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, 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
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg
“Statewide, basic
education funding increased 2.6%, or $160 million, to $6.7 billion; however,
less than $700 million will flow through the fair funding formula enacted in
2016 to help historically underfunded districts catch up to their peers.”
Lancaster County
schools still struggle with unfunded mandates despite state budget's 2.5% basic
education funding boost
Lancaster Online by
ALEX GELI | Staff
Writer July 3,
2019
The good news:
Lancaster County school districts will get a slight funding increase under the
2019-20 state budget signed by the governor last week. The bad news: School
officials say it's not enough to cover increasing pension and charter school
tuition costs, among other unfunded mandates, leaving them no choice but to ask
taxpayers to fork over the rest.
"While we
welcome the slight increase in the basic education subsidy for 19/20, it
unfortunately continues to do little to address the mandated costs that drive a
school district's budget," Manheim Township Superintendent Robin Felty
said in an email. "As a result," Felty added, "there continues
to be a significant reliance on local funding, which makes up 78% (about $78
million) of MTSD's 19/20 revenue budget." This year's basic education
funding appropriation is 2.5% more for Lancaster County school districts than
in 2018-19, data from the state Department of Education shows. Increases range
from 1.8% in Solanco to 6.4% in Conestoga Valley. Statewide, basic education
funding increased 2.6%, or $160 million, to $6.7 billion; however, less than
$700 million will flow through the fair funding formula enacted in 2016 to help
historically underfunded districts catch up to their peers. One such
underfunded district is Conestoga Valley, which, according to district
Superintendent Dave Zuilkoski, has consistently been in the bottom 1% of adequately
funded districts in the state. If all money was distributed through the
formula, Zuilkoski said, Conestoga Valley would receive an additional $9
million annually. "Until that time when, and if, we hit the equitably
funded threshold, we will continue to do our due diligence and practice fiscal
responsibility to ensure that all students continue to be provided with
outstanding, positive learning opportunities," he said.
Wolf says school
security bill won’t allow teachers to carry guns in the classroom
PA Capital Star By Elizabeth Hardison July 2, 2019
Gov. Tom Wolf
signed legislation Tuesday creating new training requirements for armed school
security personnel, despite fears by gun-control activists and his fellow
Democrats that it could allow teachers and untrained professionals to carry
firearms. Wolf signed the proposal from Sen. Mike Regan, R-York, five days
after the Republican-controlled Senate approved it by a vote of 30-20.
Democrats cast all negative votes. Wolf issued a statement to accompany his
signature, saying the bill “removes any ambiguity about whether teachers
may be designated as ‘security personnel.’” “The students, parents, and
educators in this Commonwealth can now be secure in the knowledge that teachers
can dedicate themselves to teaching our children, and that the security of
school facilities rests in the hands of trained, professional security
personnel,” the statement reads. The bill amends Pennsylvania’s school code to
allow schools to hire independent contractors and third-party vendors to
perform security duties. It also eliminates a provision in current law that
prohibits school security guards from engaging in programs with students.
Op-ed by BASD Superintendent Dr. Joseph J. Roy: “BASD
Doesn’t Benefit From Charter Schools”
Bethlehem Area
School District Blog July 2, 2019
In an op-ed in the
Morning Call, Ana Meyers (a paid political advocate for charter schools) made
several misleading or flat out wrong assertions that are contradicted by the
facts. I want to respond to just one of those assertions because it is so
intentionally misleading that the general public deserves to know the truth. BASD
pays out nearly $30 million a year to charter schools. Yet, Ms. Meyers
amazingly claims that somehow the district benefits financially from charter
schools!! Her actual comment:
“What they
(Superintendents Roy and Parker) also failed to mention is that school
districts actually benefit financially from every student who chooses a charter
school because they get to pocket 25% of a student’s per-pupil allocation…These
are taxpayer dollars that a district gets to keep even though they don’t have
any responsibility for educating these students.
This is simply untrue. With charter school tuition costs driving up
property taxes in school districts across the state, it’s frankly shocking to
me that Ms. Meyer would claim districts benefit financially from
charters.
Here are the
numbers – For the 2018-2019 school year, BASD received just shy of $73.8
million ($4,500 per student) from the state as reimbursement for basic
education costs, transportation, facilities, and special education, among other
things.
To be clear, in
2018-2019 BASD received $4,500 per student from the state and paid a per
student tuition to charter schools of roughly $11,000 per student for a regular
education student and $23,000 per student for special education students.
The assertion that
BASD benefits financially from students attending charter schools is blatantly
untrue.
“This isn't a new problem. There is a
better way to fund charter schools, and it's not rocket science.
·
If school districts could deduct their
charter school tuition from the tuition calculation to ensure that it didn't
unfairly ratchet up the tuition rate from year to year, it would save them $450 million.
·
If school districts could use their
actual percentage of special education students in the special education
charter school tuition calculation instead of a fictitious number, it would
save them $65 million.
·
If school districts could cap the annual
charter school tuition rate growth at their Act 1 index to mitigate annual cost
increases, it would save them $96 million.
·
If the state would take on the cost of
cyber charter school tuition since the state is responsible for authorizing and
overseeing cyber charter schools, it would save school districts $520 million.
We need an honest conversation that
leads to a real, meaningful and immediate solution, and we need it this fall.
We all have to be at the table and agree that the charter school funding status
quo can't continue. Failing to address this critical issue cancels out the
education increases in the newly enacted state budget and ensures that the
burden on school districts and taxpayers gets worse.”
Pennsylvania Association of School Business
Managers Website By: PASBO On: 07/01/2019
School districts
across the state will usher in a new fiscal year with much-needed boosts for
state basic education funding, special education funding and school safety as a
result of the newly enacted state budget. The PA Association of School Business
Officials (PASBO) applauds Governor Wolf and the General Assembly for their
efforts in providing additional education resources in the new budget. However,
our work is not done. PASBO remains committed to addressing charter school
tuition costs when the General Assembly returns this fall. Without remedying
charter school funding policy, the positive impact of the increases for
education in the 2019-20 budget will be negated, and the $160 million increase
in basic education funding for school districts will go directly to charter
schools.
PASBO does not
debate the existence of charter schools nor the important role they play in
providing an alternative public education option for Pennsylvania students.
However, charter school reforms are long overdue, and there is no reform need
greater than the 22 year-old charter school tuition calculation.
House GOP boss
Cutler, on first six months, ‘We got north of 50 bills’ to Gov. Wolf | Wednesday
Morning Coffee
PA Capital Star By John L. Micek July 3, 2019
Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
With final approval
— and one gubernatorial signature — on Pennsylvania’s $34 billion state budget
last week, House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler officially put a
cap on his first six months as GOP floor leader in the 203-member chamber. On
Tuesday, Cutler, R-Lancaster, joined Democratic Gov. Tom
Wolf and House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny,
for a signing ceremony for a new state law allowing Pennsylvania to replace the
current federal Healthcare Exchange with one run exclusively the state. For Cutler,
a former X-Ray technician, the signing ceremony combined two of what he says
are his legislative priorities: Improving access to healthcare while increasing
government efficiency and saving the taxpayers’ money. On Wednesday afternoon,
with his children around him, Cutler sat down for brief chat
about his first six months as The Guy in Charge, and what the next
six months of the year hold for the GOP-controlled House. The conversation
below has been lightly edited for clarity and content.
Scathing state audit of Harrisburg School District
reveals more than $5 million in questionable costs
Penn Live By Christine Vendel | cvendel@pennlive.com Updated 6:12 AM; Today 5:30 AM
State auditors have
completed their audit of the Harrisburg School District, where they found more
than $5 million in potentially questionable costs over three years, including
overpayments to employees, contracted vendors and the superintendent, among other
problems. The audit documented $2.6 million in “potential questioned costs,”
and an additional $2.5 million in unsupported expenditures. The report
confirmed 132 terminated employees
were getting free continuous health benefits, which is more than double the amount previously thought and represented
a loss of more than $800,000. The district also potentially paid more than
$900,000 to substitute service agencies for work that wasn’t performed. “Our
engagement identified significant deficiencies in internal control, instances
of financial waste and abuse, noncompliance with relevant requirements and a
lack of effective leadership,” auditors wrote. Auditors noted that two of the
most helpful employees during the audit were removed from the district in the
middle of the audit. One employee was placed on paid leave and the other saw
her contract abruptly terminated, which prevented further cooperation with
auditors.
So long, snow days: Gov. Wolf signs law enabling schools
to schedule days for kids to work at home
By Ron Southwick | rsouthwick@pennlive.com Updated Jul 2, 5:35 PM; Posted Jul 2,
4:43 PM
Some children
expecting snow days free from school work could be disappointed. Gov. Tom Wolf
signed a bill Tuesday that would allow schools to have “flexible
instruction days” due to snow or other events. Lawmakers gave final approval to the measure last week. Under the
bill, schools
could use the flexible days for closures due to weather, building repairs or
threats made to schools. The bill
could allow school districts to avoid delaying the end of the school year to
make up for snow days. For families planning vacations or graduation parties,
that could be a welcome prospect. The state Department of Education has
conducted a pilot program over the last three years with several school
districts, including Central York and Red Lion. School districts wouldn’t be
required to offer flexible instruction days, so some students may well be able
to use snowy days for sledding and making snowmen. The bill would allow schools
to apply for permits from the education department to have flexible instruction
days. The permits would be valid for three years. Charter schools and parochial
schools would also be allowed to offer “cyber snow days," under the new
law.
Sappey's
trauma-informed education signed into law
Pottstown Mercury
by MediaNews Group Jul 2, 2019 Updated 15 hrs ago
KENNETT SQUARE—
Legislation to implement trauma-informed education in Pennsylvania schools has
been signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf, largely thanks to a bill authored by state
Rep. Christina Sappey, (D-158th Dist.). Earlier this year H.B. 1415 and S.B.
200, which would implement approaches to student learning that recognizes the
signs and symptoms of trauma and integrates that knowledge into education-based
policies, learning, procedures and practices, was introduced by state Reps.
Christina Sappey, D-Chester, and prime co-sponsor Ryan Mackenzie,
R-Lehigh/Berks, with state Sens. Vincent Hughes, D-Phila./Montgomery, and
Patrick Browne, R-Lehigh. During the budget process, H.B. 1415 and S.B. 200
were incorporated into S.B. 144 and ultimately passed the legislature. “This is
all a part of the legislative process in Harrisburg. The important thing is
that the policy is being implemented,” Sappey said. “This bill will better equip
teachers and other school employees to help children who have experienced
trauma, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, succeed by implementing mandatory
training. The training will cover how to identify the signs of trauma among
students, how to utilize multi-tiered support systems, and recognizing
schoolwide policies related to positive behavior supports, restorative justice
and resiliency.”
“Last
spring, I-LEAD Inc. lost a court case in which it had tried to avoid paying
$2.8 million in overdue property taxes. Ruling in that case, the judge said the
large salaries paid to I-LEAD executives appear “more in line with a profit
making institution than a truly charitable organization.”
Auditor General
DePasquale to Conduct Performance Audit of I-LEAD Charter School in Berks
County
HARRISBURG (June 28, 2019) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today said
he will conduct a performance audit of the I-LEAD charter school in Reading,
Berks County. “My goal is to ensure full accountability for the substantial
public funding the charter school receives,” DePasquale said. “My audit will
make certain that I-LEAD is in compliance with state laws, regulations,
contracts and administrative procedures.” The I-LEAD charter school, which
serves students in grades 9 to 12, receives about $5 million in taxpayer
funding annually from the Reading School District. Last spring, I-LEAD Inc.
lost a court case in which it had tried to avoid paying $2.8 million in overdue
property taxes. Ruling in that case, the judge said the large salaries paid to
I-LEAD executives appear “more in line with a profit making institution than a
truly charitable organization.”
DePasquale said his
audit will focus on issues including:
- The school’s financial position;
- Budgeting practices;
- School safety;
- Governance;
- Contract management and monitoring;
- Sunshine Act compliance;
- Lease reimbursements;
- Teacher and administrator certification; and
- Hiring practices.
Monroe County schools finalize budgets
Pocono Record By Staff Reports Posted
Jul 1, 2019 at 11:31 PM
As Pennsylvania’s
Fiscal Year 2018-2019 comes to a close, Monroe County school districts have
been busy finalizing their budgets. Here’s a closer look at who’s raising
property tax rates, where funding is going and other key features of area
school budgets:
Pleasant Valley
School District - 150.016 mills, +1.4%
East Stroudsburg
Area School District (Monroe) - 176.81 mills, -0.59%
East Stroudsburg
Area School District (Pike) - 123.66 mills, no change
Stroudsburg Area
School District - 163.30 mills, no change
Pocono Mountain
School District - 135.29 mills, no change
Charter school advocates didn’t like this report. A
co-author explains where they are right — and very wrong.
WashingtonPPost
Answer Sheet Blog By Valerie Strauss Reporter July 2 at 1:25 PM
I have published
some posts recently about a report issued by a public education advocacy group
about waste in the U.S. Education Department’s Charter Schools Program, which
has provided funding for charters to open and expand since the mid-1990s.
Charter supporters have taken issue with the report’s findings. The report,
titled “Asleep at the Wheel,” detailed how up to $1 billion in federal funds have been wasted on
charter schools that never opened, or opened and then closed because of
mismanagement and other reasons. Published by the Network for Public Education,
the report said the department — in both Republican and Democratic
administrations — has not adequately monitored the use of its grants to charter
schools, which are publicly funded but privately operated. In March I published
a post about the
report, which was then cited by Democratic legislators in Congress during a
hearing where Education Secretary Betsy DeVos gave testimony about her
department’s 2020 budget proposal. In June, one of the co-authors of the
report, Carol Burris, wrote
another piece on
this blog with new findings, saying that the estimate of up to $1 billion of
waste in the program may have been too low.
A few days after
that piece appeared on this blog, a pro-charter education journal called
EducationNext, published by Harvard University’s Kennedy School, published
on its website a critique of
“Asleep at the Wheel” and a defense of the federal Charter Schools Program.
That critique
questioned the findings of the Network for Public Education report, saying,
among other things, that there was not enough documentation, that the data
sources were a “hodgepodge” and that the data was “misused to support a
conclusion that is then advanced unwittingly by credulous media outlets.” In
the post below, Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education
and a former award-winning principal in New York, addresses that criticism. She
points out what she says are omissions and inaccuracies in the critique, while
agreeing that the report should have provided more documentation of its
findings. She said her organization is posting new documentation and other data
on its website.
Government Watchdog Finds Squalid Conditions in Border
Centers
New York Times By Zolan Kanno-Youngs July 2, 2019
WASHINGTON —
Overcrowded, squalid conditions are more widespread at migrant centers along
the southern border than initially revealed, the Department of Homeland
Security’s independent watchdog said Tuesday. Its report describes
standing-room-only cells, children without showers and hot meals, and detainees
clamoring desperately for release. The findings by the Department of Homeland
Security’s Office of Inspector General were released as House Democrats
detailed their own findings at migrant holding centers and pressed the agency
to answer for the mistreatment not only of migrants but also of their own
colleagues, who have been threatened on social media. In June, inspectors from
the department visited five facilities in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and
found children had few spare clothes and no laundry facilities. Many migrants
were given only wet wipes to clean themselves and bologna sandwiches to eat,
causing constipation and other health problems, according to the report.
Children at two of the five facilities in the area were not given hot meals
until inspectors arrived.
Cummings Announces
Hearing Next Week With Acting DHS and CBP Heads on Separation and Treatment of
Immigrant Children
House Committee on
Oversight and Reform Jul 2, 2019 Press Release
Committee Also
Launches Investigation of Offensive Posts on Secret Facebook Group
Washington, D.C.
(July 2, 2019)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on
Oversight and Reform, announced that the Committee has invited Acting Secretary
Kevin McAleenan from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Acting
Commissioner Mark Morgan from U.S. Customs and Border protection (CBP) to
testify on July 12, 2019, regarding
troubling new revelations about the Trump Administration’s family separation
policy and harsh conditions at detention centers on the border.
PSBA Members: State
Budget Webcast JUL 9, 2019 • 12:00 PM - 1:00
PM
Join PSBA
government affairs experts for an in-depth look at the 2019-20 state budget and
related School Code bills. What do the new numbers and policy changes mean for
your school district, teachers and students? Bring your questions to this
complimentary webcast for members!
Presenters: PSBA Chief Advocacy Officer John Callahan, Director of Government
Affairs Jonathan Berger and Director of Research Andy Christ. This webcast
is for PSBA members only. Members may register at no cost online
through PSBA’s webconferencing host: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7177219780206800141.
The deadline to
submit a cover letter, resume and application is August 19,
2019.
Become a 2019-2020 PSBA Advocacy Ambassador
PSBA is seeking
applications for two open Advocacy Ambassador positions. Candidates
should have experience in day-to-day functions of a school district,
on the school board, or in a school leadership position. The purpose of the
PSBA Advocacy Ambassador program is to facilitate the education and engagement
of local school directors and public education stakeholders through the
advocacy leadership of the ambassadors. Each Advocacy Ambassador will
be responsible for assisting PSBA in achieving its advocacy goals. To
achieve their mission, ambassadors will be kept up to date on current
legislation and PSBA positions on legislation. The current open
positions will cover PSBA Sections 3 and 4, and
Section 7.
PSBA Advocacy
Ambassadors are independent contractors representing PSBA and serve
as liaisons between PSBA and their local elected officials. Advocacy
Ambassadors also commit to building strong relationships with PSBA members with
the purpose of engaging the designated members to be active and committed
grassroots advocates for PSBA’s legislative priorities.
PSBA: Nominations for The Allwein Society are open!
This award program
recognizes school directors who are outstanding leaders & advocates on
behalf of public schools & students. Nominations are accepted year-round
with selections announced early fall: http://ow.ly/CchG50uDoxq
EPLC is accepting
applications for the 2019-20 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program
Education Policy & Leadership Center
PA's premier education policy leadership program for education, policy
& community leaders with 582 alumni since 1999. Application with program
schedule & agenda are at http://www.eplc.org
2019 PASA-PSBA School
Leadership Conference Oct. 16-18, 2019
WHERE: Hershey Lodge and
Convention Center 325 University Drive, Hershey, PA
WHEN: Wednesday, October
16 to Friday, October 18, 201
Registration is now open!
Growth from knowledge acquired. Vision inspired by innovation. Impact
created by a synergized leadership community. You are called upon to be the
drivers of a thriving public education system. It’s a complex and challenging
role. Expand your skillset and give yourself the tools needed for the
challenge. Packed into two and a half daysꟷꟷgain access to top-notch education
and insights, dynamic speakers, peer learning opportunities and the latest
product and service innovations. Come to the PASA-PSBA School Leadership
Conference to grow!
NPE Action National
Conference - Save the Date - March 28-29, 2020 in Philadelphia, PA.
The window is now open for workshop proposals for the Network for Public
Education conference, March 28-29, 2020, in Philadelphia. I hope you all sign
on to present on a panel and certainly we want all to attend. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBCNDKK
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.
