Monday, November 9, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Nov. 9, 2020: Out with DeVos: Biden plans series of reversals on education

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 Nov. 9, 2020

Out with DeVos: Biden plans series of reversals on education

 

What’s a Runoff, and Why Are There Two? Here’s Why Georgia Matters

Neither of Georgia’s Republican senators drew a majority on Election Day, sending both of their races to special rematches in January that will likely determine control of the Senate.

New York Times By Luke Broadwater Nov. 7, 2020

As the dust settles from the presidential race, the eyes of the political world have already shifted to Georgia, where two runoff elections set for early January will almost certainly determine which party has control of the Senate. The outcome of the contests, which will play out two weeks before President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s inauguration, will either swing the majority to Democrats, handing the new president broad power to carry out his policy agenda and push through nominations as he sees fit, or leave Republicans in charge, allowing them to influence his plans. In the weeks ahead, tens of millions of dollars in campaign cash are expected to pour into the state to fund a marathon of political advertising, while party leaders and interest groups on both sides train their attention on the races.

Here’s how it will work.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/us/politics/georgia-senate-runoff-explainer.html?searchResultPosition=3

 

A return to decency with Biden’s win? Not yet. But we’re on the way | John L. Micek

PA Capitol Star Commentary By John L. Micek November 7, 2020

I was walking along the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg on the Saturday afternoon that we, and the world, learned that Joe Biden had bested Donald Trump to become the president-elect of the United States. The November sun was unseasonably warm on my face, and a cool breeze blew in from the west. I took a deep breath and exhaled. And in that moment, the tensions of the last four years seemed to go with them. There was a sense, however briefly, that, after four years of chaos, division, and just plain mean-spiritedness at the very top of our government, that maybe we were finally going to be all right. I was hardly alone. From Pittsburgh to Harrisburg to Philadelphia, which delivered the Keystone State to Biden only hours earlier, people took to the streets in celebration, reveling in Biden’s win, and celebrating the undeniable reality that Trump, for whom cruelty is both a calling card and a brand, was on his way to becoming the first American president to be ousted after a single term since President George H.W. Bush. And true to brand, in defeat, Trump was rage-tweeting a barrage of falsehoods that do not bear republication here. I’ll link to them, and you can read them yourself, if you want. But there’s no longer the necessity to gaze on this rhetorical car crash. So, instead, the nation turns its eyes to Biden, the former, two-term vice president, who historically served under the nation’s first Black president, and who historically brings into power with him not only the nation’s first woman vice president, but also the first person of Black and South Asian descent to serve in that position: U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, of California.

https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/a-return-to-decency-with-bidens-win-not-yet-but-were-on-the-way-john-l-micek/

 

Biden, 77, will take office with plans to significantly boost federal education funding and to focus on “neighborhood public schools” rather than charter schools. And he ran on outspoken opposition to the efforts to use public funds to help children attend private schools that became a signature of his predecessor. Where U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos frequently criticized teachers’ unions for blocking the “reinvention” she supported, Biden embraced them. He embedded their priorities—like criticism of “high stakes testing” and demands for more resources for schools—into his platform, pledged to appoint an education secretary with “public school experience,” and promised a “teacher-oriented” department of education.

Joe Biden's Election as President Tees Up Massive Shifts for K-12 Policy

Education Week By Evie Blad November 7, 2020

Democrat Joe Biden has been elected 46th president of the United States after running on an ambitious agenda for K-12 education that was later overshadowed by his plans to address the coronavirus pandemic and its ongoing effects on students and schools. The former Democratic vice president, whose victory was called by the Associated Press Saturday morning after a close election and days of vote-counting in multiple states, has promised a sharp U-turn from the education philosophy and policies of his competitor, Republican President Donald Trump, in areas including the COVID-19 crisis, civil rights enforcement in schools, and aid for underprivileged students. “I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect [Kamala] Harris,” Biden said in a statement. “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation.” But as the vote count grew in Biden's favor throughout the week, Trump remained defiant in challenging its legitimacy, tweeting that he had won the election less than an hour before several news outlets declared Biden the winner.

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/11/03/joe-bidens-election-as-president-tees-up.html

 

'Bye Betsy' and More: Education World Reacts to Biden Victory

Education Week By Andrew Ujifusa on November 7, 2020 5:06 PM

Joe Biden's victory has been greeted with an outpouring of emotion from the education community that's endured a divisive presidential election and the coronavirus pandemic's disruption and trauma. Many school leaders and others in the K-12 world—though not all—exulted in Biden's victory, which was declared by the Associated Press, the standard Education Week uses when calling election results, and by many other media outlets. The outcome might still be subject to legal challenges from President Donald Trump, who had not acknowledged his defeat to Biden as of late Saturday. And some reactions also focused on U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who's been champion for school choice, but a bitter enemy of public school advocates during her tenure.  Trump sought a second term with relatively low support from educators. In October, 36 percent of educators had a favorable view of Trump, according to an EdWeek Research Center survey, while 29 percent of educators said they supported him in a 2017 research center survey. And political donors classifying themselves as educators had given Biden nearly six times as much money as Trump as of a Center for Responsive Politics analysis from late September.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2020/11/biden-education-election-bye-betsy.html

 

How a GOP-Controlled Senate Could Affect Biden's Pick for Education Secretary

Education Week By Andrew Ujifusa on November 7, 2020 12:51 PM

Speculation has been building in the education world for a while about president-elect Joe Biden's possible pick for education secretary. If Biden has a Democratic Senate to work with, his job would be relatively straightforward politically. But it appears there will be two Senate run-off elections now set to take place in Georgia in January. What happens if the GOP, whose Senate candidates won the majority of votes in the Nov. 3 contests, wins both seats and maintains a narrow majority in the Senate?  If they hold the Senate, Republicans would have significant leverage in decisions about who serves in key Biden administration posts. There's already talk about how a GOP Senate could make life quite difficult for Biden's transition plans. And while education secretary is not a top cabinet post, there's an unusual potential X-factor: Some Republicans might decide that a little revenge is in order for the unprecedented hurricane of opposition U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos faced when she was picked for the Trump administration back in 2017.  Biden has already promised that his secretary of education would be a former public school educator; a top adviser declined to clarify recently if that meant someone from the K-12 world or higher education.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2020/11/biden-education-secretary-GOP-senate.html

 

“Darling-Hammond is currently heading up the education transition team for President-elect Joe Biden, according to sources familiar with the process, although she would not confirm that in an interview Sunday, or discuss her role in the transition.”

Linda Darling-Hammond rejects possible consideration as Secretary of Education in Biden cabinet

Says she is committed to working with Gov. Newsom to achieve education goals in California.

EdSource by LOUIS FREEDBERG NOVEMBER 8, 2020

Ending considerable speculation in media and education circles, Linda Darling-Hammond, the president of the California State Board of Education, says she is committed to staying in California, and is not interested in becoming the next U.S. Secretary of Education.

Darling-Hammond is currently heading up the education transition team for President-elect Joe Biden, according to sources familiar with the process, although she would not confirm that in an interview Sunday, or discuss her role in the transition. Darling-Hammond has been viewed as a top prospect to become education secretary in a Biden cabinet. But, she said, “I want to get that speculation out of the way.”

https://edsource.org/2020/linda-darling-hammond-rejects-consideration-as-secretary-of-education-in-biden-administration/643327

 

What public education advocates want to see in Biden’s pick to succeed Betsy DeVos

Washington Post By Valerie Strauss Reporter November 8, 2020 at 10:58 a.m. EST

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is on her way out of office now that Joe Biden has defeated President Trump, and the education world is eager to see who her successor will be. Whoever it is, Biden has said that the new education secretary will be on a mission to undo things the controversial DeVos accomplished — such as making school choice the primary priority of the department — and work to support traditional public school districts. Public education advocates are hoping that he picks someone who will bolster public schools, and move away from the past two decades of school policies that emphasized charter schools, standardized testing and operating schools through a business model. They have been fiercely opposed to DeVos and her agenda to expand alternatives to the public education system, which she once called “a dead end.” Trump voters are likely to be as unhappy with Biden’s selection as public school advocates were with DeVos. This post looks at what these public education advocates want, written by Diane Ravitch and Carol Burris. Ravitch is the most prominent public education advocate of the past decade, a former U.S. assistant secretary of education in the administration of President George H.W. Bush who turned against the school reform movement after seeing its effects on teaching and learning. She is an education historian, author and co-founder of the Network for Public Education, a nonprofit advocacy group. Another prominent public education advocate is Carol Burris, a former award-winning high school principal in New York who is executive director of the Network for Public Education, which opposes the expansion of alternatives to publicly funded and publicly operated schools and districts, including charter schools, which are privately operated but funded with taxpayer dollars.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/11/08/what-public-education-advocates-want-see-bidens-pick-succeed-betsy-devos/

 

Out with DeVos: Biden plans series of reversals on education

President-elect Joe Biden, whose wife, Jill Biden, is a community college professor, says educators will have “one of your own” in the White House.

Washington Post By Laura Meckler Danielle Douglas-Gabriel and Valerie Strauss November 8, 2020 at 1:01 p.m. EST

President Trump tried to bully schools into opening their buildings, a hard-edge pandemic tactic that succeeded in places and backfired elsewhere. President-elect Joe Biden is hoping to pry them open with money for increased coronavirus expenses and clear guidance on how to do so safely, a shift that signals a new era for education policy in America. Under Trump, the Education Department has been led by Secretary Betsy DeVos, who alienated many by casting public schools as failures and promoting alternatives to them. Through executive action and negotiations with Congress, Biden wants to bolster public schools. Biden has promised hundreds of billions of dollars in new education spending, from preschool through college. He has proposed college debt forgiveness. And he wants to overturn a controversial regulation on sexual harassment and assault that universities and others strongly opposed. He has also promised to appoint an educator as secretary of education and likes to tell people that a teacher will join him in the White House. Jill Biden, an English professor at a community college in Northern Virginia, has said she plans to continue teaching as first lady. “Teaching isn’t just what she does — it’s who she is,” Biden said Saturday in a victory speech after being declared the winner of the presidential race. “For America’s educators, this is a great day: You’re going to have one of your own in the White House.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/biden-education-change/2020/11/08/b5b25c7a-21d5-11eb-a688-5298ad5d580a_story.html

 

On COVID and schools, President-elect Biden has promised a different approach

Chalkbeat Philly By Matt Barnum  Nov 7, 2020, 7:23pm EST

For the last several months, President Donald Trump has had a simple message for schools: reopen your buildings. President-elect Joe Biden has a more complicated one: the federal government is on the way with better guidance and — hopefully — money, but no mandates. “Schools need clear, consistent, effective national guidelines, not mixed messages and political ultimatums,” the Biden campaign plan for reopening schools says. The race has been called, and the incoming Biden administration is set to inherit a country still struggling with the coronavirus pandemic. Though more schools are reopening their doors, COVID cases are still rising. Schools will still be grappling with exactly how to balance public health and education concerns for months to come. A Biden administration is set to play a different role than Trump officials have, by pushing for additional resources for public schools and efforts to make up learning loss, while making no demands of schools on Twitter.

https://philadelphia.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/7/21554603/on-covid-and-schools-president-elect-biden-has-promised-a-different-approach

 

“Four years ago most public ed supporters only kind of knew who DeVos was. Some didn't know her at all. Now we all know her a bit too well. I recommend that we keep that knowledge handy and stay alert in the years ahead. In the meantime, enjoy this moment.”

Betsy DeVos Will Be Leaving. Prepare To Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Curmuducation Blog by Peter Greene Saturday, November 7, 2020

It has been a few hours since the race was finally called, and now, once we get past a few hundred petulant lawsuits, the Trump Train will be leaving DC (undoubtedly kicking over every table it can find on the way out).That means that Betsy DeVos will be leaving the department of education, and that is unquestionably, undeniably a good thing. And if you want to celebrate it for the rest of the weekend, I don't want to take that away from you--just put a pin in this post and come back to it Monday. Feel better? I certainly do. Now then...DeVos is almost certainly not going away. She has devoted her entire adult life to the pursuit of privatized, Christianized education, to a system that aids the Betters and keeps the Lessers in their proper place, to a world in which the wealthy can hold onto their well-deserved piles of money without having to use any of it to pay for nice things for Those People. She is not going to stop now.

https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/11/betsy-devos-will-be-leaving-prepare-to.html?spref=tw

 

Pres-Elect Biden: It’s Time for a Career K12 Teacher as US Ed Sec.

Deutsch29 blog by Mercedes Schneider November 7, 2020

It’s November 07, 2020, and Joe Biden is president-elect.

That means extreme right-wing, pro-private-school-voucher, anti-public school billionaire, US ed sec Betsy DeVos will hit the US Department of Ed exit doors by January 2021. In September 2020, DeVos told state education chiefs not to bother about requesting federally-required testing waivers during a 2020-21 school year steeped in pandemic chaos. And now, she will be out before 2021 spring testing, and that is fabulous news. But who will replace her? It is about time for someone with seasoned K12 classroom experience to hold that position. Not someone with ladder-climbing, token K12 classroom experience. Not someone who is a basketball playing pal of his buddy, the president (aka Arne Duncan). And not someone who is an activist for private schools and who admitted publicly to “not intentionally visiting schools that are underperforming” (that, of course, would be DeVos).

https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2020/11/07/pres-elect-biden-its-time-for-a-career-k12-teacher-as-us-ed-sec/

 

From Scranton to the White House, Joe Biden's dream comes true

Scranton Times Tribune BY BORYS KRAWCZENIUK, STAFF WRITER Nov 8, 2020

A guy from Scranton could never be president.

Everyone knows that. Winners leave Scranton and they don’t come back. A scrappy kid from Green Ridge did come back. Back from personal tragedy and professional losses, back from a well-earned retirement. Back to the hometown that taught him decency, resiliency, faith and grace. Again and again. A guy from Scranton will be president. His name is Joe Biden. Democratic presidential nominee Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., born almost 78 years ago to Joseph Robinette Biden Sr. and his wife, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden, in St. Mary’s Hospital on Hickory Street in Scranton, won the duty of leading the nation for the next four years.

On Jan. 20, a Scranton native will take the oath of office as the 46th president of the United States of America.

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/election/from-scranton-to-the-white-house-joe-bidens-dream-comes-true/article_5e29a284-9fad-5476-be6c-5b2c7bf3e980.html

 

“But it kicks off on Tuesday with the biennial exercise of holding caucus leadership elections.’

Pa. lawmakers must return to Capitol this month to finish state budget in rare post-election session

Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Updated 5:30 AM; Today 5:30 AM

State lawmakers return to Harrisburg on Tuesday for the start of what has become a rarity in recent years with a post-election session in which substantive legislation is expected to be considered. That action primarily involves trying to complete work on the 2020-21 state budget. While the annual state budgets usually are completed in the summer, the coronavirus pandemic changed those plans. State lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf approved a budget to fund most programs through Nov. 30; schools have been funded through June 30. The Republican-led General Assembly and the Democratic governor will need to strike an agreement to pay for some essential state services. Some suspect though there also could be movement on some non-controversial bills that passed one chamber but were in the final stages of getting through the other prior to the election break. But it kicks off on Tuesday with the biennial exercise of holding caucus leadership elections. This year, those will produce some changes due to legislators' retirements in both chambers. Among others, the departure of Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, creates an opening in the Senate’s top post. Potentially, there could be a new House Democratic leader. Rep. Frank Dermody’s vote totals were lagging behind his Republican challenger Carrie Delrosso for that Allegheny County House seat as late as Friday afternoon.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/11/pa-lawmakers-must-return-to-capitol-this-month-to-finish-state-budget-in-rare-post-election-session.html

 

Dr. Jonathan G. Ross Elected to Lead State Principals Association

(HARRISBURG, PA) —Dr. Jonathan G. Ross, Douglassville, Pa., the proud Principal of Lionville Middle School in the Downingtown Area School District, Downingtown, Pa., is the 2020-2022 President of the Pennsylvania Principals Association. Dr. Ross has served in the role of middle school principal for over 19 years. Dr. Ross began his career in public education in 1992 as a middle school learning support teacher. In 2001, his professional dreams were realized when he became principal of his own school – Drexel Middle School in the Upper Darby School District. Throughout his career, Dr. Ross has been blessed to work with many talented and passionate educators, students and families who all played a part in his being named the 2009 Pennsylvania National Distinguished Principal (NDP) for Middle School in conjunction with the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ program. In 2010, Dr. Ross was appointed principal of Lionville Middle School in the Downingtown Area School District.

https://www.dasd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=9085&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=26524&PageID=1

 

Despite ‘substantial transmission’ of COVID-19 in Lehigh County, superintendents decide to maintain current educational models

By MICHELLE MERLIN and KAYLA DWYER THE MORNING CALL | NOV 06, 2020 AT 6:19 PM

Lehigh County school districts will stay the course with their respective educational models for the time being, despite the state’s move to elevate the county to a level of “substantial” coronavirus community transmission. The state Department of Education and Department of Health recommend districts move to fully remote learning when there is substantial community transmission, though the decision rests with local school officials. On Monday, the state gave that designation to Lehigh County ― one of 26 counties in that category this week. Substantial risk applies to counties with more than 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents or more than a 10% positivity rate over the past seven days. Lehigh’s incidence rate over the most recent seven days was 156.5, up from 101.6 a week earlier. Superintendents in the county met and decided as a group to maintain their current instructional models, according to an email sent to the Parkland School District community Friday afternoon. Most school districts in Lehigh County offer hybrid learning, though the Allentown School District announced plans to continue virtual learning through January. The superintendents thought it “in the best interest of our students, staff, and communities that we maintain our current instructional model until further notice,” Parkland Superintendent Richard Sniscak wrote in a letter to families Friday.

https://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-lehigh-county-covid-substantial-transmission-20201106-anbqdqykdbc5zh5kgcbdan7na4-story.html

 

Some Delco schools consider return to all-virtual schooling amid pandemic

Delco Times By Kathleen E. Carey kcarey@21st-centurymedia.com @dtbusiness on Twitter November 9, 2020

As COVID-19 cases continue to increase throughout Delaware County and across the nation, some school districts are considering returning to virtual learning as state officials are expected to issue a recommendation this week. On Monday, state health and of education officials contacted Delaware County school superintendents to discuss the rates and trends of COVID-19 in Delaware County. They cautioned the superintendents that there may be a point where instruction may have to return to an all-virtual model. On Friday, Delaware County was reporting 14,604 positive cases of coronavirus, with 823 deaths attributed to the virus. There have also been 137,504 negative cases. Some days have seen significant spikes. For instance, 121 positive cases were reported Monday; 116 on Oct. 30; 147 on Oct. 29; 140 on Oct. 28; 140 on Oct. 27; and 144 on Oct. 26. The School District of Haverford Township is watching its rates to determine how to proceed, after having transitioned from all-virtual to a hybrid learning module Oct. 19. "The first question and probably most frequently asked, has been if the current incidence rates continue, will we need to go back to virtual learning?" Haverford Superintendent Dr. Maureen Reusche said. "This question was addressed in my weekly meeting with the Chester County Health Department ... and the medical experts from CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania. Their answer to this question was a qualified 'it depends.'" Of most importance, she explained is linked transmissions, meaning situations in which individuals in the same building are spreading the virus. This situation, she said, has not occurred in Haverford to date. Reusche outlined four elements influencing the potential decision to go virtual. The Springfield School District also identified these four factors in determining whether to return to full virtual.

https://www.delcotimes.com/news/coronavirus/some-schools-consider-return-to-all-virtual-schooling-amid-pandemic/article_f9e1128a-2057-11eb-826b-23d9edca8b78.html

 

Northampton Area High School to close for a week because of coronavirus

By JACQUELINE PALOCHKO  THE MORNING CALL |NOV 06, 2020 AT 3:44 PM

Northampton Area High School will be closed next week after two COVID-19 cases were identified Friday. In a letter to parents, Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik said the two individuals live in the same household and were last in school Oct. 30. The high school was notified of the positive cases Friday. Kovalchik said this brings the total number of cases to seven over the last 14 days. Students will return to school for in-person instruction Nov. 17. Lessons next week will be done remotely.

https://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-northampton-high-school-closure-covid-20201106-7vzncdrtpnfcblr4wscdc5yxbu-story.html

 

Elizabeth Forward School District elementary school moves to remote learning after 2 positive COVID-19 cases

LAUREN LEE Pittsburgh Post-Gazette NOV 7, 2020 4:58 PM

The Elizabeth Forward School District announced this week it will be closing William Penn Elementary School after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.  In a letter to parents, district superintendent Dr. Todd E. Keruskin said the district verified the two positive cases and also worked with the Allegheny County Health Department to conduct contact tracing. 

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/covid-19-edu/2020/11/07/Elizabeth-Forward-School-District-remote-learning-COVID-19-William-Penn-Elementary-School/stories/202011070082

 

Brentwood Borough School District reports 5 new cases of tuberculosis after student tests positive

LAUREN LEE Pittsburgh Post-Gazette NOV 7, 2020 5:08 PM

Five employees have tested positive for tuberculosis at Brentwood Borough School District, the district announced Friday. This comes after the Allegheny County Health Department has been investigating an active case of tuberculosis in a student at Brentwood High School. According to a letter sent to parents, district superintendent Amy Burch said the student, who has been attending school remotely from the beginning of the school year, is no longer infectious.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/11/07/Brentwood-Borough-School-District-tuberculosis/stories/202011070084

 

North Hills High School to reopen Monday

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE NOV 8, 2020 1:06 PM

North Hills High School will return to a hybrid instruction model Monday following a temporary closure last week. Two additional teachers tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from the school district, but their cases are not connected and the individuals have not been at the school since Oct. 30. The Allegheny County Health Department cleared the district to reopen the school Monday, the district said.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/11/08/North-Hills-High-School-reopening-Monday-COVID-19-Patrick-Mannarino/stories/202011080150

 

Norwin High School closed Monday because of COVID-19 spike

JOYCE GANNON Pittsburgh Post-Gazette jgannon@post-gazette.com NOV 8, 2020 3:42 PM

Norwin High School said it will be closed Monday because of an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Three new student cases and one new staff case were reported Friday, the district said. In one case, players on one of the school’s sports teams possibly were in close contact with someone with the virus, the district said.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/11/08/Norwin-High-School-closed-Monday-COVID-19-virus-spike-Kiski-Area-High-School-coronavirus-case/stories/202011080165

 

Multiple area schools announce closures after uptick in COVID-19 cases

JOYCE GANNON Pittsburgh Post-Gazette jgannon@post-gazette.com NOV 8, 2020 3:42 PM

The Seneca Valley School District announced that its senior high school will move to remote learning this week after a surge of COVID-19 cases in the school. Eight student cases are currently active at the school and one is still pending, according to a message on the district’s website. Classes will remain online until Friday.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/11/08/Norwin-High-School-closed-Monday-COVID-19-virus-spike-Kiski-Area-High-School-coronavirus-case/stories/202011080165

 

Palmer Elementary closed for one week because of COVID cases

By JACOB W. MICHAELS THE MORNING CALL | NOV 08, 2020 AT 9:02 PM

Easton Area School District announced Sunday night that Palmer Elementary school will be closed for the week “out of an abundance of caution” after a second positive test there.

According to a message on the district’s app, the school was notified of a second positive case, but “circumstances have prevented the district’s administration from completing a thorough contact tracing." The district decided to close the school Monday through Friday.

https://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-nws-palmer-elementary-closed-covid-20201109-tdo3w3cl5bgwfdx7lr37sv2sha-story.html

 

Cumberland Valley School District temporarily closing two elementary schools due to COVID

Penn Live By Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com Updated Nov 09, 2020; Posted Nov 08, 2020

Two elementary schools in the Cumberland Valley School District are temporarily closing due to presumed positive cases of COVID-19 reported among students. In letters posted on the district’s website, Superintendent David E. Christopher said Winding Creek Elementary will be closed Nov. 9-11, while Green Ridge Elementary will be closed Nov. 9. The students, including two from Winding Creek and one from Green Ridge, were last in their respective school buildings on Friday, Nov. 6.

https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/2020/11/cumberland-valley-school-district-temporarily-closing-two-elementary-schools-due-to-covid.html

 

Fourth Shikellamy staffer positive for COVID-19

Daily Item By Francis Scarcella fscarcella@dailyitem.com November 8, 2020

A fourth staff member in the Shikellamy Area School District has tested positive for COVID-19. Superintendent Jason Bendle received word Sunday morning that a staff member at Chief Shikellamy Elementary School has been confirmed positive. "The district received notice yesterday of one positive case at our middle school and with today's case, both of these cases are the only active cases in each building," Bendle said. "Both buildings will remain open this week and the district continues to receive guidance from the Department of Health and to notify any close contacts of families related to these cases."

https://www.dailyitem.com/news/fourth-shikellamy-staffer-positive-for-covid-19/article_89384386-21d9-11eb-b971-b33ebdfa31cf.html

 

Greencastle-Antrim High School reports three more COVID-19 cases

Herald Mail By Dave McMillion davem@herald-mail.com November 8, 2020

GREENCASTLE, Pa. — Three more COVID-19 cases among Greencastle-Antrim High School students were reported over the weekend. Greencastle-Antrim School District Superintendent Lura Hanks reported the additional cases in emails to school district families Saturday and Sunday. On Thursday, Hanks said the high school had experienced its first novel coronavirus case. It involved a freshman, she said. On Saturday, Hanks reported that the second case was confirmed in a student in a specialized program at the high school and was “confined to an individual group.” The affected student was a senior. On Sunday, Hanks said positive cases had been identified in two seniors. She said the students’ exposure to COVID-19 was reportedly from outside the school.

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/special/coronavirus/greencastle-antrim-high-school-reports-three-more-covid-19-cases/article_ea00019e-5557-5389-b702-1f30840e2688.html

 

Rockwood Area School District moving to remote learning due to COVID cases

WJAC by Crispin Havener Sunday, November 8th 2020

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — The Rockwood Area School District is moving to virtual learning this coming week after the district superintendent said three students in the District have tested positive for COVID-19. "Over the weekend, we have been notified that 3 students in the Rockwood Area School District have tested positive for COVID-19," said Superintendent Mark Bower in an online statement. "The continued support, cooperation, and patience of the Rockwood family is appreciated." The superintendent said the district is working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to notify students and staff members who were in close contact.

https://wjactv.com/news/local/rockwood-area-school-district-moving-to-remote-learning-due-to-covid-cases

 

COVID-19 case count increases at Bradford Area SD

Bradford Era By RUTH BOGDAN r.bogdan@bradfordera.com November 9, 2020

The number of cases of COVID-19 at Bradford Area School District increased over the weekend. The district sent messages to local parents advising them of new cases at two schools, as well as the fact that continued spread might prompt administrators to reconsider the current in-person class model. Classes will resume as normal today. On Saturday, the school announced that another student at School Street Elementary School tested positive for the disease. The school has notified staff members and families of students who were in close contact with that student. Close contacts are being asked to quarantine.

http://www.bradfordera.com/bradford/covid-19-case-count-increases-at-basd/article_d9ac4205-ffcf-54e8-a99d-d3672a8fdece.html

 

Doors set to open for some PPS students for first time since spring

ANDREW GOLDSTEIN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agoldstein@post-gazette.com NOV 9, 2020 5:15 AM

The Pittsburgh Public Schools will welcome students back to the classroom Monday for the first time in nearly eight months. The district has not held any in-person instruction since mid-March, when schools across the country closed in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.  But the school board in October gave approval for select students to return for some in-person instruction this month.  “We are definitely ready because we were actually going to [bring] all students back in a hybrid form, but that has scaled back,” Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said in an interview Friday at Allderdice High School. “This gives us time to really prepare. It’s almost like a test run right now.”

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/11/09/Pittsburgh-Public-Schools-COVID-19-pandemic-in-person-Superintendent-Hamlet/stories/202011060202

 

School districts reimagine snow days

Times Tribune BY KATHLEEN BOLUS STAFF WRITER  Nov 9, 2020 Updated 1 hr ago

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking away another part of the normal school year for some students in Northeast Pennsylvania — snow days. Leaders from Lackawanna County districts, all of which offer either part-time or full-time virtual instruction, said in the event of severe winter weather or other emergencies, schools could provide classes through online learning platforms. In July 2019, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill that allows schools to replace snow days with “flexible instructional days,” or FID. On these days, students learn from home and do not have to make up the days schools are closed. School districts that were interested in the option had to submit an application to the state detailing how educators will ensure access to technology, meet the requirements of special education students and monitor attendance. Schools that do not have FID but are providing remote or virtual instruction as a result of the coronavirus pandemic may use full remote days during snow days and other emergencies, said Kendall Alexander, state Department of Education spokeswoman.

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/education/school-districts-reimagine-snow-days/article_ba27e975-f3e1-5af0-8885-e5f94b8c3416.html

 

Arizona Voters Approve Tax On Wealthy To Fund Public Schools

Proposition 208 will add a 3.5% tax on high earners, with the money going solely to public education.

HuffPost By Dave Jamieson November 6, 2020

Arizonans voted to boost taxes on high earners in order to steer more money to public schools, marking a major win for the Red for Ed movement that began with a wave of teacher strikes in several states two years ago. Proposition 208, dubbed Invest in Ed, will go into effect next year to fund salaries and training programs for teachers and support staff at public schools and public charters. The Associated Press called the race late Thursday, with “yes” votes leading “no” 52% to 48%. The additional 3.5% tax on income will apply to earnings above $250,000 for single filers and $500,000 for joint filers. It would be added to Arizona’s current top tax rate of 4.54%.

Backers of the measure estimate it will put an additional $940 million annually into the state’s public K-12 school system. Arizona teachers were part of the historic series of strikes that hit public schools around the country, starting in early 2018. The educators were protesting years of disinvestment in public schools that led to staff shortages and underfunded classrooms. Even though the strikes temporarily shut down schools, the public by and large supported teachers’ efforts to boost funding for the education system.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/arizona-voters-approve-tax-on-wealthy-to-fund-schools_n_5fa0783ec5b6869500317d55

 

 

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

 

315 PA school boards have adopted charter reform resolutions

Charter school funding reform continues to be a concern as over 300 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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