2003-2004 Final Resolutions
In 2003-2004, the Pennsylvania Association of Secondary School Principals (PASSP) affirms its commitment and dedication to affecting positive change in the education arena as described in the following statements:
1. To ensure that all children of the Commonwealth receive equal opportunities for educational success, the Governor’s Administration and General Assembly are strongly encouraged to enact equity measures when allocating state funds for basic and special education programs.
2. Pennsylvania’s regulations governing the education of special needs students must be amended to comply with the new federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In revising regulations, Pennsylvania should not set a higher standard of discipline protection for special needs students who possess a weapon on school property or who demonstrate disruptive behavior, which is not a manifestation of the student’s disability. Furthermore, Pennsylvania’s state regulations must retain “principal or designee” to attend special education meetings so that those who best know the student are part of the team, which develops the educational plan for the student.
3. Pennsylvania faces a critical shortage of qualified candidates for school administrator positions. The continuing shortage of candidates for administrative vacancies in public school systems could be alleviated by restructuring the support systems and expectations of the positions and by enhancing current and future compensation. Entry-level and career compensation should exceed the per diem compensation of the highest compensated teacher in the system and reflect the additional days of required work and responsibility. Retirement compensation should reflect a capped additional service credit applicable to the pending retirees’ final formula. Such an enhanced service credit should not provide an earlier retirement opportunity during this period of applicant shortages but should recognize the longer work year of administrative employees and reflect that longer service in the calculation of the annuity formula.
4. Tuition vouchers for private schools provide an uneven playing field between public and private schools. If vouchers are provided to private schools, schools receiving state or federal funds must be held to the same rules and regulations governing public schools.
5. State assessments to complement state academic standards are needed; however, assessments must be age appropriate, criterion based and linked to graduation. The test administration dates and time allotted for each component of the test must be consistent from year to year so school districts can plan in advance. The state must review the impact of continued expansion of testing time and days reflecting considerable loss of instructional time. It is imperative that school districts receive assessment results in a timely fashion, enabling prescriptive and diagnostic remediation efforts. In addition, the state should ensure that PSSA tests produced by multiple vendors must be consistent and similar in format and scope. The State Department of Education must review the PSSA tests to validate the ability of the test to measure adequately and appropriately the achievement and academic growth in the students of the Commonwealth. They should also evaluate the emphasis placed on high stakes tests in reference to a growing body of research reflecting potential harm resulting from such a course of action in terms of effects on quality education to a focus on testing success.
6. Continuing professional development is critical to all educators. School administrators specifically need professional development activities that are designed and administered by colleagues in their field to ensure continuity, stability and quality of the principalship.
7. The 30 and out retirement window should become a permanent part of the PSERS retirement code so that public school employees’ retirement benefits are not tied to political whim and because in the long run actuarial data are more accurate.
8. Community service is an extremely critical component in our children’s educational program; therefore, we must continue to work within our communities to make service learning an integral part of the American way of life.
9. Data from the Department of Education shows evidence that the Student Assistance Program in operation in Pennsylvania schools for over a decade provides a viable, cost-efficient means of serving at-risk students. This operation coupled with the safe schools initiative gives need for the Association to urge the state to provide financial and technical support for programs, measures and resources that create safe school environments, such as but not limited to, training for all school staff, conflict resolution, peer mediation, student assistance teams, electronic security measures and collaboration with mental health and law enforcement.
10. The philosophy created in “No Child Left Behind” legislation appropriately focuses attention on a commitment to enable every child to reach his or her potential. The state and federal governments must enable all associated legislation and regulations with appropriate funding to permit schools to develop programs dedicated to these initiatives. Data generated from testing must be designed to enable schools to impact education and student achievement with appropriate data-driven decisions and not be permitted to become an additional item for government agencies to use in punitive fashion.
11. PASSP recognizes the legal right of parents to choose to “home school” their children. Nevertheless, the association believes the greatest opportunities for cognitive, emotional and social growth for children are provided by the public school system. Furthermore, opportunities for home schooled children to participate in their residential district’s extracurricular activities should be determined by local district policy.
12. The state must involve all stakeholders in developing appropriate regulations for charter and cyber schools reflective of the needs of children in varied stages of growth and development to produce healthy children in all areas of physical, academic and social growth. Regulations need to be explored to ensure that cyber schools not damage effective programs and educational processes which impact upon children in our public schools.
13. For 89 years, PIAA has assisted middle school, junior high school, intermediate school and senior high school students to participate in interscholastic athletic programs on a fair and equitable basis, thus producing important educational benefits. It is imperative that PIAA remain a separate and independent organization free from political and special interest influence.
14. Act 93 has served as a model to promote the development and maintenance of the management team philosophy, which recognizes the effectiveness of the working relationships between the policy team of the school board and superintendent and the administrative team of the superintendent and principal. The purpose of Act 93 is to provide a procedure called "good faith meet and discuss" by which compensation matters affecting school administrators could be resolved within the framework of a management team philosophy. The "good faith meet and discuss" of administrative compensation has provided an effective collegial process to develop a rational and fair system of salary administration for school districts to focus on compensation and benefit issues. The PASSP advocates for the continued eligibility and inclusion of the principals, vice-principals and assistant principals as part of the Act 93 administrator compensation plan and for the continued use of the "good faith meet and discuss" process to arrive at salary and benefits of all administrators, including principals, vice-principals and assistant principals.