Education News

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos promotes school choice programs in Harrisburg school visit

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited the Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School as part of her back-to-school tour. Her visit comes after Pennsylvania Gov… More

School’s out for climate strike? Here’s why teens across Pennsylvania may skip class on Friday

Dozens of protests are scheduled in Pennsylvania as part of a global climate strike, just three days before world leaders will convene in New York City for the UN Climate Action Summit… More

Health secretary: Every school needs a concussion management team

The Pennsylvania Department of Health is getting the word out about resources available for students with traumatic brain injuries. Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine says it is vital that every school district has a concussion management team. Those teams are made up of school employees who monitor students’ academics and symptoms… More

PA to launch review of its science standards that may include emphasis on helping students think like scientists

The State Board of Education directed the state Department of Education to begin preparing to modernize the state’s 17-year-old science standards to bring them into alignment with current research and best practices, including a look at the Next Generation Science Standards… More

School Safety and Security Grant Program and Model Trauma-Informed Approach Plan

The PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has issued funding announcements for the School Safety and Security Grant program, which are now open on the PCCD website… More

Smart Talk: A legislative plan to eliminate property taxes; keeping kids safe from abusers at school

Now, a new piece of legislation seeks to create a permanent fix to the funding shortfall created by eliminating property taxes. Joining Smart Talk to talk about this most recent legislative initiative is Republican State Representative Frank Ryan of Lebanon County… More

Report: Student attendance depends on ‘conditions for learning’

Educators often say frequent absences are a symptom of another issue in a student’s life. Those issues involve students’ health and safety, a sense of belonging, academic engagement, and students’ and adults’ social and emotional skills, according to a new report from Attendance Works and the American Institutes for Research (AIR)… More

In ‘equity circles,’ teachers confront their own biases and stereotypes

The goal is to help teachers “explore how their own cultural experiences unconsciously influence their decisions and identify their cultural blind spots and emotional activators around race, culture, and gender.” Failing to bridge the cultural chasm “is what leads to heartache for the teacher and challenges for the students,” Cristina Hart said… More

Role of school libraries and librarians has evolved says president of state association

School libraries aren’t the quiet places you might remember if you were a student decades ago, says Cathi Fuhrman, library department supervisor for the Hempfield School District… More

Pennsylvania’s property tax, explained: A moral wrong, or the building block of government finance?

Right now, the state pays for 38% of the costs of public education through General Fund revenue. The rest is covered by local governments and school districts, mostly through property taxes… More