Why the SRC Can’t Approve New Charters at This Time and How Fair Funding can Level the Playing Field – January 16, 2015

School Reform Commission Must Not Grant Any New Charter Schools: Here’s Why

Parents across the city are demanding better schools for their children and the progress is too slow.  One strategy suggested by charter school advocates is to expand the number of charter schools.  However, since the state stopped funding charter school costs four years ago and it slashed general aid to the Philadelphia School District, paying for new charters will mean deep cuts to already cash-starved District run schools.  For this reason and the failure of the School Reform Commission to provide appropriate oversight of the existing charters and the relatively weak performance of most of the charter applicants, PCCY is calling on the Commission to reject all 40 applicants vying to open new charter schools in the District.

PCCY’s latest report, “The Legal, Fiscal and Oversight Challenges of Granting New Charters in Philadelphia” finds approval of any of the new charters stands at odds with state law that requires the Commission to both ensure the welfare of all its students and ensure the financial solvency of the District.  PCCY’s report also points out that unlike any other school district in the state, Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission does not have any taxing powers.  That means that new charter school costs will need to be paid for with existing revenues.

Additional key findings of the report include:

  • Approval of all the applications will mean that District charter payments could grow to $1 billion a year, or 42% of the District’s budget and charter school enrollment would increase to 51% of the District’s total enrollment
  • For half of the applicants that currently operate charter schools in Philadelphia, more than 50% of students are not on grade level in reading and math
  • Most applicants enroll fewer minority, English Language Learners and low-income students than the District average
  • Sixty percent  of the applicants operate schools that do not have an acceptable score of 70 or higher on the Pennsylvania School Performance Profile
  • Four charter applicants are known to have management or fiscal irregularities

Resource limitations affect all families — those who want their children to attend better public schools or charter schools.  To solve this problem the state must reinvest in our schools and make sure sufficient funds are available to guarantee every child a quality education.

PCCY is a member of the Campaign for Fair Education Funding.  Click here to get involved.

Click here to read the full report.



Fair Funding Formula Helps Close Per-Pupil Funding Gap in Schools

More evidence of the state’s failure to meet its constitutional obligation to provide funds for public education came to light this week.  An exhaustive analysis of school funding finds that a fair and equitable education funding formula could help close the equity gap among school districts in Pennsylvania, according to a new report from Pew Charitable Trusts.  The report compared ten school districts located in urban, rural and suburban areas, including Lower Merion, Radnor, Council Rock, and Philadelphia school districts.  Lower Merion, which can turn to robust local tax revenue for schools, spent more than twice as much per pupil than the Reading School District which depends on the state for nearly three-quarters of their funding for their schools.


Source: Pew Charitable Trusts

Source: Pew Charitable Trusts

Pew researchers conclude that “A formula that takes into account the relative wealth of individual districts and the needs of each district’s students probably would reduce substantial variations in the overall education revenue among urban, rural and suburban districts in the state.”

The Pew report’s findings coincide with the voices of business, education, religious and advocacy organizations across Pennsylvania united in the Campaign for Fair Education Funding.  This Campaign calls on the state to adopt a fair funding formula for education that is based on the needs of schools and the actual costs of educating students.  Click here to join the Campaign.

PCCY is joining fellow Campaign member Education Voters of Pennsylvania for a statewide call-in day on Wednesday, January 21st to tell lawmakers that a fair funding formula must be a top priority this year.  Click here to learn how you can participate.

Click here to read the full report from Pew Charitable Trusts.



Join PCCY to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s. Legacy

PCCY will be among the marchers on Monday, January 19th calling for fully funded schools and a fair minimum wage for families at a march organized by MLK DARE – a day of action, resistance and empowerment.  Join PCCY at the corner of Broad and Buttonwood streets at 1:30pm and march with us through Center City and down to Independence Mall.  Look for our banner!

Click here to sign up.



How YOU can Support our Region’s Children and have Fun at the Same Time

You can support kids and have fun too by coming to this year’s celebration of the 2015 Public Citizen for Children and Youth set for April 29, 2015.  Click here for details and 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!