tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post659327345804050152..comments2023-08-24T05:24:51.011-04:00Comments on PURE Reform: Some Pittsburgh schools included among lowest ratedQuestionerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04349071186140766778noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-34802311424105447162013-02-25T23:51:45.966-05:002013-02-25T23:51:45.966-05:00Agree with everyones comments. Question is does Ms...Agree with everyones comments. Question is does Ms. Lane have what it takes to control the school district and all its problem or is she just a puppet on a string.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-4911500763364885502013-02-05T18:41:14.313-05:002013-02-05T18:41:14.313-05:00The link is:
http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/Re...The link is:<br /><br />http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/Reports/School/schSDoftheCityofPittsburgh010213.pdf <br />You can always find it in the news section of the Schenley petition on change.org.Questionerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04349071186140766778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-33629128921895041092013-02-05T10:34:13.083-05:002013-02-05T10:34:13.083-05:00What is the link to the auditor general's repo...What is the link to the auditor general's report again?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-23715907703971392452013-02-04T16:46:26.865-05:002013-02-04T16:46:26.865-05:00The Chief who was forced to retire is Robert Fadze...The Chief who was forced to retire is Robert Fadzen. He, Chris Berdnik and Pete Camarda are well aware of the questionable antics by the Roosevelt now Lane administration. Remember when Roosevelt came to town, the Board also paid Spampinato a going away gift for her indiscretions. Berdnik and Camarda had all of the financial information at their fingertips and Fadzen had inside knowledge of what was occurring in each PPS because he made non announced visitations on a routine basis. These three individuals knew too much and were way too ethical to have any allegiance to the administration. Getting the three of them to resign speaks volumes of those in charge and the Board Members who authorize transactions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-21519258390802244892013-02-04T09:52:37.981-05:002013-02-04T09:52:37.981-05:00The cloak of confidentiality is troublesome and st...The cloak of confidentiality is troublesome and stinks of backroom dealmaking and makes people suspicious. <br /><br />Reading the entire audit reminded me to look into where the process is or how the situation ended with the former chief of pps police. So much time has gone by that I can't recall the fella's name. Maybe that is a strategy too.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-28371354519330425812013-02-04T08:09:14.503-05:002013-02-04T08:09:14.503-05:00Part of it was unused vacation and sick days but o...Part of it was unused vacation and sick days but one of the auditor general's complaints was that the reasoning was not fully explained. The district would have received something in return, probably an agreement by the ex employee to keep quiet. The question is, is that in the best interests of the students and taxpayers- are we ever better off not knowing whatever the employee might have said?Questionerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04349071186140766778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-76692432297503706162013-02-04T07:07:58.770-05:002013-02-04T07:07:58.770-05:00The audit report indicates that the district used ...The audit report indicates that the district used special counsel. I don't understand: without an employment contract and no litigation to be settled, why would there be such a payout of that magnitude, including damages and attorney's fees? <br /><br />Just to be clear, without a union and without an employment contract, he would have been an at will employee.<br /><br />Isn't the severance payment for Pps administrators who resign paltry, something like $50 per day for the so many first unused sick days, with a cap?<br /><br />Shouldn't the district have at least tried to minimize its exposure by hiring a higher end law firm, like Buchanan Ingersol, as special counsel?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-25022125780962007012013-02-03T23:27:45.837-05:002013-02-03T23:27:45.837-05:00The 140k is well known and easy to figure out.
ht...The 140k is well known and easy to figure out.<br /><br />http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/ex-city-school-finance-officer-to-get-140000-279823/<br /><br />Chris Berdnik<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-55566633436605929812013-02-03T19:37:51.498-05:002013-02-03T19:37:51.498-05:00Wow, the report is indeed an eye opener. No employ...Wow, the report is indeed an eye opener. No employment contract requiring such a payment, plus it included attorney's fees and non-wage damages.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-20971059825537643282013-02-03T19:01:10.096-05:002013-02-03T19:01:10.096-05:00What facts are misrepresented? The auditor genera...What facts are misrepresented? The auditor general report mentions payments to at least 3 individuals when they left, including the former superintendent, and in general expresses concern about evidence/ lack of evidence that this type of payment is beneficial to the district and taxpayers. The best thing to do is to read the report.Questionerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04349071186140766778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-38656070234881024752013-02-03T18:52:55.944-05:002013-02-03T18:52:55.944-05:00Let's not misrepresent the facts here.
The 14...Let's not misrepresent the facts here.<br /><br />The 140K was not to any of the dozens of principals nor the <br />(all but one) other central office folks that left abruptly. The one other (new) who left under mysterious circumstances also had a very high severance payment. WHO, besides these two (for reasons undisclosed) left with high severance payments?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-78655903913460879102013-02-03T17:53:59.489-05:002013-02-03T17:53:59.489-05:00The auditor general's report linked recently o...The auditor general's report linked recently on this website discusses this and other severance payments.Questionerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04349071186140766778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-77218330891928878102013-02-03T15:26:17.679-05:002013-02-03T15:26:17.679-05:00Wow, what was the $140,000 for?Wow, what was the $140,000 for?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-74278783700539742772013-02-03T09:10:43.369-05:002013-02-03T09:10:43.369-05:00Opportunity scholarships are in limited supply. W...Opportunity scholarships are in limited supply. When the program took a new or expanded form under the Corbett admin I know of a few parents who thought all they had to do was show up and say they wanted their kid enrolled. It isn't that easy. <br /><br />On the issue of MR saying test scores had to go down before they go up, he believed in The Tipping Point Theory. He sold lots of us parents on it too. <br /><br />Anon 11:20 suggests creating smaller classes, a cry heard for many, many years at Key Communicators' and EFA meetings, through the terms of seveal superintendents. When the Gates experiment of smaller schools did not prove successful, many of us thought for sure the next experiment would be smaller classes and the foundation purse would open to support the effort. Instead we saw the focus go to making effective teachers. Catholic school teachers have admitted that the success they see is often a product of smaller class size and not a faith based program. <br /><br />Kids are getting frustrated. They are doing just enough to get by and know what they should concentrate on to do just enough. If they are not getting pushed from parents to do more, chances are they won't do more than the minimum which is mostly enought to satisfy Promise requirements. <br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-26389657717583856612013-02-03T03:04:42.512-05:002013-02-03T03:04:42.512-05:00Data, data data..
All they (Broad/Gates money) ca...Data, data data..<br /><br />All they (Broad/Gates money) care about is getting and maintaining HUGE contracts with consulting companies. It isn't about being effective, costs or kids. <br /><br />It is a game, it is manipulated. PPS: You get rid of any and all who are in charge or anyone that questions "the data". It is a shell game and a joke.<br /><br />Almost every single person who has "left" central office during Roosevelt/Lane has been shoved out. One did get a 140K parting gift.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-55542593718648998082013-02-02T15:39:44.527-05:002013-02-02T15:39:44.527-05:00The last line of the PG article states:
"With...The last line of the PG article states:<br />"Within 15 days, school districts must notify parents and provide them with information on how to apply for opportunity scholarships."<br /><br />Parents PAY ATTENTION! During the next two weeks you should get information from the PPS District (as required by the state) about how to apply for these scholarships out of these "lowest-achieving schools.'<br /><br />PPS does NOT always send the information that they get from the state!<br /><br />Many parents did not get the student PSSA profiles last summer. Did you get your child's data?<br /><br />Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/pa-dept-of-education-lists-lowest-rated-public-schools-673060/#ixzz2JmAkM5FR<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-60990602990943579062013-02-02T13:24:47.675-05:002013-02-02T13:24:47.675-05:00Its interesting that this article was written by M...Its interesting that this article was written by Mary Niederberger and not Eleanor Chute.<br /><br />We need more of Mary and less of Eleanor (who doesn't do any research but just prints what PPS approves).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-60846886743671603572013-02-02T13:07:07.698-05:002013-02-02T13:07:07.698-05:00If your flagship projects, ie teaching institutes,...If your flagship projects, ie teaching institutes, are not fulfilling the promise doesn't that send off warning lights? I don’t doubt that there are good teachers there. I don’t doubt that there are many good teachers in all schools. I do worry that good teachers are choosing to leave. Teachers alone cannot fix the problem. Good teachers are not the only answer and they are not the magic bullet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-28544477717687896822013-02-02T12:29:46.149-05:002013-02-02T12:29:46.149-05:00The exodus from our schools has been Pittsburgh...The exodus from our schools has been Pittsburgh's referendum on the Roosevelt/Lane/Fischetti/Weiss administration.<br /><br />At what point will we reach the moment when even the blue bloods from the Heinz Endowment can no longer hold those to another meaningless press release, or weak standardized test score, or contract which flat out smells funny (Xerox at twice the price of the prior business manager's bid), or consultant with no clear and measurable deliverables, etc.?<br /><br />Do we really a $2.4 million contract to connect the dots?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-39845124351011127402013-02-02T12:03:54.553-05:002013-02-02T12:03:54.553-05:00"The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit progr..."The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program was designed to offer families with an income of no greater than $75,000 plus $12,000 for each dependent member of the household, scholarships of up to $8,500 for a regular education student and up to $15,000 for a special education student."<br /><br />"The department of education is required by law to notify school districts by Feb. 1 of each year if they have schools that identified as low-achieving. Within 15 days, school districts must notify parents and provide them with information on how to apply for opportunity scholarships."<br /><br />So, the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program is open to all PPS schools listed as <br />PITTSBURGH LOWEST-ACHIEVING SCHOOLS:<br /><br />ACADEMY AT WESTINGHOUSE <br />ALLEGHENY TRAD MS ACAD <br />ARLINGTON EL SCH <br />ARSENAL EL SCHOOL <br />ARSENAL MS <br />BRASHEAR HS <br />CARRICK HS <br />CONCORD EL SCH <br />GRANDVIEW EL SCH <br />KING M L EL SCH <br />LINCOLN EL TECH ACADEMY <br />MANCHESTER EL SCH <br />MORROW EL SCH <br />PERRY TRADITIONAL ACAD HS <br />PITTSBURGH FAISON K-5 <br />PITTSBURGH MILLER PRE K-5 <br />PITTSBURGH MILLIONES 6-12 <br />SCHILLER CLASSICAL <br />SPRING HILL EL SCH <br />WEIL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE <br />WOOLSLAIR ELEM SCH00L<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-17325212078115031112013-02-02T11:40:39.081-05:002013-02-02T11:40:39.081-05:0011:25 - Roosevelt said that 6 or 7 years ago!? H...11:25 - Roosevelt said that 6 or 7 years ago!? How much time will it take? We are long, long past due for an increase in achievement in PPS no matter what words are said to 'cover' the administration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-80178261962457877362013-02-02T11:37:42.213-05:002013-02-02T11:37:42.213-05:0011:19 and 11:20 -
Your remarks are "dead on&...11:19 and 11:20 -<br /><br />Your remarks are "dead on" if every respect. Please send it to the Superintendent. Hopefully, she will recognize a genuine, sincere, outpouring of the problems that so many Pittsburghers have voiced publicly and privately, again and again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-69434940401656391052013-02-02T11:33:19.956-05:002013-02-02T11:33:19.956-05:0011:19 and 11:20 - Autonmy is critical, since it i...11:19 and 11:20 - Autonmy is critical, since it is impossible to hold any body accountable that does not have autonomy! Teachers have become the scapegoat for a Central Office that has no understanding at all of what works, what is needed, NOR what is required under PA Academic Standards, much less the new Common Core State Standards.<br /><br />The District is destined to continue its decline (and it is decline); just look at the up and down (mostly down) data over time since 2006.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-20715729250788274922013-02-02T11:26:03.089-05:002013-02-02T11:26:03.089-05:00Confusing only if you are paying attention to Pitt...Confusing only if you are paying attention to Pittsburgh Public Schools releases; the "STAR" schools are PPS NOT the PA Department of Education (PDE). PDE is the official source, not PPS, not A+ Schools.<br /><br />The official data is available to ALL online at PDE; and, the process is VERY simple and open to PUBLIC access.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49258804305307213.post-39980327329081592802013-02-02T11:25:06.002-05:002013-02-02T11:25:06.002-05:00If I recall correctly, a couple of years ago Mark ...If I recall correctly, a couple of years ago Mark Roosevelt said something like "test scores have to go down before they go up".<br /><br />It was a nonsensical statement, but the media, the Board, and the public all fell for it.<br /><br />All Lane, Lippert, etc. have to do is say something like that again. Then most people would go back to sleep.<br /><br />I say "most people" because I'll bet Mark Brentley will have something to say about this.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com