Children Held Hostage in Political Blackmail
What does the failed sale of the Philadelphia Gas Works have to do with children who attend Philadelphia schools? A lot, according to Pennsylvania Speaker of the House and resident of Allegheny County Mike Turzai. The western Pennsylvania Representative told WHYY that City Council’s refusal to hold a hearing on a proposed sale of PGW could jeopardize additional funding for the Philadelphia School District.
Philadelphia is not the only community in Pennsylvania where real decisions might raise the ire of the Speaker of the House. For instance, several towns and cities in southeastern Pennsylvania counties have adopted anti-fracking ordinances, standing at odds against an energy policy strongly supported by the Speaker. Further, State Senator Chuck McIlhinney of Bucks County successfully inserted language into the state budget authorization bills two years ago to ban fracking in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Given the logic of Representative Turzai’s tirade about Philadelphia, there’s a risk that he could expand his range and force other communities to change their policies in exchange for school funding.
The Speaker’s position is especially troublesome since school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania receive $294 million less in state funding now than they did in 2010. Representative Turzai’s political blackmail fuels the status quo in Harrisburg while children across the region suffer the consequences of underfunded schools.
PCCY is eager to educate legislators about the challenges facing public schools over a series of action days in Harrisburg. We want you to join us! Sign up below by clicking on any of the dates that work with your schedule. Transportation, training, briefing materials and lunch will all be provided.
Can’t come to Harrisburg? Join us next Thursday, February 5th at the Basic Education Funding Commission Hearing at Central Montco Technical High School located on 821 Plymouth Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. The hearing starts at 10am. If you would like to attend, please email Roxy Barnebey at roxyb@childrenfirstpa.org.
PCCY is also a member of the Campaign for Fair Education Funding. Click here to get involved.
Council Bill Helps Offset Costs of Early Care and Education
A new bill proposed by City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson will offer a tax cut to families who enroll their children in quality early care and education programs. Bill 150051 provides a “dollar for dollar” tax credit against wage tax payments to families who enroll their child in a Keystone Stars affiliated child care program. The Keystone Stars program enrolls child care programs in a quality improvement system.
The bill is a terrific conversation starter about how the City can increase access to high-quality child care. The Councilman’s proposal comes on the heels of Councilwoman Blackwell’s bill to put a question on the May primary ballot asking voters if the city should create a task force charged with developing a plan to implement and fund universal pre-k in the City. Council is expected to act on the Councilwoman’s ballot measure bill in February. The Blackwell bill is a smart strategy to pave the way for universal pre-k in Philadelphia. Help show your support of the Councilwoman’s ballot measure bill (Bill 150005) by adding your name to our petition drive, aptly called “10K for Pre-K.” It takes only five seconds to add your name to the thousands calling for City Council to pass the bill. Click here to sign.
You can also help us reach our goal by posting the following message on your Twitter or Facebook pages:
I support Universal #Prek for Philly. Will you join me by signing the petition for #10kforprek? www.childrenfirstpa.org/10kforprek
Charter Reviews Fail to Tell the Whole Story on Charter Applicants
The Philadelphia School District’s Charter School Office released its analysis of the 40 charter applicants this week. The applicants are seeking more than 40,000 new charter seats which would tip the enrollment of the district to a majority enrollment in charter schools and it would push payments to charters to more than a billion dollars of the District’s $2.4 billion budget. The District does not save money when students move to charters because the District is not able to reduce its marginal cost for each child who departs for a charter school. A former Commission member estimated the cost to the District to be as much as $7,000 per student. If that’s the case, approving the applications would require $280 million in cuts from the District’s operating budget. The Charter Schools Office’s review of applications fails to take into account unequal enrollment and sub-par academic performance by several applicants who already operate charters in the District.
PCCY’s in-depth review, The Legal, Fiscal and Oversight Challenges of Charter Expansion, gives the public and Commission members a deeper understanding of the capacity of the applicants with respect to their ability to offer all students a quality education and it reviews the legal and fiscal implications of expansion.
The fact that the Office has failed to ensure a thorough review of the applicants is a clear signal that the Office is in no condition to expand its oversight responsibilities. It would be helpful to know how deep the cuts to traditional schools will need to be to enable charter expansion, but frankly, given the condition of these schools, any cuts must be considered an outrage that should have unified public opposition.
The Stakes are High for Making Sure Kids Enter 4th Grade Reading on Grade Level
Did you see this article in The Notebook this week featuring the READ! By 4th Campaign? Here’s an excerpt:
Ralph Smith, head of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, calls 3rd grade a “make-or-break year” that “essentially predicted what would happen to far too many students.”
And as troubling as those links may be, experts and front-line practitioners agree: More is at stake than student success.
PCCY and the Urban Affairs Coalition helped lay the groundwork for the Campaign to double the number of Philadelphia public school students reading on grade level by 2020.
Click here to read the full feature article in The Notebook.
Can You Help Make 2015 a Banner Year for PCCY?
The snowstorm this week was a bust, but here’s an event we can guarantee will be loads of fun and will help improve the lives of children in our region. Join PCCY on April 29th for the celebration of the 2015 Public Citizen of the Year. You can see live performances from talented local children, mingle with local political leaders and take part in a robust silent auction as we honor Greg Redden, Regional President of Wells Fargo. All proceeds from the event will benefit PCCY’s research, advocacy and direct services for children in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Click here to buy your tickets.
Check out the video below. You WON’T want to miss this great night of fun to benefit southeastern Pennsylvania’s children!
