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Education Update

Below is the current Education Update.  Click here for a list of other recent updates.

Exclusive to PASA Members! Join PASAConnect today!
PASA is excited to present a new online networking community, PASAConnect, an exclusive environment only available to our PASA members!  In this new community, PASA members will be able to network safely with one another by posting questions, sharing research and innovative practices, and engaging in webinars and online virtual meetings! PASA members received a link in their email on March 6 to activate their account. If you did not receive the activation link, please contact PASA’s Communications Director, Adam Kulikowski at pasa@pasa-net.org for assistance.

Stay tuned as we continue to build out new opportunities and content in PASAConnect!
 
PASA Awards of Achievement:
 
The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators is seeking nominations for the three special awards recognizing leadership in public education.
 
Service to the Profession Award
This award is presented to an administrator who demonstrates commitment to excellence as evidenced through notable service to the profession. Examples of this service may include developing an effective professional development program for school district educators, demonstrating leadership in administrator preparation programs, school study councils or other professional development efforts, or promoting the education profession through research, writing or organizational service. 
 
Instructional Leadership
This award is presented to an administrator who demonstrates commitment to excellence in teaching and learning by developing, nurturing and supporting exemplary programs that support the academic achievement of particular student populations, enrich student learning in a particular content area, or implement strategies to enhance student learning across the curriculum. 
 
Leadership in Public Education
This award is presented to an administrator who demonstrates commitment to school administration as a profession, to public education, and to one’s colleagues, including participation in and leadership with the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.  
 
We need YOUR help in identifying those among us who are deserving of special recognition.
Click here to download a nomination form. Deadline for nominations is March 29.
 
The nomination period for a pair of awards presented annually to female leaders by PASA’s Women’s Caucus is now open:   

Margaret Smith Leadership Award
This award is given to a female administrator who has demonstrated proven leadership in education. The award is named for Dr. Margaret Smith, first president of the Women’s Caucus, a former Pennsylvania superintendent and a former PA Secretary of Education.
Make your nomination now for the 2024 award recipient by March 19.

Wanda McDaniel Award
The Wanda McDaniel Award is granted annually to a professional educator who displays outstanding leadership qualities, while aspiring to higher levels of leadership. 
Make your nomination now for the 2024 award recipient by March 19.
 
Save the Date:
Connecting the Dots: School District Funding, Spending, and Budgeting
When: Berks County I.U. 14 on April 3 | Westmoreland I.U. 7 on April 15 | Central I.U. 10 on April 17     
Registration required!
 
This no-cost workshop is designed to encourage joint attendance by Superintendents and their CFO/Business Manager or other critical leadership staff. Participants will spend a full day discussing how to look at their school district budget to drive more effective multi-fiscal year planning. The program will include diving into the details of the Basic Education Funding and Special Education Funding and examining school district expenditure growth over time. Participants will be provided with tools and resources to map out strategies for making more accurate and thoughtful short and long-term budget decisions.

Additional topics to be discussed include the ESSER era unwind, fund balances and reserves, infrastructure needs, expenditure mandates and educational choice, resource and staff planning, as well as overarching insights on the BEF Commission’s recommendations, the school funding lawsuit, and the Governor’s proposed 2024-25 budget. 
 
Learn more and register on PASA’s Website.
 
New Superintendent Induction Program: Mentors for New Leaders
PASA’s New Superintendent Induction Program provides needed support and guidance for beginning Superintendents by providing an experienced superintendent mentor to help with the transition into the Superintendency. This program facilitates a working relationship between the Superintendent and an experienced Mentor that allows for open and private discussions and provides resources to sustain school system leaders.
 
For more information and to apply, visit PASA’s website.
 
2024-25 Teach Plus PA Policy Fellowship
Teach Plus Pennsylvania is currently accepting applications for the 2024-25 Pennsylvania Teaching Policy Fellowship. This highly selective leadership opportunity is a paid fellowship for 30 outstanding Pennsylvania teachers looking to deepen their knowledge of education policy and amplify the voices of teacher leaders in Pennsylvania. With a particular focus on rural districts, which have been underrepresented, we are hoping to build a diverse cohort of teachers from across Pennsylvania, and we'd love your help with spreading the word. 
 
You can nominate teachers and begin your application here.
 
Learn more by signing up for one of our info sessions.
 March 27th, 6-7 p.m.: Register | April 16th, 7-8 p.m.: Register
 
In Health, Safety, Equity & Learning News…
Title IX Rules Still Behind. When Will They Be Finalized The U.S. Department of Education continues to lag on finalizing two key Title IX proposals anxiously awaited by district leaders for over three years — and now policy experts say it’s likely the department will finalize both this spring, after the department’s latest self-imposed deadline of March.The broader Title IX proposal released in June 2022 would protect LGBTQ+ students under the federal anti-discrimination law for the first time. It would also change Title IX implementation in a way that public education experts say make it more practical for schools, including shortening investigation and resolution timelines. Read the rest of the story: “Title IX Rules Still Behind. When Will They Be Finalized” (from, K-12 Dive, 3/8/24)

AI Could Prove Helpful For Students With Dyslexia — Artificial intelligence is at the stage for “thoughtful experimentation” in assisting students with dyslexia, according to Josh Clark, head of school at Landmark School, a Prides Crossing, Massachusetts, private school serving students with dyslexia and other language-based disabilities. Clark noted, however, that while educators should explore how to bring AI tools into practice with students with dyslexia, they should not look at the technology as a bypass. Read the rest of the story: “AI Could Prove Helpful For Students With Dyslexia” (from K-12 Dive, 3/6/24)
 
In State News…
PA Education Officials Detail $1B Plan For Fair School Funding— State House lawmakers questioned Pennsylvania Education Secretary Khalid Mumin on Tuesday about Gov. Josh Shapiro’s $1.1 billion proposal to put public schools across the state on equal footing. While the plan, which also calls for $300 million for building repairs and millions of dollars more for mental health, school safety and security, and free feminine hygiene products in schools, was broadly endorsed, some GOP lawmakers questioned whether it would force districts already meeting performance goals to spend more and rural districts to merge. Read the rest of the story: “PA Education Officials Detail $1B Plan For Fair School Funding” (from Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 3/6/24)
 
Pennsylvania Teacher Preparation Programs See Slight Increase in Diversity, According to New Report— Diversity among college students enrolled in Pennsylvania teacher preparation programs saw a slight increase in recent years, but more work still needs to be done to bolster the number of people of color pursuing an education career, a new report found. In all, the number of college students of color enrolled in teacher preparation programs — college courses that prepare students to become licensed educators — jumped from 11% in 2009 to almost 16% in 2021, a report from the Penn State Center for Education Evaluation & Policy Analysis and the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium found using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Read the rest of the story: “Pennsylvania Teacher Preparation Programs See Slight Increase in Diversity, According to New Report” (from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/4/24)

Pennsylvania State Senator Says Cyber Charter Schools Underperform At The Cost of Taxpayer —  We've all seen the commercials for cyber charter schools with happy kids posed in front of laptops, independently working in their bedrooms or on the living room floor. But many local school superintendents say it's a financial drain on their budgets with little to no oversight. A local state senator says Pennsylvania's 13 cyber charter schools consistently underperform, yet at Sto-Rox, the superintendent says she's still spending $8 million of her budget to fund them. Read the rest of the story: “Pennsylvania State Senator Says Cyber Charter Schools Underperform At The Cost Of The Taxpayer” (from CBS News, 3/4/24)
 
Two Local Lawmakers To Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help PA Students Compare Colleges —Choosing a college is a big deal for high school students, but comparing costs can be a challenge. Two Midstate lawmakers want to make sure students have all the information available to make a big financial decision. Rep. Thomas Kutz (R) and Rep. Justin Fleming (D) are teaming up to introduce a bipartisan bill to require the Pennsylvania Department of Education to create a comparison tool on its website.  Read the rest of the story: “Two Local Lawmakers To Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Help PA Students Compare Colleges” (from ABC 27, 3/5/24)
 
In National and International News…
Biden Calls for Teacher Pay Raised, Expanded Pre-K in State of the Union— President Joe Biden included his administration’s K-12 education priorities in a State of the Union address focused on American resilience Thursday. In a high-stakes appearance in the lead-up to the November presidential election, Biden echoed his past support for raising teacher pay and increasing access to early childhood education, and he highlighted his administration’s efforts to promote tutoring, summer learning, and career and technical education. Read the rest of the story: “Biden Calls for Teacher Pay Raises, Expanded Pre-K in State of the Union” (from EducationWeek, 3/7/24)
 
Can Microcredentialing Help Address Teacher Shortages?   As the need surges for teachers with multilingual instructional skills, the University of California, Los Angeles’ ExcEL Leadership Academy developed a microcredentialing program to help educators equip themselves with the necessary tools to serve multilingual learners. With funding from federal National Professional Development Program grants and UCLA’s Center X, ExcEL created 12 microcredentials in multilingual instruction. The academy has also worked with cohorts of educators throughout New England piloting the asynchronous learning modules during the program’s rollout.  Read the rest of the story: “Can Microcredentialing Help Address Teacher Shortages” (from, K-12 Dive, 3/7/24)
 
Why Visible Leadership Is So Important In K-12 Education— Leadership guides the course toward success for students, educators, and communities in the complicated education roadmap. Visible leadership is not just an administrative function but a transformative force within schools. As assistant superintendent of teaching and learning in New Bedford Public Schools, I want to be in schools daily and collaborate with leaders and educators. Not always in a supervisory capacity, but one focused on collaboration and learning. The more I learn, the more impactful I can be in my supervision and feedback.  Read the rest of the story. “Why Visible Leadership Is So Important in K-12 Education” (from District Administration, 2/26/24)

What Kids Say They Need to Understand How AI Works— Most kids have at least some understanding of what generative artificial intelligence is and how it can be used, but they also want more help from adults in learning how to use the tools properly, concludes a new survey from the nonprofit National 4-H Council. Before being given a description of AI, most 9- to 17-year-olds were able to express what they think it is and what it can do, the report found. One kid said that AI is “able to learn and train to do specific tasks,” and another said that it can make everyday processes “more efficient and effective.” The nationally representative survey of 1,510 children ages 9-17 was conducted by Hart Research, with support from Microsoft, between Nov. 5-16. It explores knowledge and use of AI technology, specifically generative AI tools like ChatGPT. Read the rest of the story:  “What Kids Say They Need to Understand How AI Works” (from EdTech, 2/20/24)
 
Sponsor Update:
Global Professional Development Program Scholarships Announced
PASA is pleased to announce the Summer 2024 Global Professional Development Program Scholarship recipients have been selected.  Please join me in congratulating:
  • Dr. Barry Balaski, Superintendent Moon Area School District
  • Dr. Erika Willis, Assistant Superintendent, Central Dauphin Area School District
  • Dr. John Council, Assistant Superintendent Upper Darby Area School District
  • Dr. Jermain Dawson, Deputy Superintendent School District of Philadelphia
They will be traveling to Japan & South Korea this July with 30 educational leaders from around the country to learn about innovations in education, explore cultural sites, and gain a deeper understanding of the rich history and innovation of these countries.
 
If you would like an experience like this for yourself, please consider applying for the Fall 2024 PASA/EF Annual Global Professional Development Program Scholarship October 10-14th to Panama.  During this experience, you'll get a taste of hands-on learning as you explore cultural sites, analyze new trends in STEM education, and participate in service-learning projects around sustainability. You will also expand your professional network as you work collaboratively with peers exploring the importance of global competency for your district and community, all while discovering the rich history and culture of Panama.
 
Applications are now open.  You can find out all the details and apply at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7LFTKRR  Questions?  Email Michele Balliet @mballiet@pasa-net.org or Meghan Schafer meghan.schafer@ef.com 
 
Upcoming Legislative Schedule – (Subject to change)
House of Representatives:
Next Session: March 18 at noon.
Senate:
Next sessions: March 18 at 1 p.m.
 
Senate Scheduled Session Days:
March: 18, 19, 20
April: 8, 9, 10, 29, 30
May: 1, 6, 7, 8
June: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
 
House Scheduled Session Days:
March:  18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27
April:  8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 29, 30
May:  1, 6, 7, 8, 20, 21, 22
June:  3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
 
Note: Tuesday, April 23 is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania
 
On the PASA Calendar…
 
March 13:                  PA League of Urban Schools (PLUS) Conference (Hershey Lodge)
March 13-15:             2023 PASA Leadership Forum: Unleashing Potential: Navigating the Continuum of Creativity and Innovation in Schools (Hershey Lodge)
April 2:                      Artificial Intelligence: Generative Artificial Intelligence Governance, Access, and Ethical Considerations for School Districts (Virtual)
April 3:                      Connecting the Dots: School District Funding, Spending, and Budgeting (Berks I.U.)
April 15:                    Connecting the Dots: School District Funding, Spending, and Budgeting (Westmoreland I.U.)
April 17:                    Connecting the Dots: School District Funding, Spending, and Budgeting (Central I.U.)
April 22:                    Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities, Risks, and Legal Concerns with Generative AI in K-12 Education (Virtual)
April 30:                    PASA Advocacy Day
May 14:                     Artificial Intelligence: Session 4 (More information to come)
May 19-21:                Women’s Caucus Annual Spring Conference at the Hershey Hotel
 
Click here to view the full calendar of events.
 
(PDF for Printing)