Help schools join region's renaissance

By William R. Hite Jr.

The Philadelphia region is on the rise. We celebrate economic and population growth, expansions by our world-class cultural institutions, and achievements in medical research. There's a positive vibe about the city and what we have to offer.

Yet, while there is widespread recognition that the key to our continued regional success is providing our young people high-quality educational opportunities that prepare them for college and career, we are falling short in delivering for our Philadelphia public school students.

That's why now is the time to make sure the children served by Philadelphia's public schools can enjoy the benefits of the city's improving outlook and can help to keep the region thriving tomorrow.

We know what it takes to make great schools. We know that investing in our schools not only benefits students, families, and neighborhoods, but also directly helps the economies of the city, region, and state.

We need to invest in neighborhood schools; in new ways of reaching all students according to their needs; in the instruction necessary to achieve high standards; in school safety and supportive service for parents and families; and in high-quality charter options. We know what works and need to invest our precious resources in those efforts.

Despite significant budget constraints, the School District of Philadelphia is devoting resources to initiatives that work, such as expanding career and technical education programs in high-priority occupations; investing in turning a successful program - the Sustainability Workshop - into a new school; starting career academies at Roxborough and Lincoln High Schools; and replicating and expanding high-performing schools such as the Science Leadership Academy and Hill-Freedman.

This coming year, we are opening three innovative, nonselective, neighborhood-based high schools. And, just last week, we launched the School Redesign Initiative - an open call to teachers, school leaders, families, community groups, and others to work together to redesign our schools to meet the needs of 21st-century learning.

Already, these initiatives have helped move more than 5,000 students into programs and school models that have been demonstrated to improve student achievement. But in a city with more than 200,000 public school students, this number is far too low.

As a result, when employers look to relocate or expand here, one of their first concerns is the quality of the workforce. We know that great schools contribute to the recruitment and maintenance of a high-quality workforce. There's only one way to assure the fortunes of our young people - and, in turn, lay the foundation for future regional growth. We must provide them with the quality education they deserve, and desperately need.

Surely our message to the 135,000 children attending School District schools is not that, because of where they live, they cannot experience even the basics of an adequate education. From talking to families, citizens, and civic and business leaders across the city and region, I know we share the collective goal of providing our students with an education that offers them ongoing opportunities to learn, grow, and advance in the classroom and beyond.

In schools throughout the region, this goal already has been achieved. But the reality in Philadelphia is different. For too long, there has been disinvestment in the School District of Philadelphia's students. This is a policy with real and damaging consequences for the lives of our students, the future of our city, and the social and economic health of our region and state.

The School District's current budget picture shows the urgency of the situation.

Our fiscal year 2015 spending plan is a "status quo" budget that only provides our schools with the insufficient resources they had last school year. To keep even this bare minimum spending level, we still need to close an $81 million gap.

There is legislation pending in Harrisburg to authorize a local cigarette tax, which City Council already approved. The cigarette tax would close the majority of the $81 million gap. We very much appreciate the ongoing efforts by the state Senate and House of Representatives to advance this legislation, which could be considered again at a special session early in August. The stakes for the district are significant: Without the cigarette tax revenue, we currently don't see any alternative to laying off 1,300 employees on Aug. 15, which would leave us without sufficient staff to open schools safely or operate them effectively.

To address the rest of the gap and also to generate significant recurring savings to reinvest in schools, we are seeking $90 million in savings from those of our labor partners who have not yet entered into new contracts. Already, several unions have made significant contributions to help address our shared fiscal challenges.

To make progress toward our collective goal to provide all of Philadelphia's public school students with the high-quality education they deserve, we need an additional $224 million. The impact of this funding would be felt in every facet of the school day, from investments in early literacy, to safer buildings and more counselors and health services in schools, to Advanced Placement and other enrichment opportunities, to sufficient textbooks and classroom supplies. (To provide some context, this investment would merely restore the budget to its 2010 level.)

In the past five years, the Philadelphia region has been invigorated with new ideas, new projects, and new vision. The city is experiencing a renaissance. Our children should be a part of it too.