Category: Government Actions

PDE Provides Forms for Student Use of Sunscreen (April 9, 2019)

Last October, the PA School Code was amended to include sun protection measures for students. Along with that legislation. Section 1414.10 (2) of the PA School Code allows for the use of a nonaerosol topical sunscreen product by students in school if three conditions are met,  which are: 1) The product is approved by the Food and Drug Administration; 2) The parent/guardian must submit a form allowing the student to use the topical sunscreen; and 3) The student must submit a form stating that they are aware of the proper use and safety precautions of the product and will handle it appropriately.

The school entity may rescind or restrict the use of the sunscreen if the student does not follow the school rules and/or the student is unwilling or unable to keep the nonaerosol sunscreen product guarded from other students’ use.

The school entity must provide written notice to the parent/guardian if they rescind or restrict the use of the sunscreen.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has provided two forms for school entity usage that can be adapted to meet a school entity’s requirements.

Parent-Guardian Sunscreen Form (Word)

Student Sunscreen Form (Word)

States File Suit Over New School Meal Guidelines (April 6, 2019)

In its mission to roll back nutritional standards that were developed by the Obama administration to fight childhood obesity, the Trump administration has issued a final rule that permanently delays and eliminates sodium targets and cuts in half the amount of whole grains that need to be served in schools participating in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs.

According to the New York Times, critics of the move aver that the roll back was enacted  without doing any scientific research beforehand and despite the science underlying the requirements for healthier meals that shows that healthier school meals can improve the overall health and school preparedness of students.

Now, USDA is claiming that the Obama-era rules were burdensome for school districts and resulted in increased costs and decreased participation in the federal school lunch program. The USDA also asserts that certain states need the flexibility to “plan and serve meals that are economically feasible and acceptable to their students and communities,” and are “culturally appropriate.”

According to Anne Harkavy, Executive Director of Democracy Forward, which is representing the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Healthy School Food Maryland, “This [action] is not just wrong; it’s illegal.” Critics also claim that the move puts the health of more than 30 million of the nation’s economically disadvantaged students at risk.

Echoing Ms. Harkavy’s concerns, on April 3rd a coalition of six states and the District of Columbia, along with advocacy organizations, sued the Trump administration in federal court over the rollback, claiming that the administration illegally issued rules that weakened requirements that school meals contain less salt and more whole grains. The suits claim the USDA violated the Administrative Procedure Act, issuing its rules with little public notice and no reasoned explanation and against overwhelming opposition from the public.

Federal Legislators Introduce IDEA Full Funding Act (April 6, 2019)

In late March, legislators in both houses of the US Congress introduced bills that would gradually increase funding for special education to the 40% originally intended when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act – now known as IDEA – was passed in 1975. The bill is named the IDEA Full Funding Act, which was brought to both the US House (as H.R.1878) and US Senate (S.866) and calls for incremental hikes in federal funding for special education until the 40% level is reached in fiscal year 2029.

Presently, the federal government pays less than 15% of the cost of special education and states and local school districts must foot the remainder of the cost.

State Lawmakers Push for Trauma-Informed Practices (April 6, 2019)

People often experience and have survived unimaginable traumatic events, and  experiencing trauma affects everyone differently. Some end up experiencing suicidal thoughts that can result in attempts to take their own life. Of course, experiencing trauma is just one risk factor that can lead to suicide (depression and other mental illnesses can also contribute), but its significance cannot be overlooked.

According to WHYY, research shows that about half of Philadelphia County’s  children experience at least one traumatic event before they reach the age of 17. Such adverse childhood experiences (ACES) can include living in poverty, experiencing and/or witnessing violence, or having a parent be incarcerated.

Now, Research for Action (RFA), which is a nonprofit organization, has announced what they call “promising models” for US schools to consider.  The study also recommends that schools provide professional development that reflects the complexity and sensitivity of trauma and that PA legislators mandate a statewide plan for creating trauma-informed schools along with the necessary funds to provide needed financial assistance to schools.

Currently, 11 states require and/or encourage trauma-informed practices through state policy and RFA cites Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin as leaders in trauma-informed education.

Last fall, PA state Senators Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia, and Patrick Browne, R-Lehigh, began a bipartisan push to mandate a trauma-informed system of education throughout Pennsylvania. Prior to that, in June 2018 the General Assembly passed Act 44, which created a $60 million school safety fund and called for schools to provide mandatory training that included trauma-informed education. Then, in August 2018, Governor Wolf’s school safety task force also called for trauma-informed strategies to be implemented.

The federal government has also made steps to fund trauma-informed methods by passing the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act in October 2018. The law authorizes grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to increase student access to evidence-based trauma-support services and mental health care.

Many thanks to WHYY for the information in this article and for its support for traumatized children.

Federal Budget Cuts to Education Raise Concerns (April 1, 2019)

This year’s proposed federal budget includes cuts to education totaling $8.5 billion (or about 12%), including the elimination of 29 programs. The Trump Administration has also proposed to eliminate the $2.1 billion Title II, Part A (Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants), which helps to support teacher salaries and professional development.

In the area of special education, the budget proposed last week by US Secretary Education Betsy DeVos created a highly publicized firestorm when she proposed cutting the $18 million federal dollar contribution for the Special Olympics. The notion that such a cut would actually occur was quickly dispatched after public opinion proved to be very much against it. However, there is much more to consider when considering cuts to other special education programs.

To begin with, the USDE is proposing a $7 million (nearly 10%) cut to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and a $5 million (nearly 17%) cut in funds for the American Printing House for the Blind. Gallaudet University, a federally chartered private university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, would incur a $13 million (nearly 10%) cut in federal funding. $12 million for research regarding gifted ed. students would also be eliminated. There are no proposed cuts to special education grants to states.

According to the budget proposal, the above cuts are needed to “support the President’s goal of increasing support for national security and public safety without adding to the Federal budget deficit.” It is, however, highly unlikely that many or even all of the cuts to special education mentioned above would pass since they are proving to be highly unpopular.