bschaeffer's blog

Dozens of schools across the state have been flagged for possible cheating in a study of 2009 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment scores. Unlikely answer patterns and erasures have aroused suspicions, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education has voiced its concern.

Did state officials bury 2009 cheating report? Philadelphia Public School Notebook

The 2011-12 Pennsylvania budget deals the biggest financial blow to the school districts which are already struggling the most. Click here to watch the video.

Speculation abounds over the fate of several education bills as the deadline for the state budget draws near.

Time has likely run out on latest push for school vouchers Delaware County Daily Times

House and Senate leaders say it was unlikely any of the school voucher proposals introduced this year will make it across the finish line before June 30.

State Budget: Much of Penn State funding restored in compromise Centre Daily Times

State colleges, targeted for a 54 percent cut in the budget proposed by Gov. Tom Corbett in March, will instead see its state funding cut by 19 percent under a agreement between Corbett and top Republican lawmakers.

More on the state budget:

Stanford report finds good and bad in Pennsylvania charter schools Philadelphia Inquirer

One of the most detailed independent studies of Pennsylvania charter school performance ever conducted finds that Pennsylvania has a larger percentage of high-performing charter schools than the national average, but it also has more underperforming ones.

Measure would shift charter school costs to state Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

A bill introduced in Pennsylvania's House of Representatives would require the state to pay tuition for Pennsylvania's 50,000 charter and cyber charter students and could save districts $187 million.

Philly schools sign accountability agreement Lebanon Daily News

The School Reform Commission signed an "education accountability agreement" with state and city officials, giving them unparalleled access to data in the district's nearly $2.8 billion budget.

More: Agreement with city, state: A big deal? Notebook

Pa. schools chief slams teacher, principal ratings Associated Press

Pennsylvania's education secretary Ron Tomalis called for changes in a system of rating public school teachers and principals, saying results that 99 percent are "satisfactory" suggest they do not sufficiently reflect what goes on inside classrooms.

Union: 'Solutions That Work' Can Take PA Schools, Students to New Heights Public News Service

The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) president says the new blueprint, called "Solutions That Work," puts special emphasis on struggling, or "priority," schools to help schools and their students succeed.

School budget questions abound in Philadelphia and many other school districts throughout Pennsylvania. How will state senators respond to the budget passed by their colleagues in the House? Which school districts are facing the biggest budget cuts and why? And what role should cities play in preserving school programs?

Baruch Kintisch, Director of Policy Advocacy at the Education Law Center, and Philadelphia Inquirer education reporter Kristen Graham will respond to those questions and others during a one-hour, online chat Monday, June 6 at noon.