Tuesday, June 30, 2015

PA Ed Policy Roundup for June 30, 2015: Fiscal New Year’s Eve….

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 3650 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, 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 and LinkedIn

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for June 30, 2015:
Fiscal New Year’s Eve….



Just a heads-up that the PA Ed Policy Roundup may be intermittent and/or late this week



Last day of Pennsylvania’s budget year brings share of drama
Delco Times By Mark Scolforo And Marc Levy , Associated Press 06/30/15, 5:38 AM EDT
HARRISBURG >> The governor and state lawmakers face a day of big votes in the Capitol with a lot at stake on what is the final day of Pennsylvania’s budget year.  Republican majorities in the House and Senate are expected to send budget legislation to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday, along with bills to completely change how wine and liquor are sold and to squeeze billions in savings from public sector pensions.  Wolf’s warned he’ll veto some or all of the budget proposal, which he’s criticized for not devoting sufficient money for education and for adding to the state’s deficit.  This is Wolf’s first budget after beating Republican Gov. Tom Corbett last fall.  The Republicans’ budget of nearly $30.2 billion is a year-over-year increase of about 4 percent.

Budget Battle 2015 - What have we learned?: Monday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on June 29, 2015 at 8:15 AM, updated June 29, 2015 at 11:30 AM
Good Monday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
Soooo ... how was your weekend?
We spent Sunday evening in the belly of the beast -- an overheated state Capitol, where both the rhetoric and the mercury were causing tempers to steadily rise.  And a mere 24 hours away from the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year, we know a few things for certain. But for those of you tuning in late, let's review what we've learned thus far:
1. The House has sent the Senate a pension reform bill that Gov. Tom Wolf is probably going to veto.
2. On Tuesday, the Senate will act on an amended version of House-approved liquor reform bill that Gov. Tom Wolf is probably going to veto.
3. Also on Tuesday, the Senate will likely send a $30.2 general fund budget bill to Gov. Tom Wolf that he's going to ...
Forget it ... you get the idea.

GOP budget package not like the one Wolf hoped he would see
By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on June 29, 2015 at 8:34 PM, updated June 29, 2015 at 9:42 PM
It's June 30. By now, Gov. Tom Wolf was probably hoping to have his dream budget in hand that delivers on his campaign promises of property tax relief, major restoration of the school funding cut four years ago, and sustainable revenue sources including a new tax on natural gas drilling.  Instead, he's likely to be staring at something that he may think looks more like a Republican-crafted nightmare of a budget package that includes none of the above.  What's more, the GOP are also planning on Tuesday to send Wolf a liquor privatization plan as well as a pension reform that look vastly different from what he had proposed in his March budget address.  Wolf spokesman Jeff Sheridan said the governor hasn't made a decision as to whether he will veto the budget bill in full or in part. But undoubtedly, vetoes will be forthcoming since none of the parts of the budget package that the GOP-controlled General Assembly is sending him has Wolf's buy-in.

As Pa. budget deadline looms, partial shutdown appears likely
ANGELA COULOUMBIS AND MADISON RUSS, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 1:08 AM POSTED: Monday, June 29, 2015, 7:33 PM
HARRISBURG - With just one day left to achieve an on-time state budget and no further talks planned, the impasse between Gov. Wolf and the Republican-controlled legislature seems certain to end in a partial government shutdown.  On Monday, Wolf sent letters to state employees and contractors preparing them for the likely outcome of Pennsylvania's missing Wednesday's deadline to enact a spending plan for the new fiscal year. Though missing the deadline by a few days - or even weeks - would not have repercussions, a protracted impasse would restrict the state's ability to spend and pay bills.  And with both sides seemingly entrenched, it remains unclear how quickly they can strike a deal.

Countdown to a clash over Pennsylvania budget
Morning Call By Sam Janesch and Steve Esack Call Harrisburg Bureau June 29, 2015
HARRISBURG — Four months. Four days. A matter of hours.
Four months is how long Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf tried to sell the public on his $33.8 billion budget that raises and lowers several taxes.  Four days is how long it took Republican lawmakers to fast-track their $30.1 billion budget that does not carry tax changes.  And it's a matter of hours until the two sides meet in a showdown of wills over the spending plan for the 2015-16 fiscal year, which starts at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.  "We expect a budget on his desk that he will veto [Tuesday]," Wolf's spokesman, Jeff Sheridan, said. "Whether that's a line-item or a full veto, the governor has not made that decision yet."

PA Budget: A look at GOP plans for budget, pension and liquor bills
Delco Times By The Associated Press POSTED: 06/30/15, 5:40 AM EDT 
The House and Senate Republican majorities in the Pennsylvania Legislature are lining up votes to advance major legislation to the desk of Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday, the final day of the state government’s 2014-15 state fiscal year. Here is a summary of the legislation:

Budget standoff continues as GOP moves legislation Wolf plans to veto
By Karen Langley / Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau June 30, 2015 12:07 AM
HARRISBURG — Legislative Republicans continued on their collision course with Gov. Tom Wolf, preparing to send the governor today a state budget he has said he will veto along with liquor and pension proposals he does not support.  Republican leaders have said there is not support in the House and Senate to approve the tax increases Mr. Wolf has proposed, and that sending him a balanced budget by the end of the fiscal year today — even a budget he opposes — would fulfill their obligations.  The governor’s office has said that the GOP budget is not balanced and does too little to increase funding for education, perhaps Mr. Wolf’s foremost campaign promise.  But even in recent days, administration staff have continued to meet with Republican legislators and staff, said Jeffrey Sheridan, spokesman for the governor.

Making sense of Pa. school funding: budgets, formulas and stalemates
WHYY Newsworks BY LAURA BENSHOFF JUNE 29, 2015
In sight of the state's budget deadline of July 1, education funding for Pennsylvania schools is still a question mark.  Over the weekend, legislators held 12-hour sessions and advocates flooded the Capitol in Harrisburg to work on a deal, but Democrats and Republicans have shot down each other's plans. Swirling through the budget debate are two questions that will have a big impact on schools' bottom lines: How much money should the state contribute to education this year? And what to do with the new education funding formula?

School funding formula will boost Pa. economy
Philly.com Letter By Joseph P. McLaughlin Jr. POSTED: Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 1:08 AM
Joseph P. McLaughlin Jr. is director of Temple University's Center on Regional Politics
A new school funding formula for Pennsylvania has been widely praised on moral and constitutional grounds for targeting extra state aid to educate children living in poverty. In light of a study soon to be published by Temple University's Center on Regional Politics and the Rand Corp., the formula also deserves praise as a smart investment policy that could add tens of billions of dollars to the state's economy over the next decade.  The bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission's formula still has to be adopted and adequately funded by the General Assembly, of course, no small task given the different budget priorities of our Democratic governor and Republican legislature. But history shows that divided government can be consistent with stable and rational school funding.

Editorial: State needs to push fair school funding
Delco Times POSTED: 06/29/15, 11:45 PM EDT 
In typical Pennsylvania legislative tradition, this week promises to be the most active of the year in Harrisburg. The activity around the end of the fiscal year, which falls at midnight Tuesday, rolls together everything the Legislature should have been doing since the governor’s budget address last winter.  In recent days, the Republican-controlled House has voted on a budget which Gov. Tom Wolf has vowed to veto, and the partisan bickering over every topic from pension reform to how liquor is sold is going at full tilt.  In the midst of the chaos, the Basic Education Funding Commission recently offered its report and recommendations for a fair funding formula.  The bipartisan commission came up with a formula that would benefit poorer schools in the commonwealth, correcting some of the funding imbalance that has earned Pennsylvania a ranking among the most failing states for equity in public education.  The unbalanced, unfair resulting playing field has penalized too many kids in Delaware County for too long. Kids in financially struggling districts, such as William Penn, Southeast Delco, and Chester Upland, have received lesser education opportunities for no other reason than their zip code.

“In order for the year-long funding commission to produce meaningful policy reform, lawmakers must agree on a sensible approach to transition away from hold harmless. If, for example, the new formula is only applied to new spending — and some $5 billion in education funding remains attached to hold harmless — the broken, irrational method of school funding will remain intact.  The sooner we distribute the bulk of education funding by a student-based formula, the better for Pennsylvania's public school children.”
Student-based formula best for Pennsylvania's public school children: PennLive letters
Penn Live  Letters to the Editor by JAMES PAUL, senior policy analyst, Commonwealth Foundation, Harrisburg on June 29, 2015 at 4:15 PM, updated June 29, 2015 at 7:39 PM
Much of the reaction to the Basic Education Funding Commission's final report has been positive — and for good reason. The commission proposed a student-based formula that finally accounts for enrollment and student need. But considerable legislative legwork remains to ensure that state education dollars are distributed in a rational, transparent manner.  What's the heaviest lift remaining for the General Assembly? Deciding how to phase out Pennsylvania's "hold harmless" provision, which guarantees each school district receives no fewer state dollars than it received the previous year. While the policy ostensibly exists to prevent school districts from being harmed by reduced funding, it has, in fact, brought real harm and inequity to hundreds of growing districts across the commonwealth.

School aid formula being considered creates winners, losers
Education Week by Associated Press Published Online: June 29, 2015
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A new public school funding formula being considered by the Legislature would create winners and losers as it seeks a way to link the distribution of state aid more closely to need.  Shrinking school districts that were previously spared aid cutbacks — many in western Pennsylvania — would see their share of aid come in lower under the proposed new formula, an Associated Press analysis found.  But many of Pennsylvania's biggest cities and fastest-growing suburbs — believed to have been shortchanged previously — would get a larger slice of aid for public school instruction and operations.  Here's a further examination and breakdown of the plan, including which counties and districts would see the biggest gains and which would see the biggest losses:

Impoverished schools score low on profile
Citizens Voice by KYLE WIND, STAFF WRITER Published: June 28, 2015
In Jennifer Telesco’s first-grade classroom at John Adams Elementary School in Scranton, learning competes with surviving.  Some of her 6-year-old pupils at a building where nearly nine out of 10 children come from low-income households are latchkey kids or caretakers for younger siblings because their parents work several jobs. Others live in volatile or unstable homes.  “A lot of the time, they’re not focusing on being kids,” Telesco said. “They’re focusing on surviving when they get home from school.”  Among the 193 elementary, middle, high and charter schools in Northeastern Pennsylvania, buildings filled mostly with economically disadvantaged students, like John Adams Elementary, tend to have the lowest scores on a fairly new state Department of Education grading system, a Times-Shamrock Newspapers’ analysis found.

Hundreds lobby Harrisburg for school funds
KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 1:08 AM POSTED: Monday, June 29, 2015, 3:41 PM
HARRISBURG - Third-grade teacher Elaine Blackmon took a deep breath and made her best sales pitch.  "What's good for Philadelphia public students is good for students across the commonwealth," Blackmon told an impassive assistant to Rep. Martin Causer (R., McKean). "We're asking him to reconsider Gov. Wolf's budget."  Blackmon was among hundreds of people who descended on the state Capitol on Monday to lobby lawmakers deep in negotiations to pass a state budget. Among them were more 100 teachers, nurses, and other members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, sporting red T-shirts and making their case for more funding for city schools.  Philadelphia School Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. has asked for more than $200 million in new money from the state. Wolf has proposed $159 million extra for the Philadelphia school system. Republicans passed a budget that would give the district just $18 million more.

PA School Districts Await Budget Passage
Pittsburgh NPR 90.5 By KEVIN GAVIN  June 29, 2015
Pennsylvania school districts are more concerned with “how much” than “when” regarding passage of a fiscal budget and any new state appropriation they might receive.  “In general, initially, if a budget does not pass by June 30, districts won’t find themselves in dire situations,” said Steve Robinson, spokesman for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.  Budgets tend to be front-loaded for districts, he said.  "They are able to send out their tax bills, which happens around July 1 or so," Robinson said. "That money would still be coming in, even if a [state] budget hasn’t passed and the districts might be delayed in getting whatever state subsidy has been approved.”  The Republican-controlled legislature is expected to pass a budget along party lines without taking a vote on Gov. Tom Wolf’s $29.9 billion spending plan. Wolf proposed increasing funding for school districts by $400 million – about 7 percent – to $6.13 billion in the new fiscal year.

Come together
INQUIRER EDITORIAL BOARD POSTED: Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 1:08 AM
The $30 billion budget the Pennsylvania legislature's ruling Republicans are catapulting through the Capitol is going to miss the mark. The plan dusts off one-shot gimmicks and a pledge of allegiance to gas drillers while offering no relief to property tax payers and ignoring the state's schoolchildren.  This bucket of bad ideas can hardly be seen as a serious proposal. One can only hope that Harrisburg's reckless tone will change after Gov. Wolf inevitably vetoes the proposal and the state slips past the budget deadline Wednesday. Maybe then negotiations will begin in earnest.

THIS is Why Everyone HATES Harrisburg
Digital Notebook Blog by Evan Brandt Monday, June 29, 2015
With sad predictability, the process of adopting a budget in Pennsylvania has devolved to the usual last-minute maneuvers, rushed half-baked proposals and political stunts that looks for all its chicanery like a cross between speed chess and Let’s Make a Deal.  The opening move, as it always is, belongs to the Governor when he proposed his budget in February.  That budget, if adopted unchanged, would have added $1 million to Pottstown Public Schools  Then comes the long staring contest in which, quite literally, nothing happens for months and months, all while business managers and school board’s in Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts are scrying tea leaves trying to figure out where up to one-third of their budget revenues may end up.

State considers new plan to take over poorly performing schools
By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette June 30, 2015 12:04 AM
If the state House follows action already taken by the Senate, Pennsylvania could have a new school district in the fall of 2016, this one run by the state for struggling schools.  The state Senate early Monday approved a plan to establish the Achievement School District, which would be run by a board appointed by the governor and Senate and House leaders.  Poor-performing schools would stay in the district for at least five years. Funding would come from the home districts of the students.  The new board would be required to take at least one of several actions, including replacing the principal and at least half of the professional staff; converting the school to a charter school; contracting with an education management service provider; or closing the school.  The bill, called the Educational Opportunity and Accountability Act, is the latest of a series of attempts by the state to address chronically troubled schools.

“In a split decision on the constitutionality question, the state's highest court found the program conflicts with "broad, unequivocal language forbidding the State from using public money to fund religious schools."  The court wrote: "... this stark constitutional provision makes one thing clear: A school district may not aid religious schools."  That, the court held, is precisely what the voucher program does. Chief Justice Nancy Rice wrote in the court's opinion that it "essentially functions as a recruitment program, teaming with various religious schools" to seek scholarship candidates.”
Colorado Supreme Court rejects Douglas County voucher program
State's top court rules that Choice Scholarship Program is unconstitutional; district wants to take case to U.S. Supreme Court
By Eric Gorski The Denver Post POSTED:   06/29/2015 09:38:41 AM MDT
In a nationally significant case involving religion, taxpayer dollars and school choice, a divided Colorado Supreme Court on Mondayrejected the Douglas County School District's groundbreaking school voucher program as unconstitutional.  The wealthy suburban district's Choice Scholarship Program, which aims to use taxpayer money to send children to private schools, has been at the center of a four-year legal battle.  School district officials strongly indicated they would likely ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case and pledged to seek a legal way to proceed with the voucher program as early as this fall.  More than nine in 10 students in the program — put on hold in 2011 as the first 304 students were to enroll — chose religious schools. 


Don’t Miss Tuesday, June 30, 8 p.m. #FairFundingPA chat on Twitter
You are invited to join the next monthly Twitter chat with Pennsylvania’s major education leadership organizations on Tuesday, June 30 at 8 p.m. They will discuss details of the recommendations for a fair, school funding formula made by the General Assembly’s Basic Education Funding Commission. Use hashtag #FairFundingPA to participate and follow the conversation.  On the last Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m., the following organizations go to Twitter to discuss timely topics, ask questions and listen to the public’s responses:
  • The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA);
  • The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA);
  • The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO);
  • The Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP)
  • The Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS)
Join the conversation. Share your ideas, lurk, learn and let us know what you think about the state’s support for public schools. It’s a simple, free and fast-paced way to communicate and share information. If you’ve never tweeted before, here are directions and a few tips:

Register Now – PAESSP State Conference – Oct. 18-20 – State College, PA
Registration is now open for PAESSP's State Conference to be held October 18-20 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA! This year's theme is @EVERYLEADER and features three nationally-known keynote speakers (Dr. James Stronge, Justin Baeder and Dr. Mike Schmoker), professional breakout sessions, a legal update, exhibits, Tech Learning Labs and many opportunities to network with your colleagues (Monday evening event with Jay Paterno).  Once again, in conjunction with its conference, PAESSP will offer two 30-hour Act 45 PIL-approved programs, Linking Student Learning to Teacher Supervision and Evaluation (pre-conference offering on 10/17/15); and Improving Student Learning Through Research-Based Practices: The Power of an Effective Principal (held during the conference, 10/18/15 -10/20/15). Register for either or both PIL programs when you register for the Full Conference!
REGISTER TODAY for the Conference and Act 45 PIL program/s at:

Apply now for EPLC’s 2015-2016 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program
Applications are available now for the 2015-2016 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).  The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC).  With more than 400 graduates in its first sixteen years, this Program is a premier professional development opportunity for educators, state and local policymakers, advocates, and community leaders.  State Board of Accountancy (SBA) credits are available to certified public accountants.  Past participants include state policymakers, district superintendents and principals, charter school leaders, school business officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide association leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education and community leaders.  Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer or another organization.  The Fellowship Program begins with a two-day retreat on September 17-18, 2015 and continues to graduation in June 2016.
Click here to read about the Education Policy Fellowship Program.

Sign up here to receive a weekly email update on the status of efforts to have Pennsylvania adopt an adequate, equitable, predictable and sustainable Basic Education Funding Formula by 2016
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Campaign for Fair Education Funding website
Our goal is to ensure that every student has access to a quality education no matter where they live. To make that happen, we need to fundamentally change how public schools are funded. The current system is not fair to students or taxpayers and our campaign partners – more than 50 organizations from across Pennsylvania - agree that it has to be changed now. Student performance is stagnating. School districts are in crisis. Lawmakers have the ability to change this formula but they need to hear from you. You can make a difference »

Monday, June 29, 2015

PA Ed Policy Roundup for June 29, 2015: Education funding debate highlighted budget’s first Senate step

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 3650 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, 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 and LinkedIn

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us on Twitter at @lfeinberg

Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for June 29, 2015:
Education funding debate highlighted budget’s first Senate step




Just a heads-up that the PA Ed Policy Roundup may be intermittent and/or late this week while some of us pretend we're on vacation




“Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery) called the Republican agreed-to budget and the debate on its merits “kabuki theatre.”  “This is never going to become law, this whole budget…because there is nothing of the governor’s priorities in this budget,” he said. “Rather than going through this exercise, I’d rather we continue negotiating and try to come up with an actual plan to move the ball forward for all people of Pennsylvania.”  Republicans have spreadsheets showing their budget invests $370 million in basic education spending more than the current fiscal year’s budget. The Wolf administration and legislative Democrats have contended the actual number is only $8 million.”
Education funding debate highlighted budget’s first Senate step
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Sunday, June 28, 2015/Categories: News and Views
The first step for the Senate in the continued movement of a Republican crafted FY 2015-2016 spending plan saw the legislation move out of the Senate Appropriations Committee along a straight party-line vote Sunday evening.  However, the committee action was permeated with debate over education funding after committee Minority Chairman Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) offered an amendment to fund education at the level proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf.
It was the second of three amendments Sen. Hughes offered to the budget bill.
“To say that the education investment proposal in House Bill 1192 is reflective of the needs and concerns of the people of the Commonwealth really does not make sense,” he said. “It shows folks are out of touch with what’s going on in the community.”

The ABCs of school-funding formulas
KRISTEN A. GRAHAM, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Sunday, June 28, 2015, 1:08 AM
Why does the education-funding formula now being debated in Harrisburg matter?
Pennsylvania is one of just three states in the country that lack such a formula, a situation that has led, experts say, to the single most inequitable system of allocating education dollars in the nation. But that might change if a proposal by a bipartisan commission created during the Corbett administration is adopted.  In virtually every state, legislated formulas govern how education dollars are divvied up, often solving for differences in districts' ability to pay for their students' educations.

Fair funding formula can be a win instead of a stalemate
Pottstown Mercury Editorial POSTED: 06/29/15, 2:00 AM EDT |
In typical Pennsylvania legislative tradition, this week promises to be the most active of the year in Harrisburg. The activity around the end of the fiscal year, which falls at midnight Tuesday, rolls together everything the Legislature should have been doing since the governor’s budget address last winter.  In recent days, the Republican-controlled House has voted on a budget which Gov. Tom Wolf has vowed to veto, and the partisan bickering over every topic from pension reform to how liquor is sold is going at full tilt.  In the midst of the chaos, the Basic Education Funding Commission on Thursday offered its report and recommendations for a fair funding formula.
The bipartisan commission came up with a formula that would benefit poorer schools in the Commonwealth, correcting some of the funding unbalance that has earned Pennsylvania a ranking among the most failing states for equity in public education.

“Late Sunday night, the Senate voted 27-22 to approve a bill that would create a statewide school district to oversee some of the lowest-performing schools in the state.  The Achievement School District would be empowered to convert a school under its jurisdiction to a charter school, among other options.”
Liquor overhaul, budget bills nearing floor of state Senate
By Kate Giammarise & Karen Langley / Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau June 29, 2015 12:00 AM
HARRISBURG — Legislative Republicans on Sunday unveiled their plan to unravel the state system of wine and liquor sales and began moving the bill toward Gov. Tom Wolf, who opposes turning the business over to the private sector.  In a rare Sunday session ahead of the state budget deadline Tuesday, Senate Republicans moved both the liquor bill and a GOP-crafted budget — which Mr. Wolf has said he would veto, in whole or in part — through committee and toward the Senate floor. The House has already approved the budget bill.

Two days before the #PaBudget deadline, Wolf, GOP still separated by a common language: Analysis
Penn Live By John L. Micek | jmicek@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on June 28, 2015 at 9:10 PM, updated June 29, 2015 at 6:40 AM
He was a tourist from Nepal - and unlike the rest of us, he was in the state Capitol willingly on Sunday night to see how the sausage was made.  State Rep. Mike Vereb, a Republican from Montgomery County, was trying to give the guy directions to the fourth-floor balcony above the state House chamber so the visitor could get a first-hand peek at democracy in action.
Or, y'know ... not.  It took a little while, but eventually, the two men, separated (to borrow from George Bernard Shaw) by a common language, finally managed to reach an understanding. And the tourist was on his merry way.

Are budget stakeholders being told to prepare for a budget impasse?
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Sunday, June 28, 2015/Categories: News and Views
As the July 1 start to the FY 2015-2016 is fast approaching and the possibility of a veto from Gov. Tom Wolf for a Republican-crafted budget plan looms, are lawmakers telling those that rely on budget dollars to prepare for a long-term budget stalemate?  It depends on who one asks.  “Everybody’s asking me what to do,” said Rep. Brian Sims (D-Philadelphia).
However, he said he is not yet telling those who rely on state budget dollars to prepare for the worst, fearing such a message would play into “scare tactics” of those who might want members to vote on a budget they don’t necessarily agree with.  “I refuse to carry somebody else’s spin,” he said.  As of now, Rep. Sims said he is telling those who call him with concerns about their paycheck, pension, or funding for schools in his district to reach out to Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) and House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana).  “Those two people have more of a say on those three issues than anyone does,” he told The PLS Reporter.  Senate Appropriations Committee Minority Chairman Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) said he’s been telling stakeholders to prepare for the worst for months now.

GOP lawmakers press state budget plan that risks Gov. Wolf's veto
Reading Eagle by The Associated Press  Saturday June 27, 2015 12:01 AM
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved an approximately $30 billion Republican-crafted budget bill on Saturday as the Wolf administration and top GOP lawmakers positioned themselves for a government shutdown and the first veto of an entire budget in at least four decades.  The bill passed 112-77 after two hours of debate during an unusual weekend session with just four days left in the state's fiscal year.  The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass the Republican-controlled chamber as early as Monday. However, it faces a near-certain veto by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, and without an enacted budget package by Wednesday, the Wolf administration will lose some spending authority, particularly for a wide variety of human and social services.

Pennsylvania lawmakers work through weekend on state budget
Delco Times By Mark Scolforo, The Associated Press POSTED: 06/28/15, 7:01 AM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. >> Pennsylvania lawmakers headed back to work in the Capitol on Sunday with expectations the Republican majority may soon send the Democratic governor a state budget and other legislation he appeared likely to veto.  The House’s voting session, starting in midafternoon, was likely to include some of the bills that traditionally accompany budget legislation at this time of the year.  The Senate was due in around dinner time, with committee votes on the main state budget and a proposal to privatize the state liquor system among its potential business.  A $30 billion-plus state budget bill passed the state House on Saturday, 112-77, with all Democrats and two Republicans voting “no.” Under the Legislature’s rules, the Senate can’t vote on it until Tuesday.  Republicans touted their budget proposal’s slight rise in education funding and that it lacked any tax increase despite the state’s substantial structural deficit. Democrats argued it again shortchanged schools after several years of inadequate state funding and employed too many short-term fixes that would leave public finances on shaky financial footing.

PA’s “Super Voucher” EITC/OSTC programs will divert up to $150 million in tax dollars to private and religious schools this year with no academic or fiscal transparency.  It is anticipated that legislation authorizing an additional $150 million may be part of the budget process unfolding in Harrisburg.  Some have also called these tax credit programs the “new WAMs” as they facilitate lawmakers being involved in bringing money to their districts…
Bucks company gains tax credits by donating to schools
Philly.com Chris Palmer LAST UPDATED: Monday, June 29, 2015, 1:08 AM
YARDLEY McCaffery's Food Markets is to make $100,000 donations to two schools in central Bucks County, the company announced last week, one to the Abrams Hebrew Academy in Yardley, the other to St. Andrew's Catholic School in Newtown.  The donations will be made under the state's Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, the company said, which provides Pennsylvania businesses with tax credits for donating to educational or scholarship organizations.  McCaffery's was founded in 1986 and has four supermarkets - one in Yardley, another in Newtown, and two in New Jersey. It is planning to open a fifth in Doylestown, the company said.  Rabbi Ira Budow, of the Abrams Hebrew Academy, praised the company's owner, Jim McCaffery, for the donation, calling him "truly a righteous person" who "sets an example for all of us."


Don’t Miss Tuesday, June 30, 8 p.m. #FairFundingPA chat on Twitter
You are invited to join the next monthly Twitter chat with Pennsylvania’s major education leadership organizations on Tuesday, June 30 at 8 p.m. They will discuss details of the recommendations for a fair, school funding formula made by the General Assembly’s Basic Education Funding Commission. Use hashtag #FairFundingPA to participate and follow the conversation.  On the last Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m., the following organizations go to Twitter to discuss timely topics, ask questions and listen to the public’s responses:
  • The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA);
  • The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA);
  • The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO);
  • The Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP)
  • The Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS)
Join the conversation. Share your ideas, lurk, learn and let us know what you think about the state’s support for public schools. It’s a simple, free and fast-paced way to communicate and share information. If you’ve never tweeted before, here are directions and a few tips:

Register Now – PAESSP State Conference – Oct. 18-20 – State College, PA
Registration is now open for PAESSP's State Conference to be held October 18-20 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA! This year's theme is @EVERYLEADER and features three nationally-known keynote speakers (Dr. James Stronge, Justin Baeder and Dr. Mike Schmoker), professional breakout sessions, a legal update, exhibits, Tech Learning Labs and many opportunities to network with your colleagues (Monday evening event with Jay Paterno).  Once again, in conjunction with its conference, PAESSP will offer two 30-hour Act 45 PIL-approved programs, Linking Student Learning to Teacher Supervision and Evaluation (pre-conference offering on 10/17/15); and Improving Student Learning Through Research-Based Practices: The Power of an Effective Principal (held during the conference, 10/18/15 -10/20/15). Register for either or both PIL programs when you register for the Full Conference!
REGISTER TODAY for the Conference and Act 45 PIL program/s at:

Apply now for EPLC’s 2015-2016 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program
Applications are available now for the 2015-2016 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).  The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC).  With more than 400 graduates in its first sixteen years, this Program is a premier professional development opportunity for educators, state and local policymakers, advocates, and community leaders.  State Board of Accountancy (SBA) credits are available to certified public accountants.  Past participants include state policymakers, district superintendents and principals, charter school leaders, school business officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide association leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education and community leaders.  Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer or another organization.  The Fellowship Program begins with a two-day retreat on September 17-18, 2015 and continues to graduation in June 2016.
Click here to read about the Education Policy Fellowship Program.

Sign up here to receive a weekly email update on the status of efforts to have Pennsylvania adopt an adequate, equitable, predictable and sustainable Basic Education Funding Formula by 2016
Sign up to support fair funding »
Campaign for Fair Education Funding website
Our goal is to ensure that every student has access to a quality education no matter where they live. To make that happen, we need to fundamentally change how public schools are funded. The current system is not fair to students or taxpayers and our campaign partners – more than 50 organizations from across Pennsylvania - agree that it has to be changed now. Student performance is stagnating. School districts are in crisis. Lawmakers have the ability to change this formula but they need to hear from you. You can make a difference »

Saturday, June 27, 2015

PA Ed Policy Roundup June 27: Budget Sec'y Albright: after looking at the "fine print," the GOP budget only adds $8 million to education

Daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 3650 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, 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 and LinkedIn

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
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Keystone State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup for June 27, 2015:
Budget Sec'y Albright: after looking at the "fine print," the GOP budget only adds $8 million to education



Just a heads-up that the PA Ed Policy Roundup may be intermittent and/or late next week while some of us pretend we're on vacation



" House members were scheduled to return to the Capitol at 11 a.m. Saturday in an unusual weekend session with four days left in the state’s fiscal year."
GOP budget bill facing Wolf’s veto positioned for House vote
Pottstown Mercury By The Associated Press POSTED: 06/27/15, 6:48 AM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. >> An approximately $30 billion Republican budget package is nearing a House floor vote, although it faces a near-certain veto by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf as the Pennsylvania state government's fiscal year is ending.  House members were scheduled to return to the Capitol at 11 a.m. Saturday in an unusual weekend session with four days left in the state’s fiscal year.  The Republican plan would boost state spending by about $1 billion and hold the line on taxes. But Democrats say it’s packed with one-time stopgaps of more than $1.5 billion to balance and Wolf says he’ll veto it.  The GOP plan would increase spending on public schools by $100 million, one-fourth of the record increase being sought by Wolf. It also offset costs by counting proceeds from the privatization the state-run liquor and wine store system.

"After the governor spoke, Budget Sec. Randy Albright and Sec. of Policy and Planning John Hanger addressed members of the media on specifics of what they don’t like about the GOP budget proposal.  On the Authorities Rental and Sinking Fund Requirements line item, Sec. Albright said that is still money that needs to be paid, regardless of it being taken offline.  “Those are expenditures we’re obligated to make unless we come up with a way to meet those authority rental payments, but we don’t reflect that cost currently in the General Fund budget,” he said, referring to the proposal as “smoke and mirrors” that will grow the following year’s deficit.  The administration also contends, after looking at the "fine print," the GOP budget only adds $8 million to education."
GOP’s budget plan revealed; Gov. Wolf vows veto
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Friday, June 26, 2015
House and Senate Republican leaders stood united Friday afternoon unveiling the much anticipated agreed-to budget bill that they promise to have to the governor’s desk by the end of June 30th.  “In November of 2014, the people of Pennsylvania sent historic majorities of the Pennsylvania House and the Pennsylvania Senate—Republicans—to Harrisburg with a mandate to reign in state government spending and to hold the line on taxes,” said Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre).   He said the budget put together lives up to that mandate, noting it makes significant new investments in education, grows at a rate below TABOR, as well as making investments in agriculture, services for victims of rape and domestic violence, and security for the Pope’s visit in September.

Wolf to veto GOP budget plan
ANGELA COULOUMBIS, INQUIRER HARRISBURG BUREAU LAST UPDATED: Friday, June 26, 2015, 5:55 PM POSTED: Friday, June 26, 2015, 4:47 PM
HARRISBURG - Gov. Wolf said Friday that he will veto the $30.1 billion budget proposal that Republicans who control the legislature are preparing to send him.  "I refuse, as governor, to let a few willful people hold our Commonwealth hostage to a few narrow interests and the status quo," the governor told reporters just hours after Republicans unveiled their alternative to Wolf's proposed spending plan.  A veto by the governor all but ensures that the state will not have a budget in place by the July 1 start of the new fiscal year, which is Wednesday. A protracted impasse can affect the state's ability to pay its bills.  The GOP's budget would raise no new taxes and include additional money for public education, although substantially less than what the governor has proposed.

"Republicans would add $100 million to the per-pupil subsidy, the education budget's largest expense, for a total of $5.6 billion. By comparison, Wolf wants a $400 million increase for each student for a total of $6.1 billion.  Republicans would spend $20 million more for special education; Wolf wants $100 million.  Wolf also allocates $306 million for a state program, PlanCon, that partially reimburses districts for school construction costs. Republicans take all construction money out of their budget and replace it with proceeds from a future bond. Although the construction money is out of the budget, Republicans still count it as part of their total education increase, documents show."
Wolf vows to veto Republican lawmakers' $30.1 billion budget
Morning Call By Steve Esack and Sam Janesch Call Harrisburg Bureau June 26, 2015
HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf vowed Friday to veto the Republican-controlled Legislature's $30.1 billion budget plan that does not raise taxes.  "I refuse, as governor, to let a few willful people hold our commonwealth hostage to a few narrow interests and a status quo that has everyday Pennsylvanians struggling with underfunded schools," Wolf said at an evening news conference.  The GOP budget plan, approved on a party line vote Friday night by the House Appropriations Committee, is nearly 11 percent lower than the $33.8 billion Wolf wants.  The full House is scheduled to vote on the budget Saturday, June 27. The Senate will vote on it next week. It is not expected to have any Democratic support. A budget must be passed by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.

"It includes a $100 million increase in funding for basic education subsidies and $20 million more for special education, clears a backlog in state reimbursements for school construction, and a 3 percent increase in appropriations to the state's public universities.  Wolf's Budget Secretary Randy Albright said what the Republicans failed to take into account was their $112 million underfunding of state contributions toward school district's Social Security and pension payments, so the net increase in funding to schools is $8 million."
Wolf vows to veto GOP-crafted budget that fails to address his priorities
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on June 26, 2015 at 6:47 PM
Just before a House-Senate GOP-crafted budget was about to begin to moving through the legislative approval process, Gov. Tom Wolf predicted a veto was in its future.  He called the $30.1 billion spending plan nothing more than "smoke and mirrors" that relies on gimmicks to bring it into balance.  While Republicans maintain it includes no tax increases, top aides to the Democratic governor said it likely would result in higher school property taxes and higher college tuition due to the modest increases it provides for school districts and colleges.  "I refuse as governor to let a few willful people hold our commonwealth hostage to a few narrow interests and a status quo that has everyday Pennsylvanians struggling with underfunded schools. We've had numerous credit downgrades in Pennsylvania and an underperforming economy," Wolf said.

House and Senate Republicans launch a "majority-approved" budget, without agreement from Gov. Tom Wolf
By Charles Thompson | cthompson@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on June 26, 2015 at 5:05 PM
Leaders of Pennsylvania's Republican House and Senate majorities announced agreement Friday on a $30.1 billion budget that they expect to pass and send to Gov. Tom Wolf in time for the new fiscal year July 1.  The legislative product is not the result of negotiations with the Democrat governor, however, and may be vetoed once it reaches his desk.  The GOP leaders said they believe Pennsylvanians can live comfortably with their plan, which they noted includes spending increases for all levels of public education, meets the state's scheduled pension payments and does not rely on any new taxes.

GOP lawmakers to send Wolf their $30.1B budget by Tuesday
Trib Live By Brad Bumsted Friday, June 26, 2015, 4:54 p.m.
HARRISBURG — A House-Senate budget of $30.2 billion crafted by Republicans meets the mandate voters gave in November to GOP majorities in both chambers by “reining in spending and holding the line on taxes,” Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman said Friday.  But Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said that it isn't a balanced budget and he'll veto it if it arrives on his desk in its current form.  The full House is expected Saturday to approve the budget that increases overall spending by 3.6 percent and boosts basic education spending by $100 million. Voting along party lines by a 21-15 margin, the House Appropriations Committee on Friday night approved the budget to tee it up for consideration by the full chamber.  With a state spending plan due by midnight Tuesday, the Senate will begin voting Sunday night and send the Republican-crafted budget to Wolf by Tuesday, said Corman of Centre County.
What new funding formula would mean for your school district (based upon a hypothetical $100 million funding increase)
Penn Live By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on June 26, 2015 at 12:28 PM
There's no politics to the proposed school funding formula. It simply distributes state dollars for basic education based on various factors that can add to a school district's cost of educating students.  Below is a spreadsheet shared with Republican senators that assumes basic education funding is increased by $100 million. It's a hypothetical number. The real increase in this bread-and-butter revenue stream that districts depend on from the state to help fund their operations is still the subject of negotiations between Gov. Tom Wolf and legislative leaders.  But Senate Education Committee Chairman Lloyd Smucker, R-Lancaster County, said this spreadsheet shows how the weighted factors built into the formula would distribute that level of new state aid to each of the state's 500 school districts.

Otto-Eldred’s Splain campaigns for basic ed funding formula
The Bradford Era By BARB CLOSE Era Correspondent and ALEX DAVIS Era  reporter news@bradfordera.com Posted: Friday, June 26, 2015 10:00 am
Otto-Eldred School District Superintendent Matt Splain represented rural Pennsylvania at the state capitol on Tuesday, joining the fight for fair education funding.  Splain rallied with hundreds of parents, students, clergy, community leaders, teachers, other educators and members of the Campaign for Fair Education Funding to encourage state legislators to put in place a basic education funding formula unveiled last week.  On June 18, the Basic Education Funding Commission recommended a formula be approved by the state General Assembly. Under the proposal, several factors would be taken into account in distributing money to the 500 school districts in the Commonwealth, such as poverty, student population, English language learners and charter school enrollment. A “sparsity size adjustment” would also be included, which is designed to adjust funding due to the “unique challenges” that small, rural school districts face.  At the Tuesday event in Harrisburg, Splain said rural districts such as his in McKean County have very little capacity to bring in local tax dollars.  “It is critical that Pennsylvania meets its obligation to adequately fund opportunities for all students through a formula,” he said.

Rally In Erie Supports Education Funding In Proposed PA Budget
ErieTVNews.com By Emily Matson Posted: Jun 26, 2015 5:19 PM EDT
With the state budget deadline looming in Pennsylvania, some people gather for a rally Friday afternoon, to try and encourage legislators for better school funding.  A statewide bus tour stopped in Erie Friday for a rally, it's one of 13 stops throughout the Commonwealth.  It's all to advocate for lawmakers to reinvest in Erie schools.  They want them to pass Governor Tom Wolf's proposed budget, which allots $11 Million dollars in new funding for local schools.  Lawmakers have until June 30th to pass a budget, that's next Tuesday.  And both the governor and legislators say they're willing to work over the weekend to get a budget passed.

Pa. needs funding formula
Trib Live Letter to the Editor by Nathan Mains, PSBA Executive Director June 26, 2015, 8:57 p.m.
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association believes the state Basic Education Funding Commission's proposed formula is a great step forward to adequate, equitable and fair school funding. The commonwealth is one of only three states in the nation without a funding formula for public education.  The time is now for a bipartisan effort to move the funding formula across the finish line and pass legislation putting it into place.  A formula will go a long way to help school entities develop their annual budgets. It will help with the equitable distribution of funding to alleviate the current disparities in how state dollars are allocated.
"It is therefore doubtful that a meaningful difference in teacher performance separates the "needs improvement" educator who scored a 1.49 from the "proficient" colleague down the hall who scored a 1.5. A very small difference on any one element of the evaluation could have been the deciding factor. House Bill 805 ignores all of these concerns and requires that a district implementing furloughs lay off the 1.49 teacher before the 1.50 teacher -- even if the building principal has good reason and evidence to believe that the score is invalid or not a true reflection of differences in skill or effectiveness. "
Why ending seniority-based layoffs now is a bad idea
the notebook Commentary By Adam Schott on Jun 26, 2015 03:25 PM
Adam Schott is a former executive director of the State Board of Education.
Pennsylvania’s education workforce has declined by more than 20,000 as a result of inadequate state funding and rising state mandates. A recent budget survey found that more than 40 percent of the state's school districts plan further staff reductions in the 2015-16 fiscal year.  Rather than attack the core issue -- that the state has one of the nation’s most inadequate and chaotic school funding systems -- some Harrisburg legislators are fixated on a further hollowing-out of our public schools.   Sponsored by State Rep. Stephen Bloom (R-Cumberland), House Bill 805, which passed the State House on a mainly party-line vote on Tuesday, would scrap longstanding policy that requires school districts to base furlough decisions on reverse order of teacher seniority. Instead, districts would be compelled to make personnel decisions based on teachers' most recent performance evaluations.  Reasonable people can disagree about whether seniority alone should determine furlough decisions. It's a different matter entirely to presume that Act 82, which established the state's new teacher evaluation system, is ready to inform these high-stakes decisions.

Details of House pension plan emerge
The PLS Reporter Author: Jason Gottesman/Friday, June 26, 2015
House Republicans spent most of Friday morning and early afternoon caucusing on what is likely to be their version of pension reform, to be adopted as an amendment to Senate Bill 1 sometime in the next several days.  Rep. Mike Tobash (R-Schuylkill), one of the House GOP’s top pension minds and a member of the Public Employee Retirement Commission, spoke to The PLS Reporter about the likely contents of that plan and what was discussed in those caucus discussions.  “I think members continue to be interested in some of the goals we’ve been trying to achieve for the last number of years, namely, shifting some risk from the taxpayer and out of the hands of a legislature that has not been able to manage a defined benefit plan and develop savings and provide some kind of a benefit for new employees coming into the system,” he said.

Pa. doesn't need to spend more on schools, it needs to spend more wisely: Scott Wagner
PennLive Op-Ed  By Scott Wagner  June 26, 2015 at 9:52 AM, updated June 26, 2015 at 3:24 PM
I am writing to respond to the June 25 Op-ed from Frances Wolf, First Lady of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  It's unfortunate that nearly a half-year after his inauguration Gov. Tom Wolf remains in campaign mode, crisscrossing the state with Mrs. Wolf and others making absurd claims about education spending.  Mrs. Wolf writes that King Elementary school, part of the Lancaster Area School District, has a library filled with 30-year-old textbooks and Mrs. Wolf is quoted saying, "They don't have the funds to replace them with updated versions." She leads readers to believe it's the result of "devastating cuts" in state funding.     A quick check by my office reveals that the school district is sitting on a funding balance of $15.24 million.  And while the governor promises a windfall of new spending to help schools, he ducks action on the number one cause of school cutbacks and property tax hikes: skyrocketing pension costs.

School District of Lancaster board puts contract vote on hold
Lancaster Online By K. SCOTT KREIDER | LNP Correspondent Friday, June 26, 2015 4:37 pm
A new collective bargaining agreement for teachers in School District of Lancaster that was expected to pass this week met its first snag on Tuesday.  A vote to approve the new teachers’ contract was on the agenda for the school board’s regular meeting on Tuesday night, but board members unanimously voted to table the agreement without further discussion.  “The Lancaster City Education Association informed the district earlier this afternoon that despite prior indication the agreement had been ratified by its membership, a second vote is now necessary,’’ a district spokesperson said on Tuesday.

In Philly, ISTE 2015: Ed-tech leadership, maker education, and professional learning
By Benjamin Herold for Education Week on Jun 26, 2015 05:29 PM
The country's largest educational technology conference kicks off this weekend, with roughly 18,000 educators, vendors, and advocates set to convene here for four-plus days of swapping classroom strategies, playing with gadgets, and diving into the sweeping policy changes that are reshaping digital learning in K-12 schools.  Among the big themes: the importance of shared responsibility when it comes to effectively integrating technology into the classroom.  "I'm most excited about the increased conversation around the need to approach this as a team," said Brian Lewis, the CEO of the conference's host organization, the Washington-based International Society for Technology in Education.

Kansas: Parts of School Funding Law Unconstitutional
New York Times By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JUNE 26, 2015
A district court panel in Kansas ruled on Friday that key parts of a new state law for financing public schools violated the state constitution. The three-judge panel in Shawnee County District Court in Topeka ruled that the law failed to distribute more than $4 billion a year so all children received a suitable education. The state is expected to appeal the ruling to the Kansas Supreme Court. The new law scrapped an older per-pupil distribution formula in favor of predictable grants to the state’s 286 school districts based on the funds they received before the law changed. The law was challenged by the Dodge City, Hutchinson, Wichita and Kansas City school districts. They argued that it distributed state funds in ways that harmed programs for poor and minority students. The four districts sued the state in 2010, and legislators increased aid to poor school districts last year to meet a Kansas Supreme Court mandate in the case. But the state justices returned the case to the lower-court panel to review additional legal issues — including the validity of the new law.

Report Criticizes Walton Foundation Support for Charter School Expansion
Education Week District Dossier Blog By Denisa R. Superville on June 24, 2015 2:27 PM
The American Federation of Teachers and In the Public Interest issued a report on Tuesday heavily criticizing The Walton Family Foundation's "market-driven" charter school "ideology" that they say has rapidly expanded the number of charter schools, without the accompanying transparency and accountability measures. That "unregulated" growth, they said, has resulted in fraud and mismanagement in the sector.  The report, "Brought to You by Wal-Mart? How the Walton Family Foundation's Ideological Pursuit is Damaging Charter Schooling," was accompanied by an 11-point "accountability agenda" that proposes specific steps the charter school sector should take to engender "a renewed commitment to the fundamental democratic principles of transparency, accountability, equal opportunity and stewardship of public funds."  The plan asks the Arkansas-based foundation—which has given millions to charter school start-ups and to lobbying efforts on behalf of charter schools and voucher programs—to ask schools and grantees that receive its funds to commit to certain ideals in areas of accountability, protecting neighborhood schools, protecting taxpayer funds, and ensuring high quality education for every child.  (Education Week receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of parent-empowerment issues.)


Don’t Miss Tuesday, June 30, 8 p.m. #FairFundingPA chat on Twitter
You are invited to join the next monthly Twitter chat with Pennsylvania’s major education leadership organizations on Tuesday, June 30 at 8 p.m. They will discuss details of the recommendations for a fair, school funding formula made by the General Assembly’s Basic Education Funding Commission. Use hashtag #FairFundingPA to participate and follow the conversation.  On the last Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m., the following organizations go to Twitter to discuss timely topics, ask questions and listen to the public’s responses:
  • The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA);
  • The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA);
  • The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO);
  • The Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP)
  • The Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS)
Join the conversation. Share your ideas, lurk, learn and let us know what you think about the state’s support for public schools. It’s a simple, free and fast-paced way to communicate and share information. If you’ve never tweeted before, here are directions and a few tips:

Register Now – PAESSP State Conference – Oct. 18-20 – State College, PA
Registration is now open for PAESSP's State Conference to be held October 18-20 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA! This year's theme is @EVERYLEADER and features three nationally-known keynote speakers (Dr. James Stronge, Justin Baeder and Dr. Mike Schmoker), professional breakout sessions, a legal update, exhibits, Tech Learning Labs and many opportunities to network with your colleagues (Monday evening event with Jay Paterno).  Once again, in conjunction with its conference, PAESSP will offer two 30-hour Act 45 PIL-approved programs, Linking Student Learning to Teacher Supervision and Evaluation (pre-conference offering on 10/17/15); and Improving Student Learning Through Research-Based Practices: The Power of an Effective Principal (held during the conference, 10/18/15 -10/20/15). Register for either or both PIL programs when you register for the Full Conference!
REGISTER TODAY for the Conference and Act 45 PIL program/s at:

Apply now for EPLC’s 2015-2016 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program
Applications are available now for the 2015-2016 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).  The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC).  With more than 400 graduates in its first sixteen years, this Program is a premier professional development opportunity for educators, state and local policymakers, advocates, and community leaders.  State Board of Accountancy (SBA) credits are available to certified public accountants.  Past participants include state policymakers, district superintendents and principals, charter school leaders, school business officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide association leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education and community leaders.  Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer or another organization.  The Fellowship Program begins with a two-day retreat on September 17-18, 2015 and continues to graduation in June 2016.
Click here to read about the Education Policy Fellowship Program.

Sign up here to receive a weekly email update on the status of efforts to have Pennsylvania adopt an adequate, equitable, predictable and sustainable Basic Education Funding Formula by 2016
Sign up to support fair funding »
Campaign for Fair Education Funding website
Our goal is to ensure that every student has access to a quality education no matter where they live. To make that happen, we need to fundamentally change how public schools are funded. The current system is not fair to students or taxpayers and our campaign partners – more than 50 organizations from across Pennsylvania - agree that it has to be changed now. Student performance is stagnating. School districts are in crisis. Lawmakers have the ability to change this formula but they need to hear from you. You can make a difference »