Monday, January 21, 2019

PA Ed Policy Roundup Jan. 21: EITC/OSTC diverted tax dollars for 2016-2017 totaled over $159 million


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EITC/OSTC diverted tax dollars for 2016-2017 totaled over $159 million


Blogger note: According to spreadsheets from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development which by law administers the tax credit programs, for the 2016-2017 school year $120 million was received by private and religious schools and organizations under the EITC program and an additional $39 million under the OSTC program. These are diverted tax dollars that are not available to the general fund when state lawmakers are formulating appropriations for basic ed, special ed and career/technical ed. Under the tax credit programs, there are no student performance or fiscal accountability requirements for those funds.

“Writing in a dissent joined by one other member of the court, Justice Beth Baker said the scholarship funds never truly become public funds because they are donated to private scholarship organizations, and thus the inclusion of religious schools as beneficiaries does not violate the state constitutional bar against indirect aid to religion. A legal organization representing religious school families who would have benefited from the tax-credit program as enacted by the legislature vowed to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Montana Supreme Court Strikes Down Tax-Credit Program for Private Schools
Education Week By Mark Walsh on December 13, 2018 4:31 PM
Montana's highest court has struck down a tuition tax-credit program which, as enacted by that state's legislature, allowed tuition scholarships to benefit students at private religious schools as well as secular schools. The program, which provides a tax credit of up to $150 per year to individuals and corporations that donate to tuition scholarship organizations, violates the state constitution's provision barring government aid to "sectarian schools," the Montana Supreme Court ruled 5-2. The program could not be saved by a rule adopted by the state department of revenue that excluded private religious schools from participation, the court further held. The state high court ruled that the Montana Constitution "more broadly prohibits 'any' state aid to sectarian schools and draws a more stringent line than that drawn by" the U.S. Constitution's prohibition against government establishment of religion. "Therefore, the sole issue in this case is whether the Tax Credit Program runs afoul of Montana's specific sectarian education no-aid provision, Article X, Section 6," Justice Laurie McKinnon wrote for the majority on Dec. 12 in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue.  "The legislature's enactment of the Tax Credit Program is facially unconstitutional and violates Montana's constitutional guarantee to all Montanans that their government will not use state funds to aid religious schools."
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2018/12/montana_supreme_court_strikes_.html

1,000 volunteers will paint inspirational murals at Kensington High on MLK Day
WHYY By Peter Crimmins January 17, 2019
City Year, a service organization that puts young people into public schools to support teaching staff, has spent the last few months preparing Kensington High School for 100 new murals, to be painted by 1,000 volunteers. The small- to medium-sized murals of inspirational figures and quotations – including Martin Luther King Jr., Malala Yousafzai, and Barack Obama will adorn the hallways, stairwells, cafeteria, and gymnasium. “Right outside the gym, we have quotes by [Olympic gymnast] Simone Biles and Jesse Owens,” said Jheri Grossman, the City Year civic engagement manager. “We have specific inspirations for girls’ self-esteem in the bathrooms. We have ‘Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds’ in the cafeteria.” Grossman and her team from City Year (a program of Americorps) use video projectors to throw images and text on the walls, then carefully sketch the mural outlines in pencil. They are preparing for a wave of 1,000 volunteers on Monday – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – who will spend the day painting in the colors. Kensington High will be the scene of Philadelphia’s second-busiest volunteer event on Martin Luther King Jr. Day; the first will be Girard College, the hub for Global Citizen, the organization that created the MLK Day of Service concept. About 5,000 people are expected there.
https://whyy.org/articles/1000-volunteers-will-paint-inspirational-murals-at-kensington-high-on-mlk-day/

Year after racial incident, Quakertown sees MLK Day as teachable moment
Jacqueline Palochko Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call January 21, 2019
Quakertown High School junior Jolly Ekpe was angry when he learned district middle schoolers hurled racial slurs at an opposing football team’s cheerleaders and threw rocks at their buses after a game. The students’ actions that fall 2017 night against Cheltenham High School, where more than 50 percent of students are black, made national news. Suddenly Quakertown, a predominately white Bucks County school district nestled between the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia, saw itself simultaneously apologizing for students using the N-word while also asserting that those middle school students didn’t represent the beliefs of its student body. “It’s just not right for any school district to have to come to another school district and have your bus hit by rocks and be verbally abused by middle schoolers,” said Ekpe, who’s now an 11th-grader and one of the few students of color at Quakertown. “It’s hurtful.” The situation escalated when Quakertown last year held classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring the slain civil rights leader. The holiday was built into the district calendar as a makeup for snow days, but holding classes drew criticism after the racist episode. Troubled as he was by the 2017 football game, Ekpe, 17, didn’t want it to be forgotten or ignored.
“I was upset that this was in our district,” he said. “But I took it as a challenge. As: ‘What can we do about this?’ ”
https://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-quakertown-mlk-day-of-service-20190108-story.html

Gov. Tom Wolf announces $10.5 million for preschool students
WFMZ By: 69 News 
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced Friday an additional $10.5 million to help preschool-age children transition to kindergarten. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  "I am committed to investing in young children and their futures," said Wolf. "That starts by continuing to make early education a priority for Pennsylvania. Supporting children as they move from preschool to kindergarten helps them succeed in the classroom. This early success creates opportunities for them to do well in school for years to come." The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) applied for the federal Preschool Development Grant, which will be used to provide development for educators and promote partnerships to help children transition from early learning programs to kindergarten. 
http://www.wfmz.com/news/pennsylvania/gov-tom-wolf-announces-105-million-for-preschool-students/980440349

Erie schools’ outsourcing proposal comes into focus
GoErie By Ed Palattella Posted Jan 18, 2019 at 2:00 AM
Recommended tax increase also to be in financial administrator’s report, to be submitted to the state by end of the month.
The end of the month will mark the next pivotal moment for the Erie School District — and for its more than 60 custodians as well some other noninstructional employees. The district’s court-appointed financial administrator said on Thursday that he intends to submit his report on the district’s five-year budget outlook to state Education Secretary Pedro Rivera by the end of January. And the administrator, Charles Zogby, said the report will contain a recommendation that the district consider outsourcing the services of custodians and boiler tenders, or building engineers, to save as much as an estimated $1.5 million. Janitorial services now cost the district $4.4 million in wages and benefits for 63 custodians. The district has 16 building engineers and six firemen, or engineers who work second shift. Zogby’s report will provide more details on the potential savings, as well as other initiatives he is proposing to help the district stabilize its finances with the help of $14 million in additional state aid the district started receiving in 2018 to stay solvent. The General Assembly in 2017 mandated the appointment of a financial administrator as a requirement for the district to get the $14 million. The financial-improvement plan, based on what Zogby said on Thursday, is also expected to recommend a tax increase, though the amount would vary under different scenarios.
https://www.goerie.com/news/20190118/erie-schools-outsourcing-proposal-comes-into-focus

Phoenixville School Board Decides To Push Back School Start Times
Starting with the 2019-20 school year, Phoenixville students will have later start times.
Patch By Justin Heinze, Patch Staff | Jan 18, 2019 2:46 pm ET | Updated Jan 18, 2019 5:12 pm
PHOENIXVILLE, PA — The Phoenixville school board voted on Thursday night to push back the school start times students by about 30 to 45 minutes. The decision, which was approved by a vote of 6-3, was met with surprise by some members of the school community who were not aware of the pending vote. The vote comes as the result of an 18-month long "sleep exploration" study executed by the board, which included a steering committee and advisory team comprised of students, parents, teachers, members of the Phoenixville community, and other administrators. Beginning with the 2019-20 school year, the high school and middle school will begin at around 8:05 a.m., and end at around 3:15 p.m. The elementary start will be no later than 9:05 a.m. and end no later than 3:55 p.m. A spokesperson for the school district said that none of these times are yet set in stone, and that the district is working to make the elementary school times, in particular, a bit earlier. "We recognize this is an emotional issue for our community," the school board said in a statement. "While many will applaud this decision, we know there are probably an equal number who are disappointed. As a District, we will make every effort to continue to address your questions and concerns as we work together for our children."
https://patch.com/pennsylvania/phoenixville/phoenixville-school-board-votes-push-back-school-start-times

State Sen. Rich Alloway plans to resign
Penn Live By Charles Thompson | cthompson@pennlive.com Updated Jan 18, 4:10 PM; Posted Jan 18, 3:59 PM
State Sen. Richard Alloway II announced Friday he will resign from his Senate seat effective Feb. 28. Alloway called his decision to leave public office a retirement, but noted in a statement that “the time has come for me to move on to other endeavors and pursue new opportunities.” Attempts to reach Alloway about his announcement were not immediately successful.  Alloway leaves office with nearly two years remaining on his third term. That will necessitate a special election later this year for his constituents in Franklin and Adams counties, plus small portions of York and Cumberland. Alloway, age 50 and a Chambersburg native, holds a law degree and served as a district justice for the four years prior to his initial election to the Senate. Earlier in his career, he had also worked on the staff for former state Sen. Terry Punt, his predecessor in the 33rd District. At the Capitol, he has worked his way onto the lower-level leadership positions within the majority GOP caucus, and served as chairman of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/01/state-sen-rich-alloway-representing-franklin-and-adams-counties-to-resign-from-senate.html

Guest Column: Working together to protect Pa. schools
Delco Times Opinion By Sen. David Argall Times Guest Columnist January 20, 2019
Citizens throughout the country watched in horror earlier this year as a gunman claimed the lives of 17 students in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. People were heartbroken to see yet another school shooting taking the lives of the innocent. In the midst of this tragedy, our Senate Majority Policy Committee set out to find solutions to provide a safer environment for our students. We held 10 public roundtable discussions across the state. Discussions centered on two goals: reviewing recently enacted laws, and soliciting input and feedback for existing and new proposals to make our schools safer in Pennsylvania. Each event was broken into three main parts: discussion of recently passed laws, discussion of pending proposals before the state Legislature, and new ideas for the General Assembly to consider. Participants varied at each roundtable and were based on the local needs and issues of the host community. Events featured officials from the state, local and school levels, safety experts, law professionals and students. The results of these discussions were compiled into a 16-page report, which is available on my website at www.senatorargall.com. The report features key findings and points of discussion.
https://www.delcotimes.com/opinion/guest-column-working-together-to-protect-pa-schools/article_0a428c60-1cab-11e9-acf8-6f1a0e894aec.html

Can Philadelphia’s new and different delegation to Harrisburg mean anything new and different for Philadelphia? | John Baer
John Baer @jbaernews | baerj@phillynews.com Updated: January 21, 2019 - 5:00 AM
In broad terms, this is noteworthy. Philly’s delegation to Harrisburg for the two-year session just getting started has a look and feel that belies the inert ineffectiveness (or downright criminality) often associated with city legislators. That association will be hard to shake. But right out of the gate, the delegation’s Democratic House members offer a whiff of change. And a refreshing pledge of accountability. They’re pushing a plan to attack Philadelphia’s persistent poverty, which, at a rate of 26 percent (400,000 people) ranks first among the nation’s 10 largest cities. The delegation’s “Philadelphia Platform,” released at a Capitol news conference last week, is built on data from government, nonprofits and think tanks such as the Pew Charitable Trusts. It identifies policy priorities to expand workforce development in schools and for adults, provide more aid to small businesses and neighborhoods, reform criminal justice, and enhance infrastructure for schools and SEPTA. It carries no price tag. I know, I know, you’ve heard it before. Why would a Republican legislature buy in? Where does the money come from? Isn’t this just a publicity stunt?
http://www.philly.com/news/columnists/pennsylvania-legislature-philadelphia-john-baer-poverty-democrats-20190121.html

Student: Mandatory metal detector use treats kids 'like criminals'
KYW by MIKE DENARDO JANUARY 18, 2019 - 12:02 PM
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The School District of Philadelphia is considering a policy that would require all high schools to use walk-through metal detectors. A student who thinks that's a bad idea spoke out at last night's school board meeting. Most of Philadelphia's 49 high schools use the metal detectors they've been issued — but three, including the Workshop School in West Philadelphia, don't. Charles Mitchell, a sophomore there, told the school board there's an atmosphere of trust at the Workshop School that didn't exist at his previous school. "Starting the day with police officers and metal detectors makes students feel scared and stressed," Mitchell said. "When I used to go through metal detectors every day, do you know what was going through my mind? The fear that it would go off. The fear that if I left a key in my back pocket, I would get tackled by police." The board is considering making metal detector use mandatory — something Mitchell believes would be counterproductive. "A lot of kids think that this is just normal, but it's not. Schools are meant to be a place where you can express yourself and become who you are," he said. "But if you're treating us like criminals, than that just might be how you turn out." The new policy is expected to be introduced at next month's board meeting.
https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/news/student-mandatory-metal-detector-use-treats-kids-criminals?fbclid=IwAR14651qxyruaXXZqY_YUezaIyglQjDihdJucwkvZy_MrE4lKfnDYaDEttM

“The cleric, who has tens of thousands of followers, runs a sprawling international conglomerate of newspapers, television stations and charter schools, more than 2,000 in all, including more than 100 in this country.”
The cleric next door: Pocono neighbors weigh in on Fethullah Gülen, the man Turkey wants back
Morning Call by Vinny Vella Of Philly.com (TNS) January 21, 2019
In the rural mountain town of Saylorsburg, no matter how long ago you moved in, you're still an outsider. Be it a transplant from New York or New Jersey lured by cheap property here in the 1990s or one of the most wanted men in the Middle East. Fethullah Gülen, the 80-year-old Turkish leader of a religious offshoot of Islam, has lived in exile in this pastoral slice of the Pocono Mountains for two decades. He spends his days praying, writing and entertaining visitors on a 26-acre property on Mount Eaton Road that previously served as a family-run resort for hunters and a summer camp for Muslim youth from New York. In 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused his former ally-turned-foe of masterminding a deadly and ultimately unsuccessful military coup from 6,000 miles away and has been calling for his extradition ever since. In addition to Gülen's alleged role in the attempted coup, which he has denied, Turkish prosecutors have accused Gülen of terrorism and other crimes and say his network of followers was behind the 2016 killing of Russia's ambassador to Turkey. After the failed coup, thousands of his followers were rounded up and jailed. These days, President Donald Trump is under increasing pressure from Erdogan to send Gülen back to his native land, where he would almost certainly face imprisonment, or even death.
https://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-nws-poconos-turkey-cleric-fehullah-gulen-20190116-story.html

Mike Pence defends wife’s teaching job at anti-LGBTQ school in Virginia, accuses media of ‘attacking Christian education’
Washington Post By Valerie Strauss January 18
Vice President Pence did not take kindly to reports about the decision of his wife, Karen Pence, to teach art at a private Christian school in Virginia that bars gay, lesbian and transgender students and employees. Karen Pence began teaching part time at Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, which has anti-LGBTQ policies, does not believe in the scientific theory of evolution and asks employees to sign an agreement including a “Statement of Faith” that says in part: “A husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the church. A wife is commanded to submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33).”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/01/18/mike-pence-defends-wifes-teaching-job-anti-lgbtq-school-virginia-accuses-media-attacking-christian-education/?utm_term=.a52ad7bb4cf0


Register for PA Schools Work Delaware County Work Group Conference
Saturday, February 2, 2019 8:45 am – 12:00 pm at DCIU
Join the DCIU and the PA Schools Work coalition to work together to advocate for PA public schools, their students and the communities they serve.
At the event, you will:
Hear stories about how funding affects students and educators across Delaware County
Learn how to speak with your local legislators to advocate for the needs of our students
Connect on social media and grow your network to influence stakeholders in your community
https://www.facebook.com/events/1997562453659915/

Open Board Positions for 2019 PA Principals Association Election
Thursday, January 10, 2019 9:05 AM
Margaret S. (Peg) Foster, principal, academic affairs, in the Crestwood School District, has been appointed by President Michael Allison to serve as the chairperson of the 2019 PA Principals Association Nominations Committee to oversee the 2019 election. Her committee consists of the following members: Curtis Dimmick, principal in the Northampton Area School District; Jacqueline Clark-Havrilla, principal in the Spring-Ford School District; and Joseph Hanni, vice principal in the Scranton School District.   If you are interested in running for one of the open board positions (shown below) in the 2019 election, please contact Stephanie Kinner at kinner@paprincipals.org or (717) 732-4999 for an application. Applications must be received in the state office by Friday, February 22, 2019.

Pennsylvania schools work – for students, communities and the economy when adequate resources are available to give all students an equal opportunity to succeed.
Join A Movement that Supports our Schools & Communities
PA Schools Work website
Our students are in classrooms that are underfunded and overcrowded. Teachers are paying out of pocket and picking up the slack. And public education is suffering. Each child in Pennsylvania has a right to an excellent public education. Every child, regardless of zip code, deserves access to a full curriculum, art and music classes, technical opportunities and a safe, clean, stable environment. All children must be provided a level chance to succeed. PA Schools Work is fighting for equitable, adequate funding necessary to support educational excellence. Investing in public education excellence is the path to thriving communities, a stable economy and successful students.
http://paschoolswork.org/

NSBA 2019 Advocacy Institute January 27-29 Washington Hilton, Washington D.C.
Register now
The upcoming midterm elections will usher in the 116th Congress at a critical time in public education. Join us at the 2019 NSBA Advocacy Institute for insight into what the new Congress will mean for your school district. And, of course, learn about techniques and tools to sharpen your advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Save the date to join school board members from across the country on Capitol Hill to influence the new legislative agenda and shape the decisions made inside the Beltway that directly impact our students. For more information contact federaladvocacy@nsba.org

PSBA Board Presidents’ Panel
Nine locations around the state running Jan 29, 30 and 31st.
Share your leadership experience and learn from others in your area at this event designed for board presidents, superintendents and board members with interest in pursuing leadership roles. Workshop real solutions to the specific challenges you face with a PSBA-moderated panel of school leaders. Discussion will address the most pressing challenges facing PA public schools.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/board-presidents-panel-2/

Annual PenSPRA Symposium set for March 28-29, 2019
Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Website
Once again, PenSPRA will hold its annual symposium with nationally-recognized speakers on hot topics for school communicators. The symposium, held at the Conference Center at Shippensburg University, promises to provide time for collegial sharing and networking opportunities. Mark you calendars now!
We hope you can join us. Plans are underway, so check back for more information.
http://www.penspra.org/

2019 NSBA Annual Conference Philadelphia March 30 - April 1, 2019
Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107

Registration Questions or Assistance: 1-800-950-6722
The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the students. Join us in Philadelphia for a robust offering of over 250 educational programs, including three inspirational general sessions that will give you new ideas and tools to help drive your district forward.
https://www.nsba.org/conference

Save the date: PSBA Advocacy Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg has been scheduled for Monday April 29, 2019

Save the Date:  PARSS Annual Conference May 1-3, 2019
Wyndham Garden Hotel, Mountainview Country Club
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
https://www.parss.org/Annual_Conference


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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