Pennsylvania Education Crisis Highlights - June 24, 2012
These daily posting are are available and archived at the Pennsylvania SOS blog at http://www.pa-sos.org. If a link is broken in the daily email the corrected link will be at this blog.
FYI: Important documents from Parents Across America about the Broad Foundation.
The two Superintendent candidates in Philadelphia are graduates of the Broad Superintendent Academy.
A Parent Guide to the Broad Foundation’s training programs and education policies
How to tell if your School District is infected by the Broad Virus
Don't forget while reading these, Arlene Ackerman was on the Board of the Broad Foundation while she was Superintendent of the Philadelphia School District from 2008-2011.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/broad-center-announces-new-board...
She was the first superintendent-in-residence of their Superintendents Academy in 2007-2008.
http://www.broadeducation.org/asset/0-090504tbasuptsinresidence.pdf
Do a search for "Ackerman" in the document.
No Confidence vote on Dr. William Hite:
August 10, 2011 comment on Dr. Hite, one of the two candidates for Superintendent in Philadelphia, from his current District in Prince George's County, Maryland
from Reform PGCPS Sasscer
"Some accusations leading to the Community’s perception of betrayal and lack of confidence in Superintendent William Hite Jr. this school year include:"
Reminder: PA Voucher Alert House votes tomorrow
from Keystone Education Coalition
“HB2468 is the largest and most aggressive voucher proposal yet and it is fast-tracked to be part of the ongoing budget negotiations.
Roebuck: New bill 'vouchers on steroids... worst bill yet'
Estimates 85 to 90 percent of kids getting voucher would already be in private schools
Harrisburg, June 22 – State Rep. James Roebuck, D-Phila., Democratic chairman of the House Education Committee, said a bill set for a Monday vote in the committee is "school vouchers on steroids – the worst bill yet."
Roebuck said H.B. 2468 goes well beyond previous bills to give out tax-funded private-school vouchers, both from the Ridge era in the 1990s and bills introduced in the current session.
"Make no mistake – it's just vouchers through a tax credit. The business donations would be 90 percent reimbursed with state tax credits. It deserves careful scrutiny just as the Shell Oil tax credit proposal does," Roebuck said.
Roebuck said key areas of concern with the bill include:”
http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/
Note: It should be noted that Rep. Roebuck was recently reelected by a slim margin. He was targeted by Michelle Rhee’s Students First and other right wing philanthropists for his opposition to vouchers. His pro-voucher opponent received more than $400,000 in donations from outside the district.
SRC renews five charters, adds 1,600 seats
from the Philadelphia School Notebook
“Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission renewed all five charters up for consideration Friday, but not before a sometimes brusque debate among the commissioners about the growing cost to the District of expanding charter enrollment.”
http://thenotebook.org/blog/124962/src-renews-five-charters-adds-1600-seats
No one will get exactly what was wanted in the $3.6 billion budget City Council is set to pass next week.
Council's $3.6 billion budget plan spreads pain around
from the Philadelphia Inquirer
“Mayor Nutter had hoped to install his property tax reform, the Actual Value Initiative (AVI). Council plans to delay it a year.
The School District wanted - said it needed - $94 million in new revenue. The district is going to have to make do with $40 million instead.”
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20120623_Council_s__3_6_billion_budget_plan_spreads_pain_around.html
Must viewing since 10% of the Philadelphia School District budget goes to debt service. (Contracts which “must be honored” unlike collective bargaining agreements.):
How Big Banks Victimize Our Democracy
from Bill Moyers and Company
“JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s appearances in the last two weeks before Congressional committees — many members of which received campaign contributions from the megabank — beg the question: For how long and how many ways are average Americans going to pay the price for big bank hubris, with our own government acting as accomplice?”
http://billmoyers.com/episode/full-show-how-big-banks-victimize-our-democracy/