EPLC Education Notebook

Friday, January 28, 2005

• The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee awarded a contract to MGT of America to study the Pittsburgh School District's administration operations and finances. The study was authorized by Senate Resolution 331 of 2004. The Tallahassee-based firm is expected to complete its analysis by the end of March.



• The College Board reports that more high school students are succeeding on AP exams than ever before in the Board's first-ever "Advanced Placement Report to the Nation." Access the full report and a Pennsylvania State Profile at www.collegeboard.com/about/news_info/ap/2005/index.html.



• The U.S. Department of Education is conducting a regional educational needs assessment. Public comments provided to the 10 Regional Advisory Committees conducting the assessment will be considered in developing a report for the Secretary of Education. That report will aid in developing funding priorities for new technical assistance centers that will work with states and school districts in implementing No Child Left Behind. To provide comments on educational needs in Pennsylvania, register at www.rac-ed.org and see the Public Comments section for the Mid-Atlantic region.



• The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services is seeking public comment on regulations pertaining to the new Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Comments should be submitted by February 28, 2005. For more information, see www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/proprule/2004-4/122904a.html.



• Register now for the third annual Pennsylvania Education Policy and Leadership Conference sponsored by The Education Policy and Leadership Center! The 2005 Conference will be held Sunday, March 13 to Tuesday, March 15 at the Wyndham Harrisburg-Hershey (formally the Harrisburg-Hershey Marriott). This year's event will feature two Pre-Conference Workshops on "'Highly Qualified' Requirements - Implications for Practitioners and School Staffing" and "Act 72 and School District Budgets and Taxes - Issues for School Boards and Communities." For registration information and a preliminary agenda, see www.eplc.org/conference.html.



• The opening date for the Institute for Community Leadership in Education (ICLE) Lehigh Valley program site has been changed from Tuesday, February 1 to Tuesday, February 22. Applications are currently being accepted for all ICLE Winter/Spring 2005 locations in the Lehigh Valley, Western Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Region. For more information about the ICLE program and an application, see www.eplc.org/icle.html.



• Presentations delivered at EPLC's two January Pennsylvania Education Policy Forums are now available online. Review "Act 72 Issues and Decisions for Pennsylvania School Districts" by Public Financial Management's David Sallack and "The Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System" by Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak at www.eplc.org/forum_speakers.html.



• Next week...The Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing on the Bridge Certification Program on Tuesday and will meet Wednesday to consider Senate Bills 146, 147 & 148. The House Education Committee meets Thursday to discuss Chapter 12 (Student Services) regulations. The Pennsylvania Education Policy Fellowship Program, sponsored by EPLC, meets Friday in Harrisburg. See www.eplc.org/calendar.html for details.

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