Thursday, October 5, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Oct. 5: Budget talks crash; legislature recesses until Oct 16th

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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup Oct. 5, 2017:
Budget talks crash; legislature recesses until Oct 16th


Reclaiming Our Democracy: The Pennsylvania Conference to End Gerrymandering Saturday, October 14th, 2017  9:00am-5:00pm Crowne Plaza Harrisburg, PA



Seven of 14 charter schools in Pa. are operating with expired charters. Why is the Department of Education delaying the process?
Public Source By Stephanie Hacke OCT. 4, 2017
PART OF THE SERIES The Charter Effect|
Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School needs cash to finance the construction or renovation of a new building. But no bank has agreed to lend them money. Every bank the school’s leaders met with wants to see the school’s charter renewed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education [PDE] before they take that step. But the school does not have it. It’s been five years since the former charter school coordinator at the PDE told the school that it should only take a few weeks for their charter renewal to be completed. But they are still waiting for it. “Am I allowed to scream? Nah. I never scream, but sometimes I scream inside,” said James Hanak, founder and CEO of the statewide cyber charter school with an enrollment of 2,361 students in 2016-17. “Over the years, I have had maybe 40, certainly 30, banks come and visit us and we lay out all of our finances and all of the things we’re doing and they just love us, until I say to them, ‘But we’ve had this one sticky little problem and that is, the state has not yet issued the formal charter renewal.’”

Residents, officials discuss school funding problems
Intelligencer By Chris English, Staff Writer October 4, 2017
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A recent state Supreme Court decision on a school funding lawsuit is a step toward giving every public school student in Pennsylvania a better chance for a quality education, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case said. The lawsuit brought by the William Penn School District in Delaware County and other parties can move forward to trial, the Supreme Court ruled last week. That decision reversed an earlier Commonwealth Court ruling to dismiss the lawsuit. Speaking at a Tuesday night meeting at Bensalem High School, Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg, staff attorney for The Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia, said the Supreme Court decision is important but represents just a positive step in what will continue to be a hard fight. "We won our day in court, but there is a lot of work ahead," he said. The lawsuit originally filed in 2014 claims that current state funding for public schools is unconstitutional in that it doesn't provide adequate funding to give every student a chance to succeed, and doesn't spread funding around to the various school districts in an equitable way. "They (state lawmakers) don't even pretend to give children the resources they need and that's a profound dereliction of duty," Urevick-Ackelsberg said. "The system is broken. Public schools don't have enough (money from the state) and what resources there are are distributed in an irrational way. "Even if we win the lawsuit, we still need the legislature to do its job and that will take more than lawyers," he continued. "We will only truly win if there is a will in our government to do it (adequately fund schools)."

“The lawsuit filed in June by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania concerns congressional districts drawn up by Republican leaders in 2011 and signed into law by then-Gov. Tom Corbett, also a Republican. Republicans currently represent 13 of 18 congressional districts in Pennsylvania, despite winning about half the statewide votes in the past three elections.”
Gerrymandering: Pennsylvania judge: Congressional map lawsuit may be too late for 2018 elections
Delco Times By Mark Scolforo, The Associated Press POSTED: 10/04/17, 5:30 AM EDT 
HARRISBURG, Pa. >> A Pennsylvania judge said Wednesday his court was unlikely to decide a civil case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s congressional district maps in time to affect next year’s elections. Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pellegrini did not immediately rule after the hearing on a request to delay the case while the U.S. Supreme Court weighs the role of partisanship in drawing legislative district lines. The judge also put off consideration of a separate request by several Republicans who are active in political campaigns, seeking to join the litigation. Pellegrini said he saw his role as teeing up the lawsuit for consideration by a full panel of the court, which could involve a trial. But he said it was not likely to be resolved before the spring primary season, and any appeal to the Supreme Court would extend it further. Jason Tochinsky, a lawyer for legislative Republican leaders who are among the defendants, said the case could be affected by how the U.S. Supreme Court rules in a challenge to Wisconsin’s legislative districts, argued on Tuesday.

Pa. court weighs delaying gerrymander lawsuit similar to case before U.S. Supreme Court
BY LINDSAY LAZARSKI, WHYY Newsworks OCTOBER 5, 2017
Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pelligrini heard arguments Wednesday over whether to stay a lawsuit over the state’s congressional district map until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a similar case out of Wisconsin. The case brought by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania claims the current map is a partisan gerrymander that favors Republicans and violates the state constitution. Gerrymandering is the age-old practice by which lawmakers draw voting districts that give one political party — typically the one in charge — an advantage over their opponents. The idea is to pack as many voters of the opposing party into as few districts as possible, then break up remaining opposition voters over as many districts as possible — minimizing the number of the other party’s voters within each of the “cracked” districts. The issue of partisan gerrymandering is also before the U.S. Supreme Court right now and could have an influence on the Pennsylvania case. In Commonwealth Court, attorneys representing the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Republican leadership asked the judge to wait until the Supreme Court issues a decision in Gill v. Whitford later this term. 

Gerrymandering: Dubious distinction: Pa. Congressional district gets singled out for crazy shape
Penn Live By Teresa Bonner tbonner@pennlive.com Updated on October 4, 2017 at 11:47 AM Posted on October 4, 2017 at 11:08 AM
Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District has drawn attention for its crazy shape right from the moment it was drawn by the state's legislature in 2011. The Washington Post immediately held a "name that district" competition, and came up with a name that has stuck -- Donald Duck kicking Goofy -- to describe what it looks like. It's long been identified as one of the worst examples of gerrymandering -- drawing a congressional or legislative district in such a way as to benefit one political party over another -- in the country. CNN weighed in on the issue Wednesday, labelling the 7th District as one of the three worst gerrymandered districts in the nation. Tom Rentschler believes that over time, and and other voters in Berks County have lost their voice. So in June In June, he became one of 18 plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania's 2011 congressional map and claiming lawmakers violated the state constitution when they created it. CNN says of the 7th District: "The districts built around Philadelphia and its western suburbs are uniformly ugly. But, the 7th, represented by Republican Pat Meehan, is the worst of the worst. In a feat of understatement, the Almanac says of this seat: 'The unconventional shape of the 7th made it one of the most highlighted gerrymanders in post-2010 redistricting.'"

House assigns blame as budget talks crash; Wolf draws "line in the sand"
WITF Written by Katie Meyer, Capitol Bureau Chief | Oct 5, 2017 8:24 AM
 (Harrisburg) -- The latest push to finish Pennsylvania's late, unbalanced budget has melted down. After several false starts, talks between House Democrats and Republicans dissolved into fights Wednesday over who's at fault for the chamber's inability to find consensus on a tax package. Meanwhile Governor Tom Wolf declared himself "done" playing games, and unexpectedly announced he'll balance a portion of the budget himself, by borrowing against future revenue from the state-controlled liquor industry. Among the failures over the last three days of negotiations were Republican-proposed bills to tax warehouses and the hotel industry. GOP Majority Leader Dave Reed blamed the letdown on a lack of Democratic votes--which he claimed amount to a betrayal by Democratic leaders, and by extension, Democratic Governor Tom Wolf. "It seems to me that once again some folks can't keep up their end of the bargain, and they looked for the easiest way to get out of town," Reed said. "I'll say from a personal perspective, it's very frustrating. If I can't take people at their word, then I don't know how I can negotiate with them." House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody said that's ridiculous.

Pa. House rejects effort to consider a shale tax to help fund the budget
Penn Live By Jan Murphy  jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated on October 4, 2017 at 3:16 PM Posted on October 4, 2017 at 2:13 PM
The House had an opportunity to force consideration of a shale tax to help fund the 2017-18 budget by using a rarely used tactic to force the discharge of severance tax bill from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. But that effort failed by a vote of 115-83 on Wednesday. Where that leaves the revenue plan to fill the $2.2 billion revenue deficit in the 2017-18 budget remains in question at this point since a 5 percent statewide hotel tax also was proving unpopular with House members. 

Delco Republicans in Harrisburg line up behind shale severance tax
Delco Times By Rick Kauffman, rkauffman@21st-centurymedia.com@Kauffee_DT on Twitter
POSTED: 10/04/17, 9:51 PM EDT | UPDATED: 37 SECS AGO
House Republicans from Delaware County bucked their party Wednesday by voting to move a proposed Marcellus shale severance tax out of committee and onto the House floor. It failed. However, they represent a contingent siding with House Democrats calling for the state to seriously look at implementing a shale tax. Pennsylvania remains the only state in the country with a fracking industry that hasn’t implement a severance tax on natural gas extraction. “It’s time to give the Legislature the chance to vote yes or no,” said state Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160 of Upper Chichester. “If it fails because of a lack of votes, then that’s the process.” And indeed it did fail Wednesday in Harrisburg, falling short 83-115, meaning the Shale severance tax would remain in the Pennsylvania House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for the time being. Barrar said the push for a fracking tax wouldn’t end there. “(The natural gas industry in Pennsylvania) has invested billions of dollars into pipelines and infrastructure, they’re getting the gas to market,” Barrar said. “It’s been almost 10 years now in the state without the tax.” “Now’s the time to seriously look at it.”

Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf blasts House GOP in budget standoff, says he’ll borrow to patch deficit
Delco Times By Marc Levy and Mark Scolforo,  Associated Press POSTED: 10/04/17 3:02 PM
HARRISBURG, Pa. >> Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday he is tired of waiting for Republican lawmakers to produce a plan to wipe out a projected $2.2 billion deficit and will borrow against profits from Pennsylvania’s state-controlled liquor system to help patch it. Wolf said during a press conference in his Capitol offices that his moves will be immediate, coming three months into a stalemate over fully funding a $32 billion budget bill that lawmakers passed June 30. Wolf pointed the finger at leaders of the House’s Republican majority for failing to come up with enough votes to produce a tax package big enough to meet his demands to pare down Pennsylvania’s stubborn post-recession deficit. “I’m not going to play their games anymore, so I’m going to draw a line in the sand,” Wolf said. Borrowing the money will raise about $1.2 billion, the governor said. He suggested other spending cuts may be necessary without a revenue package. He said he’ll manage the state’s workforce and costs to the best of his ability to save money.

Pa. Gov on House Republicans: 'I'm not going to play their games anymore'
Inquirer by Angela Couloumbis & Liz Navratil, HARRISBURG BUREAU Updated: OCTOBER 4, 2017 — 4:13 PM EDT
HARRISBURG – Gov. Wolf said Wednesday afternoon that he was fed up with the inability of House Republicans to pass a revenue measure to balance the Pennsylvania budget, and that he was going to seek to borrow more than $1 billion against the state’s liquor revenues. Using withering words, Wolf described House Republicans as beholden to politics and special interests and called on them to pass an extraction tax on natural-gas production from the Marcellus Shale – a measure he believes will help end the state’s more than three-month-long budget stalemate. The Democratic governor had included such a tax in his initial budget proposal earlier this year, and a scaled-down version of it passed the Republican-controlled Senate this summer. But Republican leaders in the lower chamber – at least one of whom, Speaker Mike Turzai, is a potential challenger to Wolf in next year’s election – have blocked a severance tax at every turn. “Too many Republicans in the legislature are focused on the 2018 elections – they’d rather see me fail than Pennsylvania succeed,” the Democratic governor said in a news conference in the Capitol. “I’m not going to play their games anymore, so I’m drawing a line in the sand.”

Rep. Saylor denies Sen. Wagner's influence on shale tax
York Dispatch by David Weissman, 505-5431/@DispatchDavid Published 12:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 2017
House Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor said he has never — and will never — base his decisions on helping someone win or lose an election. The longtime Windsor Township representative's comments come after gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner was recorded telling a crowd that he urged Saylor to block a tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production to hurt Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s re-election chances. Saylor, a Republican serving his 13th term, declined to discuss any conversations he's had with Sen. Wagner, R-Spring Garden Township, but he pointed out that he has been strongly opposed to a severance tax his entire political career. "Why kill an industry that's set to create a lot of jobs in Pennsylvania in the future?" Saylor asked. In late July, the state Senate narrowly passed a revenue package — with Wagner voting against it — that included a severance tax, one of Wolf's campaign promises when he won election to his first term. Wagner can be heard on the recording saying, "I said, ‘Stan, you cannot let this severance tax get through and it gets to the governor’s desk, because if that happens the governor is going to get re-elected. Stan, you take that to the bank.’”

Governor Wolf Urges Congressional Reauthorization of Children’s Health Insurance Program
Governor Wolf’s Website October 03, 2017
Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today offered a statement on the need for Congress to address the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) before hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania children are left without health care. Congress failed to act on extending the popular program before the Sept. 30 deadline. “We can’t forget our most vulnerable – our children who rely on us to care for them,” Gov. Wolf said. “Congress’s inaction can only be interpreted as apathy and there can be no tolerance for that. Even though the U.S. Senate Finance Committee leaders took a step in the right direction to recommend extending CHIP, Congress did not act, leaving children from low- and middle-income families at risk,” Gov. Wolf said. In Pennsylvania, the Children’s Health Insurance Program provides insurance benefits to 176,000 children up to age 19. “Those Pennsylvania children are among the 9 million from low- and middle-income families who could lose benefits if the federal funding isn’t reauthorized. In Pennsylvania, we can maintain CHIP benefits into February 2018, but the longer this drags on in Congress, the more this vital program is threatened. Congress needs to act now and do the right thing,” 

Lawmakers in Washington: Extend the Children's Health Insurance Program, and do it stat
Lancaster Online Editorial by The LNP Editorial Board October 5, 2017
THE ISSUE - Federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program expired Saturday, raising concerns about the future of the program, which covers more than 10,000 children in Lancaster County and roughly 9 million nationwide. State officials and local providers told LNP staff writer Heather Stauffer that the lapse won’t cause any immediate changes here, and expressed hope that the historically strong bipartisan public support for the program will result in quick restoration of funding.
People don’t agree on much these days. But we’ll wager that most of us agree on this: Children ought to have health insurance. And community health centers that serve low-income families ought to be funded. Which is why it came as a surprise to many that federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program — and that for community health centers and other safety-net programs — were allowed by Congress to quietly lapse over the weekend. The deadline for reauthorizing the funding was Saturday. It came and went with no action by Congress. We wish we could say we were shocked by the lack of urgency in Congress about meeting the needs of low- and moderate-income children. As Joan Benso, president and CEO of the nonprofit Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, told LNP’s Stauffer, the annual federal share of CHIP funding in the commonwealth is more than $385 million. The state share is 10 percent of the program’s funding, and so money coming from the state would be quickly exhausted. Also consider the fact that the state budget still is not resolved.

Republicans, Democrats fight over funding children's health insurance
Trib Live by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, 9:03 p.m.
WASHINGTON — Republicans pushed a bill extending financing for a popular health insurance program for children through a House committee Wednesday, but partisan divisions over how to pay for it suggest that congressional approval will take time despite growing pressure on lawmakers to act. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the measure on a party-line 28-23 vote. The program covers 8.9 million low-income children, and a renewal of money for it seems virtually inevitable. But four days after the program's federal funding expired, the bill's problems were underscored as Democrats opposed GOP plans for financing the extension and a related community health center bill. The GOP cuts include trimming a public health fund established under former President Obama's health care law and making it harder for people buying individual health coverage to avoid paying premiums. They would also raise Medicare premiums on seniors earning more than $500,000 annually, make it harder for lottery winners to qualify for Medicaid and strengthen how the government gets reimbursements from private insurers. New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the committee's top Democrat, said the dispute could delay congressional action until the end of the year. He accused the GOP of trying to "continue their ongoing sabotage of the Affordable Care Act," Obama's 2010 law. "While some have called these offsets partisan, we would call them reasonable," said panel chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore.

States Gird for Worst as Congress Wrestles with Children’s Insurance Program
New York Times By ROBERT PEAR OCT. 3, 2017
WASHINGTON — Federal officials on Monday approved a $3.6 million emergency infusion for Minnesota after the state’s human services chief warned that pregnant women and some children were at imminent risk of losing health care coverage under the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Utah, meantime, has formally requested authority to “eliminate eligibility and services under CHIP” if the state does not have enough money to continue coverage. In statehouses around the country, officials are preparing for the worst as lawmakers in Washington struggle to find money for the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, which insures nearly nine million children but lost its spending authority on Sunday, with the start of the new fiscal year. Congress has known for two years that federal funds for the Children’s Health Insurance Program were expiring this fall. But only on Wednesday are two congressional panels — the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee — tentatively scheduled to vote on legislation that would provide money for the program for another five years.
And the two chambers have not agreed on how to pay for the measures.

Support the Notebook and see Springsteen on Broadway
The notebook October 2, 2017 — 10:57am
Donate $50 or more until Nov. 10, enter to win – and have your donation doubled!
"This music is forever for me. It's the stage thing, that rush moment that you live for. It never lasts, but that's what you live for." – Bruce Springsteen
You can be a part of a unique Bruce Springsteen show in his career – and support local, nonprofit education journalism!  Donate $50 or more to the Notebook through Nov. 10, and your donation will be doubled, up to $1,000, through the Knight News Match. Plus, you will be automatically entered to win a pair of prime tickets to see Springsteen on Broadway!  One winner will receive two tickets to the 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, show at the Walter Kerr Theatre. These are amazing orchestra section seats to this incredible sold-out solo performance. Don't miss out on your chance to see the Boss in his Broadway debut. Donate to the Notebook today online or by mail at 699 Ranstead St., 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

GOP Rep. Tim Murphy to retire after reports of affair
Inquirer by MARC LEVY, The Associated Press Updated: OCTOBER 4, 2017 — 6:26 PM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Republican congressman Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania announced Wednesday that he would not run for a ninth term, amid tawdry revelations of an extramarital affair in which the anti-abortion lawmaker urged his mistress to get an abortion when he thought she was pregnant. Murphy said in a brief statement through his office that he will "take personal time to seek help as my family and I continue to work through our personal difficulties." Murphy's decision came a day after the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published text messages between Murphy and Shannon Edwards. A Jan. 25 text message from Edwards told the congressman he had "zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place when you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options," according to the newspaper.

Testing Resistance & Reform News: September 27 - October 3, 2017
FairTest Submitted by fairtest on October 3, 2017 - 3:15pm 
Many of this week's stories reflect the growing recognition that standardized exam scores do not accurately reflect the realities of student academic achievement or school quality. That's why an ever-increasing number of states and districts are cutting back on the volume of tests and the stakes attached to their results.


Reclaiming Our Democracy: The Pennsylvania Conference to End Gerrymandering
Saturday, October 14th, 2017 | 9:00am-5:00pm Crowne Plaza Harrisburg, PA
Crowne Plaza Harrisburg-Hershey 23 S 2nd St.  Harrisburg, PA
Join us for a one-day redistricting conference in Harrisburg for volunteers, supporters, academics, press and legislators. Gubernatorial candidates, legislative leaders and national redistricting experts have been invited to speak about gerrymandering and the potential for reform.  In the afternoon there will be breakout sessions on redistricting issues of interest, including new gerrymandering standards and details on litigation in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and other states.
https://www.fairdistrictspa.com/events/2017/10/14/reclaiming-our-democracy-the-pennsylvania-conference-to-end-gerrymandering

Seventh Annual Pennsylvania Arts and Education Symposium, November 2, 2017 Camp Hill
The 2017 Pennsylvania Arts and Education will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Convention Center in Camp Hill.  See the agenda here.
Early Bird Registration ends September 30.
https://www.eplc.org/pennsylvania-arts-education-network/


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

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

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

Registration Is Open for the 2017 Arts and Education Symposium
Thursday, November 2, 2017 8:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
 Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Convention Center
Registration October 1 to November 1 - $60; Registration at the Symposium - $70
Full-Time Student Registration (Student ID Required at Symposium Check-In) - $30
Act 48 Credit Available

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

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

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