November 16, 2011 - Senate Education Committee Public Hearing: Implementation and compliance with criminal history provisions in Act 24 of 2011

November 1, 2011 - Senate Education Committee Holds Hearing on Special Education Funding & Accountability

October 13, 2011 - Public Hearing on Legislation Affecting the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

September 21, 2011 - Public Hearing on Senate Bill 1225/Library Code Reform Legislation

August 25, 2011 - Public Hearing on Senate Bill 904 - Charter School Reform Bill

June 8, 2011 - Public Hearing on Teacher Evaluation/Effectiveness

March 22, 2011 - Public Hearing on Keystone Exam Briefing/PVAAS

March 7, 2011 - Senate Education Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Ronald Tomalis for Pennsylvania Secretary of Education.
- :47

February 16, 2011 - Senate Bill 1

October 13, 2010 - Public Hearing on the Future of School Choice/Opportunity Scholarships

• Agenda and Testimony
• - Opening remarks by Senators Piccola, Dinniman and Williams, WAITING FOR SUPERMAN trailer viewing, Otto Banks of REACH Foundation, Carmen Garcia of Bishop McDevitt High School, Christine Ross of Central Christian Academy, Robert Enlow of Friedman Foundation/Foundation for Educational Choice, Doug Tuthill of Step Up for Students (with Florida rally video), Darlene Callands of BAEO (beg.) - (1:54)
• - Darlene Callands of BAEO of Philadelphia (cont.), Lorenzo White, (dad), and student and scholarship recipient Sojourner Ahebee of BAEO, Sheila Simmons of Public Citizens for Children and Youth - (:54)
• - Constitutional lawyers Phil Murren and Dick Komer, (half way in) father Terry Bridges, student Tanisha Clark, Little Flower student and grandmom, Matt Brouilette of Commonwealth Foundation - (1:59)
• - Jeremy Resnick of Propel Charter Schools, Jerry Oleksiak of PSEA, and Joan Duvall Flynn of NAACP (Beg.) - (1:59)
• - NAACP (cont.) and Rev. Griffith and Rev. Dr. Kevin Johnson of Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Bridge of Hope - (2:00)
• - Lawrence Feinberg, School Board member, Kirk Howett and Myron Brooks II and III--guests of Joshua Group in Harrisburg, and Ron Cowell of the Education Policy and Leadership Center - (:55)
• - (2:49)
• - (6:55)

October 12, 2010 - Public Hearing on Student Data Privacy and Senate Bill 1449

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour 27 minutes)
• - (running time 48 minutes)
• - (running time 2 hour 16 minutes)

October 8, 2010 - Tour and Public Hearing on School Success and the Non-Traditional Student

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour 4 minutes)
• - (running time 56 minutes)

September 28, 2010 - Briefing on Philadelphia & Pittsburgh Teacher Contracts

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour 59 minutes)
• - (running time 34 minutes)
• - (running time 2 hour 34 minutes)

September 24, 2010 - Public Hearing on College and Career Readiness, Completion and Retention

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour 57 minutes)
• - (running time 1 hour 43 minutes)

September 21, 2010 - Hearing to consider bills

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour)

May 4, 2010 - Senate Education Committee meeting on SB1314 (Charter School bill) and Common Core and Health and Nutrition regulations.

• (1 hour 25 minutes)

April 20, 2010 - Senate Education Committee meeting on SB 1192 (Empowerment)

• - (18 minutes)

April 14, 2010 - Senate Education Committee hearing to consider SB 982

• - (running time 1 hour 2 minutes)

April 9, 2010 - Senate Education Committee hearing on increasing oversight and accountability of charter schools.

• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 1 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 5 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 57 minutes)
• - Part 4 - (running time 1 hour 2 minutes)
• - Part 5 - (running time 1 hour 55 minutes)

March 17, 2010 - Hearing on Mandate Waivers

• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 51 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 51 minutes)

March 4, 2010 - Public Hearing on Education Empowerment Act in Pittsburgh, Pa.

• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 52 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 32 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 1 hour 26 minutes)

January 22, 2010 - Public Hearing on Education Empowerment Act in Pittsburgh, Pa.

• Agenda and Testimony
• - Part 1 - (running time 3 hours 5 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 7 minutes)

January 21, 2010 - Public Hearing on Education Empowerment Act in Harrisburg, Pa.

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 4 hours 4 minutes)

December 8, 2009 - Public Hearing on the Costing-Out Study

• Agenda and Testimony
• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 30 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 6 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 1 hour 30 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 22 minutes)
• - (running time 4 hours 31 minutes)

November 17, 2009 - Public Hearing on Intermediate Unit Services

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour 47 minutes)

November 11, 2009 - Senate Education Committee Hearing on status of Imagine 2014, the strategic plan for reform of the Philadelphia School District

• Dr. Arlene Ackerman Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour 55 minutes)

September 14, 2009 - Public Hearing on the nomination of David F. Girard-diCarlo to the Philadelphia School Reform Commission

• - (running time 46 minutes)

August 7, 2009 - Public Hearing on Issues Pertaining to School Consolidation

• Agenda and Testimony
• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 6 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 7 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 1 hour)

June 24, 2009 - Public Hearing on the Governor's nomination of Joseph Dworetzsky to the Philadelphia School Reform Commission

• - (running time 1 hour 21 minutes)

June 4, 2009 - Public Hearing on Higher Education Affordability

• Agenda and Testimony
• - Part 1 - (running time 2 hour 6 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (51 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 1 hour 2 minutes)

June 2, 2009 - Public Hearing on Graduation Competency Assessments and to consider bills

• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 34 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (8 minutes)
• - (running time 1 hour 27 minutes)
• Secretary Zahorchak's Testimony

May 13, 2009 - Public Hearing on Alternative Education Funding and Standards

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 1 hour 7 minutes)
• - (running time 1 hour 6 minutes)
• - (50 minutes)
• - (9 minutes)

April 22, 2009 - Public Hearing on Teacher Strikes in Pennsylvania and Impact on Public Education

• Agenda and Testimony
• - (running time 2 hours 31 minutes)
• - (running time 47 minutes)
• - (running time 3 hours 19 minutes)

March 30, 2009 - Senate Education Committee Budget Hearing

• - (running time 1 hour)
• - (running time 1 hour 15 minutes)

March 26, 2009 - Senate Education Committee hearing on Basic Education funding

• - (running time 1 hour 16 minutes)
• - (running time 1 hour)
• - (running time 1 hour 59 minutes)
• - (running time 32 minutes)
• - (running time 4 hours 48 minutes)

March 25, 2009 - Senate Education Committee hearing on Basic Education funding

• - (running time 1 hour 59 minutes)
• - (running time 1 hour 11 minutes)
• - (running time 3 hours 11 minutes)

March 25, 2009 - Senate Education Committee hearing on Higher Education funding

• - (running time 1 hour 1 minute)
• - (running time 1 hour 2 minutes)
• - (running time 2 hours 4 minutes)

March 12, 2009 - Public hearing on Pennsylvania's Charter Schools

• Agenda and Testimony
• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 1 minute)
• - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 7 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 1 hour 7 minutes)
• - Part 4 - (running time 1 hour 1 minutes)

February 19, 2009 - Senate Education Committee hearing on information relevant to: Graduate Competency Assessments (GCAs), Senator Jane Orie's legislation imposing a moratorium on GCAs, and Senator Piccola's proposal to use the existing PSSA process as means to avoid the necessity of a GCA.

• Agenda and Testimony
• - Part 1 - (running time 25 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 25 minutes)
• - Part 3 - (running time 1 hour 20 minutes)
• - Part 4 - (running time 1 hour 30 minutes)
• - Part 5 - (running time 29 minutes)

February 11, 2009 - Public hearing on School Violence to gather information relevant to SB 55 and SB 56

• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 37 minutes)
• - Part 2 - (running time 33 minutes)
• - (running time 2 hours 10 minutes)

February 1, 2011 - WITF Smart Talk Radio Program: School Vouchers

January 31, 2011 - PCN Call-In Program: Education Issues & School Choice
- Part 1
- Part 2

January 25, 2011 - Senator Piccola and Senator Williams Discuss School Choice at a Legislative Briefing

January 25, 2011 - School Choice Rally: Piccola joined several hundred students and parents from around the state in partnership with Students First and several other key organizations for a rally in the Capitol Rotunda to support school choice and Senate Bill 1, legislation providing opportunity scholarships for students attending low performing schools.

January 23, 2011 - CBS/WHP Channel 21: Sen. Piccola Interview on Education & School Choice


January 21, 2011 - Piccola Challenges School Boards' Choice Stance

January 21, 2011 - WITF's Smart Talk Program Featuring School Choice


January 11, 2011 - Williams and Piccola Unveil School Choice Plan

September 22, 2010 - Media Advisory - Senate Education Committee to Hold Hearing on College and Career Readiness

September 21, 2010 - Senate Committee Approves Dating Violence Education Language

August 20, 2010 - Piccola Praises Harrisburg Schools' Move Toward Transparency and Accountability

June 10, 2009 - Piccola's Floor Remarks on Graduation Exams

May 6, 2009 -  Piccola's Floor Remarks on Budget

March 20, 2009 - Piccola Unveils Legislation Addressing Higher Education Needs for Pennsylvania Families

February 9, 2009 - Education Brief

• PHEAA's Pennsylvania Student Aid Guide
• Alliance for School Choice
• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
• Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP)
• Center for Education Reform
• Commonwealth Foundation
• Freidman Foundation
• Heartland Institute
• Heritage Foundation
• National Council of Education Providers
• PA Coalition of Charter Schools
• Pennsylvania Colleges & Universities
• PA Department of Community & Economic Development: Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program
• PA Department of Education
• PA Families for Public Cyber Schools
• Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges
• Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA)
• Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (SSHE)
• Road to Educational Achievement Through Choice Foundation (REACH)
• U.S. Department of Education