Political Notes

McKillop & Associates

December 9, 2002

 

   This report is a look into the future for education under the new Administration. The governor-elect, Ed Rendell, has stated many times how his administration is going to provide more support for basic and higher education.

 

   In order to do this he must promote at least three different approaches:

 

1.                  He must cut spending in the present budget.

2.                  He must promote new revenue by discovering new sources of revenue (slots).

3.                  He must raise taxes (if the other two are not successful).

 

At present his administration is $3 billion short of revenue in the latest projections.

 

   It is the Governor-elect's intent to use the revenue from gambling (slot machines) for education, but he must deal with the Republican House and Senate first. Look for a compromise with them allowing half of the new revenue to fund PACE and PACENET, which are also short of funds.

 

   In addition to funding education, it is my belief that the Governor-elect will appoint an educator as Secretary of Education. Two or three urban superintendents have been mentioned as well as other educational leaders in the Commonwealth.

 

   Tax reform is another commitment made on behalf of the Governor. It is believed that he will make a concerted effort to bring this to fruition. In any case, the Governor-elect must deal with a Republican legislature, which is not an easy task.

 

   Many of the appointments made by Rendell have been excellent and all indications are that there will be many qualified individuals join his administration.

 

   Because supporting education is important, the principal’s efforts should be with the legislature. All bills are dead as of the last day of Sine Die. So, all of the education bills must be re-introduced in January. McKillop & Associates will be asking PAESSP members to contact their legislators to sponsor the education bills, including 30-and-out legislation. Every principal who meets with his/her legislators is asked to submit a report to the State Office.

 

   Please make every effort to meet the new legislators as soon as possible in the new session. It would be beneficial to see PAESSP members submit their resumes for any vacancy that may occur on boards and commissions in the state. Just send them to the State Office and they will be sent over to the Governor’s office. PAESSP members should also volunteer for any education advisory committees that are established in their district by their local legislators.

 

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   Legislatively, the Sine Die session that just concluded brought no educational issues to the forefront. It lacked anything to do with tax reform, vouchers, educational funding, 30-and-out and slot machines.

 

   However, the legislature did pass House Bill 2644, PN 4690, which has an impact on the education community.

 

   House Bill 2644 originally passed the House unanimously on October 7, 2002, containing multiple amendments to the Public School Code relating tot he Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology; redefining the definition of "professional employee" to include Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors; and, providing for firefighter and EMS training as creditable high school courses. The Senate removed all the provisions that were amended into the bill in the House except those dealing with Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.

   The Senate additionally adopted an omnibus amendment to the bill on third consideration which makes the following changes in the Public School Code:

 

Section 692 (Special Board of Control)

   Amends the existing language of the Code to further provide for the establishment of special boards of control for districts, other than those of the first class, which are declared distressed by the Secretary of Education. Court-appointed boards of control would continue to have three members, with two coming from the county in which the district is located, with these members, with two coming from the county in which the district is located, with these members now serving terms of five years. Additionally, special board of control members could not be removed from office during their term expect for malfeasance or misfeasance in office. Members would continue to hold office until a successor is appointed and qualified.

 

Section 1524 (Recognition of American Sign Language)

   This provision establishes a new section of the School Code which would give a student credit for completion of a course in American Sign Language at the high school level toward the satisfaction of the foreign language requirements include in a school district's strategic plan or its graduation requirements. Such course is to be taught by a properly certificated person. The language, except for a corrective technical change, is identical to that of HB 572 (Nailor) that passed the House (197-1) on October 8, 2002.

 

Section 1611 (Academic Degrees)

   Authorizes local boards of school directors to establish an "Operation Recognition" program for veterans of the Korean War and did not graduate from high school due to entering military service prior to completing his/her high school education. Such diplomas may be awarded posthumously. A similar program already exists for WWII veterans by virtue of Act 73 of 2001. This provision unanimously passed the House on June 26, 2002, as HB 2229.

 

Section 1603-A (Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Council)

Section 1726-A (Charter School Transportation)

   Clarifies existing provisions regarding the free transportation of charter school students to charter schools within a district's boundaries approved by the district under a regional charter, or located within a 10-mile radius of the district. A school district which is required to provide transportation under this subsection shall do so during regular school hours and on such dates and periods that the charter school is in regular session.

 

Section 1705-B (Education Empowered Districts)

   Clarifies the operational structure for school districts that are both financially and academically distressed. A school district under financial stress under Section 691 (a), and also certified as an education empowerment district, would be operated by he special board of financial control established under Section 692 and consisting of one member appointed by the Secretary of Education and two members appointed by the local court of common pleas. Members would serve for five-year terms and could be removed only for malfeasance or misfeasance.

 

Section 2134 (Placement of Certain Adjudicated Students)

   Technical changes are made in the operation of this demonstration program that is already underway in the School District of Philadelphia by doing the following:  to read more, check the "electronic billroom".

 

Section 2595 (f.2) School Performance Funding

   Currently, the Department rewards school districts that show improved academic performance as evidenced by a decline in the percentage of students who score below basic proficiency on the PSSA test. This would be changed to use as the basis for these awards an increase in the percentage of students who score at or above the level of proficiency set by the State Board of Education to meet the requirements of the new federal No Child Left Behind Act. This change is consistent with recent action by the State Board of Education regarding value-added assessment.

 

Effective Dates:

   All of the amended provisions take effect immediately except for those pertaining to Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and those related to the Recognition of American Sign Language, both of which take effect July 1, 2003.