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.
These daily
emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
If any of your colleagues would like to be added to the
email list please have them send their name, title and affiliation to KeystoneStateEdCoalition@gmail.com
Keystone
State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for Feb. 4, 2021
Statewide Budget
Coverage/Reactions; Here Comes 2021’s Voucher Bill SB1
PSBA’s Budget Webinar
rescheduled to February 4th,12:00-1:00 p.m.
Due to
inclement weather, Governor Tom Wolf's budget presentation has been postponed
to Wednesday, February 3. Subsequently, PSBA's Budget Webinar has been
rescheduled to February 4. Learn more or register: http://ow.ly/mF6550Dp0OB
“Pennsylvania’s system for funding cyber
charters defies common sense. Cyber charters receive the same tuition payments
from taxpayers as brick-and-mortar charter schools—even though they have none
of the brick-and- mortar expenses. No school buildings to heat or grounds to
maintain. No costs for custodians and maintenance workers. No buses for
students. And the list goes on.
While school districts continue to face
brutal struggles with increased mandated costs and reduced local revenues as a
result COVID-19, the pandemic has been a financial boon for cyber charters. An
enrollment spike combined with tuition rate increases pursuant to the state’s
current charter school policy means school districts are projected to pay cyber
charters more than $980 million this school year —a 51% increase over last
year. Cyber charters will also receive nearly $60 million from spring and winter federal COVID-19 aid for schools and millions in federal PPP grants.”
Gov. Wolf’s 2021
budget offers new opportunity to hold cyber charters accountable | Opinion
Pennsylvania’s
newly elected auditor general, Timothy DeFoor, must lay out a calendar to audit
every cyber charter school.
by Susan
Spicka, For the Inquirer Published February 3, 2021
Susan Spicka
is executive director of Education Voters PA.
A new
legislative session in Harrisburg and state budget negotiations for the coming
months, following Gov.
Tom Wolf’s budget address today,
bring opportunities for elected officials to end gross overpayments to
Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools to ensure that these schools are held to
the same financial accountability standards as public school districts. Recent reporting
in the Scranton Times-Tribune revealed a stunning lack of state oversight
over the taxpayer dollars that have been poured into cyber charters over the
past two decades. Six of Pennsylvania’s 14 cyber charter schools have never
been audited. Commonwealth Charter Academy, the largest cyber charter in the
state with an expected $270 million budget for 2021, was last audited in 2012. Cyber
charter schools are projected to receive more than $980 million in taxpayer-funded tuition
payments in the 2020-2021 school year. With no state
oversight, the opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse are staggering.
https://fusion.inquirer.com/news/cyber-charters-pennsylvania-2021-school-funding-budget-20210203.html
“Along with developing standards to hold
charter schools accountable for student achievement and requiring charter
school management companies to be subject to the state’s Right to Know law and
Ethics Act, Wolf wants to establish a statewide tuition rate for cyber charter
schools. School districts currently pay between $9,170 and $22,300 per student
who elects to go to a cyber charter school, even if it’s to the same school.
The proposal would set a statewide rate of $9,500. Coupled with changes to
special education tuition rates, the state estimates districts would save about
$229 million a year. “What we are currently paying per student is way too high
and does not accurately reflect the cost of the services the kids get when they
go to those cyber charters,” said Michael Boccella, Ed.D., Valley View
superintendent. “It’s egregious. Our cyber charter laws are among the most
broken I’m aware of.”
Fair funding, charter
reform proposed for Pennsylvania schools
Times
Tribune BY
SARAH HOFIUS HALL STAFF WRITER Feb 3, 2021 Updated 11 min ago
The 37
school districts in Northeast Pennsylvania would see a combined increase of
$159 million in basic education funding under a budget proposed by Gov. Tom
Wolf on Wednesday. Most of the increase would go to the districts underfunded
for years, as the governor tries to fully use a funding formula meant to
increase equity. The proposal also calls for a $1.15 billion adjustment, so no
school district would receive less than last year, and an increase in the
personal income tax rate to help provide the funding to schools. The Scranton
School District — the largest and most underfunded in Lackawanna County — would
see an additional $39 million in basic education funding in 2021-22, according
to funding estimates provided Wednesday by the Department of Education. Pennsylvania
enacted the fair funding formula six years ago, but the state currently only
distributes new money — or any amount districts receive above 2014-15 funding
levels — through the new formula. Beyond the proposed funding, which some
Republican lawmakers immediately rejected due to the necessary tax increase,
Wolf proposed comprehensive charter school reform once again.
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/education/fair-funding-charter-reform-proposed-for-pennsylvania-schools/article_2624bf1a-c944-597d-9c9c-dfff54bf491a.html
2021 Voucher Bill - Soon
to be Senate Bill 1: Cosponsorship Memo
Posted: February
3, 2021 03:18 PM
From: Senator
Scott Martin and Sen. John DiSanto, Sen. Jake Corman
To: All
Senate members
Subject: Excellence in Education for All
(EEA)
In the near
future, we intend to introduce legislation in the form of Senate Bill 1, to be
known as “The Excellence in Education for All Act."
The goal of
this comprehensive legislation is to allow parents in communities all across
the Commonwealth to be directly involved in helping determine the best approach
for the success of their child’s education.
This
legislation would provide additional resources for our most vulnerable
students, while ensuring all families have equal access and maximum flexibility
in schooling options. All students deserve an excellent education. No matter a
child’s ZIP code, educational needs, or parental income, each child should have
access to the best schools and quality teaching to afford them the potential to
succeed and the opportunities they deserve.
Now more
than ever, we’re seeing that in order to best prepare the next generation, we
cannot take a one size fits all approach to education. There is no denying that
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need for increased
educational opportunities.
As we look
to the future and life after the pandemic, in order to best serve the education
needs of all students we must provide opportunities to parents when choosing
the educational options that work best for their children. Specifically, the key components of the
legislation would include:
·
Education Opportunity Accounts for PA’s most
vulnerable students
·
Expansion of the existing EITC/OSTC tax
credit scholarship programs
·
Charter school reforms and innovations
·
Equal access to the best public education,
regardless of ZIP code
·
Protections for coronavirus learning pods
·
We ask that you consider co-sponsoring this
important legislation.
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20210&cosponId=34538
“PA Schools Work is a non-partisan coalition of organizations from across Pennsylvania representing
teachers and other educators; urban, suburban and rural communities; and
parents and community members working together to advocate for PA
public schools, their students and the communities they serve. For more
information on PA Schools Work, visit paschoolswork.org.”
PA Schools Work: HISTORIC
PA BUDGET PROPOSAL REPRESENTS A MAJOR STEP TOWARD TACKLING PA’s LONG-STANDING
SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS
PA Schools
Work Website February 3, 2021
HARRISBURG,
PA (February 2, 2021) – The PA Schools Work Campaign, a coalition of
more than 30 organizations from across Pennsylvania representing educators;
urban, rural and suburban communities; parents and community leaders working
together to increase funding for PA public schools, saluted Governor Wolf for
his bold $1.5 billion public education budget proposal, which responds to the
moment and sets an historic marker for investing in public education.
Coalition leaders noted that the global pandemic highlighted the critical role
schools play in our communities and our future, while widening the gap between
the wealthiest and poorest schools as school districts remain chronically
underfunded by the state. The coalition issued the following statement on behalf of its supporters
across the commonwealth who are seeking leadership during this extraordinary
moment in the education of our students:
“We support
a $1.5 billion public investment that is dedicated to moving Pennsylvania
toward funding each school district equitably and adequately, with the
resources to support it. Let’s get to work.”
https://paschoolswork.org/historic-pa-budget-proposal-represents-a-major-step-toward-tackling-pas-long-standing-school-funding-crisis/
PSBA’s Response to
Governor Wolf’s Proposed 2021-22 State Budget
POSTED
ON FEBRUARY 2, 2021 IN PRESS ROOM
Mechanicsburg,
PA (February 2, 2021) – The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA)
released its response to Governor Wolf’s proposed 2021-22 state budget.
The Governor’s
proposal shows that he has assessed and
understands the significant and critical needs of public schools, students and
communities and PSBA appreciates that many of the long- term challenges have
been identified. Proposed investments dedicated to basic education, special
education and the school construction reimbursement program called PlanCon,
show insight from the administration into areas long-requiring additional
support from the State. This year of-all-years, the needs go well beyond
typical expenditure challenges with expenses rising around the impacts to
schools stemming from COVID-19. “The Governor is demonstrating his commitment
to public education and we are hopeful and cautiously optimistic that this
focus will shine a light on the many long-standing issues that need to be
addressed in public education,” said Nathan Mains, PSBA chief executive
officer. With Pennsylvania’s children at the center of the issue, PSBA calls
upon Gov. Wolf and a unified General Assembly to work together towards the
solutions that will get us to where education can flourish in every part of the
state. “School districts not only need investments in key areas but, savings in
the form of mandate relief through legislation like Senate Bill
73, which reinstates a mandate waiver program. Further, we need the charter funding
reform that over 300
school districts have officially called for that will
put a stop to systemic overpayment for services.” Mains added. As the administration
and lawmakers continue to work towards passage of a state budget PSBA looks
forward to working with them to set the foundation for successful student
outcomes for all student in PA.
####
PSBA is
a nonprofit statewide association of public school boards, pledged to the
highest ideals of local lay leadership for the public schools of the
commonwealth. Founded in 1895, PSBA now in its 125th year was the first school
boards association established in the United States.
https://www.psba.org/2021/02/psbas-response-to-governor-wolfs-proposed-2021-22-state-budget/
Wolf launches a
budget fraught with deficits, uncertainty
Delco Times By MARC LEVY Associated Press February 3, 2021
HARRISBURG,
Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf asked lawmakers Wednesday to raise income taxes on
higher earners and give public schools a massive boost in aid, as state
government faces a gaping deficit and uncertainty over how much more pandemic
relief the federal government will send. For Wolf, a Democrat in his seventh
year in office, his $4 billion income tax proposal and bid to use the money to
supercharge public school funding is a return to the aggressive and ambitious
budget proposals of his first two years in office. The proposal to raise
Pennsylvania's flat personal income tax rate and shift the burden to higher
earners revives a concept he discussed in his first campaign for governor, in
2014, but never actually sought in office, until now. Raising the income tax
would allow Wolf to use $1.35 billion — a 20% boost — to help fix long-term
inequities in how the state funds public schools, not to mention fill a
projected multibillion-dollar deficit largely inflicted by the pandemic. While
it faces immediate opposition from Republicans in the GOP-controlled
Legislature, the flat rate under Wolf's proposal would rise to 4.49% from
3.07%, or 46%, to raise what his office estimated to be $4 billion over a
full-year, or about 25% more.
https://www.delcotimes.com/news/national/wolf-launches-a-budget-fraught-with-deficits-uncertainty/article_abcc9eb8-9744-5a7b-9eab-7b97042cb626.html
What dueling press
releases say about the utter predictability of the budget ballet | Thursday
Morning Coffee
PA Capital
Star By John
L. Micek February 4, 2021
Good
Thursday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
Wednesday’s
release of Democratic Gov. Tom
Wolf’s seventh budget proposal to the General Assembly was met with the
usual blizzard of press releases from lawmakers and advocates with storylines
more predictable than an episode of late-period Friends. In
general, Wolf’s Democratic allies in the General Assembly were
praising. Republicans were, well, less so. Since re-running each of them
here would result in the needless deaths of trillions of electrons, we instead
decided to pick two such statements as the archetype of partisan reaction. And
then, from there, try to divine what those reactions say about the state of our
current debate, and the fate that might await Wolf’s $37.8
billion spending plan (any interior rhyme in the preceding sentence is entirely
accidental).
https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/what-dueling-press-releases-say-about-the-potential-fate-of-wolfs-budget-plan-thursday-morning-coffee/
By the numbers: 2021-22 Budget
Breakdown (Chart)
PA Capital
Star Cassie
Miller - February 4, 2021
https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/by-the-numbers-2021-22-budget-breakdown/
Wolf calls for income
tax increase to close looming state deficit, fund education
PA Capital
Star By Stephen
Caruso| Elizabeth
Hardison February 3, 2021
Gov. Tom
Wolf appealed directly to Pennsylvanians — not just their lawmakers — on
Wednesday to rally support for tax increases as the state faces down a
multi-billion dollar budget hole this year. Speaking to House and Senate
lawmakers from a virtual bully pulpit, Wolf extorted viewers who agreed with
his aims — additional school funding, a $15 minimum wage, and legal
recreational cannabis — to call their
state representatives and demand action on his proposal. “If you’ve had enough
of being told why your government can’t solve your problems, make it crystal
clear that, this time, you don’t want to hear that anymore; that you won’t
accept any more excuses,” Wolf said. The $37.8 billion plan represents an 11
percent increase in state spending over last year. The new state spending will
replace $3 billion in one-time federal COVID-19 aid that the state used to
close last year’s budget. Given the political and economic circumstances, the
plan Wolf unveiled Wednesday was one of his most ambitious budget proposals
yet.
https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/wolf-calls-for-income-tax-increase-to-close-looming-state-deficit-fund-education/
Wolf’s school funding
plan would help Philly. It would give big increases to some wealthier suburban
districts, too.
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna, Posted: February 3, 2021- 8:41 PM
Gov. Tom
Wolf’s plan to dramatically boost education funding by raising the income tax
rate was cheered Wednesday by advocates who have long called for Pennsylvania
to step up its investment in public schools and narrow gaps in resources
between wealthy and poor communities. But Wolf’s budget proposal wouldn’t just
drive dollars to poorer districts like Philadelphia. It would help wealthier
districts, too. Lower Merion, for instance, would see a 60% increase in state
aid. Radnor would get a 65% boost, while West Chester would net a more than 85%
increase. Those percentage increases are greater than the 22.5% granted to much
larger Philadelphia, which relies more heavily on state aid. But Philadelphia
would get an additional $262 million, compared with $2.5 million for Lower
Merion. The Democratic governor’s proposal faces opposition in the GOP-led
legislature, where lawmakers have objected to his income tax plan. The Wolf
administration says the plan wouldn’t affect two-thirds of Pennsylvanians, but
it would nearly double the tax rate paid by higher earners. Senate Republicans
on Wednesday called the proposal “dead on arrival.” The plan casts new light on
the long-running debate over how Pennsylvania funds public education — among
the myriad issues that will now go through months of hearings and negotiations
as lawmakers seek to pass a budget by June 30.
https://www.inquirer.com/education/gov-wolf-budget-school-funding-income-tax-increase-20210204.html
Wolf asks for tax
increase on Pa.’s top earners amid pandemic; GOP pans proposal as
‘irresponsible’
Inquirer by
Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA &Cynthia
Fernandez,: February 3, 2021- 6:21 PM
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom
powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The
Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG —
In one of his boldest budget proposals since taking office, Democratic Gov. Tom
Wolf is asking the legislature to significantly boost funding for public
schools, legalize recreational cannabis, and approve the first major tax increase
in nearly two decades. But Wolf’s $40 billion spending plan, which he formally
unveiled Wednesday, is likely to be dead on arrival in the GOP-controlled
legislature, whose leaders wasted little time shredding it with criticism,
calling it unrealistic and hurtful to taxpayers. “The budget he is presenting
is completely unsustainable, totally irresponsible, and absolutely crippling to
the state’s economy,” said Jake Corman of Centre County, the Senate’s top
Republican. “Now is not the time to ask Pennsylvanians to send more of their
hard-earned dollars to Harrisburg.” Still, the Democratic governor, who in
recent years has avoided goading Republican leaders with aggressive spending
proposals, said he believes his budget blueprint will make the state’s
education system fairer and its tax structure more equitable for those reeling
from the financial blows of the pandemic.
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/spl/tom-wolf-pennsylvania-budget-tax-increase-school-funding-republican-reaction-20210203.html
PA Republicans call
Gov. Tom Wolf's budget proposal 'dead on arrival'
Bucks County
Courier Times by J.D. Prose, USA TODAY Network - PA State Capitol Bureau
February 3, 2021
Pennsylvania
Senate Republican leaders called Gov. Tom Wolf’s nearly $38 billion budget
proposal “dead on arrival” Wednesday, with Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward
saying it was “absurd” to propose increasing the personal income tax in a
pandemic-ravaged economy. The reaction wasn’t much better in the GOP-led House,
where Speaker Bryan Cutler took issue with Wolf’s proposing an income tax hike
and legalizing marijuana. Cutler, though, went a step further, insisting
that the Wolf administration has mismanaged state government, ranging from
COVID-19 shutdowns to an overwhelmed unemployment compensation system to a
sputtering rollout of coronavirus vaccines. “I cannot, nor will our citizens,
tolerate the quiet dismissal of the open mismanagement that has occurred in our
executive agencies,” Cutler said. Wolf’s proposed budget calls for a 46%
increase in personal income taxes while at the same time recommending a
reduction in taxes for low-wage earners, or married couples with two children
making less than $84,000 a year and the elimination of the tax for
families of four making less than $50,000 a year. “I want to help working
families get ahead by reducing their taxes. This isn’t about pitting the rich
against the poor and the middle class,” Wolf said in a recorded address, skipping a live appearance before the
Legislature because of pandemic protocols.
https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/story/news/2021/02/03/wolf-budget-republicans-dead-arrival-senate/4375892001/
Wolf's massive
education funding proposal is long overdue for some Lancaster County school
leaders, worrisome for others
Lancaster
Online by ALEX GELI | Staff
Writer February 4, 2021
Facing intense
budgetary pressure from the coronavirus pandemic and years of being severely
underfunded, a handful of Lancaster County schools received a semblance of hope
Wednesday as Gov. Tom Wolf proposed what some school officials say is a
long-overdue shakeup of education funding in Pennsylvania. The democratic
governor’s 2021-22 budget proposal, which some Republicans say is dead on
arrival, builds on previous education funding increases by calling for a
historic, $1.35 billion, or 21.6%, increase in basic education funding. Wolf is
also asking for all basic education funding to flow through the state’s Fair
Funding Formula that presently is used for new money only. That translates to a
$59.5 million, or 32%, boost for Lancaster County schools. The biggest
beneficiaries include Conestoga Valley School District, long regarded as one of
the most inequitably funded school districts in the state. The district would
see a staggering $10.6 million increase to the $4.8 million it received in
2020-21 — an increase of 221%. “For years I have been talking about how
inequitably funded CV has been, and that the application of the Fair Funding
Formula on only ‘new’ monies did nothing to address that inequality, especially
when we are in the lowest five percent of the school districts receiving
equitable funding from the state,” Conestoga Valley Superintendent Dave
Zuilkoski said in an email. “As such, I would not consider this a ‘boost,’ but
rather a long-overdue equitable distribution of state funding.”
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/wolfs-massive-education-funding-proposal-is-long-overdue-for-some-lancaster-county-school-leaders-worrisome/article_c9ef0e48-6665-11eb-bf82-635f57635a15.html
Wolf wants to add
$1.3B in basic-ed funding, distribute with fair formula
Wilkes Barre
Citizens Voice BY
MICHAEL P. BUFFER STAFF WRITER Feb 3, 2021
Gov. Tom
Wolf is proposing to add more than $1.3 billion in basic-education funding and
wants to use the state’s fair-funding formula to distribute all basic-education
funds to school districts. Wolf said Tuesday his proposal would “ensure
students in every community have the funding to succeed” and would be funded by
a personal income tax increase to 4.49%, up from 3.07%. The administration
claims expanding exemptions would allow two-thirds of income taxpayers would
pay less or the same. The Republican-controlled Legislature would have to
approve Wolf’s education proposal, and opposition is already mounting. Rep.
Tarah Toohil, R-116, Butler Twp., noted the Legislature last year “kept our
commitment to funding education without raising taxes” in the middle of the
COVID-19 pandemic. “We plan on keeping that commitment again this year,” she
said in a released statement. “There is no reason why, now, as a vaccine is
being deployed, we should be looking to raise taxes on middle class
Pennsylvanians and small businesses who have been crushed by the economic
devastation of COVID-19.” State Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-120, Kingston, said the
Democratic governor’s proposal “would kick our small businesses while they are
already down,” emphasizing the 46% increase in the tax rate. State Sen. Lisa
Baker, R-20, Lehman Twp., noted the income tax hike “would be the largest jump
in the last 30 years” and added legislators “cannot ignore that this past year
has been tremendously challenging for so many families in our region, due to
the pandemic and the financial hardships that it has caused.” Sen. John
Yudichak, I-14, of Swoyersville, said he wants to work with Republicans and
Democrats “to better fund our schools without putting any greater burden on
property taxpayers” and is “eager to hear” Wolf’s upcoming budget address. “Fair
funding, however, has always been elusive in a state budget that often
shortchanges local schools like Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton,” Yudichak said.
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/education/wolf-wants-to-add-1-3b-in-basic-ed-funding-distribute-with-fair-formula/article_25c80a55-850e-518f-889c-8966462bb7a7.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share
Wolf proposes new
budget with tax hike; Republicans say it's DOA
Times
Tribune BY
BORYS KRAWCZENIUK STAFF WRITER Feb 3, 2021 Updated 11 min ago
Gov. Tom
Wolf proposed a new state budget Wednesday that dramatically raises the state’s
income tax rate to boost public school education funding, but Republicans
declared it “dead on arrival.” They called the Democratic governor’s proposal
“unconstitutional” for broadly expanding income tax forgiveness to shield many
taxpayers from the higher rate. In his budget address, Wolf portrayed a state
government too often unwilling to act boldly to solve chronic problems that
leave public schools inadequately funded, roads unpaved and other problems
untackled. “So let’s stop with the excuses. Let’s move beyond the chronic
timidity,” Wolf said in his budget address. “Let’s do something.”
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/state/wolf-proposes-new-budget-with-tax-hike-republicans-say-its-doa/article_2077128c-9955-5e25-86e1-ed47a876482f.html
Public education
advocates hail Wolf’s school budget; Republicans balk at tax proposal
Trib Live by
DEB
ERDLEY | Wednesday, February 3, 2021 7:42 p.m.
Public education
advocates applauded the proposed 21% boost to K-12 funding in Gov. Tom Wolf’s
2021-22 budget Wednesday calling it bold and overdue, even as members of the
Republican-controlled Legislature savaged it. “It is long overdue and very,
very necessary,” said Ron Cowell, the former Allegheny County lawmaker and
founder of the Pennsylvania Education Policy Center. “If enacted by the
Legislature it wouldn’t solve all of Pennsylvania’s K-12 funding problems, but
it will make significant progress in terms of increasing the state share of
funding and closing the gap between the have and have not districts.” “I would
think most people affiliated with public education would be pleased, certainly
there is a need for a more fair and equitable funding,” said retired Norwin
School District Superintendent Bill Kerr. “But realistically, there is going to
be great debate between the governor and the Republican-controlled
Legislature.” Education has become a hot topic across the country as governors
weigh in with new budget plans. Many are wish lists or jumping off points that
lawmakers will pare down or accept in the coming months.
https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/public-education-advocates-hail-wolfs-school-budget-republican-balk-at-tax-proposal/
What Allentown School
District could do with an extra $109 million
By KATHERINE
REINHARD THE MORNING CALL | FEB 03, 2021 AT 7:29 PM
Gov. Tom
Wolf’s proposed injection of an additional $1.5 billion in basic education
funding would be a “game changer” that would help free school districts from
recurring tax hikes and the need for bailouts to balance budgets, Lehigh Valley
education leaders said. Under Wolf’s plan announced Wednesday, Allentown School
District would see its basic education funding grow by $108.9 million to $229.7
million — a 90% increase over 2020-21 subsidies. Bethlehem Area School District
would see its funding go up by $25 million to $58 million — a 74% percent hike,
according to figures released by the state. Other districts in Lehigh and
Northampton counties would see a range from a 1.65% increase to $7.2 million in
Northern Lehigh to a 142% hike to $20.7 million in Parkland. “We live every
year with a perpetual budget deficit,” Allentown Superintendent Thomas Parker
said. “This would absolutely change the landscape in how we provide services.” Wolf
announced his education budget Wednesday as part of his proposed $38 billion
general budget for 2021-22, which also includes a proposal to legalize the
recreational use of marijuana and increase the state income tax from 3.07% to
4.49% in a way that would mostly affect higher wage earners. Members of the
Republican-controlled state Legislature immediately slammed the plan,
particularly the income tax hike, dimming any chances of its passing.
https://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-nws-allentown-school-district-pa-budget-20210204-kwib7enb4jcajartu6kn5evoym-story.html
Allentown school
superintendent: Resignation is indictment of Pennsylvania’s unfair education
funding
Opinion By PAUL
MUSCHICK THE MORNING CALL | FEB 03, 2021 AT 8:00
AM
It was just
last February that I wrote about Allentown schools Superintendent Thomas Parker
looking for another job only halfway through his five-year contract with the
district. I said then that I didn’t blame him. Leading an impoverished school
district such as Allentown is like being captain of a sinking ship. You keep
bailing, yet water keeps pouring in. You can only do so much. That has to be
frustrating. A year later, Parker has found his lifeboat. He told
the school board Monday he is
leaving for a position at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in Flint, Mich.
The foundation supports nonprofits in the area, as well as in England and South
Africa. In his resignation letter, Parker said his role will be to strengthen
education in Flint. A young, ambitious educator such as Parker can have more of
an impact in that type of setting, where he can focus on education instead of
scrounging for money to keep the lights on, as he had to do every year in
Allentown. I wish him well. Bon voyage. And I wish state officials will
consider his departure another failure on their part to educate the students of
Allentown, and cities in similar predicaments. Because there will be more
Thomas Parkers if the state doesn’t get its act together and correct school
funding. Education administrators with promise — Parker was moving up the ranks
fast for his age — will last only so long under those circumstances.
https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-thomas-parker-allentown-schools-resignation-20210203-dz4zjevcqvd6vkewgfwq2rwxl4-story.html
Philadelphia schools
could get $300 million more in Wolf’s proposed budget
Chalkbeat
Philly By Dale
Mezzacappa Feb 3, 2021, 7:03pm EST
Gov. Tom
Wolf proposed Wednesday a groundbreaking state budget that would significantly
boost state education aid for public schools and redistribute the funds in a
way that is more aligned to districts’ enrollment and needs. The reallocation
would largely benefit urban areas like Philadelphia. If Wolf’s plan is adopted,
the state’s largest district would receive more than $300 million in additional
funds next year. Wolf, who is approaching the end of his second term, wants to
hike the income tax rate on higher earners — over
$84,000 for a family of four — to
pay for the increases. This would raise $3 billion, about half of which would
go to education. “Today, I’m proposing we do things differently,” he said in
a 20-minute,
virtual budget address. He said
changing the way the state allocates aid will address longstanding and damaging
inequitable and inadequate education funding in the state. “Far too many
parents across the commonwealth...felt like the opportunities available to
their kids would be determined less by their talent and more by their zip
code,” he said. Democrats and education advocates praised the governor’s action
as needed and long overdue. “We’ve been waiting for this moment,” said state
Sen. Vincent Hughes, a Philadelphia Democrat whose legislative district
includes some wealthy districts adjacent to the city. “This is something we
have been fighting to achieve for decades...to deal with a significant level of
inequity in education funding. The governor has thrown out a challenge.” Republican
legislative leaders objected to the proposal, particularly the proposed tax
hike.
https://philadelphia.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/3/22265337/philadelphia-schools-could-get-300-million-more-in-wolfs-proposed-budget
Wolf budget gives
huge boost to schools in Philly, Allentown, Reading and other cities
WHYY By Miles Bryan February 3, 2021
The budget
proposal Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled this week would significantly
alter how state education funding is distributed, prioritizing the neediest
schools based on the most up-to-date data. That may sound intuitive, but it
means largely abandoning a 30-year-old policy known as ‘hold
harmless,’ which bars the state from funding
school districts at levels lower than the prior year. That policy has largely
benefitted districts where enrollment has dropped precipitously at the expense
of urban districts where poverty rates are high. Instead, Wolf would route the
majority of the state’s basic education funding through the 2016 funding
formula that more closely ties dollars to student need. Currently, only 11% of
Pennsylvania’s $6.8 billion basic education subsidy is distributed via that formula.
“Putting all this funding through the fair funding formula means that
struggling schools will finally get the resources they need without taking away
from schools already being adequately funded,” Wolf said Wednesday. The
governor is also calling for a $1.35 billion increase to the state’s main pot
of education cash, which would prevent any districts from seeing a budget cut
based on his redistribution proposal.
https://whyy.org/articles/wolf-budget-gives-huge-boost-to-schools-in-philly-allentown-reading-and-other-cities/
Republican lawmakers
call Wolf's draft budget 'tone deaf'
Erin
Bamer York Dispatch February 3, 2021
State
Republican lawmakers widely panned Gov. Tom Wolf's draft budget Wednesday,
calling the tax hikes sought by Pennsylvania's Democratic
governor "tone deaf." On Wednesday, Wolf rolled out his 2021-22
budget proposal, which would hike the state's income tax rate in
order to increase funding for public education by about $2 billion. "Universal
high quality education leads to healthier people and healthier
communities," he said in his address. Wolf has for years battled
with GOP lawmakers who run both chambers of the General Assembly. He's repeatedly
sought a new fee on oil and gas producers in order to bolster state revenue,
only to see them die in the Legislature. But the $40 billion draft budget
unveiled Wednesday may be among Wolf's most progressive. It includes raising
personal income tax rates for the wealthy, a 25% tax cut for businesses and a
plan to raise minimum wage.
https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2021/02/03/republican-lawmakers-call-wolfs-draft-budget-tone-deaf/4372895001/
Pottstown Schools use
Black History Month to kick off 'cultural competency' initiative
Pottstown
Mercury by Evan
Brandt ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com @PottstownNews on Twitter February 4, 2021
POTTSTOWN —
Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth are all great names in
Black American history, celebrated every month in February. "We look at
the big names when we teach history, and it is used to objectify the narrative
of African-American history, to say that they stand out as the exception, and
not the rule," according to Tonya Thames Taylor. Thames Taylor is the
founding director of West Chester University's African American Studies program
and a member of the executive committee of the Frederick Douglass Institute
there and she spoke the above words last
February during a talk at Pottsgrove Manor. But as Thames Taylor emphasized, Black
history is so much more than these great names and stories repeated over and
over every February. Because few enslaved people could read or write, their
stories were not preserved by being written down, and so much of early Black
American history won't be read in your average American history book. But
that's changing and thanks to a new initiative in the Pottstown School
District, they will be part of the history and literature curriculum being
taught.
https://www.pottsmerc.com/news/pottstown-schools-use-black-history-month-to-kick-off-cultural-competency-initiative/article_ad3c743c-65a9-11eb-9da3-1b1357d1a52a.html
Teachers at Mars Area
School District threaten strike
PITTSBURGH
POST-GAZETTE FEB 4, 2021 5:53 AM
The Mars
Area teachers union has issued a strike notice to the school district if a new
contract is not reached by Feb. 19. The Mars Area Education Association said
Thursday morning that it notified Mars Area School District superintendent Mark
Gross of an impending strike after a nearly three-hour bargaining session
Wednesday night produced no agreement. The notice states that teachers will
begin their strike on Feb. 19 if a contract isn’t reached. The current contract
expired on June 30. The union said it is still open to continue negotiations. “In
an effort to fairly settle the contract and avoid the strike, the Teachers are
available to negotiate as often as the District is willing and available,” the
union said in a statement. “The Teachers are hopeful that the District will
come to the table to negotiate and reach a fair agreement that benefits all
stakeholders – students, teachers, and the community.” District officials were
not immediately available for comment. Union officials said preliminary
negotiations began in September 2019, but both sides failed to reach an
agreement. The union authorized its negotiating team to issue the strike
notice at a membership meeting Nov. 9.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2021/02/04/Teachers-Mars-Area-school-district-strike-negotiations/stories/202102040101
Spot the International
Space Station
Flying over
Philly Area at 6:22 this evening; Check your location here….
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_States®ion=Pennsylvania&city=Benjamin_Franklin_Naitonal_Memorial
The Lakes of
Pontchartrain - Paul Brady 1977
YouTube Runtime
5:37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad8RVexRUoQ
PA State Board of
Education Student Representative Application Now Available
POSTED
ON FEBRUARY 3, 2021 IN PSBA NEWS
On May 22,
2008 the Pennsylvania State Board of Education (SBE) amended their bylaws to
add one nonvoting senior student member and one nonvoting junior student
member. Since September 2009 two high school students have served on the SBE.
For the past year those students have been senior Anne Griffith from Radnor
High School and Junior Eva Rankin from Upper St. Clair High School. These SBE
positions have provided public school students with an unprecedented
opportunity in Pennsylvania to interact with the 22 adult board members and
have helped shape long-term education policy for the 1.8 million K-12 students
in our state and the 680,000 students impacted by our state system of higher
education. The Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils (PASC) was first
charged with the responsibility of recommending two students to hold these
positions for the 2008-2009 school year. PASC is currently accepting
applications for our new junior student representative.
Current 10th grade
students (Class of 2023) enrolled in public high schools in Pennsylvania are
eligible to apply for this position. The introductory letter, commitment forms and
application can be found here. Applications are due back on March 8th,
2021. Interviews will be conducted virtually. One student will be selected for
a two-year term at that time.
More
information can be found at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GZdrMuzBfYw009nbeUC3JGqxwCipCpsnx1ZlCGPipTw/edit?usp=sharing . Questions may be directed to the two
current student representatives at sbe2021@pasc.net and sbe2022@pasc.net.
NPE/NPE Action Conference
In Philly was rescheduled to October 23/24 due to concerns w/ COVID19.
Network for
Public Education
NPE will be
sending information to registrants very soon!
Join PFPS and NPE for
“Fighting Voucher Legislation in 2021: An Update on State Voucher Bills and
Tools to Oppose Them” Webinar Feb. 4th 4 p.m.
Author: PFPS
Posted: Jan 28, 2021
Public Funds
Public Schools resumes our engaging and well attended webinar series begun in
2020 with the first installment of 2021. Join PFPS and the Network for Public
Education on Thursday, February 4, at 4 p.m. EST for an important and topical
webinar, “Fighting Voucher Legislation in 2021: An Update on State Voucher
Bills and Tools to Oppose Them.”
Panelists
will discuss the significant private school voucher bills that have already
been introduced in State Legislatures around the country, additional legislative
action to watch for during 2021 legislative sessions, and tools and resources
made available to advocates by PFPS and others. The webinar will feature
representatives from the SPLC Action Fund and Education Law Center, which
support the PFPS campaign, and from the National Coalition for Public
Education, as well as Carol Burris, Executive Director of the Network for
Public Education.
Use
this link to register for Fighting Voucher Legislation: An Update
on State Voucher Bills and Tools to Oppose Them on February 4 at 4 p.m.
EST.
https://pfps.org/join-pfps-and-npe-for-%E2%80%9Cfighting-voucher-legislation-in-2021-an-update-on-state-voucher-bills-and-tools-to-oppose-them%E2%80%9D.html
PSBA Spring Virtual Advocacy Day - MAR 22, 2021
PSBA Website January 2021
All public school leaders are invited to join
us for our spring Virtual Advocacy Day on Monday, March 22, 2021, 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
spring 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: Complimentary
for members
Registration: Registration
is available under Event Registration on myPSBA.org.
https://www.psba.org/event/psba-spring-virtual-advocacy-day/
Attend the NSBA 2021
Online Experience April 8-10
NSBA is
pleased to announce the transformation of its in-person NSBA 2021 Annual
Conference & Exposition to the NSBA 2021 Online Experience. This experience
will bring world-class programming, inspirational keynotes, top education
solution providers, and plentiful networking opportunities. Join us on April
8-10, 2021, for a fully transformed and memorable event!
https://www.nsba.org/Events/NSBA-2021-Online-Experience
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
344 PA school boards have
adopted charter reform resolutions
Charter school funding reform continues to be
a concern as over 340 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/
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.
