Why are New Jersey’s High Schools Beating PA in New Ranking? – August 21, 2015

Kids with hands raised

NEW JERSEY BESTS PENNSYLVANIA

Chris Christie may not be doing well in the Presidential polls but New Jersey certainly showed well in the Newsweek ranking of the top 500 high schools in America occupying 22 spots in the top 100 schools. Pennsylvania came in far behind in the ranking with only 2 schools among the top 100. New Jersey’s performance was especially impressive given that it accounted for half of the top ten schools and in that elite list, Pennsylvania had none. This strong Jersey showing should not come as a surprise given the fact that schools in the Garden State have significantly more resources than districts in the Keystone State.

The same correlation between resources and ranking is glaringly obvious when examining the 22 Pennsylvania high schools that made it into the top 500 schools listed and those that didn’t. The top ranked PA schools on average far outspend the average PA school by more than $100,000 per classroom.

PA Top Schools Spending

HOW PA STACKS UP NATIONWIDE

Pennsylvania didn’t only show poorly among the top schools, it also was completely absent among the list of high schools that had 30% or more of their students in poverty that made the list at all. Fifty high schools across the nation met this high benchmark, but in this rarified category of winners, Pennsylvania also tanked.

Newsweek top 50 schools

Money may not be the ticket to success but this ranking makes it reasonable to speculate that Pennsylvania’s four years of starving districts has taken a toll on our high school performance, especially in the districts with the largest share of impoverished students.

Kids smiling

MAYBE GRIDLOCK ISN’T SO BAD

Believe it or not there’s good news for kids coming out of Harrisburg, even as the gridlock continues over the state budget. More than 48,000 children in Southeastern Pennsylvania will now receive better health coverage thanks to new upgrades to the state CHIP program.

BETTER BENEFITS

The Governor announced yesterday that all CHIP programs will provide enhanced benefits to meet the minimum requirements of the federal Affordable Care Act.

Upgraded benefits include:

  • No limits on inpatient and outpatient stays for mental health and substance abuse treatment
  • No copays for outpatient mental health services
  • Expanded coverage of prescription drugs
  • Expanded vision care to cover more types of lenses

HOW IT HAPPENED

Before the Governor acted, CHIP policies where families paid the entire cost of the premium received the enhanced benefits. PCCY raised a red flag by pointing out that only 2% of CHIP children were receiving the enhanced benefits. Now every child, regardless of what CHIP plan they have will receive more comprehensive health coverage.

Pre-K empty classrooms

RUNNING ON EMPTY

The news is not so good for pre-k programs across the state struggling to open their doors without state funding. SPIN, a non-profit human service organization located in Northeast Philadelphia, dipped into its own coffers and spent $600,000 to build new pre-k classrooms that are slated to open on September 10th. However, they say they will not be able to open until the budget impasse ends.

Other pre-k providers are taking out loans to hold them over. How long can they hold on without state funding?

Tell Harrisburg that a new budget with $120 million in new funding for pre-k is needed now to fill our empty classrooms. Call your legislators and share the above graphic on social media. Our children can not wait any longer.

HARRISBURG HIGH DRAMA IS CENTER STAGE IN PHILADELPHIA ON SEPTEMBER 16TH

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