Category: Government Actions

Former Sec. Rivera to Serve New Administration (November 12, 2020)

Former Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Pedro Rivera will serve on the agency review team for the U.S. Department of EducationOpens In A New Window. The review teams are comprised of experts who will help to ensure a smooth transition of power to the Biden Administration.

“Pedro Rivera was an excellent secretary of education for Pennsylvania and he is a tremendous choice by President-elect Biden to help prepare the education efforts of the next administration,” said Gov. Wolf. “Pedro’s leadership was critical to rebuilding strong relationships to local school communities and improving the quality of education in our state.

“Under Pedro Rivera’s leadership, Pennsylvania reduced the over-reliance on standardized testing, adopted a landmark basic education funding formula, created the innovative Future Ready PA Index and more. I am proud that Pedro served in my cabinet and I look forward to his efforts to help set the values and priorities of the incoming administration.”

After serving as Pennsylvania secretary of education since Gov. Wolf took office in 2015, Rivera became president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology on Oct. 1. He was previously the superintendent of the School District of Lancaster.

Secretary Rivera also opened the 2019 Annual PAPSA Conference, providing an outstanding presentation.

USDE Releases Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide (November 11, 2020)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has released a new Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide, a resource to help parents and guardians understand how digital tools can provide tailored learning opportunities, engage students with course materials, encourage creative expression, and enrich the educational experience.

The Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide includes guidance and best practices for caregivers around topics including:

1. How to leverage flexibilities and innovations technology and digital tools provide, such as accessibility options, to meet the unique needs of every learner — including students with disabilities and English language learners.

2. Simple steps parents can take to keep their children safe online and foster safe online behavior, such as accessing security features on a child’s device, keeping track of log-in information, and keeping children safe while videoconferencing. The guide also discusses the importance of digital citizenship and offers parents resources to help their child navigate online bullying or encounters with troubling content.

3. How a competency-based learning approach, which measures a student’s knowledge of a subject rather than time spent on the subject, can harness technology for the benefit of students. Digital resources like online assessments, periodic check-ins, and more can update parents on their child’s learning progress, and they can provide instructional flexibility in the event of a school disruption. 4. Easy-to-understand primers on major federal laws governing student privacy and safety, such as FERPA, IDEA, and COPPA.

The guide can be viewed here.

PCCD Partnering with PDE to Provide Training Opportunities through IUs (November 3, 2020)

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs (DDAP), seeks letters of interest (LOIs) from Pennsylvania Intermediate Units (IUs) regarding the provision of training and technical assistance (TA) to school districts implementing evidence-based programs that directly address substance use issues for students in grades 6-12.

To access the link to the Letter of Interest (LOI) information, click here.

DHS Warns Pennsylvanians of Potential Scam Involving Pandemic EBT Benefits (October 30, 2020)

The PA Department of Human Services (DHS) is warning of a possible scam concerning Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits and reminding Pennsylvanians to be skeptical of unsolicited or random calls or text messages about public-assistance programs – especially when the calls or text messages solicit personal information, such as Social Security numbers.
“We are all living through difficult times, and unfortunately, there are people who will try to take advantage of others who may need help meeting essential needs. Be mindful, stay aware, and if you think something looks off, it probably is,” DHS Secretary Teresa Miller said.
DHS is investigating a report of individuals receiving calls with pre-recorded messages advising them to expedite their P-EBT benefits issuance by providing their Social Security number and case record number. In the message, the speaker claims to be from a County Assistance Office (CAO).
DHS and other government agencies do not ask for information about P-EBT, SNAP or any other public-assistance programs via unsolicited or random calls or texts, and Pennsylvanians should not reply to such a call or text or share any personal information if they are contacted in this way. If you or anyone you work with receive unsolicited or random calls or text messages telling you that you qualify for assistance and then asking for personal information, it is most likely a scam. Do not respond. Delete the message so you do not get caught in an identity theft scam.
Pennsylvanians who have questions about whether a call, text, letter, or other communication is legitimate should contact DHS’ Office of Income Maintenance. Clients in Philadelphia should call the Philadelphia Customer Service Center at 215-560-7226. Clients in all other counties can call the Statewide Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930.
The federal government authorized P-EBT in the spring to allow states to assist families with school-age children who qualified for free-and-reduced price meals through the National School Lunch Program – and who lost their easy access to breakfast and lunch at school as a result of the school closures related to COVID-19 earlier this year.
DHS began distributing P-EBT benefits to Pennsylvania families in late May. To date, more than $360 million has been distributed to about 680,000 households to help families feed nearly 1 million children.  Families received about $370 per child.
DHS administered this program in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and schools across the commonwealth. The program was recently reauthorized by the federal government for the 2020-2021 school year. Pennsylvania and other states are currently awaiting guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture to begin the program for the current school year.
Additional information about Pennsylvania’s P-EBT can be found here. 
If Pennsylvanians need help purchasing or affording food for themselves and their families, help may also be available through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP helps nearly 1.9 million Pennsylvanians by providing assistance each month for groceries, helping households purchase enough food to avoid going hungry. SNAP is our country’s most important and most impactful anti-hunger program. For every meal provided by a Feeding Pennsylvania food bank, SNAP provides nine. While SNAP is intended to be a supplemental program, during a pandemic and historic unemployment, resources are strained, particularly for our lowest income Pennsylvanians.
Applications for the SNAP and other public assistance programs can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us. All Pennsylvanians experiencing financial hardships due to the pandemic, a lost job, or a change in income are strongly encouraged to apply and see if they qualify for assistance with food, health care, and other essential needs.
For more information about food assistance resources for people around Pennsylvania impacted by COVID-19 and the accompanying economic insecurity, visit the Department of Agriculture’s food security guide.

Restraint Information System Collection (RISC) Second Quarter Data Entry is Underway (October 27, 2020)

The Bureau of Special Education (BSE) continues to require LEAs to report the restraints that occurred in each quarter. This reporting process permits LEAs to report restraints in a timely manner which, in turn, allows LEAs to monitor patterns of episodic behaviors and address them accordingly. The quarterly windows of reporting for the 2020-21 second quarter are as follows:
​Qtr 2
Begin Date: 10/01/2020
End Date: 12/31/2020
Last Day to Report: 01/15/2021
Zero Window Opens: 01/01/2021
Zero Window Closes: 01/15/2021

BSE will monitor the restraint information reported by LEAs. RISC  requires each LEA to report the event that occurred prior to the incident, the incident, the unsafe behavior, and the de-escalation techniques utilized. The LEA must notify the parent(s) of the use of a restraint and schedule an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting within 10 school days of the use of the restraint in the educational program, unless the parent(s),  after written notice, agree(s) in writing to waive the IEP meeting. Additionally, restraints occurring during Extended School Year sessions should be reported within three weeks of the start of the school year.
In reviewing restraints submitted in RISC of school-age IEP students, the Special Education Advisers of BSE will continue to focus on LEA monitoring responsibilities as well as:
-Training of staff in de-escalation techniques;
-Excessive time of restraint;
-Excessive use of parent waivers;
-Mechanical restraints;
-Injuries;
-Number of restraints;
-10-day window (school days) to convene an IEP meeting after a restraint occurs; and
-Handcuffing of students or students charged with a safe school’s offense.

A RISC reporting webinar is posted on the RISC site at: https://apps.leaderservices.com/_risc/index.aspx. The RISC reporting webinar link is located below the login box of the Leader Services RISC sign-in page. This webinar explains the reporting process and how to use the RISC system. The webinar also shares how to update your LEA’s contact information. All parties involved with RISC are highly encouraged to view this webinar to learn how to report restraints, how to use the system, and to understand the regulatory responsibility of LEAs. Additionally, BSE’s “Guidelines for De-escalation and the Use of/and Reporting of Restraints in Education Entities” is available for review on the RISC site. Questions regarding RISC should be directed to Keith Focht at 717.783.6921 or [email protected].