EPLC Education Notebook

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

    Content in this edition:
    EPLC News
    Pennsylvania Policymakers
    - State House
    - PSERS
    Research and Reports
    Datebook

    The EPLC Education Notebook (current and past editions) also is available by visiting the EPLC website at www.eplc.org/ednotebook.html.

    Governor Rendell delivers his 2009-2010 Budget Message on Wednesday to a joint Session of the Pennsylvania Legislature.  Watch for education budget details and analysis from EPLC during the next several days.

    EPLC NEWS

    EPLC will host a series of regional full-day Saturday workshops for 2009 School Board Candidates.  Workshops will be held in the Philadelphia area (February 7), Pittsburgh area (February 14), Harrisburg area (February 21) and Lehigh Valley (March 7).  Conducted with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, the Workshops are for those considering a run for school board (incumbents and non-incumbents), anyone interested in helping others run for school board, or those who just want to know more about the work of school boards and school directors.  Click here to register online.

     

    PENNSYLVANIA POLICYMAKERS

    State House

    The House last week announced its Committee assignments for the 2009-2010 legislative session.  The following members will serve on the House Education Committee:

    Rep. James Roebuck, Majority Chairman (D-Phila.)
    Rep. Paul Clymer, Minority Chairman (R-Bucks)
    Rep. Ken Smith, Secretary (D-Lackawanna)
    Rep. Lawrence Curry, Chair, Subcommittee on Higher Education (D-Montgomery)
    Rep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith, Chair, Subcommittee on Special Education (D-Chester)
    Rep. John Yudichak, Chair, Subcommittee on Basic Education (D-Luzerne)
    Rep. Mike Carroll (D-Luzerne)
    Rep. Scott Conklin (D-Centre)
    Rep. Richard Grucela (D-Northampton)
    Rep. Patrick Harkins (D-Erie)
    Rep. Mark Longietti (D-Mercer)
    Rep. John Pallone (D-Armstrong)
    Rep. Chelsa Wagner (D-Allegheny)
    Rep. Jake Wheatley (D-Allegheny)
    Rep. Rosita Youngblood (D-Philadelphia)
    Rep. Mike Fleck (R-Blair)
    Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler)
    Rep. Duane Milne (R-Chester)
    Rep. Thomas Murt (R-Montgomery)
    Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks)
    Rep. Thomas Quigley (R-Montgomery)
    Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Forest)
    Rep. Todd Rock (R-Franklin)
    Rep. Will Tallman (R-Adams)

    Public School Employees’ Retirement System

    The Public School Employee’s Retirement System held its annual organizational meeting this week and re-elected Melva S. Vogler as Chair of the PSERS Board of Trustees.  Vogler currently chairs the mathematics department at Wallenpaupack Area High School.  Sally J. Turley was elected as PSERS Vice-Chair.  Turley is a retired social studies and home economics teacher from the Clearfield School District.

     

    RESEARCH AND REPORTS

    Accelerating the Agenda: Actions to Improve America’s High Schools, a joint report of the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of State Boards of Education and the Council of Chief State School Officers, measures states’ progress (since 2005) in preparing high school students for college and career success in a global economy.  The report makes several recommendations to state leaders on how to restore value to the high school diploma, redesign high schools, provide excellent teachers and principals, hold high schools and colleges accountable and improve education governance through the formation of effective P-16 councils. 

     

    DATEBOOK

    This week…

  • Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell presents his FY 2009-2010 state budget on Wednesday.


  • The House Education Committee meets Wednesday to adopt Committee rules.


  • The Pennsylvania State Board of Education holds a public hearing on high school reform on Thursday in Allentown.


  • The Pennsylvania State Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Intervention meets Thursday.


    • For information on these and other upcoming events, see www.eplc.org/calendar.html.


EPLC Education Notebook is published by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC). Permission to reprint or electronically redistribute the Notebook in whole or in part is granted provided attribution to EPLC is provided.

The Education Policy and Leadership Center is an independent, non-partisan and not-for-profit organization. The Mission of EPLC is to encourage and support the enactment and implementation of effective state-level education policies in order to improve student learning in grades P-12, increase the effective operation of schools, and enhance educational opportunities for citizens of all ages.

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