Report Card Cites Many Incomplete Assignments by Legislative Bodies
PHILADELPHIA, PA –Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania General Assembly received low marks in a report card grading their performance on funding for Philadelphia public schools. City Council earned a “C-,” while the General Assembly received a “D” on the report card jointly released by 10 organizations united in their call for equitable funding for Philadelphia public schools.
The following organizations endorsed the report card:
- Education Voters of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center
- Philadelphia Education Fund
- Philly Student Union
- POWER- Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower & Rebuild
- Public Citizens for Children and Youth
- Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
- Teacher Action Group
- Youth United for Change
In its comments, the report card cited City Council’s desire to help by passing the cigarette tax and advancing $50 million to the schools through the sale of district-owned buildings, but still had many missing assignments including the authorization of the one percent sales tax increase, passing the Use and Occupancy and liquor by the drink taxes, and failing to eliminate the 10-year property tax abatement.
At the state level, the report card found that the General Assembly failed to act on a statewide school funding formula, refused to address charter funding issues, and only did the bare minimum for Philadelphia students.
“These low grades should serve as a wake-up call for Council and the General Assembly that they must finish their assignments by taking action to support Philadelphia’s public school children,” said Donna Cooper, Executive Director for Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY). “As 2013 comes to a close, we must recognize that we cannot give every child the education they deserve without increasing our investment at the state and local level and removing our embarrassing status as one of only three states without a fair funding formula.”
Faced with a $304 million budget deficit, the Philadelphia School District requested a combined total of $180 million from City Council and the General Assembly. The district received $67 million from Council, but just $47.9 million from the General Assembly.
“The minimal action by Council and the General Assembly is startling,” said Sharon Ward, Executive director for the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. “I don’t think any of our elected officials find the funding for Philly schools acceptable for their own children, therefore it should be unacceptable for all children.”
Insufficient funding for Philadelphia public schools has resulted in overcrowded classrooms and a lack of the basic resources every school needs to educate students.
“This year, Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania Legislature did not perform well,” said Chynna Caballero, a Philadelphia Public School Student. “Their grades show that they have not been working as hard as they could be to represent us.”
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