Pew: No magic from local or state school control

Local control of large urban school systems is no magic bullet to improve academic performance, research released Thursday indicates.

Then again, neither is state control of such districts.

The conclusions from the Pew Charitable Trusts come amid a growing local push for an end to the School Reform Commission, which has controlled the beleaguered Philadelphia School District since 2001.

Opponents of the SRC - created during the state's takeover of the district, amid financial crisis and academic distress - say it has outlived its usefulness and ought to be replaced by some sort of locally appointed or locally elected board. Prior to the SRC, Philadelphia had a school board with members appointed by the mayor.

But "there really is no consensus about whether any particular form of governance leads to better student performance or fiscal management in an urban setting," said Larry Eichel, director of Pew's Philadelphia research efforts.

Though some academic progress has been made in the 15 years under the SRC, the Philadelphia district remains on shaky ground financially and has miles to go academically.

Pew examined the governance structures of big-city districts nationwide.

One notable takeaway for Philadelphia from the Pew research?

"We did find that there was broad agreement that any government system that produces uncertainty, distrust, and ambiguous accountability is not a good thing," Eichel said.

Nationally, Philadelphia is a relative rarity - a city with a school district that has never been run by an elected school board, and has never had the ability to raise its own funds.

It's not so unusual among large Northeastern cities, however. Baltimore, Boston, and New York City school authorities all lack revenue-raising power.

Philadelphia voters last year said they favored an end to the SRC in a nonbinding ballot question. At the end of his term, Mayor Michael A. Nutter said it was time to end the SRC.

Mayor Kenney has said he's for a return to local control, too, once the district's finances are on firmer footing and state revenues are sorted out.

kgraham@phillynews.com 215-854-5146 @newskag www.philly.com/schoolfiles