Education Summit preview: James Testerman

We asked participants in "State of the Schools: A Countywide Education Summit" to respond to three questions about our schools, and we've been sharing their responses on Mondays for the past six weeks. These are the questions we posed:

• What’s the biggest challenge confronting public education in York County today?
• What can the community in York County realistically expect to achieve to deal with that challenge?
• What would your first priority for action be?

 Today, in the final installment, we hear from James Testerman, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

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York County is a wonderful, diverse region with strong rural, suburban and urban communities. These communities support schools that are performing very well. For instance, in my school district, Central York, 87 percent of the students who took the PSSA in math in 2010 scored proficient or above on the test. Only 4.6 percent scored below basic. Students had similar results in reading—over 82 percent scored proficient or advanced.

Southern York, York Suburban and other York County districts had similar results. Students in these districts also successfully completed college credits while in high school; performed in music programs and competed in sports; learned world languages; earned certificates to pursue a technical career; and were admitted to college.

For the past decade, Pennsylvania has invested in programs that have proven to work for our students. The results are clear: No states have statistically significant higher 8th grade reading scores than Pennsylvania on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Only six states have significantly higher 4th grade reading scores. On the NAEP math tests, only seven states have significantly higher 8th grade math scores than Pennsylvania and only four are significantly higher on 4th grade math scores.

The Center for Education Policy cited Pennsylvania in 2010 for recording gains in all academic categories from 2002-2008.

Pennsylvania’s performance ranks above the U.S. average and the averages of 36 of 48 countries in math. It ranked below only that of five Asian jurisdictions (Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Japan). More Pennsylvania students than ever (7 out of 10) are going on to higher education.

Translating this locally, even our most challenged schools have shown remarkable improvements in student achievement over the past seven years. In York City, the percent of students scoring advanced or proficient on state tests increased from 31.5 percent in 2003 to 51.1 percent in 2010 in math, and from 33.2 percent to 41.9 percent in reading. The number of students in York County schools that score below basic in math and reading has dropped significantly. This will make a remarkable difference in these young people’s lives, and in the life of this community.

However, Gov. Corbett recently unveiled his 2011-12 state budget, and it proposes an unprecedented $1.2 billion in funding cuts to public school classrooms. Public education funding cuts for York County school districts total $33.7 million in the governor’s budget proposal.

The proposed cuts would reverse years of significant academic gains, and local property taxpayers and students will be the ones who suffer the consequences. School boards will be forced to raise property taxes, eliminate programs that have contributed to our students’ outstanding academic achievements, and slash teaching jobs. That means that students will ultimately pay the price.

The challenge is whether we can hold the ground we have gained and to accelerate the pace of student progress in York City and throughout the county.

This requires concentrating what funding we have in those areas with the greatest education need. It requires a shared commitment from families and the public and private agencies that support young people’s growth, including parents and school professionals; school boards and state agencies; employers and taxpayers.

If we continue our funding commitment to public education and implement proven programs that work, like small class size, full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten, students in York will continue to progress.

James P. Testerman is president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association. He taught science and biology in the Central York School District for 16 before taking leave to work for PSEA. He lives in York County.

New charter school could be a game-changer for York

When the York Academy Regional Charter School opens

in August, it will make living in downtown a more appealing

residential choice for families with children. The school sits

between Central Market and Sovereign Bank Stadium in the

heart of the Northwest Triangle redevelopment project. 

By Eric Menzer

Last week the news hit the City of York like a ton of bricks – Governor Corbett’s proposed education cuts could add another $10 million on top of the $15 million deficit that the York City School District was already facing. And while every school district in York County faces financial challenges to one degree or another, there is no question that the city district is in the deepest hole. Whether your perspective is one of taxpayer, parent or simply concerned citizen, it is hard to fathom what we do next when it seemed the situation was already so dire both financially and in terms of outcomes for city kids.

We also heard news recently that only three candidates had filed for five city school board seats. These used to be hotly-contested races – campaigns got almost bitter at times. Do three candidates for five seats mean that city residents are so dispirited when it comes to our school district that they can’t even fight anymore? There’s an old saying – “the night is always darkest just before the dawn.” Let’s hope that dawn is around the corner on this one, because it’s hard to imagine a darker night.

In my last few posts I have been hopeful. I have written about the cultural and demographic forces that are creating the best market and most positive outlook for cities in 50 years. So how do we square that hopefulness with the grim outlook for our school district?

In the short run, it seems hard. But there are a couple things we need to keep in mind that are more subtle than a simple “gloom versus optimism” formula.

First, there are enormous numbers of potential city residents at any given time who are not consumers of our school system – both singles and couples without kids, and those whose children are done with their primary school years. At any given time, something along the lines of 75 percent of the U.S. population does not have kids in school.

Second, the charter school movement – regardless of your political philosophy or issues of funding or achievement – has matured enough in our city to offer real alternatives for those who do have kids in school. And while many of the charter schools we’ve seen open to this point draw most of their population from their local service area, a new one will open next fall that could be a real game-changer for the city in the long run.

The York Academy Regional Charter School will offer the International Baccalaureate curriculum not only to city residents, but to those of York Suburban and Central York school districts and possibly other suburban districts. Enough has been written about how remarkable it is that these three districts came together to create this school. Less has been written about how this school can take the experience of “walkable urbanity” to a whole new level.

Imagine that you are already attracted to the lifestyle provided by downtown or city neighborhood living. Now imagine from that home, you can walk or ride a bicycle to the most unique school in all of York County – one that offers not only the social, economic and racial diversity that many of us value in our city, but a world-class education, as well. Game on for competitiveness for the city of York as a viable residential option for parents with choices about where to live.

Eric Menzer is president of the York Revolution professional baseball team and manages the Codo Development Group, a real estate development company working in downtown York. Eric is active in community affairs and civic leadership at both the local and state level. He chairs the York County Community Foundation and serves on the boards of Downtown Inc, Better York, YorkCounts and the Crispus Attucks Association. He just concluded several years as Chairman of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, a statewide policy-research and advocacy organization that promotes smart growth and urban revitalization, and he remains active on that board. Eric was previously the senior vice president of Wagman Construction in York. Prior to that, he served for eight years as York’s director of economic development and previously as the executive director of the York County Transportation Authority. He is a passionate baseball fan and lives in York with his wife and daughter.

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REGISTER FOR THE COUNTYWIDE EDUCATION SUMMIT

Part of the program for the YorkCounts 2011 countywide education summit will include an update on the York Academy Regional Charter School. Here's more information on the summit.

What: "State of the Schools: A Countywide Education Summit"
When: 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. April 14
Where: Pullo Center at Penn State York, 1031 Edgecomb Ave., York
How much: Admission is free, but advance registration is requested and box lunches will be available for $5. With your registration, please indicate your preference from the lunch wrap choices: turkey, ham, chicken salad, tuna salad or veggie.
The morning session: Elaine Weiss, the national coordinator for Broader, Bolder Approach to Education, will provide the national context, and Brian Jensen from the Pennsylvania Economy League will discuss the state’s looming pension crisis. Other morning speakers include Dennis Baughman, who will provide an update on the York Academy Regional Charter School; and Dayna Laur, an award-winning and nationally recognized Central York teacher, who will talk about new ways districts can collaborate and share resources.
The afternoon session: A panel discussion will focus on school district budgets and the looming pension crisis. Panelists include:

• Thomas Gentzel, executive director for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association
• James Testerman, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association
• Republican State Sen. Lloyd Smucker, who represents parts of York and Lancaster counties and serves on the Senate Education and Appropriations committees
• Republican State Rep. Ron Miller, who represents southwestern York County, including York, Springfield, Shrewsbury, Codorus, Manheim and West Manheim townships
• Democratic State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, who represents York and parts of Spring Garden and West Manchester townships
• Robert Krantz, superintendent from Dover Area School District
• George Ioannidis, business manager from Spring Grove Area School District
• Judith Higgins, school board member from Eastern York School District and board president of Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12
• Joel Sears, president of the York County Taxpayers Council
• Stephen Herzenberg, executive director of the Keystone Research Center

To register: Send an e-mail with your name, school district and phone number to events@yorkcounts.org, and if you plan to purchase one of the $5 box lunches, please indicate your lunch preference from these wrap choices: turkey, ham, chicken salad, tuna salad or veggie.

For details: Contact Dan Fink at YorkCounts at 717-650-1460 or at dfink@yorkcounts.org.

Avoid early ed cuts at school budget time



Photo by Anissa Thompson

Pre-schoolers who participate in quality

early childhood programs nearly

always start kindergarten prepared

for school. Studies show that such

programs also help at-risk students

start school even with their peers and

avoid an array of later problems such as

school failure, remediation and truancy.

 By Christy Renjilian

There’s a lot of talk right now about education. What to do about unbalanced school district budgets, falling test scores and failing schools. The talk centers on education from kindergarten through 12th grade. But what happens to a child before they enter kindergarten? The best way to make certain no child gets left behind is to ensure an even start for all. That’s where high-quality early childhood education comes in.

York County has 13 National Association for the Education of Young Children accredited centers. The centers must meet more than 425 standards, conduct family surveys and self assessments, and have an on-site review. Nationally, only 7 percent of all child care programs are NAEYC accredited; in York County 14 percent are. Other high quality early childhood education programs include the Keystone STAR 3 or STAR 4 providers, Pre-K Counts grantees, EvenStart, Head Start and Early Head Start. So there are quality programs available, there just aren’t enough of them. Only 18 percent of York County children under age 5 have access to high-quality early childhood education programs.

This past year, 97 percent of the pre-kindergarten children enrolled in the seven NAEYC accredited programs administered by United Way of York County’s partner agencies met developmental goals and were on track for success in life. These benchmarks are set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and measured through a standardized tool. Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that have aligned their learning standards from infancy through high school. Each age and grade has specific standards in language, science, math, and so on. The goals in each subject area build on one another. The standards serve as a guide for the school districts to ensure success not only on standardized tests but on “life’s tests” of post-secondary education and success in the workplace.

Early childhood education programs are incorporating these standards and the results of child assessments into their curriculum. Teachers are developing lesson plans based on what the state indicates a 3 year-old should know and be able to do. Those children who are having trouble with a particular skill, as identified by teacher observations and screenings, receive extra support. All of this is done in a developmentally appropriate child friendly setting. Young children do not learn through worksheets and memorization. Young children learn best through active experiences with peers, caring adults and the world around them.

And all this effort to improve the quality of early childhood education is paying off. Children, even those deemed at-risk of school failure, are meeting the Pennsylvania standards for a typical 4 year-old. As a result, York County school districts are revamping their kindergarten curricula because the children enrolled in high-quality early childhood education programs are entering school with more knowledge and better social skills. It’s a good problem to have: children who exceed your expectations.

So why should people concerned with their school district’s budget care about early childhood education? Because pre-K and other early childhood programs are outside of what districts are required to provide, under their mandates from the state. Which means budget cuts could reduce spending on early ed. And that’s a bad idea, because research by top economists and educators prove that for every $1 we spend on high-quality early childhood education, we can save $7 in costs associated with special education, remediation programs, school failure and dropouts.

Pay a dollar now to prevent problems or pay $7 later to fix problems. I know which one I would choose.

Christy Renjilian is the Director of Community Initiatives for the United Way of York County. She has a Masters degree in Social Policy Analysis from the University of Chicago. Christy has more than 20 years of experience administering early childhood education programs and has been with the United Way of York County for more than five years. Christy also drafted the 2009 Stay in School report on dropout prevention for the United Way of York County and YorkCounts. She lives in Springettsbury Township with her husband and two children. Christy can be reached at renjilianc@unitedway-york.org or 717-771-3808.

Time for teachers' merit pay?

School is out, but education is a hot topic right now. The state's budget deadline is hours away, and Gov. Ed Rendell has been out stumping for his education plan, which calls for $300 million in new funds for basic education. Republicans have proposed using federal stimulus money to keep funding for basic education flat. Whichever side you're on, there's no disputing the fact that the quaility of the state's educational system goes right to the heart of how competitive Pennsylvania will be in the 21st-century economy.

How well prepared for college will our students be? How will we reverse brain drain? What will the quality of our workforce be? How attractive will the state be for recruiting and retaininig key employers?

Part of the governor's plan for improving Pennsylvania's public-education system includes new testing for students and new evaluations for principals and teachers. Even the liberal think tank Center for American Progress makes the case in this new report that teacher evaluations should play a larger role in assessing student performance, and now might be the time to consider ideas such as merit pay:

"New educators, both teachers and principals, are more receptive to differential treatment of teachers than were prior generations. Seventy percent of new teachers in a representative sample said that the fact that teachers do not get rewarded for superior effort and performance is a drawback. Eighty-four percent of these teachers said that making it easier to terminate unmotivated or incompetent teachers would be an effective way to improve teacher quality. The influx of so many new educators also provides an opportunity for supervisors to evaluate teachers more rigorously now, before these individuals gain tenure."

What about this? Is it reasonable to think that tracking the performance of teachers and schools and giving bonuses to high-performing teachers might produce higher-performing students?

- Dan Fink