SRC gives charter schools more clout

To improve communication and relations with the city's growing charter school community, the Philadelphia School Reform Commission voted yesterday to create a top-level position to oversee and work with the district's 63 charter schools.

The commission also heard a detailed briefing on superintendent Arlene Ackerman's strategy for raising academic achievement at the 85 lowest-performing schools.

The commission unanimously decided to add a regional superintendent's post to oversee the district's charter school office. There are now 10 regional superintendents, who meet with Ackerman each week.

"I think the intent of creating the office of charter schools as a 'region' was to elevate it to the position where it would clearly have the direct and consistent attention of Dr. Ackerman," Sandra Dungee Glenn, commission chairwoman, said after the meeting. "It clarifies . . . the importance of charter schools as a part of our system of public schools."

Ackerman said that the details had not been worked out, but that the preferred candidate for the post likely would have charter experience.

The commission also agreed to provide more resources to the charter office so there is enough staff to ensure charters follow state regulations and to find ways for the district and charters to share educational ideas.

The new position was a compromise after a charter task force recommended that the charter office be removed from the district's bureaucracy and report directly to the commission.

Commission member James Gallagher, who convened the task force and originally favored its recommendation, said he felt the compromise was a "reflective and thoughtful reaction to the advice we were given."

Larry Jones, president of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools, who served on the task force, said he was disappointed but looked forward to working with the district to improve relations.

Ackerman's plan for boosting performance at 85 elementary, middle and high schools, which she is calling "Empowerment Schools," involves a comprehensive $12 million program.

Darlene Driver, hired to oversee the program, outlined a strategy to provide additional help to the schools. Fifteen teams of trained educators will work with the schools and regional administrators to develop action plans tailored to each school.

The 23 most-troubled schools will receive even more intensive help, including social-service liaisons and increased nursing services.

Dungee Glenn said the district hoped to work closely with the city to help families obtain services that would help their children do better in school.

Also yesterday, the commission ratified one-year contracts with unions representing principals and school administrators, building engineers and maintenance staff, and school police officers. The contracts call for 3 percent raises.

The district asked for one-year contracts with its five unions to provide time to work out changes that can be included in longer contracts.

Dungee Glenn said the cafeteria workers' union was expected to ratify a contract in the next two weeks. She said the district remained hopeful that the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers would agree to a one-year contract, too.

But PFT president Jerry Jordan said last night that "it is very important to us that it is more than a one-year contract to have stability in the schools. My members are really clear. They don't want a one-year term."

The teachers contract expired last month. Both sides agreed to extend it for 60 days.