Education briefs
Funding discussion scheduled REACH, the business/education partnership administered by Fay-Penn Economic Development Council is conducting an education funding panel presentation on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 8 a.m. at the Laurel Highlands Junior High School Auditorium.
This event is sponsored in partnership with Good Schools PA.
Featured panelists include state Sen. Richard Kasunic, D-Dunbar; Joseph Bard, executive director of Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools; Tommy Walters Boylestein, president of Pennsylvania Parent-Teacher Association; Donna Cooper, executive director of Good Schools PA; and Michael Krajovic, president of Fay-Penn Economic Development Council as moderator. They will discuss the importance of ensuring that public education funding reform is adequate, equitable and predictable.
In 2003, property tax reform will be foremost on the state legislative agenda and numerous legislative proposals are under review. Education stakeholders must be aware of the many challenges faced by today’s schools and the effect tax reform will have on them.
Panelists will present the complex issues surrounding public education funding such as: property tax reform, the state subsidy formula, baseline cost of a quality education for every student, equity in school district funding, adequate funding for schools located in rural and high poverty areas and accountability for school performance and student achievement.
The public is invited to attend the education funding panel presentation to learn the impact that education funding reform may have on public education and the students of Fayette County.
Ex-WVU basketball star to speak
Financial-aid data available
Borrower-rebate plan launched
American Education Services (AES) announced the launch of the AES Upromise borrower-rebate program.
The program was created in an agreement between AES and Upromise to allow borrowers to easily repay a portion of their student loans via rebates on everyday products and services, like gas and groceries, long distance and dining out.
Borrowers with AES-serviced student loans can register as a member of Upromise and any rebates accumulated in their Upromise account can be transmitted to AES and applied towards the borrower’s student loans on a quarterly basis.
Traditionally, Upromise has allowed families to use their everyday spending at grocery stores, drugstores, retail stores, restaurants and online stores to save for higher education for their child, grandchild, niece, nephew, cousin or friend’s child. The agreement with AES now allows consumers to use their Upromise savings to repay their own student loans. AES borrowers can also invite their family and friends to join Upromise and have all or a portion of their Upromise savings contributed automatically to the borrower’s account. Upromise members simply register their debit cards, credit cards and grocery club cards at www.upromise.com/aes and any earnings in their account can be applied to the AES borrower designated on their account.
Savings from the AES Upromise Borrower Rebate Program supplement, but do not replace, the borrower’s regularly scheduled payments.
The Office of Social Equity at California University of Pennsylvania, in conjunction with New Media Learning, now offers online learning on sexual harassment awareness through its Web site.
“The new training program will allow us to offer awareness training that can be taken at the students’ convenience whether its 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.,” said Lenora Angelone, special assistant to the president for equal employment opportunity and university ombudsman.
She stressed new and transfer students are required to attend the student success sessions during orientation. The online training would be advocated only for those students with special circumstances or for upper-class students interested in a refresher course. Another benefit of the online training program is that it can be used for awareness training of new faculty and staff.
Use of the online course is not limited to the campus community. Once a user logs into the site, they can choose from five options: faculty, supervisory, non-supervisory, student and guest. The course is custom designed for the appropriate status. Local businesses with fewer than 50 employees may use the course to train employees.
For more information, visit the social equity Web site at www.cup.edu/president/equity.