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News & Action Items

Here's what's being discussed on PA School Talk this week:

ESL Certification Debate

Questions about Chester Upland and charter schools

Charter School Reform

• Law Center Testifies on Fiscally Distressed School Districts
  
  Education Law Center Policy Director Baruch Kintisch testified at the Jan. 24 Senate Education Committee hearing on Pennsylvania's fiscally distressed school districts, including Chester Upland.
  
  “Given the community circumstances in distressed school districts, local revenue sources are not enough to provide quality opportunities to learn in the local schools to meet state academic standards for all children,” said Kintisch.
  Read the Testimony
  
  
  
• Chester Upland Parents File Petition for Immediate Court Action
  
  The Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia today filed a Petition for immediate action in Commonwealth Court on behalf of five families of Chester Upland School District students and Chester Upland Citizens for Educational Progress, asking the court to ensure the continuing education of all students in the District in accordance with state law mandates. Read more...
  
  
  
• Questions about children in partial hospitalization programs
  
  The Education Law Center wants to learn how well children who attend “partial hospitalization programs,” mental health programs that operate during the school day, are learning. Read more...
  
  
  
• Voucher Proposal Drives Majority of Public Money to Private and Religious Schools
  
  

  The Pennsylvania Senate approved in 2011 giving taxpayer-funded tuition vouchers primarily to students already enrolled in private and religious schools. While that plan was not adopted by the House, it is likely to be reintroduced — in some form — in 2012.

  Read the background materials and analysis on the Senate bill.

 

• Law Center Testifies on Special Education Funding and Accountability
  
  The Education Law Center, along with the Arc of Pennsylvania, the Superintendent of the School District of Lancaster, and a school board member from the Sto-Rox School District, testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee on Nov. 1, 2011. Read more...
  
  
  
• Law Center Seeking Executive Director
  The Education Law Center's Board of Directors is in search of a new Executive Director who will build on the Law Center’s very special track record. For more information download the position summary.
  
  
  
  

Also in the news:

U.S. Department of Education releases final regulations for the early intervention program under Part C of the IDEA.
Read more...

Education Budget Analysis for 2011-12
Read more...

Updates from the English Language Learner Task Force
Read more...

Pennsylvania's Best Investment: Public Education
Read more...

 

Publications and More Help

• Fairness in School Discipline in Pennsylvania: A Guide for Attorneys and Advocates Who Represent Students
• Getting Information About Your School: A Guide to Pennsylvania Laws on Open Meetings and Public Records
• Basics of Special Education Law Brochure for parents
• Right to Special Education Manual (2009A)
• El Derecho a Educacion Especial en Pensilvania, a Spanish-language version of ELC’s 2009 guide, The Right to Special Education in Pennsylvania, is now available (translation courtesy of the Disability Rights Network).
• Training Request Form.
• Browse and download ELC publications and training materials.
• Have a question about ELC services? Check our Frequently Asked Questions page for help.
• Find other agencies that can help you.

Calendar

Below is the Events Calendar from PA School Talk, where members can add their own events. Full details, including RSVP information, are available by clicking the event listing.

 

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