Education Update

What’s Inside this Issue:
 
Time to Renew Your PASA Membership for the 2025-26 Year!

• PASA Professional Learning Opportunities: Now OPEN for next year’s sessions!    

• 2025 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference- October 19-21
  • New Superintendents’ Academy-Phase 1 (Register Here)
    • Part 1: "Strategic & Cultural Leadership"
    • September 24-25 (PASA Office)
    • Part 2: “Systems Leadership”
    • November 6-7 (PASA Office)
    • Part 3: “Professional and Community Leadership”
    • January 15-16 (PASA Office)
  • Superintendents Academy-Phase 2 (Register Here)
    • Part 1: “Identifying Effective Systems and Processes for Success”
    • Completed
    • Part 2: “Integrating School Operations into Your District’s Ecosystem”   
    • December 11-12 (PASA Office)
    • Part 3: “Building Relationships for Successful Negotiations”
    • April 16-17 (PASA Office)

• State and National News

Renew Your PASA Membership for 2025–26 – Stay Connected. Stay Informed. Stay Ahead.
As a dedicated education leader, your PASA membership empowers your voice and strengthens our collective impact across the Commonwealth. By renewing your membership, you continue to be part of a powerful network driving progress in public education leadership and student success.
Why Renew?

• Lead and Influence: PASA is your statewide advocate—amplifying your voice on education policy, legislation, and school leadership priorities.
• Learn and Grow: Access high-quality, relevant professional development tailored to your leadership journey, including Act 45 hours and cutting-edge leadership programming.
• Stay Informed: Get timely updates through our weekly alerts, monthly newsletters, PASAConnect discussions, and free webinars covering the latest in state policy and administrative guidance.
• Connect and Collaborate: Build strong peer networks with education leaders statewide through exclusive events, forums, and legal support for commissioned officer contracts.

New this year in your membership: PASA has partnered with three major media organizations to provide significantly discounted subscriptions – just $30 – as an exclusive benefit of your membership. This offer delivers nearly $500 in savings compared to standard subscription rates.
These subscriptions, listed below, ensure that our members have access to timely and relevant news and insights often highlighted in PASA’s Education Update each Monday.

• Education Week: July 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026 (includes 3 bonus months at no additional cost!)
• Philadelphia Inquirer: October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026

Renew Today
Your continued membership fuels PASA’s mission and ensures you remain at the forefront of school leadership excellence.
The 2025–26 membership year begins October 1—don’t miss a moment of the benefits and community that define PASA.
Renew online |  Download our membership renewal packet
 
New: PASA’s Assistant Superintendents and Central Office Leaders’ Summit
 Leading for Impact: Aligning Team Culture and Coherent Strategy for Results
School systems thrive when team culture and coherent strategy align. Yet leaders often face the “noise” of competing initiatives, legacy problems, and daily urgencies. This two-day professional learning experience gives you the time, tools, and connections to move past the noise of isolated initiatives and create clarity that sticks. This is YOUR chance to:

• Gain tools to align culture & strategy for results
• Network with colleagues from across PA
• Tackle real problems of practice together

Two Day Workshop- 40 ACT 45 Hours available
WHEN:  October 15 and 16, 2025
WHERE: Best Western Premier, the Central Hotel & Conference Center
800 East Park Drive Harrisburg, PA 17111
 
WHO: Featuring Dr. Pat Greco, Senior Director of Thought Leadership at Studer Education, a nationally recognized leader in Evidence-Based Leadership,
WHAT: This two-day, interactive workshop will help you:

• Build safe, supportive cultures
• Remove barriers & get teams “unstuck”
• Implement systems for sustainable change

Reserve your space today—bring your team and register today.
 
 
2025 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference:
Register and Reserve Rooms Now!
 
Register now for the event designed to inspire, educate and support school leaders across the commonwealth! At the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference on October 19-21 at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Poconos, you’ll benefit from dynamic keynote speakers, dozens of education sessions, a variety of exhibitors and opportunities to network with colleagues.
 
RESERVE YOUR ROOM
Reserve your rooms at Kalahari as early as possible before the September 18 deadline to ensure you receive the best price. Book now by visiting Kalahari’s special webpage, or call 1-877-525-2427 and use booking ID 6856.
 
Click here to register.
 
NEW! Registrations are Now Open for The Power of Immersion Learning: A Workshop for Leaders 
Hosted by EF Educational Tours & PASA
Event Date: Tuesday, November 4^th, 2025  
Event Location: PASA Headquarters, 2608 Market Place, Harrisburg, PA 
Event Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Light Breakfast & Coffee will be provided 
Audience: Central Office & Building level leaders 
Event Description: In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn from Finnish educator Petteri Elo, discover the power of immersion and phenomenon-based learning and the impacts they make on students. Walk away with an understanding of how Finland has led the way in educational innovation and how to implement similar pedagogy in your schools.  Hear from a panel of Pennsylvania Education Leaders who have implemented immersive global education programs in their districts. 
About Petteri: Finnish Educator Petteri Elo has an extensive career in teaching, training and curriculum development. He turns his innovative and experimental practices with his students into engaging and thought-provoking training concepts for educators worldwide.  
Panelists:  Dr Christopher Dormer, Superintendent, Norristown, Dr Peter Mayes, Principal, Whitehall High School, Dr Robyn Euker, Assistant Superintendent, Cumberland Valley School District, Dr. Michael Donnelly, Assistant to the Superintendent, Palisades School District, and Michael Fedisson, Principal, Bellefonte Area School District.  
There is no cost to attend this event. Districts may send up to 2 attendees. 
 
Register to attend here:  https://forms.gle/7fYSUgYrypwEyVs1A
Questions? Contact Michele Balliet, mbaliet@pasa-net.org or Meghan Schafer meghan.schafer@ef.com   
 

New Superintendents’ Academy Series-Phase 1:
 
Stepping into a New Role as Chief School Administrator?
 
Attend PASA's New Superintendent's Academy!
 
 
Join other new superintendents from across Pennsylvania for PASA’s high-impact, three-part New Superintendents' Academy—designed to prepare you for the challenges and opportunities of your new leadership role.
 
Through the New Superintendents' Academy, you'll:

• Deepen your understanding of the superintendent’s responsibilities and expectations
• Build a professional network with peers and mentors from across the state
• Gain access to valuable tools, resources, and expert support
• Optional: Upgrade your Academy experience when you sign up for the entire three-part series and select "Mentor Option". This upgrade will pair you with an experienced superintendent as a mentor throughout the program. This upgrade is exclusive to PASA members! 

 
Led by seasoned Pennsylvania superintendents and education experts, each session offers practical strategies, real-world insights, and thoughtful discussion on the most pressing issues you’ll face.
 
The Academy focuses on three core leadership areas:

• Strategic and Cultural Leadership
• Systems Leadership
• Professional and Community Leadership

 
This is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow leaders, learn from those who have walked the path before you, and gain a broader perspective on educational leadership throughout the Commonwealth.
 
Investment:
 
Complete Series:
$800 for PASA members | $950 for nonmembers
Single two-day Program:
$280 for PASA members | $330 for nonmembers
 
Enhance your Series Experience: Add Mentorship with an experienced Superintendent  (Available exclusively to PASA members)
$2,000 for PASA members (Includes complete series and mentorship.)
 
Certificates of completion will be issued to all participants who attend all three parts of the Academy.
 
ACT 45 CREDIT: Each two-day session of the Academy is approved for 25 hours of Act 45 credit, predicated upon program attendance and completion of the embedded activities.
 
For more information and to register, visit PASA’s website.
 
Superintendents Academy- Phase 2:
Elevate Your Impact: Enroll in Phase 2 of the PASA's Superintendents Academy
Continue your journey of impactful leadership with PASA’s Superintendents Academy – Phase 2, a dynamic professional learning series designed exclusively for superintendents who have either completed our New Superintendents’ Academy (NSA) or have at least one year of experience in the role.
This advanced, three-part series builds on the core principles of the NSA program, taking your leadership development to the next level.
 
Sessions include: 

• Identifying Effective Systems and Processes for Success
• Integrating Operations into Your District Ecosystem
• Building Relationships for Successful Negotiations​

 
By adopting a systems perspective, you will gain a deeper understanding of the complex, interrelated components of leading and managing schools, enabling you to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Completed: Part 1: Identifying Effective Systems and Processes for Succes
• December 11-12: Part 2: Integrating Operations into Your District Ecosystem
• April 16-17, 2026: Part 3: Building Relationships for Successful Negotiations​

 
Note: Although the Superintendents Academy programs are sequential, school leaders are urged to attend them as they are able.  Academy programs will be repeated annually.)
 
Investment:
     Complete series: $800 for PASA members | $950 for nonmembers
      Single session: $280 for PASA members | $330 for nonmembers
 
ACT 45 CREDIT: Each two-day session of the Academy is approved for 30 hours of Act 45 credit.  Predicated upon program attendance and completion of embedded program activities. 
 
For more information and to register, visit PASA’s website.
 
Certificates of completion will be issued to all participants who attend all three parts of the Academy.
 
 
Share your voice:
 
Temple University is conducting a brief, anonymous survey for Superintendents to better understand how Pennsylvania school districts acted as first responders during the Spring 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Participants will have a chance to win $500.
 
Temple is interested in how districts supported their communities through:
 

• Food distribution
• Technology access
• Health and wellness supports

 
Time Commitment: 15 minutes or less
 
Incentive: Complete the survey for a chance to win a $500 gift card! Two winners will be randomly selected.
 
Your input will directly inform research that helps strengthen how public schools respond to future emergencies.
 
Click here to take the survey.
 
 
In Health, Safety, Equity & Learning News…
 
School Air Quality Bill That Aims To Strengthen EPA Oversight Reintroduced —  Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., on Wednesday reintroduced bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting students, teachers and others from poor indoor air quality by expanding the role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Indoor Air Quality and Healthy Schools Act, first introduced in July 2024, would require a nationwide assessment of indoor air quality in schools and childcare facilities and give schools and childcare centers tools to improve IAQ conditions. Read the rest of the story: “School Air Quality Bill That Aims To Strengthen EPA Oversight Reintroduced” (from, K-12 Dive, 9/5/25)
 
A Third Of Public Schools Require Mental Health Screenings. Then What Happens?  — Nearly one-third of K-12 public schools in the United States now require mental health screening for students, but ensuring that they receive adequate follow-up care after a diagnosis is often much harder, concludes a recent study from RAND, a nonprofit research organization. The study, based on a nationally representative survey of 1,019 K-12 public school principals conducted in October 2024, found that 30.5% of respondents said their school required screening students for mental health problems. Read the rest of the story: “A Third of Public Schools Require Mental Health Screenings. Then What Happens?” (from, EducationWeek, 8/26/25)
 
Confusion As Kids Head Back To School And RFK Jr. Calls The Shots On Vaccines   —  Kids are heading back to school this fall as the country experiences some of the lowest childhood vaccine rates and highest levels of public health uncertainty in known memory. Amid the swirling currents: the defunding of vaccine research and competing messaging around COVID shots for children; a rare federal attempt to influence a West Virginia legal battle over childhood vaccine exemptions; and a dramatic leadership struggle within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that could solidify more power in the hands of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  Read the rest of the story: “Confusion As Kids Head Back To School And RFK Jr. Calls The Shots On Vaccines” (from The74, 9/4/25)
 
How Schools Can Take Data Analysis Beyond The Math Classroom   —  Incorporating data analysis into subjects like social studies can make math and data science more approachable for students, according to experts. Zarek Drozda, executive director of Data Science 4 Everyone, said data skills and data analysis are an emerging fundamental basic that every student needs by the time they graduate from high school. However, the vast majority of K-12 students in the U.S. are not receiving data science education. Read the rest of the story: “How Schools Can Take Data Analysis Beyond The Math Classroom” (from K-12 Dive, 9/3/25)
 
 
In State News…
 
PA, Bucks County Schools Launch Programs To Attract, Prepare, Retain Teachers Amid Shortage —  Students throughout Bucks County and Pennsylvania are back to school, but more teachers are needed to staff their classrooms. It's not a new problem, but one that has been called one of the greatest threats to the state. In 2024, 45 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties faced a severe or extremely severe teacher shortage, according to a report from education policy group Teach Plus's Pennsylvania chapter and Ed Fuller, a professor of education at Pennsylvania State University. Read the rest of the story: “PA, Bucks County Schools Launch Programs To Attract, Prepare, Retain Teachers Amid Shortage” (from PhillyBurbs.com, 9/4/25)
 
Shapiro Touts Workforce Readiness Through Technical Education —  Gov. Josh Shapiro joined educators, students and national education leaders in Philadelphia on Tuesday to highlight how state investments are expanding career and technical education across Pennsylvania. The roundtable, held at Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical High School, underscored nearly $2 billion in new K-12 education funding secured since Shapiro took office, including a 50% increase in career and technical education funding, state officials said. That boost has added more than 3,000 students to programs preparing them for jobs in high-demand industries. Read the rest of the story: “Shapiro Touts Workforce Readiness Through Technical Education” (from Fox 43, 8/28/25)
 
More States Guarantee Students The Right To School-Day Religious Instruction Off Campus — In the past month or so, federal courts have dealt a string of blows to conservatives’ push for the biblical Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools. Yet as states lose over required religious displays, many are working on another route to faith-based education by allowing kids to attend off-campus religious instruction. This year, Iowa, Montana, Ohio and Texas passed laws guaranteeing parents the right to have their children excused during the school day for free, off-campus religious instruction, often called “released time.” Read the rest of the story: “More States Guarantee Students The Right To School-Day Religious Instruction Off Campus” (from Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 9/2/25)
 
Pennsylvania Schools Still Pursuing Solar Projects Despite Federal Tax Credit Rollbacks —  Dozens of schools in Pennsylvania seem to be sticking with plans to install solar panels on their roofs, despite the rollback of federal clean energy tax credits in President Donald Trump’s signature budget bill.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Trump signed in July ends several energy tax credits early, including one that many schools plan to use to slash the cost of solar installations under Pennsylvania’s new Solar for Schools program. Read the rest of the story: “Pennsylvania Schools Still Pursuing Solar Projects Despite Federal Tax Credit Rollbacks” (from WHYY, 9/5/25)
 
 National and International News…
School Transportation Challenges Impacting Academics, Attendance  — School leaders are still facing transportation challenges in their schools and districts, with 80% citing bus driver shortages and 73% saying budget issues are impacting transportation operations, according to a pair of surveys conducted by the Associated Press and the University of Chicago’s NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just over a quarter (26%) said their school or district addressed bus driver shortages by cutting or shortening bus routes, and most (83%) said educators have had to excuse themselves from their core responsibilities to address transportation needs. Read the rest of the story: “School Transportation Challenges Impacting Academics, Attendance” (from K-12 Dive, 9/4/25)
 
Your Guide To The Evolving Federal Budget And What It Means For Schools  —  Federal spending is in the spotlight this year like never before, as the Trump administration has bypassed Congress and held up billions of dollars lawmakers had already approved for education. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are currently staring down a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the federal government for the new fiscal year, avert a shutdown, and appropriate funding for programs—a core function for Congress as prescribed by the U.S. Constitution. Read the rest of the story:  “Your Guide To The Evolving Federal Budget And What It Means For Schools” (from EducationWeek, 9/4/25)
 
Why Are So Few Kids Reading For Pleasure?   —  A quarter-century ago, David Saylor shepherded the epic Harry Potter fantasy series onto U.S. bookshelves. As creative director of children’s publisher Scholastic, he helped design and execute the American editions of the first three novels in the late 1990s.  But when the manuscript for J.K. Rowling’s fourth book landed on his desk, Saylor sat up straight: It was huge. Bigger, more complex and narratively intricate than virtually any storybook ever aimed at children. Read the rest of the story:  “Why Are So Few Kids Reading For Pleasure” (from The74, 9/3/25)
 
Under Siege: How Schools Are Fighting Back Against Rising Cyber Threats   —   A quarter-century ago, David Saylor shepherded the epic Harry Potter fantasy series onto U.S. bookshelves. As creative director of children’s publisher Scholastic, he helped design and execute the American editions of the first three novels in the late 1990s.  But when the manuscript for J.K. Rowling’s fourth book landed on his desk, Saylor sat up straight: It was huge. Bigger, more complex and narratively intricate than virtually any storybook ever aimed at children. Read the rest of the story:  “Under Siege: How Schools Are Fighting Back Against Rising Cyber Threats” (from EdSurge, 9/4/25)
 
Upcoming Legislative Schedule – (Subject to change) –
House of Representatives:
Next Session: September 22 at Noon (NV)
 
Senate:
Next session: September 8 at 1 p.m.
 
Senate Scheduled 2025 Session Days:
September: 8, 9, 10
October: 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29
November: 17, 18, 19
December: 8, 9, 10
 
House Scheduled Session Days:
September: 22 (NV), 23 (NV), 24 (NV), 29, 30
October: 1, 6, 7, 8, 27, 28, 29
November: 17, 18, 19
December: 8 (NV), 9 (NV), 10 (NV), 15, 16, 17
 
On the PASA Calendar…
September 11-12:        PASA Board of Governors Meeting
September 24-25:        New Superintendents’ Academy- Phase 1, Part 1: "Strategic & Cultural Leadership" 
October 15-16:             Assistant Superintendents and Central Office Leaders Summit: Embedding Innovation By Managing Change with Dr. Pat Greco (Registration coming soon.)
October 19-21:             PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference at Kalahari Resorts
November 17:              Women’s Caucus Annual Fall Dinner (Malvern, PA)
November 6-7:             New Superintendents’ Academy- Phase 1, Part 2: “Systems Leadership”
November 13-14:          PASA Awards Lunch/Annual Meeting and Board of Governors Meeting
December 11-12:         Superintendents Academy- Phase 2, Part 2: “Integrating School Operations into Your District’s Ecosystem”
January 15-16, 2026:    New Superintendents’ Academy- Phase 1, Part 3: “Professional and Community Leadership”
January 22-23, 2026:    Joint Board of Governors Dinner/Board of Governors Meeting
February 4, 2026:         Aspiring to Leadership (Virtual Webinar)
March 18-20, 2026:      PASA Leadership Forum (The Penn Stater, State College)
April 16-17, 2026:         Superintendents Academy -Phase 2, Part 3: “Building Relationships for Successful Negotiations”