Monday, February 17, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Feb 17: "At this rate, districts like Pottstown will never catch up"


Started in November 2010, 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
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg


PA Ed Policy Roundup for Feb 17, 2020


"It would be great to get fair funding implemented, that would be a touchdown for us," said Rodriguez, who is also this year's president of the Pennsylvania League of Urban Schools. "It would mean an additional $13 million in state aid every year." "But if we can't do that, getting charter school tuition reform is a good first down," he said.”
Pa. education secretary's visit to Pottstown focuses on fair funding, charter tuition reform
POTTSTOWN — When it comes to advocating for fair public school funding, Pedro Rivera is playing the long game. Rivera, who has been Gov. Tom Wolf's education secretary for six years, knows only too well the struggles urban schools like Pottstown face under Pennsylvania's nationally recognized imbalanced funding system. Although Pennsylvania adopted a formula for funding public schools more fairly — adjusting for things like local tax effort and poverty levels — nearly 90 percent of education funding still gets distributed outside that formula. As a result, despite the adoption of the formula, this practice has left Pennsylvania with the dubious distinction of having one of the most inequitable public education funding systems in the nation, creating the widest funding gaps between rich and poor districts. Worse yet, research by fair funding education advocates has demonstrated that the more white students a district has, the more funding it gets on a per-student basis. Each year, that disparity grows, despite additional money being put into the education budget. "Think of it like a pizza," said Pottstown Schools Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez. "The pizza is getting bigger, but our slice keeps getting smaller." "At this rate, districts like Pottstown will never catch up," said Lawrence Feinberg, a member of the Haverford School board for more than 20 years and a long-time fair funding advocate. During an interview with MediaNews Group Friday, Rivera, a former Lancaster Schools Superintendent, said the surest way to convince legislators to route more than just 11 percent of the state's education budget through the fair funding formula is for them to reach that conclusion on their own.

“And hot the heels of that address, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist., who represents part of Pottstown, said a bill he is sponsoring would set cyber-charter tuition at $9,500 per student per year rather than the much higher amount now paid by local taxpayers. During Friday's roundtable Maureen Jampo, business manager for Pottstown's schools, told Rivera that while "the charter school enrollment of Pottstown School District students has remained relatively flat over the past three years, the total tuition has increased an average of 20 percent per year. Pottstown is not alone in this dilemma.”
Pottstown parent highlights cyber-charter tuition debate
POTTSTOWN — Debate about traditional public schools versus charter and cyber-charter schools often pits the two sides as absolutes. But Pottstown parent Karah Hoefel represents all of the above. The Pottstown native, who recently returned to her hometown after a stint in New Jersey, has her oldest daughter in an Arizona-based cyber charter school called Insight Academy. Her middle child is a student at Lincoln Elementary School, and her youngest is in the cyber kindergarten run by the Pottstown School District. "I try to meet my kids wherever they are," said Hoefel. For example, "my youngest was ready academically for school. He was already doing simple math, but he was born in August so he would be one of the youngest in the class and he wasn't ready socially," Hoefel said. Hoefel, who was invited to a Friday roundtable with Pennsylvania Education Secretary Pedro Rivera by the school district, said she is happy with the program provided to all three of her students, all of which are funded in large part by Pottstown taxpayers, even the school in Arizona. "All three are honor roll students," she said. So she gets concerned as the rhetoric surrounding current efforts to reform charter funding in Pennsylvania heats up. Gov. Tom Wolf highlighted charter school funding reform in his Feb. 4 budget address, saying: "Our charter school system is in desperate need of reform. It’s time to close the loopholes, it’s time to establish real standards, and it’s time to level the playing field," said Wolf. "By doing so, we can continue to provide parents with real choices, we can empower charter schools to focus on their mission of innovation, and we can save $280 million a year that we can put right back into improving our public school system."

Pa. lawmakers hoarding $172M surplus
Pottstown Mercury by The Associated Press Feb 4, 2020
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Legislature’s budget reserve for its own operations is continuing to rise, reaching $172 million for the fiscal year that ended last June, according to a financial review released Tuesday. The Legislative Audit Advisory Commission approved the annual spending report that reported the legislative branch spent $362 million over that year, up slightly from $355 million during the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The reserve has grown from $95 million in 2016-17 to $138 million in the year ending in June 2018. Lawmakers justify carrying such a large surplus as a reserve fund if the governor would ever cut off funding for the Legislature. The largest type of expenses, by far, was payroll and benefits, which cost slightly over $299 million. Other spending categories included $4 million for transportation, $2.4 million for travel and $2.5 million for postage. Salaries for the 50-member Senate were $8.6 million, while the much larger House paid its elected members $31.4 million. State lawmakers’ budgetary reserve peaked at $215 million in 2006.

Key decisions to be made on charter school funding
West Chester Daily Local Opinion by Susan Spicka February 14, 2020
In the upcoming months, school districts will prepare budgets for the next fiscal year and make the hard decision about whether to increase property taxes to deal with rising costs. One of the fastest growing costs for all school districts is charter schools—publicly funded, privately operated schools that offer education wholly online or at a site within a community. School districts pay 100 percent of charter school tuition bills, and rapidly increasing tuition payments are a top reason that property taxes continue to rise. Although charter school students represent only 8% of all public school students, in 2017-18, 37 cents of every new property tax dollar raised was sent to a charter or cyber charter school. Pennsylvania taxpayers are spending more than $1.8 billion on tuition bills for students to attend charter and online cyber charter schools. Tuition rates are set by the state, but flawed calculations in Pennsylvania’s 22-year-old charter school law mandate payments well beyond the cost to educate a child. After more than 20 years, the time has come to retool charter funding to bring payments in line with the costs, eliminate questionable and wasteful spending by charters, and bring property tax increases under control.

“One of Sonney’s first proposals was a change to the state’s system of privately operated but state-funded cyber charter schools. Nearly 35,000 students statewide were enrolled in the 14 cyber charter schools last school year. Those virtual schools, which differ from bricks-and-mortar charters, receive $500 million annually from public school districts for tuition. While cyber charter operators have claimed they are underfunded, public school administrators have argued the funding they divert to cyber charters is not proportional to the educational outcomes they deliver. They also argue that cyber charter schools are being paid far more than what it costs to educate a student and that cyber charters lack accountability.”
Erie leader driving state education reforms
GoErie By Matthew Rink Posted at 12:02 AM
State Rep. Curt Sonney has the high-profile role of chairing the House Education Committee. A year after being named chairman of the House Education Committee, state Rep. Curt Sonney finds himself in the thick of several efforts to reform Pennsylvania’s system of education at multiple levels. “I often tell people that as a rank and file (House member), you just ride on the bus,” said Sonney, a Harborcreek Township Republican who represents the 4th Legislative District. “As a chairman, you get to drive it. “And quite frankly, it’s up to the individual chairman if he wants to drive aggressively and really try to shake up the system or not if he doesn’t want to step into that arena of total controversy. And believe me, I’ve been swimming in controversy since I became chairman.” Since being handed the keys to that bus, Sonney has proposed a major overhaul of the state’s cyber charter school system. He’s introduced legislation that would enable the chancellor and board of governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to enact changes that would create efficiencies and save money at the 14 universities in the system. And he holds a key vote as a member of the state Board of Education on Erie County’s community college application.

Saucon Valley approves charter for Lehigh Valley Academy, which plans to build $80 million school
By MICHELLE MERLIN THE MORNING CALL | FEB 15, 2020 | 4:21 PM
The Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School is one step closer to moving into a new building. On Tuesday, the Saucon Valley School Board approved a five-year charter for the school. It still needs approval from the Bethlehem Area School Board, where most of the school’s 1,700 students come from. The K-12 school’s charter expires next year. The school, which rents space in Hanover Township, Northampton County, wants to move to a 200,000-square-foot building in Bethlehem Township in 2023. Saucon Valley expects to pay $517,000 for its 27 students attending the charter, said business manager David Bonenberger. LVA CEO Susan Mauser said the vote brings the school closer to construction, which is expected to cost about $80 million, nearly twice the original estimate.

“With most school buildings in Pennsylvania built while asbestos was still used in construction, asbestos remains a concern, said Mark DiRocco, Ph.D., executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. Instead of renovating buildings and removing asbestos, districts have had to deal with skyrocketing pension costs, steep increases in special education spending, charter school tuition that could increase to $2 billion statewide next year and health care costs that continue to grow. A moratorium continues on the state’s PlanCon program, which provided partial reimbursements for some construction and renovation projects. The moratorium has many districts delaying projects, DiRocco said.”
With little oversight, asbestos issues challenge Pa. schools
Wilkes Barre Citizens Voice BY SARAH HOFIUS HALL, STAFF WRITER / PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY 17, 2020
A potentially cancer-causing material could exist in wall insulation, ceiling plaster or floor tiles in more than 2,000 Pennsylvania schools. Across the state, with limited money for renovations and little state or federal oversight, asbestos remains a hidden danger. As Scranton’s Northeast Intermediate School remains closed indefinitely and concerns remain about a dozen other city schools, districts statewide struggle with similar issues. Many problems across Pennsylvania have yet to be discovered. After years of neglect, asbestos caused the School District of Philadelphia to close nine different buildings this school year. One teacher in the state’s largest district is undergoing treatment for mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

“Wolf told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday that he hadn’t been given a specific proposal, but agreed that the toxin issue “has to be addressed quickly.” Money from the Rainy Day Fund can only be spent with the approval of two-thirds of the Republican-controlled legislature – a heavy lift for Wolf, a Democrat. Wolf’s proposed budget includes $1 billion for toxin cleanup statewide, but approval is months away, if it comes at all.”
Officials, PFT call for ‘disaster declaration’ for Philly schools
The coalition’s latest demand comes as two elementary schools – Barton in Feltonville and Sullivan in Frankford – were closed and Richmond Elementary in Port Richmond faces a weekend inspection.
The notebook by Bill Hangley Jr. February 14 — 7:21 am, 2020
A coalition of state and local lawmakers, along with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, called on Gov. Wolf to issue a formal “disaster declaration” for the School District of Philadelphia, freeing up cash to clean up asbestos and other toxins in the city’s aging schools. “We have a Rainy Day Fund – and it’s raining in many of our schools,” said State Rep. Sharif Street, a member of the Fund our Facilities Coalition, which made its demands Thursday at the Cione Recreation Center in Port Richmond. “We have repairs we’ve waited 30 years to make.” State Sen. Vince Hughes said: “If the court was warped, the Sixers wouldn’t play,” but Philadelphia students have to attend dangerous schools or be declared truant. “We’re approaching a situation where we have to shut the whole thing down.” Also on hand were State Sen. Larry Farnese, U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, and City Council members Isaiah Thomas and Mark Squilla.

Asbestos delays students’ return to Feltonville school
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Updated: February 14, 2020- 7:53 PM
The asbestos-related closure of a Feltonville elementary school will be extended into next week. Philadelphia School District officials said Friday night that Barton Elementary, 4600 Rosehill St., will be closed on Tuesday and beyond. Students will report to Martin Luther King High School on Stenton Avenue beginning on Wednesday. Students were scheduled to have the day off Monday for Presidents Day. The school was closed Thursday and Friday after damaged asbestos-containing materials were discovered in the attic. On Friday, officials determined that damaged insulation in the boiler room represents an imminent hazard and must be closed off and abated, effectively cutting off the school’s heat. “Safely addressing both of these imminent hazards and conducted the needed testing is expected to take about one week,” spokesperson Megan Lello said in a statement. Students will be bused to King from Feltonville.

Charter school reform topic of debate at Pine-Richland board of supervisors meeting
Trib Live by  Karen Price Friday, February 14, 2020 | 11:00 AM
The Pine-Richland board of supervisors discussed the issue of charter school reform at its February meeting and is expected to take an official stance on the topic next month. “This has been gaining a lot of attention (with the Pennsylvania School Board Association), and for very good reason,” school board member Carla Meyer said. The Pennsylvania School Board Association has called on its members to adopt a resolution calling for charter school funding reform. School board President Peter Lyons asked Meyer to draft their own version instead of adopting the generic version produced by the PSBA in advance of the March 2 planning meeting. Gov. Tom Wolf last year called for an overhaul to Pennsylvania’s charter school funding and recently reiterated the need to examine the way district payments to charter schools are calculated in his 2020-21 state budget plan. Over the past several years, Meyer said funding to charter schools has continued to grow with fewer services available while data both nationally and locally shows that the graduation and academic success rates at these schools do not differ from and “definitely do not” outperform standard public schools.

Strayer Middle School students training as “upstanders”
Bucks County Herald by GARY WECKSELBLATTT, Feb 13, 2020
Nine Strayer Middle School students have been selected to form a leadership group that educators believe can help lessen discrimination and bullying in school. The students – Dylan Chauhan, Cailyn Cineas, Thomy Codja, Ariana Krum, Nathalia McMillan, Morgan Murray, Brendan Padmanabhan, Shaylen Carmona Rivera, and Meghan Steiert – were chosen by assistant principal Kim Finnerty, who inspired the team’s creation. “I want to make Strayer Middle School the best it can be,” she said. “Students here should feel safe, comfortable and want to be here. When people don’t feel that way, that’s a problem for me. “These students have diverse perspectives. They’re different colors, they’re males, they’re females, some are new to the district, and some have been in the district for years. But they’re all here for positive reasons. They have come to this conference with a bunch of other students from the region because it’s really important to learn lessons from the past, and to have an open mind in how we think and deal with each other.” To help them develop into “ambassadors,” Finnerty brought them to a “Youth and Prejudice: Reducing Hatred” conference for middle school students at Muhlenberg College. The program is designed to connect the atrocities of Nazi Germany to modern-day actions of hate and teach students to be “upstanders” vs. “bystanders.”

PA educators: “Our students are hurting”
Beaver County Times By Marion Callahan Posted Feb 16, 2020 at 4:46 AM
State lawmakers heard testimony during a hearing in Bucks County about the growing mental health crisis in schools. Rep. Wendi Thomas, R-173, Northampton, discussed the need for schools to staff more mental health professionals to help the rising number of students struggling with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
A week before the anniversary of the suicide death of a Council Rock middle school student, district social worker Mike Fiore stood before a panel of state lawmakers and shared the realities of the mental health crisis in schools today. “We had never lost a middle schooler before ... it’s still hard for me to talk about it,” said Fiore, addressing the bipartisan panel that came together at Washington Crossing United Methodist Church on Thursday to address the crisis and support a bill to put more mental health professionals in schools. “Suicidal ideation is probably the most difficult issue relating to mental health in schools today, and that unfortunately includes nearly all grade levels.” Last year, he said, Council Rock School District provided support for 261 students who reported thoughts of suicide. He expects that number to reach 300 by the end of this year. State Reps. Wendi Thomas, R-178, of Northampton, and Malcolm Kenyatta, D-181, of Philadelphia, hosted the event, calling on mental health professionals, educators, officials with the state’s attorney general’s office and leaders of community support organizations to discuss how schools can better identify and treat kids with mental health needs. “The Pennridge School District released the results of an anonymous survey of its students that revealed 40 students from the class of 2020 had attempted suicide one or more times in the previous years,” Thomas said. “They also reported an increase in suicide attempts from 3% to 4% among the district’s sixth-graders.”

Toomey promotes a federal tax credit for school choice, while visiting an Allentown Diocese school
By ANDREW WAGAMAN THE MORNING CALL | FEB 14, 2020 | 9:23 PM
Parents should be empowered to decide what school is the best fit for their child, Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey told a like-minded audience Friday at Sacred Heart School in Allentown. “I’ll never be convinced that there’s anyone who cares more about a child than the parent of that child,” he said. “They’ll make a good decision for their child if they have the opportunity to do so.” Toomey visited the school Friday to promote a school-choice bill that was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, nearly a year ago but has not garnered any support from congressional Democrats. The federal Educational Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act would establish a $5 billion federal tax credit for businesses and individuals that contribute to school choice scholarship programs. The bill also would create a separate tax credit for those who provide scholarship money for vocational training. About 2,800 families send their children to Allentown Diocese schools by tapping $3.4 million from two existing state scholarship programs supported by Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit. But both tax credits are capped, and there are many more families seeking the same opportunity, according to Philip Fromuth, the diocese’s superintendent for Catholic education. He estimated the unmet demand in the Allentown diocese alone exceeds $8 million.

Turzai, Scarnati step down on top facing uncertain political waters
PA Capital Star By  Stephen Caruso February 16, 2020
Twice in two weeks, powerful Pennsylvania politicians have achieved a rare feat — willingly stepping down from power. Over the two decades, most Pennsylvania legislative leaders have either been forced out under indictment, lost reelection, had their own allies turn on them or die in office. But House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, both announced they would retire this year, when the odds of either chamber flipping are so-so. One former GOP Senate staffer, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, said that the choice could lie in political reality. Scarnati governed with one of the biggest majorities in a half-century before Democrats made in-roads in the 2018 midterms. Facing political headwinds, “do you want to be the [leader] who loses the majority for the first time in 20 or 30 years?” the staffer asked.

With Joe Scarnati’s retirement, who is next in line to lead the Pa. Senate?
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated Feb 14, 2020; Posted Feb 13, 2020
State Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati’s announcement on Wednesday that he is retiring at the end of the year opens the door for someone new to fill the third highest office in Pennsylvania government. Who will it be? That answer in part rests on what the voters say in this year’s election to fill 25 Senate seats. If the Democrats manage to win four seats to win majority control, that would cause a sea change in the Senate, which has been under Republican control for the past 26 years. But if the Republicans hold their majority in the chamber, it creates the possibility that Centre County could see one of its own elected as president pro tempore for the first time since 1935. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, who represents Centre County, is the one most people are betting would occupy a GOP-controlled Senate’s top leadership post. Centre County is home to Penn State University’s flagship campus, which is also Corman’s alma mater.

“There are 203 seats in the Pa. House. Right now the breakdown is 109 Republicans, 92 Democrats and two seats vacant. The Dems gained 14 seats, almost all in the Southeast, in the last election. They need to flip nine more to take control. In the Senate, Republicans still hold a 28-21 edge, with one Independent. Democrats say they are targeting 40 House races and several in the Senate, with Killion's seat being one of the biggest battles. It doesn't take a lot to see the trend here. Is that why Turzai and Scarnati are getting out now? Nobody wants to be the guy at the helm when his party loses control.”
A change at the top for GOP in Harrisburg
Delco Times Herons Nest Blog by Editor Phil Heron February 17, 2020
You get the feeling that Mike Turzai and Joe Scarnati know something the rest of us don't?  They are two of the most powerful Republican officials in Pennsylvania. But not for much longer. Turzai, from Allegheny County, is the Speaker of the House. Scarnati, of Jefferson County, is Senate president pro tempore. Both have announced that they will not seek re-election and will leave the Legislature in Harrisburg. The GOP has controlled both chambers in the state Capitol for years. But their reign could be coming to an end. Need proof? Just look at the 2018 mid-terms, when Democrats made some serious inroads into the Republican majority in the House.

Pa. congressmen in vulnerable seats having some success in fundraising
Penn Live By Katie Meyer | PA Post Updated 8:17 AM; Today 8:14 AM
 (Harrisburg) — As they enter the last several months before primary elections, the two incumbent congressmen in Pennsylvania’s most competitive seats both have more cash on hand than their opponents. Republican Scott Perry, who represents the 10th Congressional District, has been neck-and-neck with his likely Democratic opponent, Eugene DePasquale. DePasquale is in his second term as state auditor general. DePasquale had an edge over Perry in last year’s third fundraising quarter, outraising him by about $60,000. But in the fourth quarter, from October to December 2019, Perry came out ahead. As of their last filings, Perry had $621,928 on hand, while DePasquale had $468,461. All told, Perry has outspent DePasquale $427,078 to $195,596. Perry also reported $42,409 in debt, while DePasquale said he has none. The other congressman considered particularly vulnerable, Democrat Matt Cartwright, of Pennsylvania’s eighth district, ended 2019 with $1.28 million on hand. He has spent $428,472 so far. Six Republicans have filed to compete for the nomination to run against Cartwright in the general election. The one with the most cash raised is former police officer Teddy Daniels, with a little over $118,296.

“There’s a shortage of sports officials in the WPIAL, a problem that extends across Pennsylvania and stretches nationwide. The profession needs to add more young officials to its ranks, but persuading millennials like Strednak to don black-and-white stripes has proven difficult.”
Dwindling number of high school officials part of troubling nationwide trend
Trib Live By: Chris Harlan Saturday, February 15, 2020 | 12:38 PM
As a high school basketball official in his early 20s, Joe Strednak wasn’t much older than the athletes on the court. Occasionally, someone would test his poise as the youngest ref on his crew. To him, that came with the job. The 25-year-old from North Braddock is now finishing his fifth season of WPIAL varsity basketball and already has officiated two boys championship games at Petersen Events Center, including the Class 6A final last year. He’s quickly become one of the area’s top young officials, but admits this job isn’t for everyone. “Many people around my age have a problem with handling confrontation,” said Strednak, who earned his PIAA official’s card at 18 and now works college games as well. “Walking out on the floor, I know I’m going to make mistakes. I know that I’m going to have to deal with a coach and a player. In the digital, social-media age, people don’t enjoy being able to handle person-to-person conflict.” Along with memorizing the rule book, a steady demeanor is always a good trait for any sports official, but nowadays it’s probably more important than ever.


Maryland House approves more than $2 billion to repair and build schools
Washington Post By Ovetta Wiggins Feb. 14, 2020 at 2:23 p.m. EST
A bill that would provide more money to repair and build schools to ease crowding and replace aging buildings received final approval in the Maryland House of Delegates on Friday. The legislation, a top priority of Democratic leadership, authorizes the Maryland Stadium Authority to issue up to $2.2 billion in school construction bonds, beginning in fiscal 2022, giving priority to districts with the oldest buildings, the highest number of classroom trailers and the most students from poor families. The bill, which had bipartisan support, passed with a vote of 128 to 6. Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who included a similar proposal in his legislative agenda, praised the House of Delegates for approving the bill. Under the measure, Baltimore City, Baltimore and Montgomery counties would each receive $420 million. Anne Arundel would get $250 million; Howard would receive $132 million; and Frederick would get $102 million. Prince George’s County would receive $25 million a year for as long as 30 years to supplement local investment as part of a public-private partnership to build new schools. Rural counties would share $230 million. The Maryland General Assembly at the Maryland Statehouse (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post) The investment is intended to address a growing backlog of school construction projects that has forced students in districts with surging enrollment to learn in portable classrooms and students in aging schools to learn in substandard environments.

Trump's 'education freedom' plan is an attack on public schools. That's un-American.
Trump and DeVos are peddling a dangerous vision of private education and individual freedom that undermines a fundamental pillar of our democracy.
USA Today by Derek W. Black Opinion contributor February 14, 2020
"Education freedom" — the Trump administration’s new buzzwords — is not about good education for the public. It’s about ending all that public education stands for. The administration won’t claim that precise goal because it’s politically toxic, including with a huge chunk of its own base. Instead, President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos have carefully aimed at core aspects of public education without ever formally declaring war. But peel away the coded language and convoluted tax schemes, and the only thing left is an agenda incompatible with public education. That coded language was on full display in Trump's State of the Union address: “American children have been trapped in failing government schools.” Private school choice, he said, will “rescue these students.”  "Government schools" refers to public schools in general. The administration hasn’t reserved the phrase for struggling schools. It paints the entire public school system. It resuscitated the phrase from a multidecade effort to get government to subsidize religious education. After the movement faltered, voucher advocates began using this language under the banner of helping disadvantaged students. In both cases, the point is to equate public schools with all the negative connotations government conjures —waste, bureaucracy and liberty-crushing control.  

Preserving John Coltrane’s house can help save Philly’s soul | Opinion
Faye Anderson, For The Inquirer Updated: February 16, 2020 - 5:00 AM
The jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane had a storied career, much of it in Philadelphia. But without intervention, the story of his Strawberry Mansion rowhouse — where he experienced a spiritual awakening, kicked his heroin addiction, and composed the album Giant Steps — will not have a happy ending. His home is deteriorating right before our eyes. The front steps are crumbling. Drone photos show damage to the chimney, and rotting materials and holes in the exterior wall. The John Coltrane House, built in 1903, was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places on Dec. 18, 1985. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest level for a historic property, by the secretary of the interior on Jan. 20, 1999. While there are thousands of properties on the local register, only 67 are National Historic Landmarks, including the Academy of Music, where Coltrane first heard Charlie Parker perform in person. But neither designation has kept the property from falling into disrepair. The John Coltrane House was recently listed on Preservation Pennsylvania’s 2020 roster of “at risk” sites, a designation intended to “draw statewide attention to the plight of Pennsylvania’s historic resources; promote and support local action to protect historic properties; and encourage funding and legislation that supports preservation activities,” according to the organization. If we care about Philadelphia’s future, we must preserve this important part of the city’s past.

So, you want to watch the geese at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area?
Lancaster Online by KEVIN STAIRIKER | Staff Writer February 15, 2020
It takes a lot to get me out of bed before the sun rises, or so I thought. Who could have guessed that, of all things, it would be the shrill, unmistakable honk of 100,000 snow geese? Let's back up. Every year, snow geese make their way from arctic areas such as Canada and Alaska down to the warmest areas of North America, namely Texas and Mexico. Along the way, the roving pack of Anser caerulescens are kind enough to make a stop in Lancaster County to flap around for goose gawkers young and old. From mid-February through mid-March, these geese can be found at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, which is right on the edge of Lancaster and Lebanon counties. Since moving to Lancaster years ago, this bizarre ritual has remained on my bucket list. I decided earlier this year that I would no longer ignore the siren honk of these migratory birds. After talking with folks who have made the trek in the past, I was presented with two choices - to see the geese at sunrise, before they took to the skies to scour for food, or at sunset, when the geese return from stuffing their beaks. Though I fight waking up early for nearly any reason, I considered whether I would want people staring at me on my way to eating food, or after I consumed a lot of food.


Blogger note: support Governor Wolf’s proposed charter reforms:
Reprise: PA Ed Policy Roundup for Feb 10, 2020
1. Adopt resolution for charter funding reform
2. Ask your legislators to cosponsor HB2261 or SB1024
3. Register for Advocacy Day on March 23rd

Adopt: the 2020 PSBA resolution for charter school funding reform
PSBA Website POSTED ON FEBRUARY 3, 2020 IN PSBA NEWS
In this legislative session, PSBA has been leading the charge with the Senate, House of Representatives and the Governor’s Administration to push for positive charter reform. We’re now asking you to join the campaign: Adopt the resolution: We’re asking all school boards to adopt the 2020 resolution for charter school funding reform at your next board meeting and submit it to your legislators and to PSBA.

Cosponsor: A 120-page charter reform proposal is being introduced as House Bill 2261 by Rep. Joseph Ciresi (D-Montgomery), and Senate Bill 1024, introduced by Senators Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) and James Brewster (D-Allegheny). Ask your legislator to sign on as a cosponsor to House Bill 2261 or Senate Bill 1024.

Register: Five compelling reasons for .@PSBA .@PASA .@PAIU school leaders to come to the Capitol for Advocacy Day on March 23rd:
Charter Reform
Cyber Charter Reform
Basic Ed Funding
Special Ed Funding
PLANCON
Register at http://mypsba.org

Volunteer your time and talents.
Register Today to Help transform education in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Education Fund
Learn More at PEF's Information Session
Tuesday, February 25, 2020 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Philadelphia Education Fund, 718 Arch Street, Suite 700N Philadelphia, PA 19106
Do you have a willingness to engage with the students we serve through our college access and college persistence programming? The Philadelphia Education Fund supports nearly 6,000 students and serves 16 schools. As a result, we produce and host hundreds of sessions for students on a range of topics that are intended to help our young people navigate a successful journey through high school and college.
This Information Session will explain how you can help!

Hear relevant content from statewide experts, district practitioners and PSBA government affairs staff at PSBA’s annual membership gathering. PSBA Sectional Advisors and Advocacy Ambassadors are on-site to connect with district leaders in their region and share important information for you to take back to your district.
Locations and dates

Sectional Meetings are 6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. (across all locations). Light refreshments will be offered.
Cost: Complimentary for PSBA member entities.
Registration: Registration is now open. To register, please sign into myPSBA and look for Store/Registration on the left.

Allegheny County Legislative Forum on Education March 12
by Allegheny Intermediate Unit Thu, March 12, 2020 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT
Join us on March 12 at 7:00 pm for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit's annual Allegheny County Legislative Forum. The event will feature a discussion with state lawmakers on a variety of issues impacting public schools. We hope you will join us and be part of the conversation about education in Allegheny County.

All school leaders are invited to attend Advocacy Day at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units (PAIU) and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) are partnering together to strengthen our advocacy impact. The day will center around meetings with legislators to discuss critical issues affecting public education. Click here for more information or register at http://www.mypsba.org/
School directors can register online now by logging in to myPSBA. If you need assistance logging in and registering contact Alysha Newingham, Member Data System Administrator at alysha.newingham@psba.org

Register now for Network for Public Education Action National Conference in Philadelphia March 28-29, 2020
Registration, hotel information, keynote speakers and panels:

PSBA Board Presidents Panel April 27, 28 and 29; Multiple Locations
Offered at 10 locations across the state, this annual event supports current and aspiring school board leaders through roundtable conversations with colleagues as well as a facilitated panel of experienced regional and statewide board presidents and superintendents. Board Presidents Panel is designed to equip new and veteran board presidents and vice presidents as well as superintendents and other school directors who may pursue a leadership position in the future.

PARSS Annual Conference April 29 – May 1, 2020 in State College
The 2020 PARSS Conference is April 29 through May 1, 2020, at Wyndham Garden Hotel at Mountain View Country Club in State College. Please register as a member or a vendor by accessing the links below.

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.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.