Officials in Philly seek fair funding for education

CITY OFFICIALS, school district leaders and education experts yesterday testified before a group of state lawmakers about dire conditions in city public schools and an urgent need for Pennsylvania to implement a fair formula for education funding.

One by one, the speakers at City Hall, including Mayor Nutter, described the stark contrast between the city's schools and those in neighboring suburban districts, because of wild disparities in per-pupil funding. They insisted that poorer districts should receive more to bridge the gap resulting from less local funding.

"The district cannot cut its way to high student achievement, nor can we cut our way to solvency," Superintendent William Hite said. He noted that many other districts in the state grapple with funding cuts and would benefit from a predictable formula. "Our students don't get a do-over just because we lack sufficient resources."

The commission is holding meetings across the state to gather input on a funding formula. Another hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. today in City Hall.

Pennsylvania is one of a few states in the U.S. that do not allocate K-12 school funding based on student demographics such as poverty and other factors. The commission is expected to propose legislation in June.

Otis Hackney, principal at South Philadelphia High, said that recent reductions in state funding have unfairly affected Philly schools, robbing them of basic resources that other districts take for granted - a theme throughout the hearing.

"What our children experience in Philadelphia schools would never be tolerated in other districts. Schools would never be allowed to run with one counselor for every 750 students, class sizes of 33 or more and one secretary," said Hackney, who previously ran a school in Springfield Township, Montgomery County.

"As an educator and administrator, I'm concerned about the long-term impact of educating children in such under-resourced environments," he added.

Although all of the speakers agreed that money matters, not everyone believed that increased funding should come without strings. Mark Gleason, executive director of Philadelphia School Partnership, a nonprofit that invests in various school models, argued that districts and schools should be held accountable if they fail to show better results once given more resources.

"It's imperative that Pennsylvania not keep channeling funds to low-performing schools," Gleason said. He suggested giving schools more autonomy in how they use the money, citing the success of charter schools.

A few commission members said they favor tying money to better performance.

"If somebody can't make the grade, then I think we should be shutting them down and denying them access to state funds," said state Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster.

Before the official hearing started, commission co-chairs Sen. Pat Browne and Rep. Mike Vereb heard testimony in City Council chambers from more than a dozen parents and advocates who originally were not allowed to register for the public hearing.

Jamira Burley, executive director of the Philadelphia Youth Commission, talked about the critical need for students.

"I think it goes without saying we have reached a state of emergency in Philadelphia where public education is faced with unprecedented times," Burley said.