Penn Alexander School parents and education advocates will hold a phone bank in the school’s cafeteria next Tuesday (June 11) to push for school funding as the school district’s “doomsday budget” took a step closer to reality last night with an e-mail from Superintendent William Hite to thousands of school employees notifying them of possible layoffs.
The phone bank, which is open to all parents (from any school) and community members, will be set up to call voters in key Pennsylvania districts. The goal is “to motivate voters to contact state representatives requesting increased, stable funding to all Pennsylvania public schools,” according to an announcement. The phone bank will run from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Babysitting will be provided.
A representative of Education Voters of PA will be on hand to give an overview of state education funding issues and conduct a mini workshop on how to make an effective call. They will also provide a list of voters to call. If you can’t stay for the phone bank, feel free to take a list of voters to make calls during the following days.
Be sure to bring your cell phone to the phone bank.
As parents step up pressure on legislators, Hite had the somber duty of informing a few thousand school employees of impending layoffs (see the text of his email below from The Notebook). The School Reform Commission (SRC) approved the “doomsday budget” last week that has no funds to pay for staff other than a head principal and classroom teachers at most schools. Art and music teachers would be laid off, as would librarians, counselors, school aides and other support staff.
The formal layoff notices reportedly begin to be mailed out today.
Some jobs could be spared if money can be returned to the budget. Mayor Michael Nutter proposed an increase in alcohol and cigarette taxes that could restore some funds to the school budget, but those have not yet been approved. The state legislature and Philadelphia’s City Council have yet to grant requests for additional funding.
Nutter and Hite were in Harrisburg earlier this week to make the case for the $120 million the District is requesting from the state.
“So one of the things we hear is that year after year after year the district comes asking for money,” Nutter said in a statement. “Well you’re right, because year after year after year the District doesn’t get what it has asked for, and when you shortchange someone, they have to come back year after year after year.”
Nutter told legislators that the $304 million the District is asking for ($60 million from the city, $120 million from the state and and $134 million in labor concessions) would bring it into alignment with a balanced five-year plan.
“This is the moment to solve this crisis so we’re not back here year after year after year,” he said.
Here is the text of Hite’s e-mail to school employees (from The Notebook):
Dear Colleagues,
As you are aware, our District is facing catastrophic financial challenges. Last week, I presented an operating budget for Fiscal Year 2014 that excludes many full-time positions and programs amid city and state revenue shortfalls and uncertainty over personnel savings. I believe these positions and programs are essential to students and families in every school throughout the District. However, due to our legal and financial mandate to submit a budget by May 31, the School Reform Commission approved the spending plan based on known revenue. The District is aggressively seeking funding from the City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and currently negotiating with our labor unions to reach savings in personnel costs. The District can amend its budget as more funding becomes available; the City and Commonwealth must approve their budgets by June 30.
Unfortunately, we do not have any commitments from City, Commonwealth or our labor partners, and we must prepare our District and schools for operating with the funds that we know we have. This will require massive, draconian reductions in programs and staff. This means that over the coming days we will be sending layoff notifications to many of our colleagues. We regret having to take these steps and will continue advocating for the funding that gives our students the education they deserve.
On a personal note, I am profoundly upset about having to take these actions. I remain hopeful and will continue working tirelessly so that we will be able to restore many of the positions, programs and services that are crucial to maintaining nurturing and effective learning environments. I believe that our students have a right to adequate education funding and that our colleagues play an essential part in our schools’ and District’s success. Please contact your supervisor with any questions or concerns about the next steps in this process. I greatly appreciate your support and continued commitment to our students, especially in these very difficult days ahead.”
What a difference a year has made for West Philadelphia Catholic High School. The school, located at 45th and Chestnut, was supposed to have closed last year, one of many victims of school closures and consolidation undertaken by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. But it was saved and officials there announced on Monday that the school received a $1 million donation, the largest single donation in its 96-year history.
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