Newsroom

The latest education-related news from PSBA and other sources

New money to help toddlers’ education and health in Pennsylvania

New money is aimed at helping more toddlers and their families in Pennsylvania. The commonwealth is one of 10 states and D.C. to receive a $100,00 grant, which will help with early childhood education, healthcare, and childcare… More

Can more be done to keep schools safe?

State funding helps school districts and intermediate units decide what security measures they choose to implement. Lawmakers and the Wolf administration say security steps should not be directed from Harrisburg. “I don't think our role is to try and manage every school district… More

Transgender bathroom, locker room use: The debate in central Pa., explained

More than 200 people showed up to the latest Eastern Lancaster County School District school board meeting on Monday night as the board passed a “biological sex” policy for bathrooms and locker room use… More

Amid razor wire and prison blocks, advocates push for more early education money

With perimeter cameras peering down and razor wire piled high behind them, advocates pushed for an increase in state funding for early childhood education, saying that money spent on preschool can pay huge dividends later in life by keeping them from growing up into criminals… More

New state plan would provide AP testing for low income students at reduced cost

The PA Department of Education announced a new initiative that would allow economically disadvantaged high school students to take Advanced Placement exams at a reduced cost. Through a partnership with the College Board, which administers AP exams, it will now cost qualifying students $20 to take the test. Normally, cost is $85 per test… More

House leaders expect smooth budget process despite split on state spending

Pennsylvania Republican House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler and Democratic House Minority Leader Frank Dermody recently were asked to speak on the progress of the state budget, and are optimistic that the leadership teams would be able to come together and assemble a budget compromise before the June 30 deadline. Watchdog… More

National News: K-12 aid at stake in suit over census’ citizenship question

Count educators as part of the population taking a keen interest in a major U.S. Supreme Court case about whether a question regarding U.S. citizenship was properly added to the 2020 census. A federal district judge in January found that adding the citizenship question would lead to a decline in the response rate of at least 5… More

National News: Measuring equity in state ESSA plans

An analysis by the National Urban League, a prominent civil rights group, examined how states are looking out for vulnerable students in their plans to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act. The analysis considers how plans handle the performance of subgroups of students, including English-learners, students in special education, racial minorities, and poor students… More

New study pushes PA to embrace trauma-informed education

Research suggests that about half of the county’s children experience at least one traumatic event before the age of 17. These adverse childhood experiences — known as ACES — include experiencing or witnessing violence; living in poverty; or having a parent go to jail… More

How are schools prioritizing mental health?

The mass-shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, and schools around the nation last year ignited a debate on mental health and the need to prevent young people from slipping through the cracks. Local school district efforts are designed to do just that… More