Category: Government Actions

Gov. Wolf Highlights Ed. Budget Increases (April 30, 2022)

During a April 29, 2022 visit with Philadelphia-area students and staff, Governor Tom Wolf highlighted his plan to build on the record education investments his administration has made over the past seven years with an additional $1.9 billion for education from pre-k through college.

The governor’s budget announced in February calls for building on the momentum of previous years with a generational investment of $1.9 billion in education from pre-k through college, including:

● $1.25 billion in basic education funding​ through the Fair Funding Formula, bringing the total going through the​ formula to more than $2 billion, or 26.5 percent of state funding;
● $300 million for the groundbreaking Level Up initiative launched last year to support the 100 most underfunded schools; and
● A $200 million increase for Special Education.  

To view the press release, click here.

USDE Grant Program Invests in Highly Effective Educators and Addresses Teacher Shortage; Focuses on Equity, Diversity, and Increasing the Educator Pipeline (April 28, 2022)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) is continuing to take action to support and invest in the teaching profession and address the teacher shortage many schools and districts across the country face. The Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant program is now accepting applications for efforts that increase the pipeline of highly effective educators.

The SEED program will award $65 million to support the implementation of evidence-based practices that prepare, develop, or enhance the skills of educators. These grants also will enable recipients to develop, expand, and evaluate practices that can serve as models that can be sustained, replicated, and scaled. This program is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader commitment to supporting targeted efforts that will provide comprehensive, high-quality pathways into the profession, such as residency and Grow Your Own programs, and evidence-based professional development all focused on building and supporting a more diverse educator pipeline and combating the teacher shortage nationally.

As states, districts, and schools are working hard to address the impact of COVID-19 on students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs, many of them are facing significant challenges in attracting and retaining teachers. Preexisting teacher shortages in critical areas such as special education; multilingual education; science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); career and technical education; and early childhood education have only been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic—directly impeding student access to educational opportunity.

The SEED program fosters the use of rigorous evidence-based practices in selecting and implementing strategies and interventions that support educators’ development across the continuum of their careers. Support for educator preparation programs and high-quality professional development are vital to ensure that all students have access to well-prepared and qualified teachers, principals, and other school leaders. These programs invest in educators who are effective and likely to stay in the profession. Research shows that existing educator shortages disproportionately impact students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, and, often, rural communities.

To learn more about the SEED program, please visit: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/supporting-effective-educator-development-grant-program/. The FY 2022 SEED grant competition will close on June 3, 2022.

To read the USDE press release, click here.

Wolf Admin. Visits LCTI to Showcase Importance of Career and Technical Education (April 26, 2022)

Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Executive Deputy Secretary Dr. Debora Carrera Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) to showcase the importance of career and technical education (CTE) celebrate LCTI’s 50th anniversary. She also recognized the governor’s  commitment to creating multiple pathways to success for students, as evidenced by a proposed $6 million increase for career and technical education in his final budget.

Over the past seven years, the Wolf Administration has invested $116 million in science, computer science and technical education, including $80 million in the innovative PAsmart program, and $36 million in apprenticeships and workforce training. Since 2015, the number of career and technical education students earning industry-recognized credentials has increased by 38.7 percent and the number of credentials earned by students enrolled in CTE programs has grown by 33.6 percent.

LCTI is one of the largest career and technical centers in the United States serving over 2,900 students, covering 47 acres, and offering more than 40 programs in areas like arts and humanities, business and communication technology, engineering and advanced manufacturing, health and human services, and industrial technology, as well as a wide range of academic classes in their Academic Center, which is designed to prepare students for success in college and their careers. The five-wing building includes 450,000 square feet of labs filled with cutting-edge technology.

According to a study, 80 percent of high school students who paired academic courses with rigorous CTE met college and career readiness goals, compared to 63 percent of students who focused solely on academics.

To view the entire press release, click here.

DHS Recognizes Importance of Holistic Supports in Child Abuse Prevention (April 26, 2022)

PA Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Meg Snead recently visited the Bucks County Human Services Hub as part of DHS’s effort to raise awareness of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Bucks County Human Services Division utilizes the Hub as a ‘one-stop-shop’ to link residents with social and health services able to address their essential needs like food, shelter, and health care, among others. 

The Hub provides Bucks County residents with a full-time resource navigator that connects to resources like food assistance, parenting and maternal care, employment, medical services, housing assistance, and more. Having essential needs met like food, shelter, and healthcare are important pieces of child abuse prevention.

A study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development points to improved financial stability among families helping mitigate the circumstances that lead to child neglect and abuse. 

The Bucks County Human Services Hub supports DHS’s Office of Children, Youth, and Families’ work in helping families and protecting children in the region.

In addition, DHS and its partners at the Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA) have hosted events throughout the month to raise awareness and provide education on child abuse prevention.  

Pennsylvanians who may suspect child abuse or neglect to report to ChildLine, the commonwealth’s 24/7 hotline for anyone concerned about the safety or well-being of a child. To report a concern, call 1-800-932-0313. Learn more about the signs of potential abuse at www.dhs.pa.gov/keepkidssafe. 

DHS encourages parents and families who may be struggling to reach out for help. Anyone struggling with mental health and in need of referrals to helpful programs can call Pennsylvania’s Support & Referral Helpline, which is operated 24/7 by skilled caseworkers who can provide emotional support during this difficult period. The number to call is 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600. Pennsylvanians can apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, cash assistance, Medical Assistance and other programs any time at www.compass.state.pa.us. Additionally, the 2-1-1 hotline operated by the United Way can connect people and families to local resources that can help during the public health crisis. 

Learn more about the Bucks County Human Services Hub here. 

Education Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega to Depart, Gov. Wolf Names Eric Hagarty as New Acting Secretary (April 26, 2022)

Governor Tom Wolf has announced that PDE Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega will resign his position with the commonwealth on April 29, 2022. The governor also announced his intention to name Eric Hagarty to serve as Acting Secretary.

Prior to Secretary, Ortega  served as the Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education (OPHE) at PDE. Before joining PDE in 2017, Ortega spent eight years at the University of Michigan (U-M), where he held several academic and administrative roles, including working as the Assistant Director and Senior Research Associate at the National Center for Institutional Diversity and as the Managing Director for the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good. Ortega also spent nearly a decade working in the areas of financial aid and enrollment management at both public and private universities in Texas and served as a P-16 Specialist for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. He also spent nearly seven years as director of a language institute in Japan where he trained teachers in the area of early childhood language acquisition.

Following Secretary Ortega’s departure, Hagarty will serve in the acting position. Hagarty currently serves as Governor Wolf’s Deputy Chief of Staff responsible for implementing the governor’s priorities and policies relating to education, including the historic â€œLevel Up” program to invest more in Pennsylvania’s most chronically underfunded schools, the COVID-19 vaccine initiative for teachers and the safe return to in-person learning, the first regulatory reforms to Pennsylvania’s charter school system, and generational investments in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

To read the press release, click here.