May 13, 2022
PA’s Budget Surplus Can Be a Game-Changer for Kids For years we’ve been told that the money just isn’t there to meet the needs of schools, child care programs, or children’s health. Routinely, state lawmakers would metaphorically pull out their empty...
May 6, 2022
School District of Philadelphia Budget Hearing at City Council Children First Testimony May 4, 2022 Good afternoon. My name is Tomea Sippio-Smith. I am the K-12 Education Policy Director at Children First. Clearly, this has been a rough two years for Philadelphia’s...
May 4, 2022
Children First Testimony May 4, 2022 Presented to the PA House Democratic Policy Committee Regarding Attorney General DeFoor’s Elimination of the Bureau of School Audits Thank you for the opportunity to testify regarding the Auditor General’s surprise elimination of...
May 4, 2022
School District of Philadelphia Budget Hearing Children First Testimony April 21, 2022 Good afternoon. My name is Tomea Sippio-Smith. I am the K-12 Education Policy Director at Children First. Clearly, this has been a rough two years for our students. They have...
May 2, 2022
It’s No Joke A priest, a hedge fund millionaire, and a right- wing think tank director walk into a bar. The priest says to the hedge fund guy, “I know you’ve faltered in your now ten-year effort to destroy public education. I have a way for you to...
Apr 22, 2022
Words Won’t Fail You Pennsylvania has $10 BILLION in the bank so far this fiscal year but public school foes are claiming it would be irresponsible to use it to fully fund our schools next year. It’s a striking claim to make after four...
