Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Parents Camp Out For School Choice
From the Philadelphia Bulletin
Parents Camp Out For School Choice
By Chris Freind, The Bulletin, 11/04/2008
Brandywine Hundred, Del. - Parents began lining up as early as 2 p.m. Sunday to enroll their children in a limited number of school choice slots in the Brandywine School District. About three dozen parents were waiting by late Sunday evening for the offices to open yesterday morning, braving cold temperatures and sleeping on the ground in order to be at the front of the line when the doors opened.
With school closings and new grade configurations in the district, new feeder patterns are being drawn to accommodate the changes. Even parents already participating in the choice program had to re-enroll.
Delaware has statewide public-to-public school choice, whereby students are permitted to attend any public school in the state, on a space-available basis, upon meeting disciplinary, academic and attendance requirements. No out-of-pocket expenses are incurred by parents.
Despite numerous legislative efforts to enact school choice in Pennsylvania, there is no comprehensive choice program in the state.
Parents in the commonwealth can send their children to the public school of their choice, on a space-available basis, but they are required to pay any difference in per-pupil costs. For example, the cost per student in the Haverford Township School District is $12,800, so if parents wanted to send their child to the Rose Tree Media district, with a per pupil cost of $17,200, the parents would have to pay the $3,400 difference.
In nationwide ratings, Pennsylvania ranks seventh in average teacher salaries and 12th in per -pupil spending, yet is 46th in SAT scores.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chris Freind can be reached at CF@TheBulletin.us
Parents Camp Out For School Choice
By Chris Freind, The Bulletin, 11/04/2008
Brandywine Hundred, Del. - Parents began lining up as early as 2 p.m. Sunday to enroll their children in a limited number of school choice slots in the Brandywine School District. About three dozen parents were waiting by late Sunday evening for the offices to open yesterday morning, braving cold temperatures and sleeping on the ground in order to be at the front of the line when the doors opened.
With school closings and new grade configurations in the district, new feeder patterns are being drawn to accommodate the changes. Even parents already participating in the choice program had to re-enroll.
Delaware has statewide public-to-public school choice, whereby students are permitted to attend any public school in the state, on a space-available basis, upon meeting disciplinary, academic and attendance requirements. No out-of-pocket expenses are incurred by parents.
Despite numerous legislative efforts to enact school choice in Pennsylvania, there is no comprehensive choice program in the state.
Parents in the commonwealth can send their children to the public school of their choice, on a space-available basis, but they are required to pay any difference in per-pupil costs. For example, the cost per student in the Haverford Township School District is $12,800, so if parents wanted to send their child to the Rose Tree Media district, with a per pupil cost of $17,200, the parents would have to pay the $3,400 difference.
In nationwide ratings, Pennsylvania ranks seventh in average teacher salaries and 12th in per -pupil spending, yet is 46th in SAT scores.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chris Freind can be reached at CF@TheBulletin.us
Kids Vote
From the BCCT. Kids voting taking place in area schools, including Morrisville.
Students get chance to have votes counted
Students have been gearing up for the mock election with events like “Rock N’ Rap the Vote” at Everett A. McDonald Elementary School.
By JOAN HELLYER
Students from across Bucks County and Eastern Montgomery County will converge on Kids Voting booths today to show what they’ve learned about the U.S. election process.
The kids will participate in a nationwide mock election staged at actual polling places between 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. where adults will cast real ballots in the presidential, congressional and state office races.
The non-partisan project is aimed at encouraging students to be informed voters and engaged citizens once they are eligible to vote, organizers said. It also serves as a way to make sure the kids’ parents exercise their right to vote.
In the days leading up to the election, students have participated in mock debates, elections and other activities like the “Rock N’ Rap the Vote” event staged Monday at Everett A. McDonald Elementary School in Warminster.
Fifth-graders at the Centennial school hosted the combination of mime, poetry, dance, skits, song and mock debate for their fellow schoolmates to help them learn the evolvement of voting rights in the U.S.
This is the first election in which students in the lower end of Bucks County are participating in the Kids Voting mock election by penciling in mock ballots.
In some cases, like in the Morrisville School District, Kids Voting booths are set up in each polling place.
But in other districts, there are only a few Kids Voting places set up. If that’s the case, students can go to any Kids Voting station in their district to cast their mock ballot, irrespective of where their parents are registered to vote, said Richard Coe, executive director of Kids Voting Southeast PA.
In Bensalem, students can cast a Kids Voting ballot in several locations, including mock polling places set up at Cornwells and Russell C. Struble elementary schools and Cecelia Snyder Middle School, organizers said.
Additionally, Kids Voting booths will be set up in each of Bristol Township’s elementary schools, and at Neshaminy’s Joseph Ferderbar Elementary School in Lower Southampton and Oliver Heckman and Herbert Hoover elementary schools in Middletown.
Students in the Bristol and Pennsbury school districts already cast their ballots during mock elections staged in their schools within the past week. An estimated 100,000 Kids Voting ballots are expected to be tallied during the 2008 election cycle, Coe said. In the last presidential election, students voted, much like a majority of registered voters, in favor of re-electing incumbent George W. Bush to a second term as president.
Preliminary results from Kids Voting mock elections staged over the past week in area schools show Democratic candidate Barack Obama with a commanding lead over John McCain.
Project organizers expect to know by Thursday the final results of the 2008 Kids Voting Southeast PA mock election.
Students get chance to have votes counted
Students have been gearing up for the mock election with events like “Rock N’ Rap the Vote” at Everett A. McDonald Elementary School.
By JOAN HELLYER
Students from across Bucks County and Eastern Montgomery County will converge on Kids Voting booths today to show what they’ve learned about the U.S. election process.
The kids will participate in a nationwide mock election staged at actual polling places between 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. where adults will cast real ballots in the presidential, congressional and state office races.
The non-partisan project is aimed at encouraging students to be informed voters and engaged citizens once they are eligible to vote, organizers said. It also serves as a way to make sure the kids’ parents exercise their right to vote.
In the days leading up to the election, students have participated in mock debates, elections and other activities like the “Rock N’ Rap the Vote” event staged Monday at Everett A. McDonald Elementary School in Warminster.
Fifth-graders at the Centennial school hosted the combination of mime, poetry, dance, skits, song and mock debate for their fellow schoolmates to help them learn the evolvement of voting rights in the U.S.
This is the first election in which students in the lower end of Bucks County are participating in the Kids Voting mock election by penciling in mock ballots.
In some cases, like in the Morrisville School District, Kids Voting booths are set up in each polling place.
But in other districts, there are only a few Kids Voting places set up. If that’s the case, students can go to any Kids Voting station in their district to cast their mock ballot, irrespective of where their parents are registered to vote, said Richard Coe, executive director of Kids Voting Southeast PA.
In Bensalem, students can cast a Kids Voting ballot in several locations, including mock polling places set up at Cornwells and Russell C. Struble elementary schools and Cecelia Snyder Middle School, organizers said.
Additionally, Kids Voting booths will be set up in each of Bristol Township’s elementary schools, and at Neshaminy’s Joseph Ferderbar Elementary School in Lower Southampton and Oliver Heckman and Herbert Hoover elementary schools in Middletown.
Students in the Bristol and Pennsbury school districts already cast their ballots during mock elections staged in their schools within the past week. An estimated 100,000 Kids Voting ballots are expected to be tallied during the 2008 election cycle, Coe said. In the last presidential election, students voted, much like a majority of registered voters, in favor of re-electing incumbent George W. Bush to a second term as president.
Preliminary results from Kids Voting mock elections staged over the past week in area schools show Democratic candidate Barack Obama with a commanding lead over John McCain.
Project organizers expect to know by Thursday the final results of the 2008 Kids Voting Southeast PA mock election.
Polls Open NOW Until 8:00 P.M.
Non Sequitur's reminder for today.
Voting Tips, from the BCCT.
Polling places
Hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Voters in line by 8 p.m. must be permitted to cast ballots.)
Find your polling place at www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us. (Your polling location may have changed if you received a new voter registration card in the mail. Be sure to check the card before you vote.)
If you’re told you aren’t on the voter rolls and you believe you should be, ask to talk with the judge of elections at your poll, or speak with a representative of your political party. Also ask for a provisional ballot, which allows you to vote while your status is determined.
Only voters appearing at a polling place for the first time must show identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, utility bill or paycheck.
Voting machines
To learn to use Bucks’ voting machines, view video and sample ballots online at www.buckscounty.orgwww.buckscounty.org.
When you make all your selections in the voting booth, be sure to recheck. Make sure your entries are exactly as you intended before you exit.
Push the green vote/record button. Be sure it records by checking that the screen clears and the machine makes a ding noise, which can be hard to hear.
If you notice a problem or have a concern, immediately alert the judge of elections at the poll.
If half or more machines in a polling place go down officials must issue emergency paper ballots. (In a polling place with three machines, the ballots must be used when two machines go down.)
For more information
Bucks County Board of Elections, 55 E. Court St., Doylestown, 215-348-6154 or elections@co.bucks.pa.us
Some services are available at the Government Services Center: Lower Bucks Center, 7321 New Falls Road, Levittown, 215-949-5800
Attire
In Bucks County, voters are encouraged not to wear political attire, but even if they do, they can still vote.
Unofficial results
In Bucks County, www.buckscounty.org
Problems?
For polling place problems, in Bucks call 215-348-6154.
For registration questions, in Bucks call 215-348-6170.
Or, call the national Election Protection hot line, 1-866-OUR-VOTE
The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania also released the following voter resources:
To report complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses, call Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Barrett at 215-861-8420 and 215-861-8200.
The FBI will also receive calls on allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. Call 215-418-4000.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C., at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.
For voter intimidation or suppression tactics that target voters on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin, contact the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section at 202-514-3204.
One last look at the candidates? Go to phillyburbs.com/election08/
Source: Bucks County government; Coalition for Voting Integrity, votingintegrity@aol.com
Voting Tips, from the BCCT.
Polling places
Hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Voters in line by 8 p.m. must be permitted to cast ballots.)
Find your polling place at www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us. (Your polling location may have changed if you received a new voter registration card in the mail. Be sure to check the card before you vote.)
If you’re told you aren’t on the voter rolls and you believe you should be, ask to talk with the judge of elections at your poll, or speak with a representative of your political party. Also ask for a provisional ballot, which allows you to vote while your status is determined.
Only voters appearing at a polling place for the first time must show identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, utility bill or paycheck.
Voting machines
To learn to use Bucks’ voting machines, view video and sample ballots online at www.buckscounty.orgwww.buckscounty.org.
When you make all your selections in the voting booth, be sure to recheck. Make sure your entries are exactly as you intended before you exit.
Push the green vote/record button. Be sure it records by checking that the screen clears and the machine makes a ding noise, which can be hard to hear.
If you notice a problem or have a concern, immediately alert the judge of elections at the poll.
If half or more machines in a polling place go down officials must issue emergency paper ballots. (In a polling place with three machines, the ballots must be used when two machines go down.)
For more information
Bucks County Board of Elections, 55 E. Court St., Doylestown, 215-348-6154 or elections@co.bucks.pa.us
Some services are available at the Government Services Center: Lower Bucks Center, 7321 New Falls Road, Levittown, 215-949-5800
Attire
In Bucks County, voters are encouraged not to wear political attire, but even if they do, they can still vote.
Unofficial results
In Bucks County, www.buckscounty.org
Problems?
For polling place problems, in Bucks call 215-348-6154.
For registration questions, in Bucks call 215-348-6170.
Or, call the national Election Protection hot line, 1-866-OUR-VOTE
The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania also released the following voter resources:
To report complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses, call Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Barrett at 215-861-8420 and 215-861-8200.
The FBI will also receive calls on allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. Call 215-418-4000.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C., at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.
For voter intimidation or suppression tactics that target voters on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin, contact the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section at 202-514-3204.
One last look at the candidates? Go to phillyburbs.com/election08/
Source: Bucks County government; Coalition for Voting Integrity, votingintegrity@aol.com
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