Unresolved Pa. budget looms over start of Philly schools

OUTSIDE OF G.W. Carver High School of Engineering and Science in North Philadelphia, towers of black and gold balloons greeted students yesterday for their first day of school.

Looming large over the well wishes and jokes about homework, though, were tensions over the unresolved state budget.

"It doesn't impact us today, but it will impact us in the long run," Superintendent William Hite told reporters before he addressed a few dozen students and parents gathered at Carver to mark the first day, along with Mayor Nutter and other local dignitaries. "We only can spend the cash we have on hand, and at some point, we will run out of cash, without the historical $413 million we generally get from Harrisburg between July and August. That has not come this year. It will not come until they approve a state budget. And so like every other entity and agency that depends and relies on the state, we're concerned about that."

If the budget is still unresolved by the end of October, the district will have to take steps to reduce spending, Hite said. District officials are asking vendors to take reduced payments and charter schools to see if they can operate with less until state funding comes through.

Marjorie Neff, chairwoman of the School Reform Commission, also couldn't help bringing up the unresolved funding when it was her turn at the podium: "I wish I didn't have to say it because this is a celebratory day, but unfortunately, this is the kind of thing that really affects us greatly: This is the 69th day that our state government is without a budget. I ask that as you start your school year, you take a moment to contact your state representatives and tell them about the year ahead for you and to ask for a budget for Philadelphia schools that allows us to provide a world-class education where all students have access to a great school."

Carver junior Haniel Tracey, 16, worried that the unresolved funding might result in cuts to new offerings at Carver, like a dance and humanities program. "I am really excited about that, so I do have a concern about the budget problems."

But others were unconcerned about the budget brouhaha.

"They say that all the time, and they always figure it out right at the deadline," said Delwana Simpson, 53, of South Philly, who walked her granddaughter India, 13, into Carver's courtyard for the start of her eighth-grade year.

And if the funding is so delayed that the district starts cutting services? "Guess we'll find a way to get her into parochial school," Simpson said.

Hite also said getting teachers a new contract - they have been working without one since 2013 - is a top priority. "I'm committed to making sure we do something for teachers this year. I'm going to make it a goal to resolve this contract issue," he said.

With much new to herald, Carver, on 16th Street near Norris, was an appropriate place to host the traditional first-day-of-school bell-ringing: The magnet school added seventh and eighth grades this year and next month will launch a new Saturday STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program, which is aimed at bringing more neighborhood children into the school.

Not everything yesterday was smooth sailing, however. Some schools reported classrooms without teachers - 99 to be exact, according to district spokesman Fernando Gallard.

He said the district hopes to fill the vacancies as soon as possible, either through long-term substitutes or additional hires.

Despite the normal first-day issues, school staff expressed optimism about the new year.

"It's a great group of students that were here," said Otis Hackney, principal of South Philadelphia High School. Hackney said lots of parents showed up yesterday to register their children, which he viewed as a good sign.

"That was good because people are encouraged about what's going on here at South Philly."