Monday, April 20, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for April 20, 2020: Special education during coronavirus


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PA Ed Policy Roundup for April 20, 2020



The Pennsylvania Principals Association in partnership with other educational organizations oppose school property tax freeze.
Pennsylvania Principals Association Website Friday, April 17, 2020 4:23 PM
Click here for the joint letter to the PA House and Senate.



Shutting the schools was essential to slow the spread of COVID-19, but so much was lost in the process. This includes — let’s be honest — so much learning.
We worried this loss might have lasting impacts on students, setting them back significantly. But we were encouraged by what we heard from five Lancaster County superintendents in our virtual discussion last week. The superintendents outlined how their districts were adjusting to remote learning. They related, with evident empathy, how their districts are trying to reach the human needs of their students — for food, wellness, emotional support, learning supplies, connection.”
Closing schools has brought some losses for students. Superintendents are working hard to counter those losses.
By THE LNP | LANCASTERONLINE EDITORIAL BOARD Apr 19, 2020
THE ISSUE: On April 9, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that schools would remain shuttered for the rest of the academic year; they had been closed since mid-March. On Wednesday, five Lancaster County superintendents — Damaris Rau, School District of Lancaster; Brian Bliss, Solanco; Mike Bromirski, Hempfield; Bob Hollister, Eastern Lancaster County; and Mike Leichliter, Penn Manor — joined LNP | LancasterOnline Opinion Editor Suzanne Cassidy in an online discussion of the challenges facing educators, parents and students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. If this were an ordinary year, high school students would be preparing for prom or sharing their prom photos on Instagram. The spring musical would be in the rearview mirror, and the performers already would be missing how they felt on the triumphant opening night and during the bittersweet closing performance. Seniors would be ordering caps, gowns and tassels. Student athletes would be wrapping up their spring seasons. Parents of preschoolers would be attending kindergarten orientation with their little ones, wondering how their babies got to that stage so quickly.

Southern York school district approves wage freeze in lieu of tax increase
Lindsay C VanAsdalan, York Dispatch Published 3:51 p.m. ET April 17, 2020 | Updated 4:28 p.m. ET April 19, 2020
The Southern York County school board on Thursday approved a voluntary wage freeze for many district employees to avoid a tax increase in its 2020-21 budget. Teachers, nurses, librarians and psychologists, salaried staff in technology and human resources, the transportation coordinator and administrators agreed to a one-year freeze  in an effort to ward off budgetary shortfalls due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hourly workers were not included in the agreement. The one-year pay freeze was included in the district's $58.6 million preliminary budget, which the school board approved unanimously. The board separately approved a revised employment contract with its education association — also unanimously — to reflect the freeze. Under the contract, employees will essentially push back their salary step increases by one year. The 3-year contract was extended to four years, and the formerly agreed-upon yearly increases of 2.32% were pushed back until after 2020-21.

Coronavirus has upended education for all children. For those with disabilities, the challenges are greater.
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna and Kristen A. Graham, Updated: April 18, 2020
Syrita Powers has advocated for her three daughters to get the resources they need in school. Her 11-year-old is autistic and works with reading and math specialists, while her 9- and 7-year-old sisters are nonverbal and have aides who even help them in the bathroom. “My husband and I had a plan,” said Powers, of West Philadelphia. They told the schools: “If you all just meet us halfway, we can see what they’re capable of.” They don’t know how they will manage at home. With schools closed for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus outbreak, families across the region have been challenged to oversee their children’s education. But for parents of students with special needs, the task is more daunting. Many are unsure how to assume roles normally filled by teams of professionals while also managing disruptions to their children’s lives. “My worries are that … my children will regress, that it will take triple the support to get them back” to their current level, Powers said. “I’m just concerned they’ll lose everything we worked so hard to maintain."

“The latest state guidance tells districts and charter schools to ensure students’ rights to a free public education “as appropriate and reasonable for each student’s circumstances.” This will necessarily require adjustments. Some services for special-needs students almost certainly require face-to-face interaction. “The question is, ‘Who gets to decide what’s reasonable and appropriate?’” said Judith Gran, a special education attorney in the Philadelphia region.”
Special education during coronavirus: What should parents tolerate, demand?
WHYY By Avi Wolfman-Arent April 20, 2020
Maegen Wagner wants her daughter to learn in the same classroom as everyone else.
It’s a simple goal that requires a lot of effort — even when there isn’t a global pandemic.
Her first-grade daughter, Elizabeth, has down syndrome, ADHD, and a condition called Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Her special education plan provides her with a speech therapist, a physical therapist, and a one-to-one aide that follows her throughout the school day. With that coordinated assistance, Elizabeth can function in a general education classroom and do a modified version of the work her classmates do. “The main goal for Elizabeth was full inclusion so she would have that peer interaction,” said Wagner, whose children attend the Wilson School District just outside Reading. “[But] nothing is really inclusive any more.” Since her district started online learning earlier this month, Elizabeth now gets a separate packet of generic “special education” assignments, said Wagner. Speech therapy has moved online. Physical therapy is, understandably, off the table. Elizabeth has limited, sporadic contact with her one-to-one aide, according Wagner. These days, Wagner is serving as her daughter’s therapist, aide, and teacher — while balancing her own responsibilities as an educator in a nearby school district.

Special Ed. Administrators Press Congress for IDEA Waivers During Pandemic
Education Week By Corey Mitchell on April 16, 2020 1:40 PM
The nation's leading special education administrator groups are pressing leaders in Congress to give schools flexibility on federal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the nation's primary special education law. The Council of Administrators of Special Education and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education are seeking waivers for timelines that govern when schools must review students' Individualized Education Programs, evaluate students for special education services, and respond to legal complaints. The groups also want temporary reprieves from state monitoring and enforcement and the requirements that schools spend a "proportionate share" of their IDEA funding on services for private school students and provide services to students who need academic and behavioral support, but are not currently identified as needing special education services. The requests put the groups in direct conflict with disability rights advocates who fear waivers will put students at risk of falling behind their educational goals. About 7 million children nationwide are served under IDEA.

Penn Manor becomes first Lancaster County school district to announce virtual graduation
Lancaster Online by  ALEX GELI | Staff Writer Apr 18, 2020
Lancaster County officially has its first virtual high school graduation ceremony of 2020. 
Penn Manor announced Friday that its conducting the event virtually on the original date, May 28.  Both Penn Manor and Hempfield planned to hold commencements at Franklin & Marshall College. It's unclear whether Hempfield will follow Penn Manor's lead and switch to a virtual ceremony.  Penn Manor also announced it's canceling prom, which was scheduled for May 8, because the venue, Eden Resort & Conference Center, has canceled all large gatherings through the end of May.  The district said high school administration is working on alternative ways to honor seniors in the coming weeks.

Teachers on TV: Classes hit the airwaves during pandemic
Inquirer by Mike Catalini, Associated Press, Updated: April 18, 2020
TRENTON, N.J. — Using his cat’s blanket as green screen, history teacher Bill Smith recorded himself teaching a lesson on New Jersey’s underground railroad, taking student viewers on a tour of sites including a river where slave hunters would try to re-enslave people attempting crossings. The lesson was broadcast over television airwaves for the state's homebound students, part of an effort to keep children engaged in learning during the coronavirus outbreak. “This is such a weird, strange and tragic time," said Smith, a teacher at Southern Regional High School in Stafford Township, New Jersey. The televised lessons like the one he volunteered for "can provide something that regardless of where a student is in the state of New Jersey, they can see a teacher and they can learn from them.” Teachers have begun recording classes at home, using whatever technology they can, for television in places including New Jersey, Nebraska and New Mexico, where officials have partnered with broadcasters to help students feel connected and to overcome hurdles with access to the technology needed for distance learning. It's one approach among many that public media stations around the country are taking to boost the availability of educational programming while schools are closed.

Area high schools plan graduation ceremonies through uncertainty of a pandemic
Trib Live TEGHAN SIMONTON   | Sunday, April 19, 2020 11:01 a.m.
It’s a challenge to stay optimistic, but Lauren Michaels, 18, is doing her best. The Kiski Area High School senior was disappointed when she learned schools would not reopen this academic school year. She doesn’t mind finishing her courses online, but the prospect of missing out on certain year-end rites of passage — like prom and graduation — is disheartening. Michaels is a member of Kiski Area’s senior committee, a group of students who have taken on leadership roles in their class. In the past several weeks, the group has had regular virtual meetings with school administrators trying to sort out plans for the annual gatherings. They also respond to classmates’ questions. The committee sent out a Google Form to the senior class of 250, inviting them to send inquiries. Michaels said the most frequently asked questions are related to prom and graduation — will they be canceled?

Allentown School District buying 5,000 Chromebooks for students during coronavirus closure
By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO THE MORNING CALL | APR 17, 2020 | 8:36 PM
The Allentown School District will spend $1.75 million in federal funding to get Chromebooks in the hands of students so they can start remote learning at the end of this month. Thursday night, the school board unanimously approved buying 5,000 Chromebooks that the district hopes students will receive by April 27, when Allentown officially starts remote learning, which districts across the state are doing now that schools are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Allentown’s purchase of the laptops weeks after many suburban districts started online learning highlights the disparities among districts that the pandemic has made more noticeable, Superintendent Thomas Parker said. Districts that are the “haves” were able to move to remote learning quickly. The “have-nots” weren’t able to, Parker said. “The issues of equity are bubbling up in a significant way,” he said. To purchase the laptops, the district reallocated Title I funding, federal money given to districts with a high percentage of low-income students. A few school directors questioned why Allentown waited so long to buy the Chromebooks and start remote learning when others in the Lehigh Valley started weeks ago.

Donations covered most of the cost of Chromebooks for SDP students
Philly Trib Chanel Hill Tribune Staff Writer Apr 18, 2020
All district students will be working on Chromebooks remotely come Monday due to donations from various companies and the ongoing partnership between the School District of Philadelphia and The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. Donna Frisby-Greenwood, president and CEO of the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, said she hopes students take full advantage of the computers. “I want them to start connecting with their peers and teachers,” said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, President and CEO of the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. “I want them to work hard, get their work done, and don’t fall behind. If you have questions, reach out to your teachers. I want them to read as much as they can and continue to prepare for next school year.” Schools have been closed since March 13. District officials originally planned to have students learn remotely, but halted graded instruction because many students did not have access to computers or the internet at home. A 2019 survey by the District found that only 45% of students in grades 3-5 have access to the internet from a home computer; only 56% of students in grades 6-8 have similar internet access; and 58% of students in grades 9-12.

Allentown board rejects superintendent’s plan to hire investigator to see if charter students really live in the city
By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO THE MORNING CALL | APR 17, 2020 | 1:28 PM
With the Allentown School District expected to pay $60 million in charter school tuition this year, Superintendent Thomas Parker asked to hire a private investigator to verify that charter students who say they live in Allentown actually do. It’s a tactic that many school districts, including Bethlehem Area, have moved to in recent years as charter school tuition bills have ballooned. The private investigator would have cost the district $60 an hour. But it’s a strategy that a number of Allentown school directors see as a waste of money. The board tabled Parker’s motion Thursday night after a lengthy discussion, meaning it will not be voted on. “I don’t think we need this,” Director Lisa Conover said. “This right here is money going out the window.” Allentown was considering hiring private investigator Daniel Monek of DBM Investigations, who has worked with other Lehigh Valley districts. Conover argued that the district should have its staff do this job, volunteering herself at one point to do it for $20 an hour. Parker said the district has a small staff when it comes to verifying residency and the private investigator has expertise. He said Monek had the potential to save the district a significant amount of money. If one student is discovered using a false Allentown address, it could save the district at least $10,000.

Music thriving at area school districts
Bucks County Courier Times By Chris English @CourierEnglish Posted Apr 18, 2020 at 7:01 AM
Eleven districts from Bucks or Eastern Montgomery counties were named 2020 Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants.
Music programs at several local school districts continue to strike the right chord with a national association. Eleven districts from Bucks or Eastern Montgomery counties were recently named 2020 Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants. They were among 754 districts in the country to be recognized. Honored were Abington, Bensalem Township, Centennial, Council Rock, Lower Moreland, Neshaminy, New Hope-Solebury, North Penn, Palisades, Pennridge and Pennsbury. It was the 12th straight year Pennsbury has been named, the ninth straight for Council Rock and sixth straight for New Hope-Solebury. Pennsbury Superintendent William Gretzula said there are many musical opportunities for students to explore in the district. “With our high school’s Long Orange Line Line marching band, concert jazz band, Pennsbury symphonic orchestra and winds, honors music groups at all levels and the Pennsbury concert choir, Falconairs and chamber choir, we are known for our excellent music program both nationally and internationally,” he said. The national association evaluates districts and schools on student/teacher ratio, number of music courses taught, levels of success, levels of participation and many other areas.

Schools Transform Into ‘Relief’ Kitchens, but Federal Aid Fails to Keep Up
Many school cafeterias are now operating more like community soup kitchens, even though the federal school meals program won’t reimburse districts for meals served to struggling adults.
New York Times By Erica L. Green and Lola Fadulu April 19, 2020
BALTIMORE — On the first day of the coronavirus school closure at Sinclair Lane Elementary School, Janet Bailey, the cafeteria manager, showed up to the school’s kitchen like any other day, ready to do her job. She began fixing the favorites of the 250 or so children who relied on her to feed them daily — chicken patties, a fruit and vegetable, and flavored milk. On the second day, Ms. Bailey realized that she had answered a calling. By the time the building in northeast Baltimore had opened at 10 a.m., there was a line. Among the first was a man who said he only had a half a loaf of bread in the refrigerator. “I just packed him up, no questions asked,” said Ms. Bailey, one of dozens of food service workers who signed up to staff meal sites around the city. “I didn’t know his situation, if he had four kids at home or not, like he said. But I know he was hungry. We are supposed to be here to meet the needs of the community. How could I say no?” After the coronavirus shut down America’s education system, districts fortified their school meals programs to ensure that their most needy students would stay fed. One month in, school leaders realize the federal programs set up to subsidize the meals of tens of millions of students cannot meet the demands of an emergency that has turned their cafeterias into food banks and community kitchens. Several districts are now feeding adults and sending days’ worth of food home for entire families. And they are doing so at a cost that under federal rules they will not recoup, and at a rate that is financially unsustainable.

Superintendents (AASA) blast ‘inconsistent and incongruous’ federal guidance on reopening schools
Washington Post By Valerie Strauss  April 19, 2020 at 5:56 p.m. EDT
The association that represents America’s school superintendents blasted the Trump administration for what it called “inconsistent and incongruous” guidance related to the reopening of schools during the coronavirus pandemic. Daniel A. Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, issued a statement over the weekend criticizing the federal government for the guidance it has given in relation to opening schools, saying state and local leaders need “informative and actionable” guidance that they can “implement with minimal confusion and with confidence in the science behind it.” More than 30 states and the District of Columbia have either ordered or recommended that schools be closed for the rest of the 2019-20 school year. On Saturday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) became the latest state leader to announce that distance learning should continue even as he moves soon to reopen the economy. “I think the last thing you want to do is … to force everyone in school [only] to have half the kids not show up because their parents didn’t want to do it and have teachers not show up,” he said. “It was an easy decision to make knowing we have done so well with distance learning.”
Last week, President Trump announced optional guidelines for states to gradually lift economic restrictions that have been put in place this spring to try to slow the spread of covid-19, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives in the United States. Schools are mentioned in the second of three phases. In his statement that AASA said was directed to the Trump administration, Domenech said the guidance relating to the reopening of schools is confusing.

“To stop the spread of infection, parents weren’t allowed inside. Teachers couldn’t gather in the staff room. The children each now had their own desks, marooned two yards away from their nearest neighbor. During recess, they could play only in small groups. And by the time the school shut again at 2 p.m., they had all washed their hands at least once an hour for the past six hours.”
In Denmark, the Rarest of Sights: Classrooms Full of Students
Danish elementary schools have become the first in Europe to reopen after shutting down for the coronavirus. Our reporter visited one in southern Denmark, which could become a template for a post-lockdown world.
New York Times By Patrick Kingsley Published April 17, 2020Updated April 18, 2020
LOGUMKLOSTER, Denmark — The cluster of red brick buildings in a remote part of southern Denmark looks unremarkable from the outside, but this week, its classrooms housed some of the rarest people during the pandemic in today’s Europe. Schoolchildren.
On Wednesday, 350 pupils returned to classes at the Logumkloster District School for the first time in a month, as Denmark became the first country in the Western world to reopen its elementary schools since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. It has turned the Danish education system into a laboratory for whether and how schools can function in an age of contagion. “It is a new world,” said Tanja Linnet, the school’s head teacher, as pupils arrived early on Thursday morning. “We used to make plans for if there was a terrorist attack here — but never this kind of attack.” Leaving Logumkloster District School at the end of lessons. Some parents in Facebook groups are protesting the reopening, fearing their children were being sacrificed to save the Danish economy. Other European countries have also gently eased restrictions on certain businesses and sporting activities in recent days. But by allowing hundreds of children to congregate once again at thousands of schools across Denmark, the government has taken the boldest step toward something resembling normal life, in a measure that will be watched carefully around the world.

Delibes: Lakmé - Duo des fleurs (Flower Duet), Sabine Devieilhe & Marianne Crebassa
Youtube runtime: 4:37


PSBA Board Presidents Panels (Zoom) April 27, 28, 29 and 30 (depending upon the size of your district)
This annual event supports current and aspiring school board leaders through facilitated discussion with colleagues in leadership. 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.
Due to current social distancing requirements, this annual program will shift from a series of in-person regional events to a digital platform using Zoom Meetings. Participants of each of the four sessions will meet in small groups using virtual breakout rooms. Experienced facilitators will guide discussions on attendees’ unique challenges, solutions and experiences related to board leadership during the COVID-19 school closures.
This year’s program will be organized to group together leaders from schools of similar enrollment sizes for relevant conversation. Members may register for one or two nights to participate in all of the topics offered. If your district's average enrollment is above 3,500, you are invited to join the sessions on Tuesday, April 28 and/or Thursday, April 30. If your district's average enrollment is below 3,500, opt to join the sessions on Monday, April 27 and/or Wednesday, April 29.

The New York Times is available to high schools across the U.S. — for free.
Enjoy free digital access from April 6 to July 6.
Helping people understand the world has always been the cornerstone of our mission at The Times. And as the world continues to rapidly evolve, it’s more important than ever.
That’s why The Times is working with Verizon to provide high schools with three free months of digital access from April 6 to July 6 — helping students stay connected to the world, even as they learn remotely.

Request@PSBA.org: PSBA establishes channel to answer COVID-19 questions
POSTED ON MARCH 19, 2020 IN PSBA NEWS
In light of statewide school closings and as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve, PSBA is here to provide support to members and answer questions regarding how schools will operate, meet instructional requirements and provide services both now and in the future. Please send your questions to request@psba.org with your name, district and contact information. A member of PSBA staff will respond directly or will funnel your inquires to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. PSBA will act as your voice and ensure you receive the answers and information you need to make decisions at this crucial time.

PSBA: Coronavirus Preparedness Guidance
In the last few weeks, the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19, has become a topic of concern nationwide. Although the virus is not widespread in Pennsylvania at this time, that status could change. Being proactive is key to prevention and mitigation. Below, you will find a list of resources on all aspects of preparedness, including guidance on communication planning, policy, emergency management and disease control. Use these resources to help you make decisions regarding the safety and health of those in your school district.

Blogger note: we’re waiting for details on this event becoming virtual.
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

Cancelled: PARSS Annual Conference April 29 – May 1, 2020 in State College
Due to current conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we have cancelled the 2020 PARSS Conference, scheduled for April 29 through May 1, 2020. Please read our cancellation letter for important information.

Register today for the 2020 PASA/PA Principals Association PA Educational Leadership Summit, August 2-4, at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square 
(hosted by the PA Principals Association and the PA Association of School Administrators). Participants can earn up to 80 PIL hours (40 hours for the Summit and - for an additional cost of $50 - 40 hours for EdCamp) for attending the conference and completing program requirements. Register early to reserve your seat! The deadline to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount is April 24, 2020.   
Click here to register today!

Network for Public Education 2020 Conference in Philly Rescheduled to November 21-22
NPE Website March 10, 2020 7:10 pm
We so wanted to see you in March, but we need to wait until November!
Our conference will now take place on November 21 and 22 at the same location in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Please read the important information below.
Registration: We will be rolling over our registration information, so there is no reason to register again. You will be automatically registered for the November dates. If you cannot attend in November, we ask that you consider donating your registration to absorb some of the costs associated with rescheduling the conference. If you feel you cannot make such a donation, please contact: dcimarusti@networkforpubliceducation.org


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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