In an effort to maintain fiscal responsibility during economic uncertainty, this week the General Assembly approved a state budget for the first part of the 2020-21 fiscal year, which beginsĀ July 1, 2020. The plan provides certainty and stability for the next several months while the state awaits more information about how revenues have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. With tax collection dates changed to July and August, more time is needed to ensure we have the data necessary to make smart budgeting decisions for the remainder of the fiscal year. This five-month budget (House Bill 2387) allocates approximately $25.8 billion and includes no new or increased taxes.The governor signed the budget into law yesterday (5/29/20) afternoon.Ā The budget is an interim spending plan that provides five months of funding for most state agencies and services but contains full-year funding for education. This includes level funding of the basic education funding (BEF) subsidy at $6.74 billion and the special education subsidy at $1.186 billion. The Ready to Learn Block Grant remains at $268 million, career and technical education at $99 million, and $5.5 million for career and technical education grants. Pupil transportation is being funded at $612 million under House Bill 2387, and while this may appear to be a reduction, a supplemental appropriation for the 2019-20 fiscal year brought the allocation in line with costs and now represents level funding.
Category: Government Actions
PDE Releases Guidance on Keystone Exams (May 21, 2020)
| The PA Department of Education (PDE) has released guidance on the use of Keystone Exams related to the context of the current 2019-20 school year, federal assessment and accountability requirements, ESSA report card provisions, graduation requirements and moving into the 2020-21 school year. The guidance was released to address the various impacts related to the cancellation of this spring’s administration of Keystone Exams. Ā The guidance also addresses upcoming Keystone testing windows. The summer Keystone Exam window will be delayed until September 28 through October 2, 2020 to accommodate schools in planning for make-up exams.Ā Students affected by the cancellation of the exams during spring 2020 may choose to make-up one or more Keystone Exams in the delayed summer window, the winter testing window (December 1, 2020 through January 15, 2021), or the spring testing window (May 17-28, 2021).Ā Click here to access PDE guidance on Keystone Exams Click here to access PDE guidance on the Future Ready PA Index (Fall 2020) | |
CDC Releases Document that Includes Return to School Guidance (May 21, 2020)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a document titled CDC Activities and Initiatives Supporting the COVID-19 Response and the Presidentās Plan for Opening America Up Again. Appendix F of the document (from pages 40-52) is of particular interest to schools and childcare providers.
To access the document on the PAPSA website, click here or go to: https://papsa-web.org/wp-content/uploads/CDC-Return-to-School-Guidance-May-2020.pdf.
PDE Provides LEAs with CDTs for Student Use at Home (May 18, 2020)
On May 18, 2020, PDE Deputy Secretary Matt Stem notified LEAs via a PennLink titled Availability of the Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) for use by students at home that PDE is providing the Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) as an optional additional resource for their Continuity of Education Plan.Ā The CDT is a set of online tools designed to provide diagnostic information to guide instruction and provide support to students and teachers. It is aligned with the content assessed on the PSSA and Keystone exams.Ā PDE anticipates that this option will be available through the reopening of schools in 2020. The memo states that this at-home testing option will allow students to access the CDT from a āpublicā browser without having it installed on their computers or being configured to their school districtās central office services network. The test-setup tasks that teachers/school assessment coordinators routinely complete for classroom administrations of the CDT are the same for the at-home administrations. Test tickets (login credentials) will be distributed directly to the students by school staff.Ā Teachers will have access to all CDT data/reports from the at-home administrations as usual.Ā An overview of the at-home testing option and a guidance document for parents/guardians can be accessed from the following links (or directly from DRCās INSIGHT Portal under General Information >> Documents >> 2019-2020 Classroom Diagnostic Tools >> Memos/Documents).
At-Home Testing Overview: https://pa.drcedirect.com/Documents/Unsecure/Doc.aspx?id=32997b8e-13cf-42f0-9c2c-af1689d89323
Parent/Guardian Guidance: https://pa.drcedirect.com/Documents/Unsecure/Doc.aspx?id=cc242168-e06e-44d1-9fd4-ef859a519dab
All CDTs (Full and Diagnostic Category) are available for use. However, it is highly recommended to only have students take the Diagnostic Category CDTs at this time. Students and their parents/guardians may benefit from a much shorter testing experience using the Diagnostic Category CDTs that are aligned to current instructional content. The shorter, more focused testing will still provide teachers and administrators with the same level of reporting and resources to adjust instruction and planning during distance learning.Those interested in using CDT for the first time, contact PDE at [email protected].
Sec. Rivera Expects Students to Return to School in the Fall (May 17, 2020)
On May 11, 2020, PA Education Secretary Pedro Rivera, testifying in a PA Senate committee hearing, said that he expects students to go back to school in the fall, and that the PA Department of Education (PDE) will provide guidance in the coming weeks to help prepare staff to return to school buildings. Secretary Rivera acknowledged that schools will need additional aid to address challenges posed by school closures and the need to contain the COVID-19 virus.
Secretary Rivera also resisted the notion that students might not return to school buildings in the fall. Instead, he said that PDE intends to reopen schools with an emphasis on keeping students and staff safe, which will likely mean changes that involve following state PA Department of Health guidelines and recommendations.