FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Mike Sturla D-Lancaster Chairman, Democratic Policy Committee www.pahouse.com/sturla	State Rep. James Roebuck D- Philadelphia Democratic Chairman Education Committee www.pahouse.com/roebuck

MEDIA ADVISORY

Democratic Policy Committee to hold public hearing

on special education in charter schools Monday in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 18 – House Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, announced that the committee will hold a public hearing on special education reimbursements to charter schools from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday in room 205 of the University of the Sciences’ Wilson Student Center, 714 South 42^nd St., Philadelphia.

State Rep. James Roebuck, D-Phila. and Democratic chairman of the House Education Committee, requested the hearing and will serve as co-chairman. Roebuck has introduced legislation (H.B. 2661) which would reform charter and cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania. His bill includes a provision that would limit the amount of special education funding that a charter or cyber charter school receives per student to the school district's total per-pupil spending for special education reimbursements and services.

The current hearing agenda is:

• 2 p.m. – Welcome and opening remarks
• 2:10 p.m. – Panel from the Arc of Philadelphia:

Ø Nofre Vaquer, executive director

Ø Ken Oakes, board president

Ø Cathy Roccia, board member

• 2:50 p.m. – Representative from Education Law Center
• 3:10 p.m. – Representative from Philadelphia Federation of Teachers
• 3:30 p.m. – Helen Gym, founder/leader, Parents United for Public Education
• 3:50 p.m. – Closing remarks

The hearing is open to the public and media coverage is invited.

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