Tuesday, October 6, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for October 6: Vouchers: HB2696/SB1230: Pa. Senate panel vets bill creating education savings accounts to help students get their schooling ‘back on track’

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, 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.

 

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Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup for October 6, 2020

Vouchers: HB2696/SB1230: Pa. Senate panel vets bill creating education savings accounts to help students get their schooling ‘back on track’

 

Why are cyber charter tuition rates the same as brick and mortar tuition?

Taxpayers in House Ed Committee Member Mike Jones’s school districts paid over $5.6 million in 2018-2019 cyber charter tuition. Statewide, PA taxpayers paid over $600 million for cyber charter tuition in 2018-2019.

 

Dallastown Area SD

$1,395,962.31

Red Lion Area SD

$1,320,999.79

South Eastern SD

$1,096,676.37

Southern York County SD

$762,462.55

Spring Grove Area SD

$1,094,133.92

 

$5,670,234.94

Source: PDE via PSBA

 

Vouchers: HB2696/SB1230: Pa. Senate panel vets bill creating education savings accounts to help students get their schooling ‘back on track’

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated 4:04 PM; Today 4:01 PM

A proposed grant program that would provide 500,000 Pennsylvania K-12 students with $1,000 to spend on education expenses was vetted by the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee on Monday. The program is viewed by supporters as a lifeline for students at risk of falling behind in their schooling due to schools’ COVID-19-related switch to remote learning. But others see it as a foot in the door that will lead to a full-fledged school voucher program. They argue there are better uses for that $500 million that it proposes to spend. Among their suggestions, using it to help school districts with their unanticipated pandemic-related costs and an estimated $1 billion in lost revenue due to the pandemic. Or they recommend putting the money toward extending internet service to rural and underserved communities or to provide resources to serve students and staff’s physical and mental health needs arising from stresses caused by the coronavirus. Senate Bill 1230, sponsored by Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair County, proposes to use about half of the unspent federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funding Pennsylvania received to create what she calls the “Back on Track” education savings account program.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/10/pa-senate-panel-vets-bill-creating-education-savings-accounts-to-help-students-get-their-schooling-back-on-track.html

 

“Whether the state government should expand public funding of alternative education is a perennial debate. But it’s one that should be determined on its merits rather than the availability of relief funds that some legislators apparently see as a windfall to further public funding of private education. Lawmakers should distribute the federal relief funds for relief.”

Use CARES cash to help public schools

Times Tribune Editorial BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD October 6, 2020

Even though public school districts face a $1 billion deficit due to the coronavirus pandemic, some state lawmakers want to devote $500 million in relief money to alternative education.

Despite the growth of public charter schools and the wide array of private schools, public schools still educate more than 95% of Pennsylvania students. And the COVID-19 pandemic has struck a powerful blow against those public school districts, along with their taxpayers, in several ways. Districts have incurred substantial additional costs due to health precautions, including for new technology to facilitate home instruction, personal protective equipment, and other materials needed to keep schools and students safe. Meanwhile their revenue is certain to take a major hit because of the public health emergency’s impact on the tax-generating economy. The state government estimates that Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts face a combined deficit of about $1 billion due to the pandemic, atop the pre-pandemic deficits many already faced. Yet at the state Capitol, some legislators want to use half of the $1 billion available in federal CARES Act funding for education to advance alternative education, rather than to help public school districts cope with the emergency. A bill sponsored by state Sen. Judy Ward, a Blair County Republican, would use $500 million of the money to create a program under which families would receive a $1,000 grant for each school-aged child. The money would be held by the Treasury, so in effect the grant would be in the form of a voucher. The money could be used for any educational purpose, including private school tuition. Grants would be distributed first to families who meet school-meal eligibility standards, and then would be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis irrespective of family income.

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/editorial/use-cares-cash-to-help-public-schools/article_1a9326de-5eb5-568b-8ae2-9d8a6d1543a4.html

 

Pennsylvania should not spend money on costly private and religious school | Pennlive letters

Penn Live Opinion By Rich Askey Posted Oct 04, 9:12 AM

Stephen Bloom of the Commonwealth Foundation attempted to confuse PennLive readers (“Here’s how lawmakers can get students the help they need,” Sept. 26) by suggesting that I would support a bill that siphons hundreds of millions of Pennsylvania’s federal CARES Act money to pay for tuition and other costs at unaccountable private schools. A costly private and religious school program is the last thing Pennsylvania should be using COVID-19 relief money to fund. CARES Act funding is intended to address expenses related to the pandemic. This proposal is clearly a backdoor strategy for a private school voucher program rather than a real effort to address COVID-19-related costs. Keep in mind, the pandemic is having very real financial impacts on the public school districts that educate 90 percent of our students. Districts across the state are facing a $1 billion local revenue shortfall while at the same time being called upon to provide personal protective equipment and other costly safety protocols. Spending any CARES Act funding for tuition, services, equipment, or computers at private schools would siphon money away from the public schools that desperately need those funds.

https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2020/10/pennsylvania-should-not-spend-money-on-costly-private-and-religious-school-pennlive-letters.html

 

“Public school advocates accused the GOP of leveraging a financial crisis to test-drive a voucher-style system that could divert federal taxpayer dollars to private schools. “We should not use valuable pandemic relief funds to create a costly new government program that spends precious resources on private, religious schools and would provide a statutory basis to expand vouchers in the future,” said John Callahan, chief advocacy officer for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.”

How should Pa. boost student learning during pandemic? Some say vouchers are the answer

WHYY By Avi Wolfman-Arent October 6, 2020

Pennsylvania school-choice advocates are pushing hard for a measure that would send federal coronavirus relief money directly to families to put towards private school tuition, tutoring, or other educational expenses. Two companion bills have quickly risen in the education committees in the Republican-controlled House and Senate, with the latter debating a proposal this week. Supporters see these “Back on Track Education Scholarship Accounts” as a lifeline for families struggling to educate their kids amid unprecedented disruption to traditional schooling. “The money should go directly to the students and families rather than going back into a system that has chosen not to support the students in their time of need,” said Natalie Wallace, a mother of four from Montgomery County who lamented virtual school special education services. “This is the solution and we’re running out of time.”  Although the House and Senate versions of the “Back on Track” education scholarships differ slightly, they outline the same basic concept.

https://whyy.org/articles/how-should-pa-boost-student-learning-during-pandemic-some-say-vouchers-are-the-answer/

 

Should Pa. convert $500M in CARES Act cash into education grants for families? A proposal has advocates split on familiar lines

PA Capital Star By  Elizabeth Hardison October 5, 2020

As a mother of four, Natalie Wallace knows exactly what she’d do if she got extra cash to cover the educational expenses her family has incurred since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She could use it to pay for therapy for her eldest daughter, a senior at a Catholic high school who’s struggling with anxiety. It would cover tutoring sessions to supplement another daughter’s online public school curriculum, and a Braille printer and computer for her son, Ben, a tenth-grader who is legally blind. Pennsylvania lawmakers will spend the next month debating how to allocate $1 billion in unspent federal relief funds that it received from the congressional CARES Act this spring. Wallace is one school choice advocate who believes as much as half of it should go directly to families in the form of individual cash payments.

https://www.penncapital-star.com/covid-19/should-pa-convert-500m-in-cares-act-cash-into-education-grants-for-families-a-proposal-has-advocates-split-on-familiar-lines/

 

Private school sweepstakes, sponsored by YOU

PCCY Website October 2, 2020

Pennsylvania school districts are in a crisis of historic proportions.  Not since the Great Depression has the public education system in the Commonwealth faced such dire circumstances.  Districts are looking down the barrel of a pandemic-imposed loss of nearly $1 billion in local revenues while having to shell out almost a billion dollars for unexpected pandemic bills for personal protective equipment and spiraling cyber charter costs.  How does one respond to this funding crisis? If you’re a member of the state legislature and of a certain persuasion, you can always make things worse.   This week we were dismayed to learn that state reps were scheduled to vote on House Bill 2696 which establishes an entirely new half a billion dollar state program, a thinly-veiled scheme for affluent families who’ve chosen religious and private education for their children. 

https://www.pccy.org/news/private-school-sweepstakes-sponsored-by-you-october-2-2020/

 

South Carolina Governor Accused of Improperly Using Federal COVID-19 Aid to Fund Vouchers

Education Week By Andrew Ujifusa on October 5, 2020 2:43 PM

Congressional Democrats say South Carolina's Republican governor seems to be violating the federal coronavirus relief law by sending federal aid directly to parents so they can pay for their children to attend private schools.  In a Monday letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., the chairman of the House education committee, say the Safe Access to Flexible Education (SAFE) program set up by Gov. Henry McMaster, which provides $32 million to fund scholarships to private schools, "appears to violate the plain text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) as well as the Department's related guidance."  The SAFE program is supported by fund set up in the CARES Act, the federal coronavirus relief law enacted in late March, which included $3 billion for a Governor Emergency Education Relief fund to support K-12 and higher education during the pandemic. As we reported in July, some GOP governors used that fund to support private school choice amid some parents' desire for in-person learning, as well as some concerns about the impact of the virus on the long-term viability of private schools. However, advocates for public school said this money would be better spent on helping public schools reopen safely. 

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2020/10/governor-accused-federal-virus-aid-vouchers-improperly.html

 

Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to Gov. Wolf’s shutdown order

Lehigh Valley Live By Becky Metrick | bmetrick@pennlive.com Updated Oct 06, 2020; Posted Oct 05, 2020

The nation’s highest court will not hear a challenge to Gov. Tom Wolf’s order that closed all non-life-sustaining businesses during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The case was brought on by business owners and a state House candidate who considered the shutdown unconstitutional, however, earlier this spring the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in favor of Wolf. The petition to the Supreme Court was formally denied on Monday, although the high court had previously denied reviewing the case on an emergency petition in May, Bloomberg reportedThe outlet reported that the Supreme Court has repeatedly refused to review cases related to the handling of the coronavirus outbreak by state and local officials.

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/coronavirus/2020/10/supreme-court-wont-hear-challenge-to-gov-wolfs-shutdown-order.html

 

Half a million Pa. kids are supposed to be learning to read right now. Are they?

Chalkbeat Philly By Avi Wolfman-Arent WHYY  Oct 5, 2020, 3:42pm EDT

North Philadelphia second-grader Zyiah Satterwhite is one of a kind. The precocious 7-year-old named her Russian Blue cat “Goose.” And while others her age watch children’s shows, Zyiah’s favorite is the hit horror series “Stranger Things” on Netflix. Between giggles, she swears it’s not too scary for her. Zyiah is also one of about 570,000. That’s the number of Pennsylvania students in grades K-3 — the four-year window where schools expect children to master the basics of reading. Zyiah’s literacy progress is squarely middle of the pack, according to her mom, Yolanda Biggers. She doesn’t love reading, but she’s at grade level. “I don’t read a lot,” Zyiah explained. “But a little bit. I like reading a little bit.” After the coronavirus pandemic hit, Zyiah’s mom gave up her shifts as a part-time nurse to focus all of her attention on Zyiah and her two older sisters. Biggers, 38, turned the dining room of their rowhome into a makeshift classroom — stuffed with every conceivable school supply. While Zyiah’s dad works long hours as a dollar-store manager, Biggers stays home to help Zyiah log into her classes and stay focused through the virtual school days at Luis Muñoz-Marín Elementary.

https://philadelphia.chalkbeat.org/2020/10/5/21502906/half-a-million-pa-kids-are-supposed-to-be-learning-to-read-right-now-are-they

 

Wallingford-Swarthmore, Interboro, Penn Delco, Marple Newtown, Rose Tree Media, Haverford, Springfield, Chichester, Garnet Valley, Radnor, Upper Darby

More schools move into hybrid instruction

Delco Times October 6, 2020 Pete Bannan Pbannan@21st-Centurymedia.com

Motorists may notice an increase in morning school bus traffic in the coming days as public schools ratchet up the pace to return students back to their buildings for in-person learning. While most Catholic schools across the county returned Sept. 9 in a hybrid model, public schools delayed in person re-opening as health officials urged caution in opening schools until positive COVID-19 cases in the county had decreased after a potential surge following Labor Day. Over the past few weeks, a small number of special education students have returned to schools but most student have been learning virtually for the past month. In the Wallingford Swarthmore School District, kindergarten through second grade students returned this past Thursday.  Third through fifth grade students came back yesterday and upper grades will return next week. “It's going great. Teachers so far are feeling excited and positive about kids back in the classroom,” said Deidre Abrahamsson, spokeswoman for the Wallingford Swarthmore School District. Heath officials at the Chester County Department of Health have been issuing a weekly update of COVID-19 cases in individual school districts as a whole by examining the cumulative incident rate in the community populations. Last week, Interboro had the lowest rate, 4.24, in the county, while Chester Upland had the highest with 111.46. Those numbers are a total number of confirmed cases divided by the population of that district for a specific time period.

https://www.delcotimes.com/news/more-schools-move-into-hybrid-instruction/article_32b9d1ec-0761-11eb-8ac0-7bea729a6710.html

 

Hybrid school is finally here. It is not perfect, but ‘the kids are happy.’ | Maria Panaritis

Inquirer by Maria Panaritis @panaritism | mpanaritis@inquirer.com Posted: October 6, 2020 - 5:00 AM

Howard Collier’s empty school bus beckoned. The 73-year-old retired SEPTA man had just parked his baby, School Bus No. 17, alongside Swarthmore-Rutledge elementary school. I peeked inside from the sidewalk through open accordion doors. “I’ve been on this route for five years,” Collier said Monday afternoon. “The kids know me. The parents know me. When they’re on my bus, they’re my kids.” For children inside the school at that moment, Monday was the first time they had been back inside a classroom since the coronavirus shut down schools in March. Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is among a select number of suburban Philadelphia districts that have begun reopening to partial-week instruction. It is momentous for children and parents alike in this ever-so-disorienting pandemic year.

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/coronavirus-covid-school-districts-swarthmore-suburban-philadelphia-hybrid-maria-panaritis-20201006.html

 

Penn Hills School District considering moving kindergarten students from 2 to 4 days in school

Trib Live by MICHAEL DIVITTORIO   | Monday, October 5, 2020 10:39 p.m.

Penn Hills School District officials want to hear from kindergarten parents about sending their little learners to school four days a week. The district began the 2020-21 school year on Sept. 8 in a hybrid model due to the coronavirus pandemic. Students at the elementary, middle and high school were placed into two groups. One group has in-person classes Monday and Tuesday while the second goes to school Thursday and Friday. All students are online Wednesdays. With about a month into the first semester, administrators are looking for ways to have students in buildings more often starting with the youngest. “They’re the ones that really need a great deal of support in the classroom,” Superintendent Nancy Hines said Monday. “It’s really important we don’t move too many students too quickly.” Elementary Principal Kristin Brown is expected to send parents a survey within the next few days to gauge their interest in the change. Online learning still would be an option.

https://triblive.com/local/penn-hills/penn-hills-school-district-considering-moving-kindergarten-students-from-2-to-4-days-in-school/

 

West Chester schools moving toward hybrid instruction

West Chester Daily Local by MediaNews Group October 5, 2020

WEST CHESTER—The West Chester Area School District has approved a return to in-person, hybrid instruction, beginning Oct. 19 for elementary students and Nov. 5 for students middle and high school. At the school board meeting on Sept. 29, the WCASD School Board of Directors approved an updated Health and Safety Plan that would bring students to school under a hybrid instruction model. The plan passed by a 6-3 vote. Students began the school year 100 percent online or through the West Chester Cyber Program. The District has been educating high-need special education students in person since the beginning of the school year. "I fully respect that many people have very strong and passionate viewpoints about what we should or shouldn't be doing with regard to school reopening plans," Dr. Scanlon said during the school board meeting. "As you know, this is a very emotionally charged topic. This is a school district full of parents who care very deeply about their children's education. We want to see them not just survive, but thrive. Because we don't have medical backgrounds we have to rely on the guidance of medical experts and officials."

https://www.dailylocal.com/news/local/west-chester-schools-moving-toward-hybrid-instruction/article_cadb9f08-0722-11eb-8b29-13199a08e552.html

 

PA’s largest teachers’ union wants to cancel standardized tests, some advocates want accountability

Proposed legislation would delay using the Keystone Exam as a state or local graduation requirement until the 2022-23 school year.

WITF by Sarah Schneider/WESA  OCTOBER 6, 2020 | 5:22 AM

(Pittsburgh) — The state’s largest teachers’ union says teachers should be meeting the needs of students, not preparing for standardized tests. “We feel that it’s important for teachers to be focused on building that community, making those connections with students, making sure that their specific educational needs are being addressed rather than prepping them for a standardized test that they’ll take in April,” said Chris Lilienthal with the Pennsylvania State Education Association or PSEA. The tests administered to Pennsylvania third through eighth-graders and high school juniors were canceled last year when all school buildings were closed and districts shifted to remote learning. Senate Bill 1216 would cancel those tests again. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria, who chairs the Senate’s Education Committee. It originally sought to provide flexibility for educators navigating the certification process during the pandemic. Representative John Lawrence, R-Chester, amended the bill to include the standardized testing changes. The legislation would, among other things, delay using the Keystone Exam as a state or local graduation requirement until the 2022-23 school year.

The bill would also require the state Secretary of Education to apply for a waiver of testing with the U.S. Department of Education if the department provides such an opportunity. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos has said that states should not expect the same waivers that they received in the spring.  

https://www.witf.org/2020/10/06/pas-largest-teachers-union-wants-to-cancel-standardized-tests-some-advocates-want-accountability/

 

Will PSSA and Keystone exams be canceled for the second year in a row? Some hope so.

With schools still in upheaval because of the pandemic, Pennsylvania’s education department should pursue a waiver to cancel standardized tests for the second year, a Chester County lawmaker believes. “Right now, as we face the tremendous challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and many children are distance learning or doing a hybrid model, the last thing we need to be worried about is standardized testing,” said State Rep. John Lawrence (R., Chester County). “We need to be focused on children’s education and getting kids back to normalcy in a safe way as soon as possible.” Students in Pennsylvania traditional public and charter schools in third through eighth grade take the PSSAs, and high school juniors are given the Keystone Exams. Overall, there are about 1.5 million students enrolled in the commonwealth’s public schools. The move to cancel the exams, which are typically administered in the spring, has drawn alarm from a group of local and statewide education organizations, whose leaders have written a letter to the General Assembly, saying the loss of the 2020-21 exams “risks the loss of critical information that would highlight opportunity gaps and help schools learn and improve upon their virtual or hybrid learning systems.” The letter was signed by the chiefs of groups including the Commonwealth Foundation, Philadelphia School Partnership, Urban League of Philadelphia, Excellent Schools PA, and Pennsylvania Chamber for Business and Industry.

https://www.inquirer.com/education/pssa-keystone-pennsylvania-cancel-exam-20201005.html

 

Meeting postponement delays furloughs for Scranton School District employees

Times Tribune BY SARAH HOFIUS HALL STAFF WRITER Oct 5, 2020 Updated 6 hrs ago

More than 200 Scranton School District employees expected to finally learn the future of their positions on Monday night. The Scranton School Board will make the workers wait a few days longer. To ensure the board complies with the state’s Sunshine Act, directors postponed Monday night’s meeting until Thursday. That means the 218 employees up for furlough will continue to be paid and have health insurance until at least the time the board votes. The meeting’s postponement is the latest cause of uncertainty after the district announced more than a month ago the plan to furlough workers who had “no role” in a virtual learning environment. Students will learn at home through at least mid-November due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, Lackawanna County Judge Terrence R. Nealon ruled the school board violated the state’s Sunshine Act when directors held the Sept. 14 meeting knowing many members of the public could not view it due to a “technical glitch.” The board must revote on any action taken at that meeting, including the furloughs.

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/education/meeting-postponement-delays-furloughs-for-scranton-school-district-employees/article_55a4d022-bb61-5b54-adf8-795d843ae274.html

 

‘It’s a difficult time’: Assuring safe virtual spaces for Philadelphia LGBTQ students

Chalkbeat Philly By Johann Calhoun  Sep 30, 2020, 8:41am EDT

Before Science Leadership Academy was forced to close its doors last year over asbestos concerns, Ashton Krause, 17, was in the process of creating a student support group for LGBTQ students at the school just north of Center City. Now with district students forced to learn virtually, Kraus believes a group is needed more than ever because of circumstances LGBTQ students may experience during remote learning. “LGBTQ kids are stuck in their house and you don’t know if their parents accept them or what their situation is at home,” he said. “It puts a lot of pressure on LGBTQ kids especially if they are in an uncomfortable environment and they have to be there all day. That can be overwhelming.” For some LGBTQ students, remote learning has removed them from physical bullying at school, but virtual classrooms don’t always provide safe, protected spaces filled with support.

https://philadelphia.chalkbeat.org/2020/9/30/21495024/assuring-safe-virtual-spaces-for-philadelphia-lgbtq-students

 

In Penn-Trafford SD, 2 more COVID-19 cases at Level Green Elementary; school moves to remote learning for 14 days

LAUREN LEE Pittsburgh Post-Gazette OCT 4, 2020 7:02 PM

Students at Level Green Elementary in the Penn-Trafford School District will move to remote learning for around 14 days after two additional staff members at the school have tested positive for COVID-19. The district announced the cases in an Oct. 3 letter written by district superintendent Matthew Harris to parents that was also posted on its website. This news brings the total to five positive cases within a 14-day period, Mr. Harris said. As of Saturday, Mr. Harris said all positive cases at Level Green have been confined to staff members. There are currently no students with positive cases, he said. Mr. Harris said the district is still waiting on the exact reopening date from the Department of Education and Department of Health, but will adhere to state guidelines by moving to remote learning for 14 days.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/10/04/Level-Green-Elementary-remote-learning-COVID-19-Penn-Trafford-School-District/stories/202010040192

 

Elizabethtown Area elementary school closed for a week due to COVID-19 infections

Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer October 5, 2020

An Elizabethtown Area School District elementary school will be closed through Columbus Day due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. After closing abruptly on Monday, East High Street Elementary School will remain closed to students and staff until Tuesday, Oct. 13, as the district responds to three known COVID-19 infections within the school. All students will learn remotely. The district broke the news about Monday’s closure in a letter posted to its website on Sunday evening, stating there were two confirmed two COVID-19 cases and one presumptive case at the school. “The decision to transition to online learning now for ALL East High students was not made lightly,” Sunday’s letter states. “We recognize the impact it will have on our families who have a child attending the school.”

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/elizabethtown-area-elementary-school-closed-for-a-week-due-to-covid-19-infections/article_30c7e0b6-0736-11eb-8a3a-9b6ee6dce251.html

 

At least 3 dozen COVID-19 cases have been reported at Lancaster County schools. Here's where they are [update]

Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer October 5, 2020

At three dozen cases of COVID-19 have been reported at Lancaster County schools about a month into the 2020-21 school year. The cases come from 12 school districts, plus a brick-and-mortar charter school in Lancaster city. And that might not be all. With the Pennsylvania Department of Health not tracking COVID-19 cases in schools, it's up to each district to notify the community of a positive test from someone inside its schools.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/at-least-3-dozen-covid-19-cases-have-been-reported-at-lancaster-county-schools-heres/article_3df9f520-f90e-11ea-a2d4-cb2cf761df4e.html

 

Latest Bethlehem Area School District COVID-19 case was reported Friday

By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com Updated Oct 05, 2020; Posted Oct 05, 2020

The most recent of Bethlehem Area School District’s positive COVID-19 cases was reported Friday at Gov. Wolf Elementary School, according to the school district’s COVID-19 dashboard.

The dashboard reports nine positive cases over the last 14 days.

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2020/10/latest-bethlehem-area-school-district-covid-19-case-was-reported-friday.html

 

McDowell, McDowell Intermediate moving to remote learning through Oct. 12

GoErie Erie Times-News October 1, 2020

Millcreek Township School District officials announced Thursday night that McDowell High School and McDowell Intermediate High School will move to virtual learning for the next 11 days because of COVID-19 concerns. Millcreek Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts made the announcement in a letter that was emailed to staff and parents of McDowell High School and McDowell Intermediate students. "In collaboration with the Erie County Department of Health, we have made the decision to move to 100 percent virtual learning temporarily for all students at the McDowell Intermediate and McDowell High School," Roberts said in the letter. Remote learning at both schools will remain in effect starting Friday and continuing through Oct. 12. 

https://www.goerie.com/story/news/2020/10/01/mcdowell-mihs-move-virtual-learning-because-covid-19-concerns/5889705002/

 

Your View by Allentown charter school CEO: Schools need to work together to solve problems

Opinion By ROBERT LYSEK THE MORNING CALL | OCT 02, 2020 AT 7:00 AM

Robert Lysek is CEO of Executive Education Academy Charter School, a K-12 public charter school serving the Lehigh Valley, and president of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.

When the pandemic upended our lives, it was common to hear the message: “We are all in this together.” It was an attempt to acknowledge that things may be different but we can work together to find the answers. Public charter schools rose to that challenge. Charter schools quickly adapted innovative solutions to learning and meeting the needs of their students. Brick-and-mortar charter schools became community centers for food distribution and health care services. They supplied thousands of computers to their students to learn from home, and their teachers learned how to support their students at home. Pennsylvania’s 14 public cyber charter schools anticipated the challenges and offered to help any brick-and-mortar school — district, private or charter — with virtual learning programs. Cybercharter schools have been teaching students online for 20 years. They know what works and what doesn’t and they shared that knowledge with their colleagues in Pennsylvania and across the country.

https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-cybercharter-schools-lysek-20201002-rmklzv6t4fbyrk4ffr5l73a4uy-story.html

 

U.S. Department of Education Awards $30M Grant to Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools

HARRISBURG (October 1, 2020) – The Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools (PCPCS) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has awarded it an Expanding Opportunities Through Quality Charter School Programs Grant (commonly referred to as a CSP Grant). This grant award will total $30 million over a grant period of five years (2021-25) and will support the development, expansion and replication of high-quality public brick-and-mortar charter schools in Pennsylvania.  Thanks to recent changes to the Every Student Succeeds Act, PCPCS was able to apply for a CSP Grant under the category of “State Entity” and will partner with Charter Choices to create, administer and monitor a competitive subgrant program. This is not the first time that the USDE has awarded CSP funds to expand public charter schools in Pennsylvania. The CSP Grant was established more than 10 years ago, and individual public charter schools in the commonwealth have received funding to expand the high-quality educational opportunities for students. 

http://pacharters.org/u-s-department-of-education-awards-30m-grant-to-pennsylvania-coalition-of-public-charter-schools/

 

“Overall, eight schools in Pennsylvania have now decided to sponsor girls' wrestling. The task force, through its SanctionPA campaign, is striving to reach 100 girls' wrestling programs in the state. That is the number required by the PIAA before it will consider sanctioning a sport.”

A York-Adams League school adds girls' wrestling as an official sport

York Dispatch by STEVE HEISER 717-505-5446/@ydsports October 5, 2020

A York-Adams League member has joined the growing list of Pennsylvania schools to officially recognize and fund girls' wrestling as a varsity sport. Gettysburg High School in Adams County became the first program in the local 23-member league to sanction the sport. The decision by the Gettysburg Area School District is not entirely surprising. The Warriors' varsity wrestling program features one of the top girls' wrestlers in the nation in Montana DeLawder. She is ranked No. 1 in her weight class in the nation among female scholastic wrestlers. Over the past three years, DeLawder has excelled while wrestling against the boys during high school career, compiling a 67-43 record heading into her senior season with Warriors. Last March, she won the 2020 MyHouse Pennsylvania High School Girls State Wrestling Championships title at 122 pounds — an event that was not sanctioned by the PIAA.  “The approving of a girls' team here at Gettysburg means the world to not only me, but the past and present girls that have been in this program," DeLawder said in a news release issued by the Pennsylvania Girls High School Wrestling Task Force. "Gettysburg wrestling has had such a huge impact on my life, and I am very excited for the girls that will get to take advantage of this opportunity in the future. I am very grateful that girls will now be able to have the experiences I have had, but this time in a league of their own.”

https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2020/10/05/york-adams-league-school-has-added-girls-wrestling-sport/3632935001/

 

Pat Toomey just made the 2022 elections in Pennsylvania a total free-for-all

Inquirer by Jonathan Tamari, Andrew Seidman, Sean Collins Walsh and Chris Brennan, Updated: October 5, 2020- 5:46 PM

When Pat Toomey won reelection to the Senate in 2016, he did it using the traditional Republican formula for success in Pennsylvania: win big in the state’s conservative areas, and keep it close in the suburbs by appealing to moderates. It was tight, but it worked. But that same year, then-candidate Donald Trump tore up that playbook and went a different way. His combative approach got him crushed in the suburbs but drew out so many rural and small-city voters that he won anyway. Barely. Now, with Toomey planning to leave politics after 2022, wide-open GOP primaries for governor and Senate that year could provide the first post-2020 test of which path Pennsylvania Republicans choose for their future. Will they opt for someone who echoes the sharp-edged Trump style? Or return to a figure like Toomey who, while deeply conservative on policy, offered a businessman’s mild-mannered persona and more traditional style of Republican politics? Toomey announced Monday that he won’t run for either reelection or governor. His decision opened the door for a wide range of candidates, turning the 2022 primaries into a potential pivot point for a party that has been dominated by Trump — and will continue to be if he can mount a comeback to win reelection.

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/pat-toomey-retirement-pennsylvania-2022-elections-20201005.html

 

N.Y.C. Closes Some Schools … Again

Just days after reopening, schools and day care centers are set to close in nine New York City hot spots in Brooklyn and Queens.

New York Times By Amelia Nierenberg and Adam Pasick Oct. 5, 2020

Mayor Bill de Blasio dialed back New York City’s school reopening this weekend, announcing a plan to close public and private schools in nine Brooklyn and Queens ZIP codes where coronavirus cases are surging. The outbreaks already threaten the fragile reopening of the New York City public school system. They may also send shock waves nationwide, for officials in other large metropolitan areas who are tracking the city’s progress. The nine restricted areas, home to about half a million people, all have large populations of Orthodox Jews, who have been reluctant to adhere to guidelines on mask wearing and social distancing. The virus devastated some communities in the spring and summer, leading some people to believe — incorrectly, experts say — that they had developed herd immunity. For now, there’s good news for citywide reopenings: The closings were not prompted by any specific outbreaks in schools. “We have seen very little coronavirus activity in our schools,” de Blasio said. Most of the schools that closed are private yeshivas, along with about 100 public schools. But if the city’s average test positivity rate — currently about 1.5 percent — reaches 3 percent over seven days, the entire public school system would have to close under existing rules. Some of the nine affected neighborhoods have positivity rates as high as 8 percent.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/us/nyc-schools-close-briefing.html

 

Education in the 2020 Presidential Race

Education Week Project Reporting by Evie Blad and Andrew Ujifusa

As the Nov. 3 presidential election approaches, this interactive tracker gives you one-click access to where Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, stand on 10 key issues affecting K-12 education. It also includes personal and policy context about the nominees and details about their vice presidential running mates, Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence. You can search either by topic or nominee. This tracker will be updated throughout the remainder of the campaign.

https://www.edweek.org/ew/projects/education2020/index.html

 

 

PSBA continues push for permanent mandate waiver program

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 IN PSBA NEWS

With a short fall legislative session scheduled for the General Assembly, PSBA is continuing efforts to advocate for the major state-level issues identified by public school leaders as being of the most concern during this pandemic.  One of the key issues is the need for broad, permanent relief from mandates that consume much of districts' budgets and stifle innovation. PSBA worked with Senator Langerholc (R-Cambria) to introduce Senate Bill 1286, which would establish a mandate waiver program similar to the highly popular and successful one which operated in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2010. The proposal would allow public schools to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for a waiver of many state-imposed mandates if the school can show that its instructional program will improve or the school will operate in a more effective, efficient, or economical manner. Certain laws and regulations would not be waivable, such as those relating to student safety, academic standards and assessments, special education, protected handicapped students, gifted education, student attendance, professional educator conduct standards, among others. 
Click here for a detailed summary of Senate Bill 1286. 
PSBA is asking school boards to join this advocacy effort and adopt the resolution urging the General Assembly to provide critical support and costs savings to school districts through approval of a permanent mandate waiver program. The PSBA resolution can be 
downloaded and submitted to PSBA online

https://www.psba.org/2020/09/psba-continues-push-for-permanent-mandate-waiver-program/

 

PSBA Fall Virtual Advocacy Day: OCT 8, 2020 • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Sign up now for PSBA’s Virtual Advocacy Day this fall!

All public school leaders are invited to join us for our fall Virtual Advocacy Day on Thursday, October 8, 2020, via Zoom. We need all of you to help strengthen our advocacy impact. The day will center around contacting legislators to discuss critical issues affecting public education. Registrants will receive the meeting invitation with a link to our fall Virtual Advocacy Day website that contains talking points, a link to locate contact information for your legislator and additional information to help you have a successful day.

Cost: As a membership benefit, there is no cost to register.

Registration: School directors can register online now by logging in to myPSBA. If you have questions about Virtual Advocacy Day, or need additional information, contact Jamie.Zuvich@psba.org.

https://www.psba.org/event/psba-fall-virtual-advocacy-day/

 

Save The Date: The PSBA 2020 Equity Summit is happening virtually on October 13th.

Discover how to build a foundation for equity in practice and policy.

Learn more: https://t.co/KQviB4TTOj

 

PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference October 14-15 Virtual

Registration is now open for the first ever virtual School Leadership Conference! Join us for all-new educational sessions, dynamic speakers, exhibitors, and more! Visit the website for registration information: https://t.co/QfinpBL69u #PASLC20 https://t.co/JYeRhJLUmZ

 

What to expect at this year’s School Leadership Conference

POSTED ON AUGUST 31, 2020 IN PSBA NEWS

At the 2020 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference on October 14-15, you'll encounter the same high-quality experience you've come to expect, via new virtual platform. Hear world-class speakers and relevant educational sessions, and network with exhibitors and attendees — from the comfort of your home or office on any internet-enabled device.

The virtual conference platform is accessible via a unique link provided to each registrant about a week before conference. No additional app downloads are required. The intuitive 3D interface is easy to use and immersive — you'll feel like you're on location. Registrants will be able to explore the space a day before conference starts. Highlights include: 

  • Virtual exhibit hall 
  • Interactive lobby area and information desk 
  • Virtual auditorium 
  • Digital swag bag 
  • Scavenger hunt 

This year, conference is completely free to attend! Be among the first 125 to register, and receive a special pre-conference swag bag, sent to your home. Click here for more information about how to register.

https://www.psba.org/2020/08/what-to-expect-at-this-years-school-leadership-conference/

 

Adopt the resolution against racial inequity!

School boards are asked to adopt this resolution supporting the development of an anti-racist climate. Once adopted, share your resolution with your local community and submit a copy to PSBA. Learn more: http://ow.ly/yJWA50B2R72

 

Adopt the 2020 PSBA resolution for charter school funding reform

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.

Resolution for charter funding reform (pdf)

Link to submit your adopted resolution to PSBA

 

296 PA school boards have adopted charter reform resolutions

Charter school funding reform continues to be a concern as over 290 school boards across the state have adopted a resolution calling for legislators to enact significant reforms to the Charter School Law to provide funding relief and ensure all schools are held to the same quality and ethics standards. Now more than ever, there is a growing momentum from school officials across the state to call for charter school funding reform. Legislators are hearing loud and clear that school districts need relief from the unfair funding system that results in school districts overpaying millions of dollars to charter schools.

The school boards from the following districts have adopted resolutions calling for charter funding reform. 

https://www.psba.org/2020/03/adopted-charter-reform-resolutions/

 

Know Your Facts on Funding and Charter Performance. Then Call for Charter Change!

PSBA Charter Change Website:

https://www.pacharterchange.org/

 

The Network for Public Education Action Conference has been rescheduled to April 24-25, 2021 at the Philadelphia Doubletree Hotel

 

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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