Category: State Government Actions

PDE Reports 66% Decline in Teacher Certs as Teacher Shortage Worsens (March 19, 2022)

At both a House Education Committee hearing and the March 16th PA State Board of Education Meeting, Deputy Sec. Tanya Garcia expressed concern regarding the  current shortage of teachers in the Commonwealth and the increasingly dwindling number of those entering the field.  According to Garcia, who is also the commissioner of the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), since 2010 there has been a 66% decline in both undergraduate education majors in the state and newly issued in-state teaching certifications.

Although the shortage existed prior to the pandemic, it has been exacerbated by it. Prior to COVID-19,  issues with competitive pay, college loan debts, a lack of diversity, and political pressures have made the profession less attractive.

Garcia said the state needs to find means to attract new teachers, including a focus on increasing diversity by attracting minorities. Other remedies must address increased wages and financial incentives, as well as improving and/or developing mentoring programs. In addition, “Grow-Your-Own” (GYO) programs are being implemented across the country to attract new teachers. GYO programs, which are typically partnerships between schools, districts, community organizations, and teacher preparation programs, recruit and train teachers from within communities to bring racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity and skills such as bilingualism into schools.

Adding to the shortage crisis is a lack of substitute teachers that has resulted in staff having to fill gaps when subs are unavailable.

For more on this topic from the Morning Call, click here.

For additional information from City & State Pennsylvania, click here.

School Assessment Tests Confirm Pandemic Learning Loss (March 14, 2022)

After a months-long delay, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has released results of student assessment tests for the 2020-21 school year. The data confirms that many students are struggling as a result of learning loss that has occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), Keystone Exams and the Pennsylvania Alternative System of Assessment (PASA) for a small percentage of students with disabilities, show 37.3% scored at the proficient or advanced level, 55% on the literature/language arts exams, and 63.7% on the science exams. Also, participation in assessment exams dropped from the typical 97% to only 71%.
To learn more about individual school district results, click here.

USDE Issues Guidance On How IDEA Applies To Private Schools (March 14, 2022)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has issued a new 55-page Q&A document providing guidance regarding the role of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) when parents opt to send their children with disabilities to private school. Students with disabilities have broad rights when they attend public school, but federal officials are now weighing in on how the law applies when parents choose private school instead. Although under IDEA students with disabilities have the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE), whether or not that entitlement extends to children at private schools depends.

In some cases, children enrolled at public schools are placed at private schools by their parents when they do not believe that FAPE has been provided by the local school district. In other cases, children are sent to private schools by their district as a means of providing FAPE.

According to the USDE, the document updates and supersedes guidance previously issued in 2011 and applies specifically to a third category of kids — those placed in private school by their families without first enrolling at public school and for whom FAPE is not an issue. In these cases, federal officials say that some provisions of IDEA still apply.

To read more, click here.

To view the USDE document, click here.

School Funding Trial Now in Judge’s Hands (March 11, 2022)

A landmark trial over how Pennsylvania funds its public schools wrapped up on Thursday, March 10th.

The plaintiffs include six school districts, several parents, and two statewide groups. Their case centers on equity and they are asking the General Assembly to not only increase funding in education, but to distribute it more equitably. Their lawsuit against the state argues that the current school funding model is unconstitutional.

One of the most memorable moments of the trial was provided by the defense when it asked why someone on the “McDonald’s career track” would need to learn algebra.

To read student reactions to the case from WHYY, click here.

PDE Announces Nearly $5.3 Million in Keystone Grant Awards for Public Library Facilities (March 9, 2022)

On March 9, 2022. the PA Department of Education (PDE) announced that nearly $5.3 million in funding has been awarded to 21 libraries in 17 counties for the construction and rehabilitation of public library facilities.

“Public libraries are a community staple — helping residents access critical services, resources, and programming, from educational materials to broadband,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Noe Ortega. “This year’s round of Keystone Library grants will help Pennsylvania’s libraries improve their facilities and operations to better serve visitors and patrons.”

The award recipients were selected through a competitive grant process. The Keystone grants will help public library facilities improve their operations, install equipment, and upgrade security systems.

The Keystone, Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund was established by the General Assembly in 1993. The Department of Education, through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Bureau of Library Development, administers the public library portion of this program which is funded from a portion of the state’s realty transfer tax.

Grants pay up to 50 percent of eligible costs in planning, acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of public libraries. Examples of fundable projects include, but are not limited to: ADA upgrades, roof improvements, replacement windows, energy efficient upgrades to HVAC systems, facility expansion and new construction.

To learn which libraries received the Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities, click here.