Kristen Graham tweets council hearing on schools' budget
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia School District by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Kristen Graham.
Kristen Graham tweets council hearing on schools' budget
Kristen Graham live tweets today's City Council hearing on the Philadelphia School District's proposed budget, which includes a $94 million funding increase request. It's likely to be a point of contention since it depends on council approving a controversial actual value initiative that would mean higher city property taxes. On a mobile device? Click here to follow the coverage. In a recent story, school officials said that without the extra money, schools may not open in the fall. Daily News Opinion writers are asking these questions.
Comments (56)
There's good and bad when it comes to the unions and good and bad when it comes to charter schools. Teachers are not migrating back to Philly because there aren't many new jobs to be had for teachers in the SDP. Because of seniority rules, the newer teachers will often be laid off, then to be teachers, they teach in charter schools or suburban districts. However, a lot of suburban districts aren't hiring new teachers, although they're not laying off either. I had an adjunct professor who teaches in Lower Merion. She said that the LMSD doesn't replace retiring teachers. Instead, they raise class size. Also, special ed teachers have to teach more grades.
Teacher's unions would be wise to allow districts to have better evaluation systems which include in-class observations, value-added assessment, peer evaluations, parent evaluations, and student evaluations. After 3 to 5 years, the experience of a teacher doesn't matter that much for student achievement (See http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9526/index1.html, http://www.urban.org/publications/1001431.html, http://tntp.org/ideas-and-innovations/view/teacher-experience-what-does-the-research-say, http://jte.sagepub.com/content/62/4/339.abstract).
At the same time, charter schools overall have not shown to do any better than traditional public schools (See http://credo.stanford.edu/reports/PA%20State%20Report_20110404_FINAL.pdf). In fact, there are a number of low-performing charter schools in Philadelphia, according to the School Performance Index (See http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/a/accountability/school-performance-index-spi).— SeaMichelle- Cleanup- not a teacher but as I see it all charters aren't awful. Hell I'd venture to say that most aren't awful, however you are trying to compare apples to oranges. When charters don't have to provide special ed services or ELL services and can expel students for something as inane as lack of parental involvement, you are not making a fair comparison. In a parent's eye, they provide a safer environment then some local public schools and with that, hopefully the same if not a better quality level of education. For a number of parents who can't afford to move or send their children to a private school, its an acceptable substitute. I cannot see how their decision reflects on the teachers who work in the school district. They cannot set policy or force admin to expel or punish student and parent conduct.— mike c
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- It seems to me that the SRC should go to the State for funding NOT City Council.— BobSG
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- Does anybody know the yearly cost of cross city busing is? (SEPTA & yellow school busing) I have no idea of the #, but it’s GOTTA BE A TON. With the School district THIS broke why not look to eliminate some of those costs? Seems to me there are MORE than enough schools in this city (So MANY in fact they're looking to close 40 - 60) if every kid just went to his or her neighborhood school wouldn't the district’s budget be in a better place?— Kennedy
- i know a couple "certified" teachers who have no business in the classroom. cleanup is clearly advocating the certification system may not be all its cracked up to be, not doubting that it is currently required. there is simply no defense of the state of affairs in the PSD when it comes to financial management, or mismanagement rather.— raynesrock
- I like how Ramos thinks the Philly school tax is a pretty good deal for the tax payers ... NOT IF YOU DON'T USE THE SCHOOLS. Property tax + wage taxes + .08% sales tax = a LOUSY deal for the tax payers. & they want more money? For what exactly, so they can maintain their 35% drop put rate & fake test scores? NO THANKS!— Kennedy
- cleanup, are you this dumb usually or do you drink too much kool aid? Hey everybody, cleanup just likes to write comments that are inaccurate and wrong. He doesn't read anyone else's because I guess he can't read. I dedicated the last 40 years of my life to education. What I see happening now is horrible. I feel badly to all the young teachers that believe, as I have, how important their job is to the city, state and country. We know going in we won't get rich, that what we get is begrudged and that we will be the ones vilified when things don't go right. But we go on and do the job anyway. People like cleanup who don't know just like to rant at wind.— skolman
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- cleanupphilly is just one example why we need certified teachers in the classroom. Obviously he doesn't understand the process of teacher certification. It is the responsibility of the state to make sure that every teacher in the PA school districts is qualified in their field of study. By the way, the state took over the psd, so how are they not responsible for it?— Lizzy56
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- What is plan "b" once the "private" charter school system soaks up all the money for a short term and then crashes and burns?
What do we do then-do we sue the "corporations" for teacher malpractice of a generation of mis-educated citizens, corruption and mismanagement.— canalbluedog - "Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez: "I could kick myself. We saw this tsunami coming."
Kristen Graham, please ask the council members, including Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez, what contracts they have or their family members have with the school district of Philadelphia. I am sure that if you pull a list of corporations or LLCs that have contracts with the Philadelphia School District, you will find links to the Sanchez family. That is a disgrace, elected officials making money off the backs of our school children!!!— ih8liars - concessions? every teacher in the district got a raise in january. correction, they got a raise in september and january. if they come back next year, they'll get another inseptember. some will get a 18% increase over 13 months. this has occurred in the midst of the worst fiscal crisis the schools have faced in over 30 years.— pointguard
- NOT true! Teachers did not get a raise in September. It was delayed from the previous year and they didn't even get it until January. When they return in September it will be under the current contract which was extended as a courtesy to the new administration of the district so that the new admin could figure out what they needed to do. Under the current contract there is NO raise in September for anyone. And as to the 18% you quoted, teacher raises in this past contract, which runs for 5 years, were 1% and 2%. That didn't even cover the cost of inflation, especially where gas prices are concerned. Get your facts straight. Try actually reading the contract. It's available on the PFT website. — DECsBabe
- Non certified teachers are non certified for a reason, they don't have the same qualifications as a certified teachers.....fact. The turn over rate among young teachers is not because of the children, rather Inclusion is always cited as the number one reason. Charters hide behind the fact they can remove students...so they can't throw punches at teachers without getting expelled...and once he or she does, they end up at the neighborhood school— illacat215
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- I don't mean hide the expulsions dude, I mean they use that as a reason to justify that they are better schools, when it is really not the case. — illacat215
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- well cleanup, I suggest you learn a little more about the field of education before you comment soooo much about it. If you don't know what inclusion is, you should keep your mouth shut and go get your shinebox! — illacat215
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- This comment has been deleted.— 19130FM
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- The SDP's "maw" is open again. "Feed me--Feed me"/ The insatiable appetite continues with threats and fear tactics. What kind of power do these buffoons have in the town? Aisde from the "terror" of upopened schools, which does not need to happen, they have no clout with the public. The SRC and SDP are just puppets being manipulated to shake down the citizens of Phila. for millions of dollars to maintain their Orwellian empire. Let's bust this clown operation up and put people in who will really eliminate waste rather than taxpayers flushing our tax dollars down the drain. Someone has to put a stop to this orchestrated insanity and robbery...— oblekr
- Clenaup- I'll disagree that it is often the case. Shouldn't teachers be evaluated and certified in order to ensure that they have the skills necessary to provide a quality education?? We're stressing how students have to pass tests and show improvements on tests in order to show proficiency, shouldn't the same apply to teachers,young and old??— mike c
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- That's true to some extent, but many of these same rules apply in other districts as well. I do agree that the SDP needs more flexibility in hiring, but many schools already have site selection, allowing for the principal to have input in hiring. However, many union rules are outdated, such as seniority being the deciding factor in layoffs and transfers. Unfortunately, many young talented educators are not applying to the SDP at all because if they get hired, they'll be the first to go because they have the least seniority.
However, state of the art evaluation systems take money. Evaluation should be a combination of value-added measurement, classroom observations, peer evaluations, parent evaluations, and student evaluations.— SeaMichelle - Comment removed.
- Someone should ask Ramos if quality education is a mission, then why are uncertified teachers allowed to educate in charter schools??— mike c
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- Teachers become jaded exactly by what is happening in Philly everyday. Keep telling someone they are no good and deserve less than what they are getting and they start to believe it. Teachers didn't cause this mess and neither did the unions. Contracts were negotiated in good faith. The dead wood at 440 caused these problems but it will be the teachers, taxpayers and the students who will have to sacrifice to fix it. When will accountability apply to 440? — DECsBabe
- Clean up, then tell me why the teacher turnover rate in charter schools is so high? Teachers leave because of poor working conditions, lack of support, low pay, substandard benefits, and harassment by supervisors. Charters are beginning to unionize to stop these issues. How soon before they start saying they need more public funding from taxpayers or they will need to charge a tuition? — DECsBabe
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- Often, teachers aren't going back to the SDP because there aren't any jobs. Fewer students in the SDP = fewer teachers. — SeaMichelle
- Teachers are migrating, to other districts and other professions. Studies have shown that a large percentage of teachers leave the profession with in the first 5 years. And why is it that a teacher has to be punched in the head for you to feel they deserve better? — DECsBabe
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- The employees shouldn't make any more concessions. The district will just mismanage the money again. The district got themselves into it, let the get themselves out, either way it's done they're not thinking about the kids.— 2thru
- Agreed! — DECsBabe
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- The teachers union won't be discussing anything until Aug. of 2013 when the current contract expires. So you must be talking about the other unions. Facilities staff already took a cut in pay this year after layoffs occurred. The transportation staff will be non-existant after their contract expires due to privatization of the busing. Same goes for the building maintenance staff. — DECsBabe
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- The SRC can NOT cancel any contract at any time, nor would they even try after being hauled into court last year. Contracts are legally binding. Actually, the SRC only has the power to impose a contract if there is no agreement reached during negotiations between the union and the district. Those are the facts. — DECsBabe
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About this blog
Inquirer reporter Kristen Graham writes the Philly School Files blog, where she covers education in Philadelphia, both in and out of the classroom.
Kristen Graham
During the school year, you’ll frequently find her hosting live chats about the district on Philly.com. Please do pass along the scoop about what’s going on at your Philadelphia public school; Kristen welcomes tips, story ideas and witty banter at kgraham@phillynews.com or 215-854-5146.
You can also follow Kristen on Twitter here.
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