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1 _________________________________________________________________ 
EPLC EDUCATION NOTEBOOK
 
Monday, December 7, 2009
Content in this edition:
Pennsylvania Department of EducationPennsylvania Stimulus Oversight CommissionDatebook
 The EPLC Education Notebook (current and past editions) also is available by visiting the EPLC website atwww.eplc.org/ednotebook.html.
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 
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Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak and State Board of Education ChairmanJoseph Torsella last week joined with Rep. James Roebuck and Sen. Jeff Piccola
 –
 majority chairs of the House and Senate Education Committees
 –
to announce acomprehensive plan to address school safety issues.
The statewide initiative calls for theadoption of school climate standards, clearer school violence reporting requirements andbetter tools for monitoring school safety. The announcement coincided with the release of thestate
!
sannual school safety report, which indicates that 68,000 incidents of school violenceoccurred during the 2008-2009 school year 
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about the same level as five years ago.Torsella indicated that the State Board of Education will begin drafting regulations to assistPDE in this initiative and urged the legislature to enact Senate Bills55and56 
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sponsored bySenator Piccola
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which revise the state
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s school violence reporting system and establishstricter hiring policies. These bills were passed by the Senate on June 25, 2009 and awaitfurther action in the House.Also in attendance at the announcement were Philadelphia School District SuperintendentArlene Ackerman and Everett Area School District Superintendent Royce Boyd. Dr.Ackerman endorsed the proposal and said she welcomes PDE
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s assistance in conducting on-site reviews of certain schools. Philadelphia has 25 schools that are categorized as
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persistently dangerous
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under state law. Dr. Boyd shared success stories experienced under the
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Raising Healthy Children
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 programin Bedford County, which partners with educators,parents and caregivers in teaching expectations for behavior, social skills training andclassroom management.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Education launched a redesigned web site this week
 that makes it easier for students, parents, teachers, school administrators and taxpayers tofind the information they need. Visit the redesigned site atwww.education.state.pa.us.
PENNSYLVANIA STIMULUS OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 
Pennsylvania Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak appeared before thePennsylvania StimulusOversight Commissionon Thursday to provide a
status update on federal stimulus funding for education in Pennsylvania.
 Click herefor PDE
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s status report, which describes the education
 
The Education Policy and Leadership Center
800 North Third Street, Suite 408, Harrisburg, PA 17102717-260-9900 - www.elc.or
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