Philadelphia students protest budget cuts at City Hall

Submitted by Dale Mezzacappa on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 14:02 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

Farah Abney, a kindergarten student at Powel Elementary, holds up her sign during the City Hall protest. It says, "We need safety and books." ​(Photo: Dale Mezzacappa)

Parents and students from Powel, Henry, Penn Alexander and Masterman schools came to City Hall on Wednesday morning to protest proposed District budget cuts, converging in a staircase up to the second floor.

Mayor Nutter walked through the chanting crowd right after he had announced with Superintendent William Hite that he was proposing a package to raise $95 million in new revenue for the District, which is $35 million more than the School Reform Commission had requested.

The money would come from a new $2 city tax on a pack of cigarettes and a hike in the liquor-by-the-drink tax. For both measures, the District needs enabling legislation from Harrisburg that has been introduced and that Nutter and state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams said has support. Nutter also announced that the city expects to step up property tax collections to raise $28 million in additional funds next year for the District, which faces a $304 million budget gap. 

Harner to replace Tomalis as Pa. education secretary

Submitted by thenotebook on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 13:03 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

Ronald Tomalis will step down as Pennysylvania's education secretary at the end of the month, Gov. Corbett announced today in a statement. He is to be replaced by Cumberland Valley schools chief William Harner.

Tomalis, who served as the state's top education official for two years, will become a special adviser to the governor on higher education. Harner previously served briefly as a special assistant to Paul Vallas during his tenure as Philadelphia schools superintendent, and then again worked under Vallas in New Orleans as his deputy superintendent.

Read the full statement below.

To help children learn, get the lead out

Submitted by thenotebook on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 11:15 Posted in Commentary | Permalink

by Tom Vernon and Shelly Yanoff 

Sometimes we fail to look for causes in conspicuous places. As we seek out reasons why our children are having trouble learning in school, tens of thousands of our kids’ futures are being cut down because, in their younger years, they were exposed to lead. 

For at least two decades, neurological and epidemiological research has told us that lead affects academic performance, classroom behavior, and the rest of life. We know so much more today from more recent research. Now we know that even low levels of lead can cause serious damage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bleakly states: “No safe blood lead level in children has been identified.”

Notes from the news, May 15

Submitted by thenotebook on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 09:46 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

Two schools challenge district's charter revocation recommendations. Daily News

Extra students may put Discovery Charter in jeopardy. Inquirer

A front-runner has emerged to replace Tomalis as education secretary. Inquirer

In the Common Core controversy, state policymakers have three choices. Patriot-News

Boos for Booze: On Nutter's plan. Daily News

March to Harrisburg demands budgets for schools and people, not prisons. City Paper

Panel to discuss pushback on high-stakes testing. Notebook

What should be done with University City High School after it closes? Notebook

Task force will address the biggest problem facing American children. Answer Sheet

News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition

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Panel to discuss pushback on high-stakes testing

Submitted by Helen Gym on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 18:05 Posted in Commentary | Permalink

High-stakes testing and communities pushing back have been all over the news lately. Just this week, Senate Democratic leaders held a press conference opposing the implementation of Keystone exams, mandatory end-of-course state exams that will go into effect for September's 9th-grade class. Amid a backdrop of unprecedented statewide cuts under the Corbett administration, Senate leaders said the Keystones would "cost taxpayers dearly" and were being implemented "without a full understanding of the benefits for students, teachers, administrators, and taxpayers.”

What should be done with University City High School after it closes?

Submitted by thenotebook on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 15:53 Posted in Events | Permalink

AxisPhilly will hold the second of its Schoolhouse Watch forums tomorrow to discuss the fate of University City High School. Solomon Jones will moderate a panel that includes City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and civic and business leaders from the area.

Community members are encouraged, as part of the ongoing project, to register, attend, and engage with area experts and leaders in a conversation on how best to use the 23 school facilities that will close down later this summer.

The forum will take place at 4 p.m. at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 3500 Baring St. You can also watch the forum live.

Notes from the news, May 14

Submitted by thenotebook on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 09:38 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

District gets tough with two charters over money dispute. Notebook

See also: Discovery School faces loss of charter. Tribune

Pennsylvania's charter schools routinely flout state's Right-To-Know law. Inquirer 

Ex-teacher, school settle bias case. Inquirer

Whistleblower suit against Community Charter will move forward after three years. Inquirer

District staff recommends closing Imani Charter. Notebook

Pennsylvania getting swept into national 'Common Core' education debate. Morning Call

How KIPP uses technology. Hechinger Report

News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition

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Watch: SRC meeting on blended learning

Submitted by thenotebook on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 17:28 | Permalink

Blended learning is the subject of tonight's School Reform Commission meeting. The list of scheduled speakers includes Chris Lehmann, principal of Science Leadership Academy and Lisa Nutter, head of Philadelphia Academies and wife of the mayor.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. 

District staff recommends closing Imani Charter

Submitted by David Limm on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 14:39 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

Imani Education Circle Charter School in Germantown may have to fight to stay open beyond the end of this school year.

According to a list of pending resolutions for the School Reform Commission's Wednesday meeting, District staff is recommending that the 14-year-old charter be closed down. 

District gets tough with two charters over money dispute

Submitted by thenotebook on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:34 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner

Discovery Charter School officials say the District's threat to revoke its charter could lead to default on a bond being used to build a new facility at Belmont and Parkside in West Philadelphia. (Benjamin Herold/WHYY)

Philadelphia School District officials are recommending that Discovery Charter School in West Philadelphia be shut down, due to a high-stakes dispute over enrollment caps and $406,000.

Confronted with a similar threat, Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter in Kensington last month repaid the District more than $435,000.  

The School Reform Commission could vote on Discovery's future later this week.

With Superintendent William Hite pushing a freeze on charter expansion due to the District's budget crisis, charter operators around the city will be watching the stand-off with Discovery closely as they consider their own plans to grow.

Notes from the news, May 13

Submitted by thenotebook on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 09:38 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

Corbett's education secretary said to be looking for a new job. Inquirer

District's nursing cuts are putting students at risk. NewsWorks

Charter school lawyers ask judge to postpone whistleblower's suit. Inquirer

Teacher: The PSSA is the wrong way to test some schoolchildren. Inquirer

Parents are mobilizing, the way they know how. Notebook

PSP will give $600K to eight Catholic high schools. Inquirer

School funding mess heats up city controller race. Daily News

Councilwomen to Gov: Shadow a Philly kid for a day to see your cuts. Patriot-News

Paul Vallas' "Nixon goes to China" moment. Answer Sheet

Math skills at age 7 predict how much money you'll make. Atlantic

News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition

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5 Northwest Philly teachers win Lindback awards near end of tumultuous school year

Submitted by thenotebook on Fri, 05/10/2013 - 15:14 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

by Aaron Moselle for NewsWorks

​When it comes to teaching, Catherine Michini is exceedingly humble.

In fact, the longtime math teacher said she felt funny receiving the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation's Distinguished Teaching Award this week. The honor is handed out each year to one teacher at each of the city's public high schools.

Being singled out is just not her style.

Parents are mobilizing, the way they know how

Submitted by thenotebook on Fri, 05/10/2013 - 11:55 Posted in Commentary | Permalink

by Kristen Poole

Hundreds of students marched to City Hall yesterday demanding that the city help with the School District's dire budget shortfall. It was an admirable, even inspiring moment of collective civic action. The students, who came from many different schools, organized a march in the ways expected from young people today: over social media, through text messaging, and by word of mouth.

The demonstration was both highly visible and audible. It could be tracked with news helicopters in the air and documented by iPhones on the ground.

Lately, there has been a surge of activity more difficult to see and hear. I'm referring to the activity of hundreds of parents fighting for the schools. Those of us with work to do, dinner to cook, and kids to car-pool haven’t been staging large Occupy Wall Street-type protests. But don’t mistake our lack of chanting on Broad Street for silence.

Notes from the news, May 10

Submitted by thenotebook on Fri, 05/10/2013 - 09:43 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

Schools' need for money center of attention in Philadelphia. NewsWorks via Notebook

See also: Philly schools seek $304M to avoid harmful cuts. AP

City leaders pledge effort to find $180 million in additional school funding. Inquirer

Students protest at City Hall as debate heats up over school funding. City Paper

See also: ​Students stage protest march on Broad Street. 6ABC 

Protesting budget cuts, students march on City Hall. NewsWorks via Notebook

​​Students marched on City Hall and School District to protest budget cuts. NBC10

Nutter proposes alcohol, tobacco tax hikes to help fill school budget shortfall. Daily News

If the District wants parental support for more funding, it must redo the budget. Inquirer

Council President: City won’t give School District more money until the state does. CBS Philly

The education gap has narrowed sharply for Latinos the last decade. NY Times

News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition

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Protesting budget cuts, students march on City Hall

Submitted by thenotebook on Thu, 05/09/2013 - 18:26 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

Two days after hundreds of students from around the city rallied outside School District headquarters protesting budget cuts, hundreds more left school today to march on City Hall.  (Video by NewsWorks)