PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 5, 2018 Nation's First Charter School Strike Begins in Chicago

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition team members, superintendents, school solicitors, principals, charter school leaders, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations, education professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies, professional associations and education advocacy organizations via emails, website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 5, 2018

Nation's First Charter School Strike Begins in Chicago


“Benjamin Franklin was America’s first great newspaperman and one of the greatest champions of a free press and free speech. “When this support is taken away,” he wrote, “the constitution of a free society is dissolved.”When you lead the University of Pennsylvania, which Benjamin Franklin founded, open expression is not some abstraction. It’s the bedrock of all that we do. Diverse and unexpected ideas are as foundational to Penn as they are to the survival of a free society.”
For democracy to flourish, we must fight the assault on free press | Opinion
Inquirer Opinion Amy Gutmann Updated: December 4, 2018 - 10:13 AM
Amy Gutmann is president of the University of Pennsylvania. This piece is adapted from remarks she gave on Nov. 28 as a recipient of the Inquirer’s Industry Icon Award.
On October 2, a journalist entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul. He was an outspoken critic of the Saudi government and wrote for The Washington Post. Once those consulate doors closed, he never came back out. Government officials of several countries, and most recently the CIA, believe he was murdered on orders from the Saudi crown prince. Today, around the world, a free and robust press is under assault. Journalists face jail time, or worse. Online forums are censored. News organizations are dubbed “enemies of the people” and fact-based reporting is smeared as fake news. I am a moral and political philosopher and an educator, by passion as well as profession. I have devoted my life’s work to better understanding – and strengthening – the groundwork of both American democracy and education. For any democracy to survive and flourish, no single principle is more fundamental than the free and robust exchange of ideas – especially when we disagree. Unhindered press, transformative higher education, engaged civic and business leaders: These are lynchpins for open and free expression in American society. These stand proudly as the pillars of a free world.
http://www2.philly.com/opinion/commentary/amy-gutmann-free-press-journalism-university-penn-20181204.html

PSBA: Safe2Say Something Program update
PSBA Website December 4, 2018
In accordance with Act 44 of 2018, the Office of the Attorney General’s Safe2Say Something Program has launched its training for school entities and 911 emergency dispatch centers to be trained on the new Safe2Say Something application, which will be fully implemented January 14, 2019. Each designated school entity lead should have received a training schedule, information and registration link to register their team for training at any one of several locations over the next few weeks. School entity leads should be providing information and updates to their school administration and boards following the training sessions. For questions regarding the program and training registration information, please contact: info@safe2saypa.org. A Frequently Asked Questions document has also been prepared by the Office of the Attorney General for additional information regarding the program. An overview of the Safe2Say Something Program is available to members by watching the recorded School Safety Update webcast in the Online Learning section of myPSBA.
https://www.psba.org/2018/12/safe2say-something-program-update/

“More and more charter school teachers nationwide are unionizing, about two decades since the first charter schools opened. Teachers with Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School unionized through the Pennsylvania State Education Association in 2014. Teachers with Agora Cyber Charter School also formed a union in 2016. The PSEA, the state’s largest teachers union, also represents teachers at Young Scholars of Western PA Charter School in Baldwin.  The move marks a significant change in direction for the teachers unions, who for years have criticized some charter schools and charter networks as a financial drain and poor alternative to traditional public schools. “
Environmental Charter teachers join other charter school educators in call for union representation
ELIZABETH BEHRMAN  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lbehrman@post-gazette.com DEC 5, 2018 6:44 AM
By the end of the month, the teachers at Environmental Charter School could be among a small but growing number of charter school educators across the country to unionize. About 80 percent of Environmental Charter School’s teachers and staff voted in favor of forming a collective bargaining unit through the American Federation of Teachers in early November, said Jordan Jones, a teacher at the school and one of the organizers of the effort. The teachers met and discussed the move with school administrators before the school’s board of directors denied their petition Nov. 29. The teachers submitted their case to the NLRB last week, and hope for a card vote by winter break, Mr. Jones said.  “The vision behind this is that we really, I think, as teachers, desire to partner and collaborate with school leadership in a more meaningful way,” Mr. Jones said. “I think that it may not be guaranteed as the school grows, and I think we saw this as a step to guarantee that the infrastructure would be in place to allow teachers to have a seat at the table.”
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/12/04/Environmental-Charter-School-teachers-union-American-Federation-of-Teachers-Randi-Weingarten/stories/201812040135

Upper Darby teachers reject contract, rally at school board
Delco Times By Kevin Tustin ktustin@21st-centurymedia.com  December 5, 2018
UPPER DARBY — After rejecting a tentative contract agreement Monday, members of the Upper Darby Education Association came to the school board meeting Tuesday night with a roar. Hundreds in the unionized force – which includes teachers, nurses, counselors and other professional staff - entered the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center carrying picket signs and chanted about wanting a new contract that provides almost 1,000 district professionals with better wages, working conditions and benefits. Union members have been without out a contract since July 1, 2018 and a first vote on a tentative agreement that was presented to the union on Monday failed; 80 percent of the members rejected it.
https://www.delcotimes.com/news/upper-darby-teachers-reject-contract-rally-at-school-board/article_fc230e06-f7fd-11e8-8369-8bc1907e9f4e.html

Upper Darby teachers overwhelmingly reject contract offer, plan protest
Inquirer by Kathy Boccella, Updated: December 4, 2018- 5:35 PM
A simmering dispute over whether teachers in the Upper Darby School District are underpaid boiled over as union members in Delaware County's largest school system overwhelmingly rejected a tentative contract offer on Monday and made plans to stage a protest at Tuesday night's scheduled board meeting. Just over 80 percent of Upper Darby Education Association members voted to reject the board's latest proposal, which would have boosted teacher pay by a total of almost 3 percent over the next four years – not nearly enough, union leaders argued, to stop the flight of the most highly trained educators to affluent nearby districts. Zeek Weil, a regional leader with the umbrella Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), said teachers who voted against the offer are unhappy that the Upper Darby district – which recently said higher-than-expected turnover had netted more than $4 million in savings – isn't proposing to invest that windfall in better pay and benefits to keep them. "A lot of teachers come to Upper Darby, get their master's degree, and move to another place," Weil said in the wake of Monday's rejection. "From the district's perspective, it's a real challenge."
http://www2.philly.com/philly/education/upper-darby-teachers-overwhelmingly-reject-contract-offer-plan-protest-20181204.html

Help wanted: Teachers for Philly district, charter and private schools
Inquirer by Kristen A. Graham, Updated: December 4, 2018- 4:46 PM
Want to teach in Philadelphia? A new website will make it easier to find a job in hundreds of city schools. Launched Tuesday and backed by Mayor Kenney and Superintendent William R. Hite Jr., TeachPHL lists open educational positions in traditional public, charter, and private schools across the city. It’s a rare step for Philadelphia, where there have traditionally been sharp divisions among the sectors. Connecting prospective teachers to open jobs is a central aim, said Mark Gleason, executive director of the Philadelphia School Partnership, which organized and bankrolled the website. But more important is selling Philadelphia as a destination for educators.
http://www2.philly.com/news/philly-teaching-public-charter-private-jobs-20181204.html

Philadelphia launches website aimed at attracting new teachers — and keeping them
WHYY By Sara Hoover December 5, 2018  Listen 1:03
An education nonprofit has launched a website to help recruit teachers — and retain them — in Philadelphia. To help make it easier to find teaching jobs, the Philadelphia School Partnership created teachPHL.org, which has a job board for any teaching position in the city — whether it’s at a traditional public, charter, private or parochial school. Potential teachers who want to work in the City of Brotherly Love will no longer have to go from one school website to the next to look for job postings. During a Tuesday ceremony in the Mayor’s Reception Room in City Hall, Philadelphia School District Superintendent William Hite said he wants the city to be a destination for educators.
https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-launches-website-aimed-at-attracting-new-teachers-and-keeping-them/

“The report was compiled as the result of new accounting rules that require municipal governments and school districts to disclose for the first time the value of corporate tax breaks they grant in the name of economic development. Among its findings: Schools in 28 states lost at least $1.8 billion over the last fiscal year as a result of corporate tax subsidies; School districts in 10 states, including Pennsylvania, collectively lost nearly $1.6 billion.”
Report: Phila. School District lost $62 million in revenue in 2017 to tax abatements
Inquirer by Claudia Vargas and Kristen A. Graham, Posted: December 4, 2018- 1:06 PM
Tax abatements and other tax breaks cost the School District of Philadelphia $62 million in 2017, according to a study released Monday. Good Jobs First, a think tank that monitors economic development subsidies, analyzed new abatement disclosure data from 5,600 school districts throughout the country and found that Philadelphia lost the second-highest amount of revenue. At the top of the list was the Hillsboro School District in the western suburbs of Portland, Ore., which lost $97 million in potential revenue to tax breaks last year. Lee Whack, spokesperson for the Philadelphia schools, said it was not possible to gauge the net impact of the incentives. "Do tax breaks result in increased activity with benefits that outweigh the value of those tax breaks?" he said. "The study doesn't answer that question."
http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/politics/phila-schools-lost-62-million-development-tax-breaks-2017-20181204.html

“The School District of Philadelphia, which only last year regained control from state officials after climbing out of a deep fiscal crisis, lost the second most revenue at $62 million.”
Corporate tax breaks cost U.S. schools billions of lost revenue: report
Reuters by Hilary Russ December 4, 2018
 (Reuters) - Corporate tax subsidies, in the spotlight again after Amazon.com Inc’s (AMZN.O) secretive quest to find a site for its second headquarters, are costing American public schools big money, a report will say on Tuesday. In fiscal 2017, U.S. public schools lost $1.8 billion across 28 states through corporate tax incentives over which most schools themselves had little or no control. The 10 most affected states could hire more than 28,000 new teachers if they were able to use the lost revenues, according to a report to be released by Good Jobs First, a left-leaning Washington think tank. The report comes amid increased taxpayer scrutiny of such deals in the wake of Amazon’s nationwide, year-long search for its “HQ2” site.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-taxes-subsidies-education/corporate-tax-breaks-cost-u-s-schools-billions-of-lost-revenue-report-idUSKBN1O30B3

Pennsylvania pressing schools to ensure special-ed students aren’t on their own
WHYY/Keystone Crossroads By Avi Wolfman-Arent December 4, 2018
After a pair of state investigations, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education will send new guidelines to school districts across the state on how to identify and serve students who require surrogate parents to advocate for their special-education rights. The directive comes on the heels of complaints filed on behalf of two homeless students in Philadelphia who didn’t receive surrogates and ultimately failed to receive special-education accommodations. According to federal law, when special-education students don’t have guardians, school districts must assign them a surrogate who will fight for their legal rights and approve services the student will receive. Surrogates volunteer for the role and are typically substitute teachers or someone who has a relationship with the child.
https://whyy.org/articles/pennsylvania-pressing-schools-to-ensure-special-ed-students-arent-on-their-own/

Education answer lies in priority shift, not more funding
Williamsport Sun Gazette EDITORIALS DEC 5, 2018
The school and community leaders who met last week in a summit focused on funding for public schools got their message half correct. Mark DiRocco, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and leader of the summit, said both Pennsylvania and the nation are behind in funding and training of skilled laborers through career and technical schools. We could not agree more. For the past five decades, a four-year college education in some sort of professional field has gained the lion’s share of post-high school emphasis among education leaders and parents. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that. Except that it does not fit the skill set of every youngster. For those proficient in mechanical and skilled labor, there has not been enough attention in terms of making lessons and training available to them. This area has a pretty strong technician career training setup, but that’s not the rule nationwide. A stronger focus on technical education is overdue. But the solution is not simply more state funding. This state already is in the top five in the nation in its per-pupil public school funding allocation. In our view, it’s unfair to say the state is shortchanging public schools with its education funding.
http://www.sungazette.com/opinion/editorials/2018/12/education-answer-lies-in-priority-shift-not-more-funding/

Unmarried teacher says Catholic school fired her over her pregnancy
Morning Call by Associated Press December 4, 2018
A Pennsylvania teacher who is pregnant said she was fired from her Catholic school job because the Harrisburg diocese was upset she wasn't married. Naiad Reich said she taught at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School in Edgewood for four years but was fired Friday after informing administrators she was expecting a child with her boyfriend. "I feel like I'm a rewriting of 'The Scarlet Letter' at this point, just minus the affair," Reich, 31, said. She was told she was fired because she had no immediate plans to marry, the News-Item reported . Reich said she and her longtime boyfriend made the decision to start a family and planned the pregnancy. Reich informed school administrator Sister Mary Anne Bednar earlier that week. "She said it would be a problem, and she had to contact the diocese," Reich said.  Bednar did not respond to requests for comment. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg said in a statement that it does not comment on personnel matters for legal reasons.  Reich said the diocese's website lists "immorality" as a cause for dismissal and said it was the reason for her firing.
https://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-nws-pa-catholic-school-pregnant-teacher-20181204-story.html

Nation’s First Teachers’ Strike at Charter Network Begins in Chicago
New York Times By Dana Goldstein Dec. 4, 2018
Over 500 educators in Chicago began the nation’s first strike at a charter school network on Tuesday, shutting down 15 schools serving more than 7,000 children. Teachers for the Acero Schools network rallied at local schools to call for higher pay and smaller class sizes, among other demands. The action is the latest mass teacher protest in a year when educators have closed ranks in places where organized labor has historically been weak — first in six conservative or swing states where teachers walked out of classrooms, and now in the charter school sector, where unionization is sparse. All of the picket lines have formed out of a dispute over public dollars — whether education funding is adequate, and what percentage of the money should go toward educator pay and classroom resources versus other costs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/us/chicago-charter-strike.html

The Nation's First Charter School Strike Has Begun in Chicago
Education Week Teacher Beat By Madeline Will on December 4, 2018 12:20 PM
In the country's first-ever charter teachers' strike, hundreds of educators in Chicago's Acero charter school network have walked out of their classrooms and onto the picket lines Tuesday morning. The 15 schools across the charter network have canceled classes as more than 500 teachers, paraprofessionals, and support staff members went on strike after a series of failed negotiations with management. The educators, who are members of the Chicago Teachers Union, are fighting for pay raises, smaller class sizes, and more funding for special education services. "We're going to stay on strike until we get educational justice for the people who work in Acero charter schools," said CTU President Jesse Sharkey, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Acero educators work more hours for less money than their peers in Chicago Public Schools, the union has said. Educators are also asking for guaranteed protections for undocumented students and families. 
https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2018/12/nations_first_charter_strike_chicago.html

First teachers strike at a charter-school network begins in Chicago
Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss December 4 at 12:04 PM
(Update: Adding comment from Illinois charter school association)
Charter-school teachers and other staff members in Chicago went on strike Tuesday, the first such labor action by educators at a charter-school network in the country. The striking teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff work at 15 charter schools operated by the UNO/Acero charter network and have been negotiating for improvements on a number of issues, including class size (there are now 32 students in each class), the need for more special education staff and raises for underpaid employees. The teachers and staff, who are represented by the Chicago Teachers Union, broke off negotiations after threatening a strike if no progress was made at the bargaining table. The action is the latest teacher strike this year, which began with walkouts by public school teachers in mostly Republican-led states, including West Virginia and Oklahoma. Educators demanded higher wages and more resources for ailing schools. This is, however, the first time that educators at a charter network have gone on strike after negotiations failed. Charter schools are publicly funded but privately operated, and most are not unionized. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools reported that in 2016-2017, 11.3 percent of charter schools were participating in collective bargaining agreements with teachers unions.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/12/04/first-teachers-strike-charter-school-network-begins-chicago/?utm_term=.0926bbdcc298

“The legislation's six co-sponsors include Rep. John Rutherford of Florida, a former sheriff, and Rep. Lloyd K. Smucker of Pennsylvania, a member of the House education committee. A total of four Republicans and two Democrats cosponsored the legislation. (This isn't Mitchell's first foray into education issues: Mitchell is the leader of the congressional School Choice Caucus.)”
House Lawmakers Seek Federal Money for More School Police Officers
Education Week Politics K12 Blog By Andrew Ujifusa on December 4, 2018 4:04 PM
This blog's headline as well as the post have been corrected to reflect that Democrats and Republicans support the legislation. 
House lawmakers on Capitol Hill have introduced legislation that would direct more federal funds to pay the cost of police officers working in schools. The School Resource Officer Act, introduced by Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Mich., would authorize $300 million in funding for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants, compared to current appropriations of $225 million, and require 30 percent of COPS hiring funds to pay for school resource officers' salaries and benefits. The grants would award 75 percent of the cost of SRO salaries and benefits, with a 25 percent local match. More broadly, the bill states the sense of Congress that school resource officers are "instrumental in establishing community partnerships and providing multidimensional school safety," according to a press release from Mitchell's office. In a statement, Mitchell noted that his son served as an SRO at one time, and that school leaders have frequently extolled their positive impact on safety. "Having a SRO in a school not only provides a safer atmosphere, but these officers often become an integral part of the school community, serving as a positive influence and a reminder of what we expect of our children," Mitchell said.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2018/12/house-republicans-school-police-officers-legislation.html

Citizen Z: An Education Week Project
Teaching Civics in a Divided Nation
Education Week  Updated: November 28, 2018
U.S. public education is rooted in the belief by early American leaders that the most important knowledge to impart to young people is what it means to be a citizen. If America is experiencing a civic crisis now, as many say it is, schools may well be failing at that job. To better understand the role of education in the current crisis, Education Week has undertaken a long-term investigation with support from the Education Writers Association’s Reporting Fellowship grant program. We brought together an advisory group of experts in civic education, visited classrooms, and conducted surveys. The first results of that work follow.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/civics-education/index.html


Build on finance, policy, board culture skills at PSBA’s Applied School Director Training
Four convenient locations in December and January
Take the next step in your professional development with Applied School Director Training. Building upon topics broadly covered in New School Director Training, this new, interactive evening event asks district leaders to dive deeper into three areas of school governance: school finance, board policy and working collaboratively as a governance team. Prepare for future leadership positions and committee work in this workshop-style training led by experts and practitioners. Learn how to:

·         Evaluate key finance documents such as budget and audit materials

·         Review and analyze board policies and administrative regulations

·         Build positive board culture by developing strong collaboration skills

Locations and Dates:
Dec.11, 2018 — Seneca Valley SD
Dec. 12, 2018 — Selinsgrove, Selinsgrove Area Middle School
Jan. 10, 2019 — Bethlehem, Nitschmann Middle School
Jan. 17, 2019 — State College
Cost: This event is complimentary for All-Access members or $75 per person with standard membership and $150 per person for nonmembers. Register online by logging in to myPSBA.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/applied-school-director-training-state-college/

PASBO is looking for leaders! The deadline for board seats is Dec 31st, 2018.
PASBO members who desire to seek election as Director or Vice President should send a letter of intent with a current resume and picture to the Immediate Past President Edward G. Poprik, PCSBO, who is chair of the PASBO Nominations and Elections Committee.
More info: https://www.pasbo.org/election

NSBA 2019 Advocacy Institute January 27-29 Washington Hilton, Washington D.C.
Register now
The upcoming midterm elections will usher in the 116th Congress at a critical time in public education. Join us at the 2019 NSBA Advocacy Institute for insight into what the new Congress will mean for your school district. And, of course, learn about techniques and tools to sharpen your advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Save the date to join school board members from across the country on Capitol Hill to influence the new legislative agenda and shape the decisions made inside the Beltway that directly impact our students. For more information contact federaladvocacy@nsba.org. 

PSBA Board Presidents’ Panel
Nine locations around the state running Jan 29, 30 and 31^st.
Share your leadership experience and learn from others in your area at this event designed for board presidents, superintendents and board members with interest in pursuing leadership roles. Workshop real solutions to the specific challenges you face with a PSBA-moderated panel of school leaders. Discussion will address the most pressing challenges facing PA public schools.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/board-presidents-panel-2/

Annual PenSPRA Symposium set for March 28-29, 2019
Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Website
Once again, PenSPRA will hold its annual symposium with nationally-recognized speakers on hot topics for school communicators. The symposium, held at the Conference Center at Shippensburg University, promises to provide time for collegial sharing and networking opportunities. Mark you calendars now!
We hope you can join us. Plans are underway, so check back for more information.
http://www.penspra.org/

2019 NSBA Annual Conference Philadelphia March 30 - April 1, 2019
Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107
Registration Questions or Assistance: 1-800-950-6722
The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the students. Join us in Philadelphia for a robust offering of over 250 educational programs, including three inspirational general sessions that will give you new ideas and tools to help drive your district forward.
https://www.nsba.org/conference

Save the Date:  PARSS Annual Conference May 1-3, 2019
Wyndham Garden Hotel, Mountainview Country Club
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
https://www.parss.org/Annual_Conference

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.

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 4: Pennsylvania has the widest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts of any state in the country

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition team members, superintendents, school solicitors, principals, charter school leaders, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations, education professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies, professional associations and education advocacy organizations via emails, website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 4, 2018

Pennsylvania has the widest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts of any state in the country


Pennsylvania has the widest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts of any state in the country, with the wealthiest school districts spending 33% more on each student than the poorest districts.
PA Schools Work website
Most Pennsylvania’s public schools are inadequately funded. PA ranks 46thin state share for education. As a result, four of every five of the state’s school districts, serving 1.4 million students, are not getting their fair state share. Nearly half of school districts are spending below the amount needed to educate students. That underspending is a direct result of inadequate state support. That means lost opportunities for students to participate in valuable science, technology, and math programs; receive enough personal attention from their teachers due to growing class sizes; get extra help when they need it; have access to up-to-date books and technology; or participate in vocational training and extracurricular activities.
http://paschoolswork.org/basic-education/

November State Revenue Collections $95.5 Million Above Estimate; $333.6M Above Estimates Year-To-Date
PA Capitol Digest Blog by Crisci Associates December 3, 2018
 On December 3, the Department of Revenue announced Pennsylvania collected $2.3 billion in General Fund revenue in November, which was $95.5 million, or 4.3 percent, more than anticipated. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $12.4 billion, which is $333.6 million, or 2.8 percent, above estimate. Since the start of the 2018-19 fiscal year, overall tax revenue is $913.3 million, or 8.2 percent, more than was collected in the same period of the last fiscal year.
https://pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/2018/12/november-state-revenue-collections-955.html

“The brochure illustrates the marketing campaign public schools now engage in because of school choice. In the past, districts didn’t often advertise to recruit students. But in recent years, they have to compete with charter and private schools that advertise in glossy brochures and on flashy billboards.”
As part of recruitment tool, Bethlehem Area to promote schools with brochure
Jacqueline Palochko Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call December 3, 2018
As part of the Bethlehem Area School District’s marketing campaign, prospective parents of students will soon receive a 20-page brochure that promotes the district’s 22 schools. The brochure, similar to what colleges and private schools give prospective students, was presented to the school board Monday by Superintendent Joseph Roy. It will be given to parents when they visit schools for events. The district is also looking to hand out brochures to local realtors and businesses. The front cover of the brochure includes photos of Bethlehem Area students in various activities, including track, science, music and theater. Similar photos of students and teachers appear inside the brochure. Throughout the pamphlet, the district highlights its programs, such as Spanish at the elementary schools, and the pre-engineering Project Lead The Way program at the high school level. Pages also include information about teachers and testimonies from Bethlehem Area parents and school board members.
https://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-bethlehem-school-board-20181203-story.html

Philly school lead testing bill moves out of Council committee unanimously
Over 6 percent of the city’s children have elevated blood levels, more than double the national rate.
The notebook by Greg Windle December 3 — 9:11 pm, 2018
Laurie Mazer, a parent of children at Jackson Elementary and on the leadership team of the Healthy Schools Initiative and Parents United, testifies before Council while Jerry Roseman sits on the left. While blood lead levels have declined among the city’s children in recent years, they have not kept up with national trends. In fact, lead levels among Philadelphia’s children are “nearly twice what Flint, Michigan, experienced during the height of their water crisis,” according to Dr. Marilyn Howarth, who testified before City Council today. Over 6 percent of the city’s children have elevated blood levels, more than double the national rate. The current rate means 2,392 children in Philadelphia are diagnosed with elevated lead blood levels each year. Howarth is the director of community engagement for the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania. She testified before City Council’s committee on licenses and inspections during a public hearing on a series of bills that would strengthen environmental and safety regulations within the city’s building codes. Two of the bills apply to schools.
https://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/12/03/school-lead-testing-bill-moves-out-of-council-committee-unanimously/

How does your school district stack up? Compare York County scores on 2017-18 exams
Sam Ruland, York Daily Record Published 5:08 p.m. ET Dec. 3, 2018 | Updated 5:35 p.m. ET Dec. 3, 2018
Statewide, more students are passing state tests in English and math than in 2017, but results indicate that there's a lot of work ahead.  Historically, students have struggled the most on the math PSSA, and that trend continued this year as data showed that on average just 42 percent of students scored proficient or advanced in this area.  The Pennsylvania Department of Education released the 2018 PSSA and Keystone exam scores, which are part of the Future Ready PA Index, the state's new school accountability tool.  Across York County, schools saw mixed results — some showing slight increases, some decreases — in the number of students reaching proficiency levels in English and math PSSAs. Most high schools in the county also saw an increase in students passing the Keystone exams.  Use the search tool at the top of this page to see the percent of students who scored proficient or advanced in English and math on the PSSAs at every York County elementary and middle school.
https://www.ydr.com/story/news/education/2018/12/03/pa-pssa-and-keystone-test-scores-find-how-york-county-schools-did-exams/2135861002/

New Brighton pupils thrive in computer programming, robotics
Beaver County Times By Jared Stonesifer Posted Dec 3, 2018 at 12:00 PM
PULASKI TWP. — If kids really are the future, then the New Brighton Area School District is doing everything it can to prepare them to thrive in the ever-changing world of science and technology. The school district is the only one in western Pennsylvania to teach elementary school children how to write computer code and how to execute that code to manipulate a robot. The new program, available to about 330 pupils in grades 3 to 5, is a partnership between New Brighton and Carnegie Mellon University. The Montour School District in Allegheny County also participates in the program with middle school pupils. The program is simple: Pupils spent a 30-minute class period learning how to code using a software program called Calypso. The next day, student spend another 30-minute class applying that code to a robot named Cozmo. Kate Na-Shatal, a teacher at New Brighton Elementary School, trained last summer to be able to teach the pupils how to use Calypso and Cozmo.
http://www.timesonline.com/news/20181203/new-brighton-pupils-thrive-in-computer-programming-robotics

One year, eight new gun-control laws in New Jersey
Inquirer by Justine McDaniel, Posted: 25 minutes ago
Under an orange banner on a November day —  one day after a dozen people were killed by a shooter in a Southern California bar; two weeks after 11 people were killed by a shooter at a Pittsburgh synagogue — Gov. Murphy made his state's already tough gun laws even stronger, signing into law New Jersey's eighth major gun-control measure of the year. A few months earlier, concern over 3D-printed guns had gripped gun-control advocates and lawmakers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and across the nation. The new Garden State law bans so-called ghost guns — 3D-printed or homemade guns that aren't traceable. Legislators called it the strongest such measure in the country, in keeping with New Jersey's reputation for advancing gun-control legislation. Earlier this year, the state became the second to ban the bump stock, a conversion device that allows semiautomatic weapons to fire at speeds close to that of an automatic weapon — one of the few gun restrictions signed by Gov. Chris Christie before his term ended.
http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/new-jersey-gun-control-rights-murphy-law-20181204.html

Chicago educators at Acero charter schools go on strike, a first for the independently operated campuses
Juan Perez Jr. Contact Reporter Chicago Tribune December 4, 2018
Hundreds of educators at the city’s Acero charter schools walked off the job Tuesday morning, halting classes for 7,500 predominantly Latino students and launching the nation’s first strike over a contract at the independently operated campuses. Backed by affiliates at the Chicago Teachers Union, the charter network’s teachers said they would not return to work after what they described as a series of fruitless negotiations with management. "Management had the power to settle a contract tonight — and instead they offered us more of the status quo that has plagued the charter industry for years," CTU President Jesse Sharkey said in a statement released early Tuesday morning. "We will be on the picket line until they come back with an offer that respects our students and the people who educate them."
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-acero-charter-school-strike-20181203-story.html

3 lessons from data on how students are actually using educational apps and software at school
Teachers and students aren't using all the pricey software that school budgets buy, researchers say
Hechinger Report Proof Points Column by JILL BARSHAY December 3, 2018
BrightBytes Inc. is a for-profit company that sells data analysis to public schools. One of its products monitors which websites students visit and which apps they’re clicking on their tablets. The company’s marketing pitch is that it can tell school administrators what educational software is actually being used, how much they’re spending on it and whether the ed tech they’re buying is boosting student performance — the education sector’s version of “return on investment.” It’s not perfect. A lot of computer usage isn’t captured, especially at home. Higher test scores could be caused by things other than the online software like great teaching. Despite these drawbacks, the company has an interesting repository of technology usage from roughly 400,000 students, kindergarten through high school, across 26 states. (Yes, even kindergarteners are using apps at school.) The company hired Ryan Baker, director of the Penn Center for Learning Analytics, and another data scientist to mine the data and create a national snapshot of technology use for the 2017-18 school year. A report was released in November 2018.
Baker began by calculating how much each student improved on standardized assessments between the fall of 2017 and the spring of 2018 in both math and reading. (In addition to the annual state test each spring, many schools administer additional assessments throughout the year to track progress.) They had enough test score data to analyze roughly 150 of the 2,500 education apps in the marketplace. Here are the takeaways:
https://hechingerreport.org/3-lessons-from-data-on-how-students-are-actually-using-educational-apps-and-software-at-school/


Annual PenSPRA Symposium set for March 28-29, 2019
Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Website
Once again, PenSPRA will hold its annual symposium with nationally-recognized speakers on hot topics for school communicators. The symposium, held at the Conference Center at Shippensburg University, promises to provide time for collegial sharing and networking opportunities. Mark you calendars now!
We hope you can join us. Plans are underway, so check back for more information.
http://www.penspra.org/

Build on finance, policy, board culture skills at PSBA’s Applied School Director Training
Four convenient locations in December and January
Take the next step in your professional development with Applied School Director Training. Building upon topics broadly covered in New School Director Training, this new, interactive evening event asks district leaders to dive deeper into three areas of school governance: school finance, board policy and working collaboratively as a governance team. Prepare for future leadership positions and committee work in this workshop-style training led by experts and practitioners. Learn how to:

·         Evaluate key finance documents such as budget and audit materials

·         Review and analyze board policies and administrative regulations

·         Build positive board culture by developing strong collaboration skills

Locations and Dates:
Dec.11, 2018 — Seneca Valley SD
Dec. 12, 2018 — Selinsgrove, Selinsgrove Area Middle School
Jan. 10, 2019 — Bethlehem, Nitschmann Middle School
Jan. 17, 2019 — State College
Cost: This event is complimentary for All-Access members or $75 per person with standard membership and $150 per person for nonmembers. Register online by logging in to myPSBA.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/applied-school-director-training-state-college/

PASBO is looking for leaders! The deadline for board seats is Dec 31st, 2018.
PASBO members who desire to seek election as Director or Vice President should send a letter of intent with a current resume and picture to the Immediate Past President Edward G. Poprik, PCSBO, who is chair of the PASBO Nominations and Elections Committee.
More info: https://www.pasbo.org/election

NSBA 2019 Advocacy Institute January 27-29 Washington Hilton, Washington D.C.
Register now
The upcoming midterm elections will usher in the 116th Congress at a critical time in public education. Join us at the 2019 NSBA Advocacy Institute for insight into what the new Congress will mean for your school district. And, of course, learn about techniques and tools to sharpen your advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Save the date to join school board members from across the country on Capitol Hill to influence the new legislative agenda and shape the decisions made inside the Beltway that directly impact our students. For more information contact federaladvocacy@nsba.org. 

PSBA Board Presidents’ Panel
Nine locations around the state running Jan 29, 30 and 31^st.
Share your leadership experience and learn from others in your area at this event designed for board presidents, superintendents and board members with interest in pursuing leadership roles. Workshop real solutions to the specific challenges you face with a PSBA-moderated panel of school leaders. Discussion will address the most pressing challenges facing PA public schools.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/board-presidents-panel-2/

2019 NSBA Annual Conference Philadelphia March 30 - April 1, 2019
Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107
Registration Questions or Assistance: 1-800-950-6722
The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the students. Join us in Philadelphia for a robust offering of over 250 educational programs, including three inspirational general sessions that will give you new ideas and tools to help drive your district forward.
https://www.nsba.org/conference

Save the Date:  PARSS Annual Conference May 1-3, 2019
Wyndham Garden Hotel, Mountainview Country Club
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
https://www.parss.org/Annual_Conference

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.

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 3: On a statewide level, local districts had to come up with $20 for every added dollar that the state provided to cover the increasing cost of special education

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, Wolf education transition team members, superintendents, school solicitors, principals, charter school leaders, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations, education professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies, professional associations and education advocacy organizations via emails, website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

Visit us on Facebook at KeystoneStateEducationCoalition

Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup Dec. 3, 2018

On a statewide level, local districts had to come up with $20 for every added dollar that the state provided to cover the increasing cost of special education


“Chambersburg and Shippensburg were cited in the report because of the state’s paltry contribution. In Chambersburg, from 2008 to 2016, expenses for special education increased by nearly $5 million. The state kicked in an additional $198,200, while taxpayers in Chambersburg were left to come up with a whopping $4.7 million. Similarly, in Shippensburg, the cost of special education went up by $1.9 million. The state increased its contribution by only $91,228, leaving Shippensburg scrambling to find nearly $1.8 million in local tax dollars. On a statewide level, local districts had to come up with $20 for every added dollar that the state provided to cover the increasing cost of special education. This is a recipe for growing inequality.”
PA has dropped the ball on funding special education
Chambersburg Public Opinion by Susan Spicka Published 1:16 p.m. ET Dec. 2, 2018
Susan Spicka is the executive director of Education Voters of PA and the vice president of the school board in Shippensburg.
A recent report published by the Education Law Center finds that local school districts across Pennsylvania are shouldering the weight of rising costs associated with special education. As the executive director of Education Voters Pennsylvania, an organization that holds elected officials accountable to support public education, I was appalled to see the breakdown of how little our state leaders have contributed to the growing costs of special education in Franklin County and across Pennsylvania. Despite the positive reforms that came out of the 2013 Special Education Funding Commission – adopting a more equitable formula and resuming annual increases in state aid to special education – these changes are too little, too late The numbers in the report tell a staggering story of state neglect.
https://www.publicopiniononline.com/story/opinion/2018/12/02/pa-special-education-funding-falls-woefully-short/2183681002/

Blogger note: Here’s a link to the ELC report referenced in the opinion piece above:
Shortchanging Children with Disabilities: State Underfunding of Special Education in Pennsylvania
Education Law Center Website October 2018
This October 2018 report from the Education Law Center highlights how the rise in special education costs in districts across the state is outpacing state special education funding, creating new challenges for underfunded school districts.
Read the Report
See the district-level special education funding data
https://www.elc-pa.org/resource/shortchanging-children-with-disabilities-state-underfunding-of-special-education-in-pennsylvania/

Special ed funding slips
Butler, Mars maintain same levels of instruction
Cranberry Eagle Written by: Tanner Cole Published: November 28, 2018
School districts are increasingly relying on local tax dollars to fund special education programs, according to a report by Pennsylvania's Education Law Center. 
Schools in Butler County are increasingly relying on local tax dollars to fund special education programs as state funding has stagnated for several years, a recent report found. The county isn't alone: Special education funding across Pennsylvania mirrors the situation in Butler County schools. The report's researchers at Pennsylvania's Education Law Center — along with those involved in educating children with disabilities in Butler County — see a growing local dependency on state legislators to blame for the lack of funding. As Reynelle Brown Staley, the policy attorney who led the report, explained it, “the amount of money coming from the state just isn't increasing a lot.” “Costs are rising at a rate that is far higher than the level of state funding,” Staley said. “State funding isn't even rising fast enough to meet inflation.” Staley and other researchers found that special education costs in Pennsylvania increase by about $200 million per year. Between 2008 and 2016, state funding increased by a total of just $72 million. Special education costs grew by $1.5 billion in that time, researchers found.
http://www.thecranberryeagle.com/article/20181128/CRAN0101/711289802/-1/CRAN

Pennsylvania lawmakers, judges, others get pay raises — because it’s that time of the year
Philly Daily News by John Baer | @jbaernews | baerj@phillynews.com Posted: December 2, 2018 - 1:13 PM
Not to rile or depress any taxpayer/citizens during this season of light and joy, but I feel obligated to remind you of your generosity to your public servants. Over the weekend, you started paying members of the second-highest salaried legislature in America a little more money. I'm sure their thank-you notes are on the way. You did this because back in 1995: Your legislature voted itself annual automatic raises. These raises come regardless of performance, because lawmakers know if their pay was based on, let's say, merit, session days, or connection to constituents (Pennsylvania's median household income is $55,000), well, things would be very different. So, base pay now is $88,610. Not a king's ransom, granted. But then we're not talking royalty here. Plus, they also get great health care, fat pensions, tax-free, unvouchered expenses; and, if they hang around for 10 years (which, oh so many do), health care for life. Including spouses.
http://www2.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/pennsylvania-lawmakers-judges-others-get-pay-raises-because-its-that-time-of-the-year-20181202.html

At Pennsylvania Society, talk of bipartisanship, brotherhood … and bacon
Inquirer by Angela Couloumbis, Claudia Vargas and Andrew Seidman, Posted: December 1, 2018
NEW YORK – For the second year in a row, Pennsylvania's political elite got dolled up and came to Manhattan for the state's biggest bash  –though the weekend found some meandering through the countless soirees and receptions feeling disconnected from the glamour of years past, when the event was anchored in the marbled halls of the Waldorf Astoria. Still, this year's Pennsylvania Society, as the annual trek to Manhattan for elected officials, lobbyists, and others is called, managed to combine some intrigue — will Sen. Bob Caseyreally wade into the 2020 presidential election? — along with more farcical moments, such as the presence of a blow-up photo booth at one of the more raucous late-night parties. And the weekend's annual Saturday morning seminar and luncheon, hosted by the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association (PMA), together with the University of Pennsylvania's breakfast and reception, even focused a bit on policy.
http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/politics/pennsylvania-society-new-york-politicians-soirees-elite-20181201.html

On President George H.W. Bush’s death at 94: ‘An extraordinary man,’ Pa. politicians remember
Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com jmicek@pennlive.com Posted Dec 1
MANHATTAN -- At the Metropolitan Club, on the edge of Central Park, hundreds of Pennsylvania’s leading political and business figures opened an annual gathering with a moment of silence to observe the passing of former President George H.W. Bush, now dead at the age of 94. The patrician Bush, who had one of the most varied public service careers of any American politician, embodied the values of service and civility, and he was the principal of a school of Republicanism that some believe is in recession in the age of President Donald Trump. Here’s what a sampling of Pennsylvania politicians had to say about Bush’s passing:
https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2018/12/on-president-george-hw-bushs-death-at-94-an-extraordinary-man-pa-polticians-remember.html#incart_river_index

'Honorable, gracious and decent': In death, Bush becomes a yardstick for President Trump
Morning Call by Greg Jaffe  The Washington Post December 2, 2018
The tributes to former President George H.W. Bush poured in this weekend, each in its own way exposing the pitfalls ahead this week for the Oval Office's current resident. The 41st president was remembered by Barack Obama, the 44th, as "a humble servant." "Honorable, gracious and decent" were the words Bill Clinton used in praise of his immediate predecessor. House Speaker Paul Ryan's encomium described Bush as "great in his character, leading with decency and integrity." On Monday, Bush will return to Washington, where he will lie in state at the Capitol until Wednesday, when, as tradition demands, Trump will attend the former president's funeral at Washington National Cathedral. It's unclear whether Trump will deliver a eulogy. In death, presidents are measured not only by their accomplishments but by what their tenure says about sitting presidents - and in this case, the contrast appears stark.
https://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/ct-trump-bush-20181202-story.html

‘We can start in different places, it’s where we end up that matters.’ Four questions with House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler | Monday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com jmicek@pennlive.com Updated 7:52 AM; Posted 7:51 AM
Good Monday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
State House Republicans return to Harrisburg in January with some new faces on their leadership team and in the caucus-at-large. Among them is newly elected House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, who’s taking over for long-serving GOP floor boss Dave Reed, who opted not to run for re-election. We caught up with Cutler at this weekend’s Pennsylvania Society weekend in Midtown Manhattan, where Cutler’s newly packed dance card included a stop at the annual seminar and luncheon put on by the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association at The Metropolitan Clubon the edge of Central Park. The interview below, which includes questions from The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Angela Couloumbis, has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
https://www.pennlive.com/capitol-notebook/2018/12/we-can-start-in-different-places-its-where-we-end-up-that-matters-four-questions-with-house-majority-leader-bryan-cutler-monday-morning-coffee.html

“The NRA is no longer touting on its website the grades it routinely assigned to legislators. Apparently that one-time much-desired imprimatur from the gun group was becoming a liability for some candidates.”
Editorial: Common sense gun reform is long overdue
Delco Times Editorial Dec 2, 2018
It is a phrase we have heard hundreds of times from the people we send to Harrisburg and Washington, D.C., to represent us. Common sense gun reform.
We heard it after Columbine. And after Sandy Hook. And after Parkland, to say nothing of the mass shootings that have happened in places in addition to our neighborhood schools. Every time there was a mass shooting incident – such as the recent massacre of those worshiping at a Pittsburgh synagogue – there has been talk of reforming gun laws. And for the most part, the sound has been allowed to fade, much like the echoes of distant gunfire. Backed by the power – and money – of the National Rifle Association, seemingly every attempt to curb gun violence with sensible reform has been shot down. For years, especially here in gun-loving Pennsylvania, it has been the third rail of politics. Gun reform legislation routinely goes nowhere in Harrisburg. But there are signs, both here in the Keystone State and across the nation, that the tide may be shifting. Unfortunately, there also are signs that it is not happening soon enough.
https://www.delcotimes.com/opinion/editorial-common-sense-gun-reform-is-long-overdue/article_7e282940-80dc-59b3-954b-6706a8586714.html

What are Centre County schools doing to make students safer on buses and at bus stops?
Centre Daily Times BY SARAH PAEZ spaez@centredaily.com November 30, 2018 04:17 PM Updated November 30, 2018 04:22 PM
In the past two months, a string of fatal incidents involving children being struck by cars at their school bus stops started a national conversation about how school districts, parents and communities can preserve student safety while waiting for, boarding or disembarking the school bus. While statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that students are 70 times more likely to get to school safely by taking the school bus, between the years 2005 and 2015, 102 school-age children were struck and killed in school-transportation-related crashes. Sixty-four percent of those fatalities were caused by school buses or vehicles functioning as school buses, and the other 36 percent were caused by vehicles of other body types.
https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/article222260665.html#navlink=SecList


Bezos’ preschools come as rich get richer, more generous
WHYY By Associated Press Sally Ho December 2, 2018
From Jeff Bezos’ free preschools to Andrew Carnegie’s public libraries, education stands out as a favorite cause among America’s wealthiest people. And as the rich get richer, and apparently more generous, this legacy of so-called investment philanthropy has shaped government priorities and driven policy changes. But with such high-profile giving fueled by both capitalism and poverty, critics have thrust that dichotomy into the spotlight, challenging how the system that allowed these philanthropists to amass their fortunes ultimately contributes to the social problems they’re trying to address. Bezos announced this fall he’s dedicating half of his new $2 billion Bezos Day One Fund toward creating free preschools in low-income communities nationwide, which could make him the top philanthropic funder of early education. It’s unknown if Bezos considers this seed money or a fixed endowment, but the tech titan, newspaper owner and space entrepreneur is clear he wants to disrupt the status quo in the same way his Amazon.com company has changed retail, declaring his preschoolers are “the customer.”
https://whyy.org/articles/bezos-preschools-come-as-rich-get-richer-more-generous/

Another 'miracle’ school exposed. Sigh.
Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss November 30
Twenty years ago, the famed Yale child psychiatrist and educator James Comer published a book, “Waiting for A Miracle: Why Schools Can’t Solve Our Problems and How We Can.” Two decades later, Americans still fall for the notion of “miracle schools,” those hailed by politicians and policymakers as having some secret sauce that can turn around troubled schools seemingly without much trouble and work wonders for needy students. The only problem is that these stories virtually always get debunked. Remember when we learned within the last year that the “miracle” D.C. school system was graduating many of its students without the requisite requirements? Now, we have a new scandal revealed in an exposé by reporters Erica L. Green and Katie Benner of the New York Times. They investigated the private K-12 T.M. Landry School in Louisiana, which was famed for getting its mostly black and working-class students into elite colleges. But they found “a darker reality” at T.M. Landry, a school founded by Michael and Tracey Landry, with phony academic records and claims of abuse of students. The story hit so hard because the school had so much positive publicity. It says, in part:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/11/30/another-miracle-school-exposed-sigh/?utm_term=.e647b605f7ae


Annual PenSPRA Symposium set for March 28-29, 2019
Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Website
Once again, PenSPRA will hold its annual symposium with nationally-recognized speakers on hot topics for school communicators. The symposium, held at the Conference Center at Shippensburg University, promises to provide time for collegial sharing and networking opportunities. Mark you calendars now!
We hope you can join us. Plans are underway, so check back for more information.
http://www.penspra.org/

Build on finance, policy, board culture skills at PSBA’s Applied School Director Training
Four convenient locations in December and January
Take the next step in your professional development with Applied School Director Training. Building upon topics broadly covered in New School Director Training, this new, interactive evening event asks district leaders to dive deeper into three areas of school governance: school finance, board policy and working collaboratively as a governance team. Prepare for future leadership positions and committee work in this workshop-style training led by experts and practitioners. Learn how to:

·         Evaluate key finance documents such as budget and audit materials

·         Review and analyze board policies and administrative regulations

·         Build positive board culture by developing strong collaboration skills

Locations and Dates:
Dec.11, 2018 — Seneca Valley SD
Dec. 12, 2018 — Selinsgrove, Selinsgrove Area Middle School
Jan. 10, 2019 — Bethlehem, Nitschmann Middle School
Jan. 17, 2019 — State College
Cost: This event is complimentary for All-Access members or $75 per person with standard membership and $150 per person for nonmembers. Register online by logging in to myPSBA.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/applied-school-director-training-state-college/

PASBO is looking for leaders! The deadline for board seats is Dec 31st, 2018.
PASBO members who desire to seek election as Director or Vice President should send a letter of intent with a current resume and picture to the Immediate Past President Edward G. Poprik, PCSBO, who is chair of the PASBO Nominations and Elections Committee.
More info: https://www.pasbo.org/election

NSBA 2019 Advocacy Institute January 27-29 Washington Hilton, Washington D.C.
Register now
The upcoming midterm elections will usher in the 116th Congress at a critical time in public education. Join us at the 2019 NSBA Advocacy Institute for insight into what the new Congress will mean for your school district. And, of course, learn about techniques and tools to sharpen your advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Save the date to join school board members from across the country on Capitol Hill to influence the new legislative agenda and shape the decisions made inside the Beltway that directly impact our students. For more information contact federaladvocacy@nsba.org. 

PSBA Board Presidents’ Panel
Nine locations around the state running Jan 29, 30 and 31^st.
Share your leadership experience and learn from others in your area at this event designed for board presidents, superintendents and board members with interest in pursuing leadership roles. Workshop real solutions to the specific challenges you face with a PSBA-moderated panel of school leaders. Discussion will address the most pressing challenges facing PA public schools.
https://www.psba.org/2018/11/board-presidents-panel-2/

2019 NSBA Annual Conference Philadelphia March 30 - April 1, 2019
Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107
Registration Questions or Assistance: 1-800-950-6722
The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the students. Join us in Philadelphia for a robust offering of over 250 educational programs, including three inspirational general sessions that will give you new ideas and tools to help drive your district forward.
https://www.nsba.org/conference

Save the Date:  PARSS Annual Conference May 1-3, 2019
Wyndham Garden Hotel, Mountainview Country Club
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
https://www.parss.org/Annual_Conference

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.