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For Immediate
Release
12/30/09
 
Piccola Unveils Legislation to Update
Pennsylvania's Education Empowerment Law
Strengthening Options, Incentives & Penalties to Schools Failing to Show
Improvement
HARRISBURG – Senate Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey E. Piccola (R-15)
shared plans today of his legislative proposal that creates a new Education
Empowerment Law for the Commonwealth, replacing the current statute to comply
with federal standards and providing under-performing schools in the state the
tools necessary to turn themselves around.
Pennsylvania's current Education Empowerment Act which Piccola helped author
in 2000 is set to expire on June 30, 2010. In order to meet the terms of the
federal No Child Left Behind Act, an education accountability law must be
enacted. Piccola's proposed legislation is intended to strengthen the options,
incentives, and penalties applicable to districts and schools that fail to make
adequate yearly progress (AYP) under No Child Left Behind.
"Since the enactment of the Empowerment Law, there continues to be a lack of
academic improvement in some of our urban school districts throughout
Pennsylvania, most noticeably here in Harrisburg where citizens have grown more
and more displeased and impatient with the consistent failure of the district.
Legislation is needed to build real academic benchmarks and consequences for
those failing time and time again to show signs of improvement," Piccola said.
Under Piccola's proposal, districts and schools persistently failing to make
AYP will face increasingly serious consequences. Those districts and schools
failing to make AYP for eight or more years will fall under the control of a
three-member School Reform Commission (SRC) reporting to the Secretary of the
Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Secretary would have the authority to
order the SRC to close a school or dissolve the district.
This legislation would apply to all school districts in Pennsylvania
excluding the Philadelphia School District which would continue to be governed
under school improvement provisions of the Public School Code that apply only to
first class school districts.
"Aside from the more serious consequences, my proposal does incorporate a
number of steps leading up to a state intervention for those troubled and
struggling districts failing to make AYP for the first couple of years and
considered initially to be on a ‘warning or school improvement status.' I
believe it's important these schools be held accountable but are also given an
opportunity to transform themselves which is why this legislation incorporates
methods to help in this process as well," explained Piccola.
Based upon the accountability level for a district or school, the plan
outlines several tools available for those unsuccessful in achieving AYP. Some
of these measures include converting a school to a charter school, contracting
with an education management organization, establishing merit pay for teachers
and administrators, establishing accelerated learning academies with a more
rigorous curriculum, and a longer school day or school year.
"It's time we realize that when our children fail, it's often because the
system has failed. We must act to provide the children of Pennsylvania's lowest
performing school districts with the education they so very much need and
deserve," added Piccola. "In the coming weeks and months, I will be working
closely with my colleagues in forging a path building on the nine years of
experience Pennsylvania already has in empowerment reform."
The Senate Education Committee will be holding public hearings on the
proposal in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh in early 2010.
Contact:
Colleen Greer
(717) 787-6801
Additional Information:
Education
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