Superintendents+criticize+Corbett's+reform+plan

= = = Letter to governor raises concerns about vouchers, charter schools. = = = = = =By ANGIE MASON= =//Published by the York Daily Record//= =//10/20/11//= = = = = = = = York, PA - Superintendents of 14 York County school districts and the director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 sent a joint letter to Gov. Tom Corbett objecting to his education agenda, namely proposals for vouchers and charter school changes.= ="By focusing on tuition vouchers and the expansion of charter schools without appropriate reform and accountability, we believe your education plan raises many more questions than answers and may have negative short and long term effects on K-12 education in Pennsylvania," the letter states.= =Corbett recently announced his reform agenda at Lincoln Charter School in York. The agenda includes offering vouchers for low-income students in the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools, and making changes in charter school law, such as establishing a state entity to oversee them.= =York County's superintendents gather monthly, said Kate Orban, superintendent of York Suburban School District and chairperson of the group. In her five years as superintendent, she said, it's the first time the group sent such a letter.= ="It was something we felt all very strongly about," she said.= =As districts head into budget season, it's hard to know the impact Corbett's proposals would have, she said. The voucher proposal alone has been estimated to cost the $1 billion statewide.= ="We're not sure where the money's coming from," Orban said.= =The letter cites research that indicates vouchers have no clear positive effect on student achievement.= =Stewart Weinberg, Dallastown Area School District superintendent, said vouchers for failing schools could lead to a "downward spiraling effect within that community."= ="It's not just the school," he said. "It's the entire community, it's the economy of the community."= =The letter also cites concerns regarding a lack of accountability for charter schools.= =Research shows charter students have smaller learning gains, the letter states, and about 56 percent of charter schools made required progress on state reading and math tests, compared with 94 percent of school districts.= =Orban said she's not sure taxpayers realize that they're paying for charter schools, and that doesn't necessarily mean the charters are doing a good job.= =She thinks all of the superintendents think there's a time and place for charter schools but want them to be held to the same standards as traditional public schools.= ="We really care about all kids, whether we're educating them or not," she said.= =Rona Kaufmann, South Eastern School District superintendent, said the governor's agenda is "probably the biggest threat to public education that we've seen in a long time, if ever."= =Districts are hurting because of the significant decreases in the state budget, she said, and the voucher program would take more money away from schools. And charters aren't held to the same level of accountability.= =Dover Area School District Supt. Robert Krantz said there's also some frustration on the part of superintendents, in that they often don't get credit for what they are doing. Test scores show most districts are doing "an excellent job" in educating students, he said.= =Districts have been told to expect level state funding at best for next year, he said, while costs are expected to increase.= =Orban said the superintendents want to start a dialogue with the governor's office and feel they haven't so far had the opportunity.= = = = = = Who signed the letter = =A letter to Gov. Tom Corbett was signed by 14 York County superintendents and the director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12.= =Those officials meet monthly, said Kate Orban, chairperson of the group and superintendent of York Suburban School District.= =Two districts -- Northern York and West Shore -- are not included on the letter. Though they have schools in York County, they are covered by a different intermediate unit and so their superintendents meet with another group, Orban said.= = = = = = Online = =[| **Read the letter here.**]= = =

= = =News= =home=