Thursday, October 5     

Public Hearing (video)

Allegheny Traditional Elementary Academy - 810 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Opening Remarks

• State Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman
• Dr. Wayne Walters - Superintendent, Pittsburgh Public Schools
• State Representative Joe Ciresi, Education Committee (designee for Majority Chair Pete Schweyer)
• State Representative Rob Mercuri, Education Committee (designee for Majority Chair Jesse Topper)

Meeting Our Constitutional School Funding Requirements

• Michael Churchill, Of Counsel, Public Interest Law Center
• Dr. Amy Arcurio, Superintendent, Greater Johnstown School District
• Brian J. White, Ed.D., Superintendent, Butler Area School District

Expert Perspectives on Educational Issues

• Peter Greene, Retired Educator, and Education Policy Writer
• James Fogarty, Executive Director, A+ Schools
• Dr. Tracey Reed, Board member of Pittsburgh Public Schools and Black Women for a Better Education
• Dr. Karen Dreyer, Executive Director, Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST)

Educational Tax Credit Programs

• Michelle Peduto, Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, and Scholastic Opportunity Scholarship Fund
• Shelly Parver, Assoc. Dir., Planning & Impact, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
• Cathy Schlott, Director of Animal Programs and Experiences National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Inc.       

Public Comment (video)

Friday, October 6              

Public Hearing (video)

Community College of Beaver County, Athletics & Events Center - 1 Campus Dr., Monaca, PA 15061

Opening Remarks

• State Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman
• State Representative Eric Nelson, Appropriations Committee (designee for Minority Chairman Seth Grove)
• State Representative Joe Ciresi, Education Committee (designee for Majority Chair Pete Schweyer)
• State Representative Robert Mercuri, Education Committee (designee for Minority Chairman Jesse Topper)
• Video message from Dr. Roger W. Davis, President, Community College of Beaver County

Public School Funding Challenges

• Dr. Katie Thomas, Dean, School of Professions and Transfer Studies, Community College of Beaver County
• Professor Ursula Tierney, James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences, Community College of Beaver County
• Dr. Phillip Woods, Superintendent, Aliquippa School District
• Eric Rosendale, Executive Director, Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit
• Dan Matsook, Former Superintendent, Central Valley School District

Charter School Education Issues

• Brian Hayden, CEO, Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School
• Patrick Poling, CEO, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School
• Brandon Coney, CEO, Urban Pathways K-5 College Charter School
• Sharon Sedlar, Founder and CEO, PA Families for Education Choice

Tuesday, October 24

Public Hearing

School District of Philadelphia, Administrative Building - 440 N. Broad St., Ste. 301, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Opening Remarks

• State Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman
• State Representative Seth Grove, Minority Appropriations Committee Chairman
• State Representative Pete Schweyer, Majority Education Committee Chairman
• State Representative Craig Staats, Education Committee (designee for Minority Chairman Jesse Topper)

Supporting Black Educators and Black Students

• Isaiah Thomas, Councilmember, Philadelphia City Council, Education Committee Chair
• Harrison Peters, CEO, Men of Color in Educational Leadership
• Anna Shurak, Executive Director, Teach for America Greater Philadelphia
• Dr. William Hayes, CEO, Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School
• Dawn Chavous, Spokesperson, African American Charter School Coalition
• Larry Jones, CEO, Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School

Improving Literacy

• Dawn Hannah, Chief Program Officer, Beyond Literacy
• Donna Cooper, Executive Director, Children First
• Dr. Jackie Galbally, Assistant Professor, Saint Joseph’s University
• Jenny Bogoni, Executive Director, Read by 4th
• Dr. Gregory Milbrand, Assistant Superintendent, Elementary Education, Cumberland Valley SD

Financial Overview of the School District of Philadelphia

• Mike Herbstman, Chief of Finance, School District of Philadelphia
• President Reginald L. Streater, Esq., School District of Philadelphia Board of Education - Written Testimony Only

Public Comment

• Please register here for public comment

Wednesday, October 25

Public Hearing

Community College of Philadelphia, Winnet Student Life Building, The Great Hall - 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Opening Remarks

• State Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman
• State Representative Pete Schweyer, Majority Education Committee Chairman
• State Representative Craig Staats, Education Committee (designee for Minority Chairman Jesse Topper)
• State Representative Torren Ecker, Appropriations Committee (designee for Minority Chairman Seth Grove)

School Facilities    

• Ryan Boyer, Business Manager, Philadelphia Building Trades
• Mary Filardo, Executive Director, 21st Century School Fund
  • Mary Filardo - Assessment SEA Facility Capacity PA
• Dr. Akira Drake Rodriguez, Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania's Weitzman School of Design
• Oz Hill, Chief of Operations, School District of Philadelphia

School Vouchers

• Dr. Joshua Cowen, Professor of Education Policy, Michigan State University
• Maura McInerney, Esq., Legal Director, Education Law Center
• Keisha Jordan, President & CEO, Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia
• Dr. Benjamin Scafidi, Professor of Economics and Director of the Education Economics Center at Kennesaw State University, Friedman Fellow with Ed Choice
  • Dr. Scafidi Testimony Data

Thursday, November 2

Public Hearing

Kings College, McGowan School of Business, Burke Auditorium, 131 N River St, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711

Opening Remarks

• State Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman
• State Representative Napoleon Nelson, Education Committee (Designee for Majority Chairman Pete Schweyer)
• State Representative Eric Nelson, Appropriations Committee (Designee for Minority Chairman Seth Grove)

Supporting Public Schools

• Dr. Brian Costello, Superintendent, Wilkes-Barre Area School District
• Dr. Chris Shaffer, Superintendent, Abington Heights School District
• Dr. Cosmas Curry, Superintendent, Stroudsburg Area School District
• Patrick Sheehan, Superintendent, Mid Valley School District

Teacher Shortage

• Dr. Edward Fuller, Professor of Education, Penn State University
• Laura Boyce, Executive Director, Teach Plus Pennsylvania
• Jeff Ney, Vice President, Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)
• James Henninger-Voss, Assistant Director of Research | Health, Pension, Wages and Financial Analysis Program Services, Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)

hursday, November 16

Public Hearing: 1PM - 4PM

Lansdale Borough Building, One Vine Street, Lansdale, PA 19446

Opening Remarks

• State Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Chairman, Appropriations Committee
• State Representative Joseph Ciresi, Education Committee (Designee for Majority Chairman Pete Schweyer)

Supporting Public Schools

• Dr. Todd Bauer, Superintendent, North Penn School District
• Dr. Frank Gallagher, Superintendent, Souderton Area School District           
• Dr. Brittany Lourea-Waddell, Director of Student Services, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit               
• Dr. Gina Guarino Buli, CEO, Renaissance Academy Charter School                 

Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) & Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC)

• Jim O’Donnell, Director, Tax Credit Division, Department of Community & Economic Development
• Michael Marrone, President, Ligori Academy
• Besie Katz, Head of School, Politz Hebrew Academy
• Lekeisha Eubanks-Evans, Vice President, Education, Employment, and Neighborhood Services, Project HOME

Friday, November 17

Public Hearing: 10AM - 1PM

Penn Wood High School, Cypress Street Campus - 600 Cypress Street, Yeadon, PA 19050

Opening Remarks

• State Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Chairman, Appropriations Committee
• State Representative Pete Schweyer, Majority Chairman, Education Committee

Our Union Partners

• Rachael West, Treasurer, Pennsylvania State Education Association              
• Arthur Steinberg – President, AFT Pennsylvania
• John Bynam, Assistant District Leader, SEIU 32BJ    
• Dave Henderson, Executive Director, AFSCME Council 13

Supporting Public Schools

• Dr. Eric Becoats, Superintendent, William Penn School District
• Dr. Dan McGarry, Superintendent, Upper Darby School District        
• Caitlin Merto, Teacher and Chester Upland Education Association President, Chester Upland School District
• Jean Arnold, Advocate for Students and Staff, Chester Upland School District

Prison Education Programs

• Kate Meloney, Director, Villanova Program, State Correctional Institution Phoenix