Advocacy News

From Rich Victor through PLAN
This is the first in a series of emails regarding the proposed Keystone Exams. The Keystone Exams are basically a "repackaging" of the Graduation Competency Assessments. Although there has been some tweaking of the ingredients to make it more acceptable to some, the final product still has most of the same problems that, in my opinion, makes it a bad thing for most students and has the potential to further erode time available in the school day for electives.

On Sept. 21, 2009, the final form Keystone Exams regulations (6-312) were formally submitted to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) and the House and Senate Education Committees. The text of the regulations is posted on IRRC's Web site, along with the required Regulatory Analysis documents, at this link: http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/Regulations/RegInfo.cfm?IRRCNo=2696
. IRRC will consider the regulations at its Oct. 22 meeting in Harrisburg. The House and Senate Education Committees have until 24 hours before the IRRC meeting to take action the regulations

In the meantime, House Resolution 456 was introduced by Rep. Clymer.
House Resolution 456 broadly urges on the governor to cease any funding of implementation of high school graduation requirements until the General Assembly establishes a specific policy and appropriation and votes on them. It also requests the governor to impress upon his cabinet officials to honor the citizens of Pennsylvania to uphold the Constitution and calls upon the Independent Regulatory Review Commission to consider whether proposed high school graduation requirements have been given due consideration by the General Assembly and the governor, in accordance with the Regulatory Review Act before a decision is made on final form regulations dealing with high school graduation requirements.

In July, the Pennsylvania School Board Association Board of Directors approved a resolution withholding support for the Keystone Exam proposal. Specifically, the Board cited two provisions added to the regulations after PSBA’s March agreement with the State Board as the reasons for concern.

The first issue is that the regulations now state that the results of Keystone Exams will count for 33% of a student’s final course grade. The second issue is that a student will be given a “0” grade on any Keystone Exam where he or she scores below the “basic” level. Based on the direction provided by the association’s Board of Directors, PSBA submitted a letter to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission on Sept. 22 asking the commission to communicate to the State Board that it would not approve the regulation unless changes were made to these provisions and requesting the commission to toll the time for review if the State Board indicates that such changes would be made. PSBA believes that HR 456 sends a strong message to IRRC that the majority of members of the House of Representatives are opposed to the Keystone Exams proposal. We anticipate that the IRRC commissioners will consider this message as they decide on the proposal on Oct. 22.

Our next email will contain talking points and instructions for submitting letters to the IRRC in a timely fashion.

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Richard Victor
Advocacy Chairperson, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA)
Voice: (814) 466-6768

Article on Advocacy and NCLB
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/DN-gaoreport_18met.ART0.State.Edition1.4a97fb9.html

Article on Rendell's proposal to consolidate PA School Districts
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/02/04/234884pstatebudgetschoolmergers_ap.html?tmp=414612378

PLAN ACTION ALERT: Governor’s Schools

On February 4th, 2009, Governor Rendell will announce a proposed budget that will include, among many other things, cutting the Pennsylvania Governor's Schools of Excellence. (Not just the Arts school - all of them!) He is proposing to eliminate 100 budget line items, that will also include D.A.R.E, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, a program in which police officers go into classrooms to persuade young people to
avoid drugs.

It’s important to know that the budget cuts will NOT be finalized on February 4. Far from it! The announcement of the proposed budget will just be the start of a lengthy budget process - a process that will most likely continue until late June before anything becomes final. That gives interested people plenty of time to organize a campaign to save this funding.

Although it may feel good to vent . . . writing Rendell is not the most effective course of action. His part of the process is submitting a budget that he feels reflects the need of the commonwealth to reduce spending and then letting the public and legislature react! There is really no political fallout for Rendell at the ballot box. It's good to copy a letter to him - but letters really need to go to the people you will vote for (or against) in the next election to be effective.

Therefore, the best action is to contact the representatives and senators who must eventually vote on this proposed budget - and whose ultimate re-election is determined by the support they receive at the local level. To save the Governor’s Schools supporters must demonstrate to the decision makers that a majority of voters support this specific program and would not be happy if this program was cut.

Talking points should emphasize that this program is more than a summer camp. Most effective will be stories of how alumni of these schools “gave back” to their home communities through service projects, volunteerism, and community leadership. In other words, supporters will need to show that the potential loss to the commonwealth in valuable services will be equal or greater than the immediate dollar savings to the budget.
Additional emails will follow on this subject with detailed action steps.

THANK YOU for your willingness to get involved our music advocacy efforts.
Please encourage your colleagues to get involved also!

PLAN
Richard Victor
Advocacy Chairperson, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA)
Voice: (814) 466-6768

To sign up another interested PMEA member, please send an email to rdv11@scasd.org

Visit the PMEA Web Site
http://www.pmea.net

Check out this link to the Boston Globe on the benefits of the Arts!
Provided by Jenny Neff, D11 Advocacy co-chair

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/12/08/arts_power_to_teach_21st_century_skills/

From the Americans for the Arts Action Fund
Congressional Arts Report Card link. See how various reps voted by state.

http://www.artsactionfund.org/stay_informed/special_reports/