Education News

‘It works:’ Pennsylvania teachers, police give advice to NC about new school safety program

The State of North Carolina and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania may be known for their shared past as colonies and Civil War battlegrounds, but their collective futures will soon be linked by their common status as pioneers in school safety… More

Universal lead testing touches ideological nerve in PA House panel debate

A seemingly uncontroversial bill dealing with childhood testing for lead exposure sparked heated debate Wednesday about the balance between public safety and government overreach. The bill, sponsored by Rep… More

PA House, Senate resolutions aim to raise awareness of childhood homelessness

On Wednesday, Nikki Johnson-Houston, the reigning Ms. Pennsylvania and a tax attorney in Philadelphia, appeared alongside her one-time law school classmate, Rep. Donna Bullock (D-Philadelphia) to rally on behalf of companion House and Senate resolutions designating this week (Nov. 17-22) “Pennsylvania Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness Awareness Week… More

With financial incentives and extra support, Philly and PA plan to recruit more teachers of color

Plagued by a teacher shortage in general and the nation’s lowest rate of teachers of color, Pennsylvania education officials Wednesday announced a program to recruit, train and keep a more diverse force of educators… More

Financial literacy courses for students on the rise, as college debt, other expenses increase

There has been a recent push to provide money management skills to high school students. In September, Pennsylvania senators unanimously passed a new legislation that will allow public school students to apply personal finance credits toward high school graduation requirements… More

Gov. Wolf’s charter school accountability plan saves nearly $280 million

Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to improve the educational quality of charter schools and control rising costs will save nearly $280 million a year, the governor told the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators on Friday… More

GOP leaders want to pilot private school vouchers in Harrisburg

A bill introduced this fall by Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, would add a new branch to Pennsylvania’s school-choice tree — school vouchers. Opponents see a scheme that could devastate Harrisburg’s fiscally beleaguered public school system… More

Gov. Wolf set to discuss charter school reform package

Governor Tom Wolf is set to discuss his charter school reform package and encourage new legislation. Right now there are almost 200 charter schools in Pennsylvania but the Governor says the state’s charter school law is among the worst in the country. Governor Wolf says our charter school law is flawed and outdated… More

Pension costs continue to burden Philly School District, report says

Though the Philadelphia School District’s finances have improved in recent years, the district is still confronting mounting pension costs that will continue to burden its budget. That’s the message from a Pew Charitable Trusts report released Wednesday. It details how the district’s contributions to the state-run Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) have soared… More

Inaction on school funding in Pennsylvania could lead more schools into distress, academic report warns

“A Tale of Haves and Have-Nots: The Financial Future of Pennsylvania School Districts” is more than just a forecast of doom and gloom. The 28-page report published by the Temple University Center on Regional Politics outlines the reasons why some districts have more funding than others… More