Category: Government Actions

DHS Alerts Pennsylvanians About The End Of Emergency Allotment And Other SNAP Changes, Urges Support Of Charitable Food Network (February 3, 2023)

On January 27, 2023, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Val Arkoosh advised Pennsylvanians of upcoming changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Due to passage of the recent federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, starting in March, SNAP recipient households will no longer receive the Emergency Allotment (EA) additional payment created during the COVID-19 public health emergency and will resume receiving one SNAP payment per month. 

This change will happen for all SNAP recipients, with households receiving letters via mail about the change in SNAP payments. 

“We know this additional SNAP payment has been a lifeline for people over the past three years and that ongoing economic uncertainty and high food prices are contributing to food insecurity for many Pennsylvanians. There is help available for you and your family through Pennsylvania’s heroic charitable food partners,” said Acting Secretary Val Arkoosh. “I urge anyone who can donate food or resources, now is the time to help your local food assistance programs as they prepare to meet this potential additional need.” 

With funds made available due to the federal COVID-19 emergency, DHS began providing EAs as a second monthly payment to SNAP recipient households that were receiving benefits since March 2020. The EAs increased the SNAP budget amount to the maximum available amount for their household size or, since early 2021, were a minimum of $95. These payments were distributed separate from the initial payment as an extra payment each month.  

Due to federal legislation, this month will be the last month EAs are sent; and starting in March, SNAP recipients will only receive one regular SNAP payment. 

Additionally, the 2023 cost of living adjustment for Social Security Income (SSI), which is also set by the federal government, prompted an 8.7 percent increase to SSI income. SNAP eligibility thresholds – also set at the federal level – did not rise proportionally. Because of this, approximately 249,000 households will experience a decrease in their base SNAP benefits by an average of $40 per household, which will take effect in March when EAs end. It is anticipated that approximately 5,000 to 20,000 households will be disenrolled from SNAP due to the SSI increase. These federal changes will primarily affect older Pennsylvanians and seniors.   

Pennsylvanians who need to report changes to their household size, income, or expenses are encouraged to report any changes either online at www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS, via the myCOMPASS PA mobile app, or by calling DHS’s Customer Service Center at 877-395-8930 (or 215-560-7226 for Philadelphia residents). This will help ensure households are receiving the maximum SNAP benefit based off their individual circumstances.

DHS recognizes the impact these changes may have on households and wants to make sure families that need food assistance know where to go for help:  

For more information about SNAP Emergency Allotments, visit dhs.pa.gov/SNAPCares. 

Gov. Shapiro Gets Media Attention for Policies on Need for College Degrees (January 30, 2023)

On his first full day in office, Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order announcing that 65,000 Commonwealth jobs don’t require a four-year college degree. As a result, a number of news outlets voiced there views.

The New York Times Praises Gov. Shapiro

The New York Times’ Editorial Board praised Governor Shapiro’s move as a critical step in opening the doors of opportunity and expanding our workforce. The editorial board noted how eliminating college degree requirements for certain jobs has galvanized bipartisan support and “would bring a greater degree of openness and fairness into the labor market and send a message about government’s ability to adapt and respond to the concerns of its citizens” in the modern labor market.  

In addition to signing the executive order, Governor Shapiro also instructed all state agencies to emphasize work experience and skills in their job posting and hiring processes and launched a new website for applicants to easily apply for positions that don’t require a four-year degree.  

Read The New York Times’ editorial here and excerpts below.  

The Daily Item: Opening doors for thousands in Pennsylvania

On his first full day as governor, Josh Shapiro threw a life preserver to 65,000 Pennsylvanians. In the first executive order of his new administration, Shapiro removed the college degree requirement on an estimated 65,000 jobs in the commonwealth government.

Gov. Shapiro — that will still take a while to get used to — estimates that 550 different jobs in state government will no longer require a college degree as a qualifier. The move, Shapiro and other stakeholders said, puts the emphasis on relevant skills, work experience and apprenticeships ahead of what can be a costly piece of paper.

Forbes: Penn.’s New Governor Strikes A Blow Against The College-Industrial Complex

Last week, in his first executive order, Pennsylvania’s new governor announced that 92 percent of state government jobs will no longer require a four-year college degree. Governor Josh Shapiro’s heartening move means that 65,000 state jobs no longer require a college degree, but that candidates will be free to compete for these positions based on skills, relevant experience, and merit. Shapiro’s move follows similar actions taken by Republicans, like former Maryland governor Larry Hogan, hinting at a burgeoning, bipartisan push to temper the role of college degrees in American life.[…]

Gov. Shapiro explained his action last week, saying, “Every Pennsylvanian should have the freedom to chart their own course and have a real opportunity to succeed. They should get to decide what’s best for them – whether they want to go to college or straight into the workforce – not have that decided for them.”

That’s very well said. College can be a very good thing. That’s not at issue. But an inconsistent judicial standard and comfortable employer routines ought not oblige Americans to buy a very expensive piece of paper. Here’s hoping more governors will follow Governor Shapiro’s lead.

Philadelphia Inquirer: What is college for? Gov. Shapiro raises the question. Higher ed leaders are listening.

What is college actually for?

No one expected this to be the initial question raised by Pennsylvania’s new governor, Josh Shapiro, in his first full day on the job. While he may not have stated it explicitly, this was the essence of the Democrat’s very first executive order, which opened up some 92% of job listings in state government — about 65,000 in all — to applicants who don’t have a four-year college degree.

For more info, click here.

BSE Reminds LEAS of State Performance Plan Data Requirements – Postsecondary School Survey (Cohort 3 Exit) (January 28, 2023)

On January 24, 2023 PDE Director of the Bureau of Special Education(BSE) Carole L. Clancy sent a PennLink message to LEA leaders across the state . The message, titled State Performance Plan Data Requirements – Postsecondary School Survey (Cohort 3 Exit), stated that the accountability requirement under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004(IDEA) mandates each state determine the extent to which students are achieving transition outcomes (State Performance Plan – Indicator 14). To meet the federal reporting requirement, each local educational agency (LEA) is mandated to administer an Exit Process and Post-School Surveys to students (who have graduated, dropped out, or reached the maximum age) with individualized education programs (IEPs) once over a five-year period, based on the LEA’s assignment to a targeted sampling year.

 For the 2022-2023 school year, LEAs assigned to target sampling Year 3 are required to administer the Exit Process.    During 2023-2024 these same LEAs will be required to complete the Post-School Surveys.

 The following information specifically addresses the Exit Process administration for 2022-23. LEAs assigned to target sampling Year 3, as listed below, are required to address the following:
-Administer the Exit Process for all student leavers (graduates, dropouts, and students who reach maximum age) who have IEPs. To access information from the September 21, 2022 webinar regarding the administration of the Exit Process, including a Frequently Asked Questions document and supporting handouts from the training, visit the Post School Outcomes webpage at PaTTAN – PaPOS Exit Survey Overview and Procedural Trainings.
-Participate in the Pennsylvania Post-School Outcome Survey Cohort – The Exit Process Overview and Procedural Training Webinar is scheduled for February 21, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  Registration is required and may be accessed directly at PaTTAN – Session-37114. Note: Those who registered for the September 21, 2022 training are already registered for this training.

Those with questions about The Exit Process or Indicator 14 process, are advised to contact PaTTAN Educational Consultant Elaine Neugebauer at [email protected].

U.S. Ed. Sec.: “Raise the Bar” (January 28, 2023)

During a speech on January 25th with the theme “Raise the Bar,”  U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urged educators to set higher expectations for students in reading and math achievement. His speech at the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) also called on them to provide greater opportunities for students to learn multiple languages, expand career pathways, focus on student well-being, and to continue the “transformative change” that started with the use of federal COVID-19 emergency funds. 

Sec. Cardona also stated the need for competitive pay for teachers  and authentic engagement with parents.

Source: K-12 Dive. Click here to read more.

SCOTUS Hears Case That Could Change IDEA Dispute Resolution (January 21, 2023)

On January 18, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a special education case that could alter the course of the dispute resolution process for school districts under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

In the case, Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, justices will decide whether individuals who have already entered into an IDEA settlement resolving their claims must still exhaust the administrative process before pursuing a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

During the arguments, the justices wrestled with how to reconcile the requirements to receive monetary damages under ADA with the resolution process and relief provided under IDEA, which does not include financial remedies. 

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.