Wednesday, November 15, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Nov. 15: “The shortfall for most cyber students, they said, was equal to losing 72 days of learning in reading and 180 days in math during the typical 180-day school year.”

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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup Nov. 15, 2017:
“The shortfall for most cyber students, they said, was equal to losing 72 days of learning in reading and 180 days in math during the typical 180-day school year.”


Do you have newly elected board members? Have them register for PSBA’s new school director training sessions to be held throughout the state in December and January.
An additional session has been scheduled in southeastern PA on Saturday, January 6th in the Haverford School District.



Blogger commentary: On Monday the PA Dept. of Education will conduct a hearing to consider an application for a new cyber charter school.  The applicant appears to have no verifiable qualifications or experience. You can read their application here. Furthermore, while cyber education may be great for families with highly motivated students and parents, five years’ worth of failing PA School Performance Profile scores for all 13 cyber charters would indicate that there is a significant problem delivering cyber education.  The following article bears that out.

“Stanford University researchers said their analysis showed severe shortfalls in reading and math achievement. The shortfall for most cyber students, they said, was equal to losing 72 days of learning in reading and 180 days in math during the typical 180-day school year.”
Reprise Oct. 2015: Study: Cyber charter schools failing their students
Inquirer by Martha Woodall, Inquirer Staff Writer Updated: OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 1:08 AM EDT
A massive national study of online charter schools has found that 70 percent of students at cyber schools are falling behind their peers at traditional public institutions. The study, released Tuesday by three policy and research centers, found the online schools have an "overwhelming negative impact." Stanford University researchers said their analysis showed severe shortfalls in reading and math achievement. The shortfall for most cyber students, they said, was equal to losing 72 days of learning in reading and 180 days in math during the typical 180-day school year. "While the overall findings of our analysis are somber, we do believe the information will serve as the foundation for constructive discussions on the role of online schools in the K-12 sector," said James Woodworth, senior quantitative research analyst at Stanford's Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). Another scholar, Brian Gill, a researcher at Mathematica Policy Research in Cambridge, Mass. cautioned, "I don't think we should view these findings as saying that online education does not work." The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, an advocacy group based in Washington, said the findings were so troubling that the report should be "a call to action for authorizers and policymakers." Pennsylvania's 14 cyber schools, which enroll more than 35,000 students, were among those studied. Pennsylvania, Ohio, and California account for half the nation's 200,000 students who were enrolled in approximately 200 cyber schools in 2011-12.

“In leadership, Turzai has propelled several pet issues: privatizing the state-controlled wine and liquor store system and directing more taxpayer dollars to private school scholarships and non-profit education groups. … As majority leader for all four years under then-Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, Turzai backed deep, budget-balancing cuts in education aid, requirements that abortion clinics meet stricter outpatient surgery center standards and a tougher voter identification law.”
Mike Turzai running for Pennsylvania governor
Morning Call by MARK SCOLFORO and MARC LEVY of The Associated Press November 14, 2017 5:40 p.m.
Pennsylvania's Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai, a leader of anti-tax and social conservatives who has helped drive austerity in state budgeting, will run for governor.
Turzai, 58, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he will seek the Republican nomination in May's primary election to challenge Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, who is running for a second four-year term.  In an interview in a Wexford diner, Turzai called himself a “reformer with results.” But, he said, “to really make a difference you have to be governor, and you need a strong leader in that position.” Turzai, who lives in suburban Pittsburgh, is entering what is now a four-person Republican primary field. Turzai floated his potential candidacy last spring, but stayed quiet about his plans while embroiled in this year's months-long budget stalemate. Turzai is the most prominent budget hawk in Republican leadership, and has been a constant adversary of Wolf's, particularly in the two drawn-out budget fights since Wolf became governor in 2015. He even has been a bane to some Republicans, driving a harder bargain when moderates or other conservatives were ready to compromise on a bigger tax increase to prop up the state's deficit-riddled finances.

“Campaign records show Turzai has received nearly a quarter-million dollars since 2010 from drilling companies, their political action committees or their trade groups. A spokesman for him previously said it was “insulting” to assume the donations played any role in House Republican leaders’ opposition to the tax, saying their motivation was to protect jobs.”
Pa. House Speaker Mike Turzai to run for governor
Inquirer by Liz Navratil, HARRISBURG BUREAU Updated: NOVEMBER 14, 2017 — 6:14 PM
HARRISBURG — House Speaker Mike Turzai, known for his conservative views and zest for battle with the Democratic administration, has joined the race for governor. The Republican from Allegheny County announced his plans to seek the GOP nomination Tuesday evening in a video posted to his campaign’s social-media accounts. Turzai championed his opposition to various taxes — a sticking point in the state’s four-month-long budget impasse, and on which his party’s House caucus was often a holdout on  proposed compromises that would have increased broad-based taxes. He referred to the Republican-controlled House as “the last line of defense against every imaginable scheme to take away your hard-earned dollars and freedom.” And the state Democratic party was quick to criticize, accusing Turzai of paralyzing state government and causing a credit downgrade “so he could advance his own political ambitions and protect his donors in the oil and gas industry.” To many in the Capitol, a fiery showdown between the speaker and Democratic Gov. Wolf had seemed inevitable during the budget impasse. But if Turzai wants to face Wolf in the run for governor, he must first make it out of a crowded field of candidates running for the GOP ticket.

“They defended their proposals by claiming that state spending was growing faster than the economy, even though IFO numbers show that the exact opposite was true. And they would never recognize that the structural deficit is the product of deep reductions in corporate taxes. The ideological extremism and rigidity of Turzai, Reed and their followers in the House stand in the way of the compromises that our elected officials must make when different branches are controlled by opposing parties. And their dishonesty about both the source of the structural deficit and their own proposals heightens ideological extremism.”
Guest Column: Pa. budget plan is not normal, or good government
Delco Times By Marc Stier, Times Guest Columnist POSTED: 11/14/17, 9:23 PM EST 
Marc Stier is the director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center.
Let’s cut to the chase: the process that led to a completed state budget is not normal. And good government in this state is impossible if it becomes normal. The budget is technically in balance. But despite including about $1.5 billion in efficiencies identified by Gov. Tom Wolf, it raises so little new revenue that it does too little to close a structural imbalance between spending and revenues. The next fiscal year will begin with a deficit of at least $1 billion. This result is entirely the fault of the extremists who lead the Republicans in the House of Representatives. They have consistently rejected bipartisan compromises embraced by Gov. Wolf, Democrats and their fellow Republicans in the General Assembly. We live at a time when the principles, ideals and practices that have governed American politics for generations are being challenged at every turn. The principle that office holders should adhere to common standards of evidence and argument is called into question by politicians who lie repetitively and shamelessly. The ideal of a common good greater than party victory is rejected by politicians for whom the only measure of success is defeating the other side. And the practice of embracing compromise when neither side can rule on its own is overturned by politicians who would rather see disaster befall us all than concede on an ideological point.

'We're a joke': Life in the nation's most gerrymandered district
Penn Live By WALLACE McKELVEY | Photos by DAN GLEITER Posted November 14, 2017 at 05:50 AM | Updated November 14, 2017 at 07:12 AM
PENNSBURY TOWNSHIP — The boundaries of Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District are so convoluted they befuddle even the office of its congressman. U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan still sends mailers to residents of Kendal-Crosslands despite the fact that the Quaker-run retirement community was carved out of Meehan’s district — literally, in the shape of a dagger — and is represented by Lloyd Smucker, who lives an hour away in Lancaster County. Seniors are usually political catnip — reliable voters with free time and disposable income — but Kendal-Crosslands residents say their Republican lawmakers ignore their overtures. Quakers, it turns out, tend to vote Democratic and the community is home to more liberals than conservatives. When it came time to redraw district lines in 2011, its roughly 900 residents were punted from one district into another in order to spread out the Democratic vote across southeast Pennsylvania. “Have you seen what we look like? We’re a joke,” said Bonnie Marcus, a Democratic poll worker who gathered a group of neighbors at the community center to talk gerrymandering.

LWV v. PA – Fast-Tracked
PA Appellate Advocaate Blog By: Whitney Snyder Date: November 14, 2017 Author: pennsylvaniaappellateadvocate
On November 9, 2017 the PA Supreme Court granted LWV’s petition requesting that it order the Commonwealth Court to hear the case now and on an expedited basis, vacating the stay Judge Pelligrini ordered on October 16, 2017.   The Court directed the Commonwealth Court to tee up the case for the Court’s decision, ordering Commonwealth Court to conduct all necessary proceedings and provide findings of fact and conclusion of law no later than December 31, 2017.  Justices Saylor, Baer and Mundy dissented. On Friday November 10, the Commonwealth Court assigned Judge Kevin Brobson to conduct the proceedings.  On November 13, Judge Brobson issued an order setting a December 11 trial date. The order also drops the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania as a plaintiff in the case, reasoning that because the League of Women Voters does not have the right to vote, it “lacks standing to file political gerrymandering claims.” Nomination petitions for the 2018 elections are due on March 6, 2018.  With the timeline that the Court set, it appears it could decide the case prior to that date.  The intervening months will be a flurry of activity, with only approximately 7 weeks until the Commonwealth Court’s findings are due, depositions pending, and a hearing to hold.  Stay tuned for additional case updates as events unfold.

G. Terry Madonna and Michael Young: Republicans face three choices in 2018 midterm strategy
Morning Call Letter November 14, 2017
One definition of a trilemma is "a difficult choice [among] three options, each of which is ... unacceptable or unfavorable." A trilemma is essentially a dilemma on steroids. Open any door; it doesn't matter because all of them are the wrong door. In the aftermath of this month's off-year election, it appears national Republicans are confronting such a challenge as they prepare for the 2018 midterm elections, now some 11 months away. In point of fact, Republicans would be on the defense in 2018 regardless of the outcome of this year's elections. Recent midterms literally have become a referendum on the president, and President Donald Trump is deeply unpopular.  Indeed, midterms since the Civil War have generally bruised and battered the president's party, handing the incumbent party a 32-average House seat loss. However, the results of the Nov. 7 election seem to raise the normal midterm stakes exponentially. National Republicans may be facing a wave election, entailing huge losses in both the House and the Senate, as well as electoral reverses in the 36 states that will elect governors in 2018. Driving this alarm is Republican shock and awe in the aftermath of sharply increasing Democratic turnout on Nov. 7, an increase that both baffled and surprised many election observers.

Schools need to train career-ready students for 21st-century jobs
Centre Daily Times BY BRIAN SLAWIN AND DR. MAURICE FLURIE NOVEMBER 14, 2017 11:06 PM
Brian Slawin is the northwest regional director and portfolio manager for the Ben Franklin Technology PArtners, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development providing capital, mentoring, network and support for technology startups and small manufacturers in central and northern Pennsylvania. Dr. Maurice “Reese” Flurie is the CEO of Commonwealth Charter Academy, a K-12 Pennsylvania public cyber charter school.
A decade from now, today’s third-graders could start their working careers. Is our educational system built to prepare them for the careers that will exist when they enter the workforce? As celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week (Nov. 13-19), are we doing enough in Pennsylvania to encourage young minds to follow through with their innovative ideas? The unfortunate reality is that America’s public schools largely are designed solely to prepare students to graduate from high school instead of preparing them for careers of the future. Our students are stuck in the same old desks, learning the same thing at the same time, instead of being pushed to think, grow, create and explore. Schools have the most impact when students are exposed to the demands and possibilities of the real world so they can see what it takes to succeed. It doesn’t matter whether they intend to immediately enter the workforce, follow a path of entrepreneurship, serve in the military or pursue higher education — they need to learn how to be problem-solvers, how to collaborate and how to stay current with the rapid pace of advancing technology.

“The push comes as Republicans are increasingly anxious to deliver President Donald Trumpa rare legislative victory before the end of the year, while special interest groups seek furiously to protect their favorite breaks. Senate Republicans on Monday began writing their tax bill and the full House is expected later this week to vote on its own blueprint. Although the two versions are markedly different and will be reconciled by a special House and Senate committee, both call for scrapping the $250 tax deduction as lawmakers seek to simplify the tax code.”
Teachers who buy classroom supplies with their own money cry foul on Republican tax plan
Centre Daily Times BY LESLEY CLARK lclark@mcclatchydc.com NOVEMBER 13, 2017 5:42 PM
WASHINGTON - Teachers often have to spend their own money to provide students with books, pens and pencils, and can get a tax deduction of $250 for their expenses — but there’s no such break in the Republican tax legislation. Both House and Senate tax bills would end the break, and powerful teachers' unions are mobilizing to fight the proposal. "It's a slap in the face to teachers to take it away. For teachers, it’s like ‘Are you kidding me? You’re coming after our $250?’ ” said Lisa Ochs, president of American Federation of Teachers-Kansas. Later this week, her union is holding a school supply donation drive outside the Overland Park, Kansas office of Rep. Kevin Yoder, a vulnerable Republican seeking reelection. Similar efforts are underway around the country. The National Education Association, under the hashtag #outofmypocket, is asking teachers to share via social media pictures of the sticky notes, pens and scissors that they purchase for their students.
http://www.centredaily.com/news/politics-government/article184426003.html

Middle Bucks Institute of Technology students shine in culinary competition
Intelligencer Posted Nov 14, 2017 at 4:15 PM Updated Nov 14, 2017 at 4:25 PM
Several MBIT students placed high in the Taste of Bucks and Montgomery culinary competition sponsored by the Philadelphia chapter of the American Culinary Federation. Several Culinary Arts and Science students from Middle Bucks Institute of Technology in Warwick placed high at the recent Taste of Bucks and Montgomery culinary competition sponsored by the Philadelphia chapter of the American Culinary Federation. The students competed against others from area career and technical schools. Taking first place overall in the competition was the MBIT team of Emily Decking (who also attends Central Bucks West High School), McAfee Madding (New Hope-Solebury), Daney Rivera (New Hope-Solebury) and Shelby Waldo (Central Bucks South).
In the pastry arts and cake decorating part of the competition, MBIT students Catherine Fischer (Central Bucks West) and Anna Louderback (Central Bucks South) took first and third places, respectively.

Councilwoman Gym to host events honoring historic 1967 student walkout
The notebook by Darryl C. Murphy November 14, 2017 — 4:47pm
Friday, Nov. 17, will mark the 50th anniversary of the walkout of thousands of African American students in Philadelphia who wanted schools to include African American history and culture in their curricula. On Thursday and Friday, City Councilwoman Helen Gym will host a series of events celebrating that pivotal moment in the city’s history.  “Youth have been and continue to be a driving force in the movement for racial justice and educational equity in Philadelphia,” said Gym in an emailed statement. “We are excited to celebrate the legacy of the 1967 Black student walkout by heralding our elders and supporting our current youth activists. During dark times, youth leaders break open possibilities and provide energy and hope — this event is about honoring their leadership past and present.” On Thursday morning, City Council will kick off the festivities at 10 a.m. by honoring the 50-year legacy of the activists. On Friday, a panel discussion at the African American Museum in Philadelphia will feature Gym; Matthew Countryman, author of Up South: Civil Rights and Black Power in Philadelphia, which includes a comprehensive account of the day; and local community activists. The keynote address and panel, which are free, will run from 6 to 8 p.m. A reception that follows from 8 to 11 p.m. will cost $10.

WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU’VE HEARD A POLITICIAN TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EDUCATION OF BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN IN PHILLY
Philly’s 7th Ward Blog BY SHARIF EL-MEKKI NOVEMBER 7, 2017
For too long, we’ve pointed fingers at each other…again and again, we’ve told the people of Philadelphia that the state of their schools are someone else’s responsibility. -Mayor Kenney
Last week, Mayor Kenney, in a speech in City Council’s chambers called for the Philadelphia School District to return to local control. It has basically been under state takeover since then-superintendent Hornbeck called their tactics “racist.” They were offended, but took it over with an accompanying promise of more funding and support. But, while the call for the dissolution of the School Reform Commission is very noteworthy, unfortunately, it wasn’t historic. What was historic was a politician saying they wanted to be held accountable for the educational outcomes of a district with mostly Black and Brown children. That, far too often, is unprecedented. Mayor Kenney set an example and threw the gauntlet down. While folks (rightfully) gave our mayor a standing ovation for throwing the gauntlet down about local control of our schools, they should have stayed standing for the following point as well:
I will be judged by the voters on the number of high-performing schools in every neighborhood, not whether those schools are district or public charters. The District currently serves over 200,000 students, including the nearly 70,000 of those students attending a public charter school. I am responsible to every one of those children, no matter the type of school they attend.


What the Republican tax plan will do to students should make every American parent ashamed
Sacramento Bee BY ERWIN CHEMERINSKY Special to The Bee NOVEMBER 13, 2017 3:00 PM
ERWIN CHEMERINSKY IS DEAN AND PROFESSOR OF LAW AT THE UC BERKELEY SCHOOL OF LAW. 
As I read the Republican’s tax proposals, I kept thinking, “Have you no shame?” After years of lamenting the size of the federal deficit, the House version of the tax plan would increase the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion over the next 10 years. The proposed overhaul of the tax system is an unabashed effort to help Republican friends and hurt others in a way that would be unprecedented in American history. In the face of growing wealth disparity, the Republicans plan will cut taxes for the very rich. For example, the bill will eliminate the estate tax, which will benefit those inheriting more than $5 million. Moreover, the richest families would get the biggest tax cuts in both dollar and percentage-of-income terms. Taxpayers in the top 1 percent would get half of all of the benefits of the tax cuts. More than 97 percent of those in the top 0.1 percent would see a tax cut due to the Trump plan – worth an average of $747,580. I am especially concerned about the effects of the tax proposals on education. The Senate plan eliminates all deductions for state and local taxes, while the House proposal retains property tax deductions up to $10,000. There is no doubt that this an attempt to hurt blue states which have higher taxes, like California, New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts. This will put great pressure on these states to lower taxes, which undoubtedly will hurt spending on education that is such a large part of the budgets in these states.



November School Leader Advocacy Training
PASA, PASBO, PSBA, the Pennsylvania Principals Association, the PARSS and PAIU are offering five, full-day School Leader Advocacy Training sessions at the following locations:
Wednesday, November 15 – Berks County I.U. 14 (Reading)
Thursday, November 16 – Midwestern I.U. 4 (Grove City)
Friday, November 17 – Westmoreland I.U. 7 (Greensburg)
Take advantage of this great opportunity – at NO cost to you!
REGISTER TODAY at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SchoolLeaderTraining. 

Cyber Charter School Application; Public Hearing November 20
Pennsylvania Bulletin Saturday, October 14, 2017 NOTICES - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The Department of Education (Department) has scheduled one date for a public hearing regarding a cyber charter school application that was received on or before October 2, 2017. The hearing will be held on November 20, 2017, in Heritage Room A on the lobby level of 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126 at 9 a.m. The hearing pertains to the applicant seeking to operate a cyber charter school beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. The purpose of the hearing is to gather information from the applicant about the proposed cyber charter school as well as receive comments from interested individuals regarding the application. The name of the applicant, copies of the application and a listing of the date and time scheduled for the hearing on the application can be viewed on the Department's web site at www.education.pa.gov. Individuals who wish to provide comments on the application during the hearing must provide a copy of their written comments to the Department and the applicant on or before November 6, 2017. Comments provided by this deadline and presented at the hearing will become part of the certified record. For questions regarding this hearing, contact the Division of Charter Schools, (717) 787-9744, charterschools@pa.gov.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education Cyber Charter School Application for Commonwealth Education Connections Cyber Charter School 2017
Charter School Application Submitted: September 27, 2017


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.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2017/10/02/springsteen-on-broadway

Register for New School Director Training in December and January
PSBA Website October 2017
You’ve started a challenging and exciting new role as a school director. Let us help you narrow the learning curve! PSBA’s New School Director Training provides school directors with foundational knowledge about their role, responsibilities and ethical obligations. At this live workshop, participants will learn about key laws, policies, and processes that guide school board governance and leadership, and develop skills for becoming strong advocates in their community. Get the tools you need from experts during this visually engaging and interactive event.
Choose from any of these 10 locations and dates (note: all sessions are held 8 a.m.-4 p.m., unless specified otherwise.):
·         Dec. 8, Bedford CTC
·         Dec. 8, Montoursville Area High School
·         Dec. 9, Upper St. Clair High School
·         Dec. 9, West Side CTC
·         Dec. 15, Crawford County CTC
·         Dec. 15, Upper Merion MS (8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m)
·         Dec. 16, PSBA Mechanicsburg
·         Dec. 16, Seneca Highlands IU 9
·         Jan. 6, Haverford Middle School
·         Jan. 13, A W Beattie Career Center
·         Jan. 13, Parkland HS
Fees: Complimentary to All-Access members or $170 per person for standard membership. All registrations will be billed to the listed district, IU or CTC. To request billing to an individual, please contact Michelle Kunkel at michelle.kunkel@psba.org. Registration also includes a box lunch on site and printed resources.

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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