility for public schools.  John Hanger told the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry that the Wolf administration would focus on public education and economic development in its spending plan.  Governor Tom Wolf could build a national reputation if he reverses the school privatization and defusing of public schools that Corbett encouraged .

Good schools are good for the whole community
Observer-Reporter Editorial April 13, 2015
In states where voters decide whether a millage rate should be increased to support public services like libraries and schools – neighboring Ohio is among them – proponents often fear an inordinately high turnout of senior citizens at the polls.  The questions are often placed on the ballot in off-year or special elections, when turnout tends to be abysmal in the first place, and, of course, seniors are invariably the most devoted voters no matter the season. But many seniors tend to vote against increased revenue for schools, arguing that they are on fixed incomes and can’t abide increased property taxes on homes they have lived in for decades, and perhaps paid off years ago.  Those concerns are not without validity. But, just as often, you hear seniors complain that, hey, they finished school in the 1950s or 1960s, their kids graduated decades ago, and their grandkids attend school elsewhere. What difference does it make to them if their local school district is good, bad or indifferent?

The Brief: How Some Charter Schools Keep Out the Riff-Raff
Philly Mag Citified BY PATRICK KERKSTRA  |  APRIL 10, 2015 AT 6:00 AM
1. How Some Charter Schools Keep Out the Riff-Raff
The Gist: This is an important, well-reported story from WHYY’s Kevin McCorry, that’s not easily condensed into a sentence or two. Be sure to check out it out. In summary, McCorry explores how some charter schools inflate their numbers—graduation rates, college placement, test scores and so on—by not replacing the large volume of kids who drop out.
Why It Matters: A lot of reasons. One of the biggest is that this story—and the practices it documents—reveals what Kelly Davenport, head of school at Freire Charter, calls a “central tension” of public education. McCorry quotes Davenport saying:  “Is the city calling Freire charter school to educate all kids, every kid, and provide a basic, standard education that will fit all of their needs—sort of a one-size fits all, with a basic graduation diploma?” she said. “Or is the city asking us to produce kids that have the grit and tenacity and ability to persevere through rigor and really challenging academic work?”  Davenport says, ideally, she aims to run a school that gives all students that ability. But she acknowledged that, so far, ditching the neighborhood school enrollment model has been a part of Freire’s success.  A lot of charter operators think charters should do as district schools do, and fill openings immediately from their (often long) waiting lists. Other charter operators, like Davenport, disagree. More than anything, the story makes it clear that stacking up charter schools like Freire against district schools is in no way an apples-to-apples comparison.

New chief recovery officer meets with York school district
Fox43 POSTED 11:05 PM, APRIL 13, 2015, BY MELANIE ORLINS, UPDATED AT 11:08PM, APRIL 13, 2015
The York City School Board met tonight for the first time since the governor announced a new chief recovery officer, Dr. Carol Saylor. Saylor will work with the mayor and the public to come up with a recovery plan for the district.  Saylor told FOX43 that out of all of her jobs in education, turning around the York City School District will be the toughest job of her career. Saylor’s resume includes time as a superintendent at Fairfield Area and Manheim Central School Districts. Monday night she listened as some district schools presented academic data and where they rank this year compared to prior years. Superintendent Eric Holmes talked about restructuring the high school for incoming freshmen as part of the district’s recovery process.

"The pendulum has swung a little too far” toward too many standardized tests in school"
Congressman Costello seeks input from Pottstown schools on too much testing
West Chester Daily Local By Evan Brandt, ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com, @PottstownNews on Twitter POSTED: 04/11/15, 6:05 PM EDT | UPDATED: 2 HRS AGO
POTTSTOWN >> “The pendulum has swung a little too far” toward too many standardized tests in school and U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-6th Dist., has a bill to do something about it, he told a group of Pottstown educators Thursday.  His timing could not be better, given that Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests begin next week.  The SMART Act is also an amendment to an existing bill to re-authorize the No Child Left Behind act, Costello said during a Thursday visit to the high school — during which he also visited an early education classroom and took questions from students in a social studies class.  SMART stands for Support Making Assessments Reliable and Timely and it is co-sponsored by Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Oregon.  Costello, whose parents and brother are all educators, joked that his votes “do not fit the profile you might expect from my party.”  His observation that students today endure too much testing and “significantly more” than when he was attending Owen J. Roberts High School in the 1990s, was seconded by every educator in the room where they gathered to present their views.

Protesters speak out against standardized tests
MICHAELLE BOND, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 1:08 AM POSTED: Monday, April 13, 2015, 5:06 PM
After school let out Monday, the first day of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, a half-dozen people - students, parents, and grandparents - picketed outside the Olney Transportation Center to protest the standardized tests.  Standing on the medians at Broad Street and Olney Avenue, they held signs that read, "No PSSA for Me," and, "I Am Not a Score!!" They passed out forms for parents and guardians to sign and give to their children's principals to opt their children out of the tests.  Groups that oppose the PSSA and Keystone exams also launched the statewide www.talesfromthetest.org Monday to encourage parents, students, and educators to show how state testing has affected them, and what opting out looks like at their schools.
"Overall, our goal is to make sure parents are more aware of how testing is impacting our classrooms and create a space for people to share that information," said Alison McDowell, parent of a Philadelphia student and a state representative of United Opt Out National.
The protesters' main goal Monday, they said, was to make sure parents knew they could opt their children out of testing.

The Religious Reasons My Kids Won’t be Taking the Test
Yinzercation Blog by Jessie Ramey April 13, 2015
As we head into several weeks of high-stakes-testing here in Pennsylvania, I would like to share with you the religious reasons my children will not be taking the state mandated PSSAs. Here is an open letter I sent to Dr. Linda Lane, Superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools; Dr. Lisa Augustin, Director of Assessment; Ms. Jamie Kinzel-Nath, Pittsburgh Colfax K-8 principal; and all of our children’s wonderful teachers.

Some Parents Oppose Standardized Testing on Principle, but Not in Practice
New York Times By KYLE SPENCER APRIL 13, 2015
This past winter, Nicholas Gottlieb, the father of a third grader and a sixth grader in Manhattan, helped organize a citywide forum against standardized testing during which more than 200 parents and teachers talked about ways to “attack the issue from different angles.”
Just last month, he led chants at a rally to protest Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s education platform, including a plan to make teacher evaluations more dependent on test scores.
But on Tuesday, when more than a million third through eighth graders in New York State sit for the first of six English and math testing sessions, Mr. Gottlieb’s two daughters, who attend Public School 3 in the West Village and the Clinton School for Writers and Artists in Chelsea, will be opting in.  “I would like to think that I would have the courage of my convictions,” he said. “But can I really do that when it means I’m gambling with my kids’ futures?”

"John Hamilton, who has given private violin and viola lessons in his Lancaster city home for many years, says he sees the future of classical music as “about the same as it is today.”  Hamilton, who plays the viola for Lancaster Symphony Orchestra and for Lancaster’s Allegro Chamber Orchestra, credited programs in the public schools for keeping it alive."
Teaching kids to love classical music
Lancaster Online by JOAN KERN LNP CORRESPONDENT Monday, April 13, 2015 5:15 pm
Bonnie Witmer was in church recently when she heard a little girl nearby humming Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.”  The piano teacher took heart.  “So parents are still introducing classical music to their kids,” says Witmer, of Millersville, who has been giving private lessons here since 1966.  One meaning of the word “classical” is timeless, and some private music teachers here say they believe the state of classical music is, and will continue to be, healthy — with some reservations.

Pittsburgh-region school district rankings 2015
Pittsburgh Business Times Apr 10, 2015, 7:22am EDT

Teachers unions on the rise again in New Orleans, 10 years after charters pushed them out
Hechinger Report by MARTA JEWSON April 13, 2015
Teachers sporting “proud to be charter and union” buttons filled almost every seat in Morris Jeff Community School’s library on Tuesday in anticipation of the New Orleans campus’ board of directors vote to recognize their union.  The room buzzed with excitement, and the audience was rewarded with a unanimous board acknowledgement of the union, putting the five-year old charter school onto a barely blazed trail.  Like most urban districts, teachers in the New Orleans Public Schools for decades worked under union-negotiated contracts. But after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with devastated infrastructure and too few students, the school year was effectively cancelled and the city’s teachers were eventually laid off.

Hillary Clinton and Education: What's Her Record? What Will She Campaign On?
Education Week By Alyson Klein on April 12, 2015 3:30 PM
It's been pretty clear for quite a while now that former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was going to run for president. But what's less clear, even now that she's announced: Where would Clinton take the nation—and a divided Democratic Party—when it comes to testing, the Common Core State Standards, accountability, charter schools, and education funding?
It's too early to say for sure. But Clinton's edu-record holds a lot of clues


DISTRICT TO HOLD SEVEN COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETINGS
PHILADELPHIA—The School District of Philadelphia, in partnership with local organizations, will host seven community budget meetings. District officials will share information about budget projections and request input on school resources and investments.  Partnering groups include the Philadelphia Education Fund, POWER (Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower & Rebuild), Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), local clergy and community advocates. All meetings will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The dates and locations are as follows:
 Wednesday, April 15
Northeast High School, 1601 Cottman Ave.
 Wednesday, April 22
Bartram High School, 2401 S. 67th St.
 Tuesday, April 28
West Philadelphia High School, 4901 Chestnut St.
 Wednesday, May 6
Dobbins High School, 2150 W. Lehigh Ave.
 Tuesday, May 12
South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St.
 Thursday, May 14
Congreso, 216 West Somerset St.
 Wednesday, May 20
Martin Luther King High School, 6100 Stenton Ave.

Nominations for PSBA offices closes April 30
PSBA Leadership Development Committee seeks strong leaders for the association
Members interested in becoming the next leaders of PSBA are encouraged to complete an Application for Nomination no later than April 30. As a member-driven association, the Leadership Development Committee (LDC) is seeking nominees with strong skills in leadership and communication, and who have vision for PSBA. The positions open are:
  • 2016 President Elect (one-year term)
  • 2016 Vice President (one-year term)
  • 2016 Eastern Section at Large Representative - includes Regions 7, 8, 10, 11 and 15 (three-year term) 
Complete details on the nomination process, including scheduled dates for nominee interviews, can be found online by clicking here.

Please join Education Voters, school officials, community leaders and guest legislators at upcoming community forums in the Lehigh Valleycentral PA, and Southeastern PA to discuss school funding and state funding policy. Click HERE for more details. Pre-registration for the forum is recommended, but not necessary.
Lehigh Valley Forum April 22, 7:00-8:30
Penn State Lehigh Valley, 2809 Saucon Valley Rd, Center Valley, PA 18034
The entrance is at the back of the building and parking is available in lots by the school. 
Confirmed panelists include:
Dr. Bill Haberl, superintendent, Pen Argyl Area SD
Dr. Joe Roy, superintendent, Bethlehem Area SD
Mr. Rich Sniscak, superintendent, Parkland SD
Mr. Russ Giordano, school board director, Salisbury Township SD
Ms. Stacy Gober, CFO, Bethlehem Area SD
Ms. Susan Gobreski, Executive Director, Education Voters of PA
Moderator: Roberta Marcus, School Board Director, Parkland SD
Register HERE to attend the Lehigh Valley education forum.

Central PA education forum Tuesday, April 28, 6:30-8:30
Grace Lutheran Church (in Harkins Hall), 205 S. Garner Street, State College
Panelists
Dr. Cheryl Potteiger, superintendent, Bellefonte Area School District
Ms. Kelly Hastings, superintendent, Keystone Central School District
Mr. James Estep, superintendent, Mifflin County School District
Mr. Sean Daubert, CFO, Mifflin County School District
Dr. Robert O’Donnell, superintendent, State College Area School District
Mr. David Hutchison, school board member, State College Area School District
Ms. Cathy Harlow, superintendent, Tyrone Area School District
Mrs. Linda Smith, superintendent, Williamsburg Community School District
Register HERE to attend the central PA education forum.

Southeastern PA Regional Meeting on School Funding
Wednesday April 29th 7:00 pm Springfield High School Auditorium, 49 West Leamy Avenue, Springfield, PA 19064
Local school district leaders will discuss how state funding issues are impacting our children’s educational opportunities, our local taxes and our communities.
Hosted by Delaware County School Boards Legislative Council, Education Voters of PA, the Keystone State Education Coalition and Public Citizens for Children and Youth
Panelists:
Mr. Frank Agovino, school board president, Springfield School District and Board of Directors, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce
Dr. James Capolupo, superintendent, Springfield School District
Dr. Wagner Marseille, Acting Superintendent, Lower Merion School District 
Mr. Joe Bruni, superintendent, William Penn School District
Dr. Richard Dunlap, superintendent, Upper Darby School District
Mr. Stanley Johnson. Executive Director of Operations, Phoenixville Area School District
Ms. Susan Gobreski, Executive Director, Education Voters of PA
Moderator: Mr. Lawrence Feinberg, Chairman, Delaware County School Boards Legislative Council
Registration info to be provided soon.

All are invited for a screening of the documentary:
STANDARDIZED: Lies, Money & Civil Rights—How Testing is Ruining Public Education Monday, April 27, 7-9PM
The Saturday Club, 117 West Wayne Avenue, Wayne, PA
Standardized testing has long been a part of public education. Over the last ten years however, education reform has become an increasingly heated political issue and seemingly a highly profitable target market for private enterprise resulting in expanded and high-stakes testing. While some hold the view that testing is an effective assessment of student ability and teacher and school effectiveness, many feel these exams are instead undermining our students, teachers and schools.   Daniel Hornberger’s STANDARDIZED documentary raises issues about this model of  education reform and the standardized testing that goes along with it. The film includes interviews with prominent educational experts and government officials who take aim at the goal of standardization that is being promoted and imposed by our federal and state governments. It sheds light on the development, nature and use of these assessments, the consequences of high-stakes testing, and the ostensible private enterprise and government agendas behind them. 
A Q&A session with a panel of informed parents, teachers and experts will follow.
This screening is made possible through a collaboration of Radnor, Tredyffrin/Easttown and Lower Merion concerned parents and PTOs.
For questions and to RSVP, contact RTSDPTOPTSA@gmail.com

Your Right to a Fair Shot: Discrimination Claims, Post-Secondary and the Professions

Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia Tuesday, April 21, 2015 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

United Way Building 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, 19103
Attendees will learn about discrimination claims, post-secondary schools and the professions in this session. You'll learn how federal law aids students with disabilities who do not qualify for special education services, hear about recent cases, and understand strategies for getting students services.  This session is co-sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania School of Policy and Practice, a Pre-approved Provider of Continuing Education for Pennsylvania licensed social workers.  
Tickets: Attorneys $200       General Public $100      Webinar $50   
"Pay What You Can" tickets are also available

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.
·         Registration is only $25! We don't want cost to be a factor. That's how important public education advocacy is!
·         Can't make the two days? Register and come to either day that works into your schedule.
Details and Registration for PSBA members (only $25.00) https://www.psba.org/event/advocacy-forum-day-hill-2015/

Register for the April 18 Education Voters Advocacy Summit in Harrisburg
Education Voters of Pennsylvania will be holding a half-day advocacy summit for public education advocates on Saturday April 18 from 10:00-2:00 in Harrisburg, PA.
During the summit we will:
  • Get an update on Governor Wolf’s budget from John Hanger, secretary of planning and policy,
  • Develop successful advocacy techniques and strategies to maximize our impact on public policy,
  • Receive organizing and communications training
  • Network with other advocates from throughout the state, and
  • Leave prepared to support fair and adequate state funding for schools this year!
Event Location: Temple University Harrisburg 234 Strawberry Square Harrisburg, PA 17101
Lunch will be provided. Please register today! Space is limited.

Join NPE in Chicago April 25-26
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.

Beyond a New School Funding Formula: Lifting Student Achievement to Grow PA's Economy
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM (EDT) Harrisburg, PA
7:30 am: Light breakfast fare and registration; 8:00 am: Program
Harrisburg University Auditorium, Strawberry Square 326 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 
Opening Remarks by Neil D. Theobald, President, Temple University

SESSION I: THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN PENNSYLVANIA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS with introduction by Rob Wonderling, President, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and Member, Center on Regional Politics Executive Committee.            
Presentation by Lynn A. Karoly, Senior Economist, RAND Corporation 

SESSION II: WHAT CAN PENNSYLVANIA LEARN FROM THE WORLD’S LEADING SCHOOL SYSTEMS? with introduction by David H. Monk, Dean, Pennsylvania State University College of Education
Presentation by Marc S. Tucker, President and CEO, National Center on Education and the Economy 
Sessions to be followed by a response panel moderated by Francine Schertzer, Director of Programming, Pennsylvania Cable Network 
Program presented by the University Consortium to Improve Public School Finance and Promote Economic Growth

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