Friday, December 29, 2017

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 29: "Right now, the greatest threat to children's health care coverage is congressional inaction."

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 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, school solicitors, principals, charter school leaders, 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, Instagram and LinkedIn

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
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Keystone State Education Coalition


PA Senate Education Committee Meeting Notice
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 1:00 PM Room 461 Main Capitol
To consider the submission of comments with regard to Pennsylvania's state plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act, pursuant to Section 126 of the Public School Code
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/cms/index.cfm?chamber=S#01/02/2018

“However, tax policies tend to benefit more affluent Americans rather than the low-income parents many school choice advocates see as the most important audience. This is especially true of 529 accounts. Almost all of the benefits of 529 plans flow to households making at least six figures and the greatest benefits flow disproportionately to the wealthiest Americans.”
A Lousy School Choice
Why the new tax break for private schools is such bad policy.
US News By Andrew J. Rotherham, Opinion Contributor | Dec. 27, 2017, at 4:00 p.m.
Education was mostly a sideshow in the massive tax overhaul Congress passed just before Christmas. But one marginal issue passed in the dead of night may end up playing a big role in the school choice debate going forward. Under the new law, money from 529 college savings accounts can now be used for private elementary and secondary education expenses. 529s are savings accounts where you can put after-tax dollars earmarked for college expenses (and now elementary and secondary expenses) into an account where that money grows tax free. That change was the result of a late-night amendment by Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruzthat only passed with Vice President Pence casting a tie breaking vote. The provision is lousy public policy and even many choice advocates opposed it, but it's a big political win for proponents of education tax credits and using the tax code rather than direct spending to advance school choice.

EITC: This Tax Loophole For Wealthy Donors Just Got Bigger
NPR by ANYA KAMENETZ December 28, 20176:37 AM ET
Reporters and researchers are just starting to comb through the huge, rushed-to-passage tax package to figure out the implications. One of the changes, according to the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy, which advocates for a "fair and sustainable" tax system, allows far more wealthy donors in 10 states to turn a profit through "donations" to private school scholarships. Yes, you read that right. If your income is high enough, you can actually make money by giving away money to support scholarships to private schools. The states affected by this provision are Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia. The mechanism at play is something called a "tax credit scholarship" or a "neovoucher."

CHIP: States say short-term funding not enough for children’s health
The Hill BY RACHEL ROUBEIN AND PETER SULLIVAN - 12/22/17 06:00 AM EST
State governments are warning that the short-term funding for a critical children’s health program approved by Congress on Thursday may be too little and too late. Warning letters in at least three states have already been sent to families saying they could lose coverage for their children come Jan. 31 without new funding from Congress. Even if the new funding keeps their programs afloat, it sends a negative message to enrollees and that could cause long-term implications, experts say. Alabama announced recently it would freeze enrollment in its program starting Jan. 1, and it’s unclear if the short-term bill will change the state’s plans. The uncertainty over long-term funding could discourage enrollment in the program and cause more children to go uninsured, experts say. “It shakes confidence in government in general and certainly in this program,” said Linda Nablo, chief deputy director of Virginia’s Department of Medical Assistance Services. “I think we’re going to see lower enrollment for a little while, certainly.”

Statement of Leading Children's Health, Medical and Advocacy Organizations: Short-Term CHIP Funding Falls Short for Children
Posted December 21st, 2017 for American Academy of Pediatrics
​Washington, DC—The following is a joint statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Children's Defense Fund, Children's Dental Health Project, Children's Hospital Association, Family Voices, First Focus Campaign for Children, March of Dimes and National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners:
"Federal funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ran out on September 30th. There is a bipartisan agreement to renew CHIP for five years that both chambers of Congress support, and yet the CHIP funding extension included in the U.S. House of Representatives spending bill introduced today falls far short of that agreement.
"States have already started to notify families that they may not have a source of coverage should Congress fail to enact a long-term extension of CHIP funding, and several states have started to use funds meant to operate the program to start shutting it down. The short-term CHIP funding included in the House spending bill is not enough to prevent states from continuing these actions, and only causes more chaos and confusion on the ground.
"What states and families need is stability. Instead, what they get from the House measure is a continuation of a dangerous trend: temporary, inadequate CHIP funding patches, delivered at the last possible moment with no comprehensive relief or assurance.
"Congress' failure to extend CHIP funding long-term has resulted in a manufactured emergency that has real consequences for children, families and pregnant women. It doesn't have to be this way. There is bipartisan policy ready to be passed right now to extend CHIP funding for five years. Both chambers of Congress support it; the only thing preventing it from passing is political will. Congress must take the opportunity to pass a five-year CHIP funding extension on a bill this week to fund the federal government.
"Right now, the greatest threat to children's health care coverage is congressional inaction."

Editorial: Congress needs to reauthorize CHIP as soon as possible
Lancaster Online by The LNP Editorial Board December 29, 2017
THE ISSUE - Congress recessed for the Christmas holiday without reauthorizing the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program, which covers 8.9 million kids nationwide. Some states will run out of CHIP money by the end of January, and three-quarters of all states will exhaust their program funds by the end of March. CHIP funding covers about 10,000 children in Lancaster County and approximately 180,162 children statewide. The program was reauthorized at the state level by the Pennsylvania General Assembly earlier this month. Republican state Sens. Scott Martin, of Martic Township, and Ryan Aument, of Landisville, voted against the reauthorization, saying they supported CHIP but opposed Gov. Tom Wolf’s expansion of the program to permit elective procedures including gender reassignment for children. Members of Congress returned last week to their comfortable and holiday-bedecked homes without ensuring health care for this nation’s low-income children.
Christmas Day may be behind us, but the Grinch comes to mind. Fortunately, like the Grinch, members of Congress appeared to have a collective attack of conscience in the final hours before recess. Their hearts didn’t grow three sizes that day — season of miracles notwithstanding, that would be unlikely — but they did remember CHIP in the stopgap spending bill they passed to avert a government shutdown. The bill included $2.85 billion for CHIP, a fraction of what the program needs for the year, but at least something.

Former state Sen. Kukovich urges voters to save CHIP
Trib Live by DEBRA ERDLEY  | Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, 11:00 p.m.
A former Westmoreland County lawmaker who sponsored the state law that became the model for the national Children's Health Insurance Program is going on the offensive online to save the program. Former state Sen. Allen Kukovich of Penn Township, who served in the General Assembly from 1977 to 2004, was the prime sponsor of a 1992 Pennsylvania law that became the model for the national CHIP program five years later. He recently posted an appeal on YouTube, urging voters to call the Capitol switchboard and ask their representatives to support reauthorization of the federal program that now provides free or low-cost health insurance to more than 9 million children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to purchase private insurance. The program that insures 180,000 Pennsylvania children, including 4,797 in Westmoreland County and 13,937 in Allegheny County, has faced the prospect of running out of cash since Congress failed to reauthorize funding for it by Sept. 30.

Measures of gerrymandering — real or bogus?
WHYY By Dave Davies December 28, 2017
As courts in Pennsylvania and around the country consider cases charging partisan political gerrymandering, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia recently assembled prominent experts and participants in the battles to talk about the political and constitutional issues. Courts have long acknowledged gerrymandering exists, but they have lacked a reliable standard for measuring just how much of a political edge a particular legislative map gives to one party. In the case that’s captured the most national attention, a federal court struck down boundaries drawn by the Wisconsin state legislature as biased in favor of Republicans, and the U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments on the appeal. In the Wisconsin case, a new mathematical formula for measuring gerrymandering made a difference. It considers election results and measures how “efficient” each party is with its votes while running in the boundaries at issue. If Democrats are packed into a few districts they won by big margins — while Republicans are strategically spread to capture many districts by narrow spreads — the resulting “efficiency gap” measures the bias of the political boundaries. At least, that’s the idea.

“Reducing the size of the House will not solve all the state’s problems. But it will eliminate one dubious distinction: Pennsylvania has the largest and most expensive full-time legislature in the country. Each of the 203 House members is paid at least $87,000 a year, plus $159 per diem and free health-care benefits. (Ranking members are paid more. For example, House Speaker Mike Turzai’s salary is $135,000.) Elected officials are eligible for a generous pension and free health care for life at age 55 and 10 years of service.”
Let's make government smaller, starting with state legislature | Editorial
by The Inquirer Editorial Board Updated: DECEMBER 28, 2017 — 3:01 AM EST
Time is running out on a once-in-a-decade opportunity for the Pennsylvania legislature to reform itself, and perhaps restore voters’ faith in Harrisburg lawmakers’ ability to govern beyond their own self-interest. In the coming weeks, lawmakers must act on a bill that would reduce the size of the state House by 25 percent. The looming deadline must be met for the measure to get on the May primary ballot. That would allow enough time for new district maps to take effect with the 2020 census. But hurdles remain. Reducing the size of the House requires amending the state constitution. Any constitutional amendment must be approved by the House and Senate in two consecutive legislative sessions before going to voters. The bill was approved in the last session and awaits a second vote. But for the past year, House Bill 153 has sat in the State Government Committee. If lawmakers don’t act by mid-January, another decade will pass before the next census provides an opportunity to redraw the districts.

A dozen ways lawmakers changed the rules on Pennsylvanians in 2017
Penn Live by Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Posted December 28, 2017 at 06:15 AM | Updated December 28, 2017 at 06:15 AM
You bring 253 state lawmakers to the Capitol for more than 20 weeks a year and you are sure to get a few new laws that make living in Pennsylvania a little different somehow. In that regard, 2017 didn’t disappoint. From buying fireworks to visiting loved ones’ gravesites, new laws were enacted that change the way many Pennsylvanians will go about their daily lives in 2018 and/or after. Here's a look at a few of those changes:

Ex-GOP treasurer candidate to run for lieutenant governor
Penn Live By The Associated Press Updated Dec 28, 1:35 PM; Posted Dec 28, 1:35 PM
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Another Republican is getting into the race for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Otto Voit, who ran unsuccessfully last year for state treasurer, announced Thursday that he'll seek the party's nomination in next year's election. The 60-year-old Voit is vice president of the Muhlenberg School Board in Berks County. Also running is former state Rep. Gordon Denlinger of Lancaster County and suburban Philadelphia real estate investor Jeffrey Bartos. March 6 is the deadline for major party candidates to file paperwork for the May 15 primary election ballot. Five Democrats have lined up to contest the re-election bid of Lt. Gov. Mike Stack in the party's primary.

Hampton School Board to mull start times for students
Trib Live NATALIE BENEVIAT | Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017, 9:00 p.m.
There will be a special community meeting at Hampton Township School District regarding school start times Jan. 22, with speaker Dr. Peter Franzen, a local expert on the subject. Franzen, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, has studied the idea of delaying the school day, which would mostly benefit high school-age students, and will provide input and feedback at the meeting. The Hampton special meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. and is open to the public. The evening will include a 45-minute presentation by Franzen, followed by a 15-minute, question-and-answer period for the audience. It will be held at the Hampton High School Auditorium. Franzen is considered a local authority on the subject, according to Shari Berg, public relations consultant for the school district. Aside from planning the meeting, she said the district has not had any other discussions on the idea, but just wants to obtain information from Franzen.

How Sen. Pat Toomey turned the Republican tax bill away from populism
Washington Post By Mike DeBonis December 28 at 6:00 AM 
As they scrambled to finish their sweeping tax bill in late October, House lawmakers arrived at a surprising decision: They wouldn’t cut the income tax rate for the wealthy. That choice broke with conservative economic principles, which call for lower rates for high earners to spur investment and boost the economy. But House leaders wanted to use that money to pay for cuts elsewhere in the bill, and the White House was eager to avoid the impression the legislation would disproportionately favor the rich — including President Trump and his top economic advisers. Then Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.) went to work. The final tax bill signed by President Trump lowers the top individual rate to 37 percent from 39.6 percent, reflecting one of many triumphs for the “supply-side” economic doctrine Toomey has relentlessly promoted through more than two decades in politics over the more populist ideology of Trump’s campaign. Behind the scenes, according to aides, lobbyists and fellow lawmakers, Toomey played a major role in shaping the Republican tax overhaul — pushing not only for a cut in the top individual rate but also helping slash rates for corporations and repeal a key provision of the Affordable Care Act.

How Citizens United Changed Politics and Shaped the Tax Bill
The real impact of an unregulated campaign finance is on policy, and the proof is in this year’s tax bill.
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School by Lawrence Norden, Shyamala Ramakrishna, Sidni Frederick December 14, 2017
As Congress is poised to push through a historically unpopular tax bill, it’s worth revisiting a piece by our colleague Daniel Weiner, noting the forthrightness with which members of Congress have made clear that donors have been driving this process. A cynical public has long believed that “candidates who win public office promote policies that directly help the people and groups who donated money to their campaigns,” but rarely have we seen both officeholders and donors themselves state this so openly. It’s worth asking: Has something changed? We think so. But first, let’s look at some of those statements. On the officeholder side, to take but one example, Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) told the Hill newspaper, “My donors are basically saying, ‘Get it done or don’t ever call me again.’” And Steven Law, president of the Senate Leadership Fund and former chief of staff to Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell noted “[Donors] would be mortified if we didn’t live up to what we’ve committed to on tax reform.” Perhaps even more striking is the brazenness with which donors themselves are admitting they have threatened members of Congress. 


Charter School Discussion in Philly Jan 11, 2018 8:00 - 9:30 a.m.
PCCY Email December 26, 2017
Serious flaws in Pennsylvania’s charter school law put the quality of charter schools on the back burner.  Join PCCY for a discussion of how other states’ laws are doing a better job and explore what makes sense in Pennsylvania. January 11, 2018 from 8:00 - 9:30 a.m., at the United Way Building 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 19103
Featured speakers include:
·         Representative James Roebuck (D), PA General Assembly, Democratic Chairman - Education Committee
·         Representative Jordan Harris (D), PA General Assembly
·         Veronica Brooks-Uy, Policy Director, National Association of Charter School Authorizers
·         Sharif El-Mekki, Principal, Mastery Charter Schools
·         Jeff Sparagana, Ed.D, Former Superintendent Pottstown School District
·         Doug Carney, Former Springfield School Board Member (24 years), SVP Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
·         Donna Cooper, Executive Director, Public Citizens for Children and Youth
·         Tomea Sippio-Smith, Education Policy Director, Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY)


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 remaining locations and dates (note: all sessions are held 8 a.m.-4 p.m., unless specified otherwise.):
·         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.

NSBA 2018 Advocacy Institute February 4 - 6, 2018 Marriott Marquis, Washington D.C.
Register Now
Come a day early and attend the Equity Symposium!
Join hundreds of public education advocates on Capitol Hill and help shape the decisions made in Washington D.C. that directly impact our students. At the 2018 Advocacy Institute, you’ll gain insight into the most critical issues affecting public education, sharpen your advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Whether you are an expert advocator or a novice, attend and experience inspirational keynote speakers and education sessions featuring policymakers, legal experts and policy influencers. All designed to help you advocate for your students and communities.

REGISTER TODAY! ELECTED. ENGAGED. EMPOWERED:
Local School Board Members to Advocate on Capitol Hill in 2018     
NSBA's Advocacy Institute 2018 entitled, "Elected. Engaged. Empowered: Representing the Voice in Public Education," will be held on February 4-6, 2018 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. This conference will convene Members of Congress, national thought-leaders, state association executives and well-known political pundits to provide local school board members with an update on key policy and legal issues impacting public education, and tactics and strategies to enhance their ability to influence the policy-making process and national education debate during their year-round advocacy efforts.
WHAT'S NEW - ADVOCACY INSTITUTE '18?
·         Confirmed National Speaker: Cokie Roberts, Political Commentator for NPR and ABC News
·         NSBA will convene first ever National School Board Town Hall on School Choice
·         Includes General Sessions featuring national policy experts, Members of Congress, "DC Insiders" and local school board members
·         Offers conference attendees "Beginner" and "Advanced" Advocacy breakout sessions
·         NSBA will host a Hill Day Wrap-Up Reception
Click here to register for the Advocacy Institute.  The hotel block will close on Monday, January 15
.
Registration is now open for the 2018 PASA Education Congress! State College, PA, March 19-20, 2018
Don't miss this marquee event for Pennsylvania school leaders at the Nittany Lion Inn, State College, PA, March 19-20, 2018.
Learn more by visiting http://www.pasa-net.org/2018edcongress 

SAVE THE DATE for the 2018 PA Educational Leadership Summit - July 29-31 - State College, PA sponsored by the PA Principals Association, PASA, PAMLE and PASCD.  
This year's Summit will be held from July 29-31, 2018 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA.

Any comments contained herein are my comments, alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other person or organization that I may be affiliated with.

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