http://articles.philly.com/2013-08-09/news/41242049_1_philly-schools-deputy-superintendent-paul-kihn-new-funding
With schools on the brink, Nutter and Clarke diverge
IF YOU'RE CONFUSED about what's going on with Philadelphia's school-funding crisis, look no further than the news conferences and posturing yesterday that provided a microcosm for why Philly's schools are on the brink only 31 days before school begins.
It began with Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. saying that if the city's politicians don't find $50 million in new funding soon, schools will be in disastrous condition when doors open on Sept. 9 - if they can open at all.
Up next was Mayor Nutter, who made a fervid speech calling on City Council to back a tax plan crafted in Harrisburg that would allow the city to borrow the money Hite says is needed.
Minutes later, Council President Darrell Clarke took to a podium, saying he opposes that plan and proposing a new one involving the sale of school property.
Meanwhile, the teachers' union - from which the district is seeking $133 million in savings - issued a statement indicating it's not budging, and Harrisburg lawmakers - who this June approved only $2 million in new annual funding for Philly schools after being asked for $120 million - continued their summer recess.
In the end, the school district was right where it was when the day began: broke.
Speaking at district headquarters, Hite said schools may not be able to open next month without at least $50 million in new funding, which, combined with other measures, still won't plug the district's $304 million deficit.
"I am angry that we are here today, facing these circumstances," he said. "Without the funds to restore crucial staff members, we cannot open functional schools, run them responsibly or provide a quality education."
The 218-school district in June laid off almost 3,900 employees, primarily hall aids, guidance counselors, secretaries and assistant principals. The School Reform Commission has requested $120 million in new state funding, $60 million more from the city and $133 million in labor savings just to get the district's balance sheet back to zero.
The $50 million would allow the district to rehire close to 1,000 laid-off employees, said Deputy Superintendent Paul Kihn.
There is "not a scenario that brings back everyone who was laid off," Hite said.
At City Hall, Nutter called on City Council members to sign a letter saying they support a permanent extension of what was supposed to be a 1 percent temporary sales-tax increase. That would allow the city to immediately borrow $50 million against the increase's future revenue, which would start at about $120 million in 2015.
"Without immediate action and commitment from our City Council, our schools will be unsafe," Nutter said. "No rational adult who cares about children would ever subject them to the reality of a school without the necessary supports that'll provide for a safe environment."
Gov. Corbett paved the way for the sales-tax extension to be authorized during the state's budget negotiations last month. The city would need to adopt it for it to become law. Clarke opposes the extension, as drafted in Harrisburg, because he wants half the revenue for the city's massively underfunded pension system.
In Corbett's version, almost all the initial revenue goes to the school district. A small slice dedicated to pensions is projected to grow over time and would eventually provide $400 million over 10 years, Finance Director Rob Dubow said.
Nutter said he wasn't happy with the Harrisburg plan but that it's the only viable option to help the schools before classes begin.
"This was not my idea and not the Council president's idea, but ultimately we were presented in the lateness of the budget process in Harrisburg with really not so much of what is called a deal, but a reality," Nutter said.
Clarke then said in Council chambers that the sales-tax extension was a "bad deal."
"I don't think that we should sign onto what I believe to be a bad deal," Clarke said. "If we don't solve [the pension problem], we could quickly be following some of the other cities that are finding themselves in some significant financial situations."
He laid out a new plan for the city to buy unused district properties, including closed schools, and borrow $50 million against the future sale of those assets, providing leaders time to re-evaluate the sales tax.
Nutter spokesman Mark McDonald said the plan is "bad public policy."
"It would not be prudent for the city to suddenly buy 23 school district buildings when there is no known reuse for these buildings, when they have not been formally appraised, when there's no funds available for their care," he said.
McDonald said the plan would be "double-dipping" with district money since the School Reform Commission's five-year plan already counts on revenue from selling those properties.
With Nutter and Clarke divided on how to move forward, it's unclear how the schools will get the money Hite says they need to open.
Helen Gym, of Parents United for Public Education, said it was "unconscionable" that the debate was still going on. "It's crazy to play brinkmanship games like this with our children's lives," she said.
Susan Gobreski, executive director of Education Voters of Pennsylvania, sent a message to elected city and state officials.
"I think that the superintendent is right to keep people focused on the fact that this is an extraordinary crisis," Gobreski said. "And I think that we are in dire, dire straights. Our political leadership in this city and at the state level have not delivered the funding."
"If it doesn't have an impact, voters should rebel . I think people are frustrated and angry that this basic response has been unmet."
Philly school principals are appealing directly to parents for cash
by thenotebook on Aug 09 2013 Posted in Latest news
by Kevin McCorry for NewsWorks
"Free" public education just got a bit more expensive for parents at Center City's Greenfield Elementary School.
Feeling a pinch from the Philadelphia School District's budget shortfall, Greenfield principal Dan Lazar has sent parents an "urgent request" asking families to contribute $613 per student.
"It is my sincere hope that this will only be a temporary measure, but unfortunately our new reality necessitates such a drastic request," said Lazar in his email to parents, putting Greenfield on a small but growing list of city public schools making direct money pitches to parents.
The District faces a $304 million dollar budget gap, forcing layoffs of teachers and other personnel. If today was the first day of classes, District schools would open without counselors, front office staff, noontime aides, and other staff, as well as a lack of basic school supplies such as paper and pens.
Lazar says the budget hit to Greenfield thanks to the District shortfall is $355,740. He came up with his per pupil request by dividing that figure by an estimate of enrollment for the coming year.
On Thursday, Philadelphia School District Superintendent William Hite said he will not be able to open all schools on time on a full-day schedule — unless the city comes through with a promised $50 million that was part of a funding package cobbled together last June by Gov. Tom Corbett. Mayor Nutter and Council President Darrell Clarke are still squabbling over how to make that contribution.
Greenfield joins Science Leadership Academy, William M. Meredith, and Penn Alexander, Cook-Wissahickon and Central High School as District schools who've asked for family contributions of varying sizes.
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/58348-hite-philly-schools-cant-open-safely-without-50-million-from-city?linktype=hp_impact
Hite: Philly schools can't open safely without $50 million from city
[Updated] Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite said he will not open all city schools on time on a full-day schedule unless he is assured by the end of next week that he will get $50 million in promised new funding from the city.
Because of the school district's budget shortfall, he said he would either need to delay the Sept. 9 starting date for all schools, open just some of the city's 218 schools, or run on a half-day calendar.
"I am deeply frustrated," Hite said. "Our students are the most important part of this equation. ... They did not create these circumstances, yet they will be most impacted by any delay."
Hite's announcement set off a new round of disputes between Mayor Michael Nutter, who said he backs Hite's stance, and City Council President Darrell Clarke. Clarke, along with some other Council members, dislikes Nutter's recommended approach to finding the money.
If the school district gets a guarantee of the $50 million, Hite said that would enable him to bring back about 1,000 of the 3,800 employees laid off in June.
Assistant principals, guidance counselors, noontime aides, secretaries and teachers were among those who received pink slips last June. So far, the district has only been able to restore about 286 secretaries and traveling music teachers.
"Fifty million dollars allows us to tell parents that when their child is walking through the hallways, eating lunch or at recess, an adult will be supervising them," Hite said. "It allows us to tell parents that counselors will be available to serve children in our largest and neediest schools."
Four district principals, who accompanied Hite during his press conference Thursday, also cautioned against opening schools without additional funding.
Linda Carroll, principal of Northeast High School, said the district would be putting her in an impossible situation with 3,000 students and a skeletal staff.
"Just imagine in any venue in America you have 3,000 teenagers and 1 adult," she said.
Sticking point in City Council
The $50 million in city funding is a key piece of Gov. Tom Corbett's plan to fill part of the school district's budget gap, which was originally a whopping $304 million.
Corbett and the Pennsylvania General Assembly permitted the city to extend a local 1 percent sales tax that was enacted as mid-recession "emergency" measure, and was due to expire next budget year. The idea was that the city could borrow $50 million on behalf of the school district against future sales tax revenues this year, while $120 million of those proceeds would be earmarked for the schools in future years.
Though that wasn't his first choice, Nutter said Thursday that he supports Corbett's sales-tax plan as the only way to give Hite the resources he needs when he needs them.
"Other ideas have been offered and we've explored them," he said. "Unfortunately, they just don't work with the time allotted. ... I will settle for nothing less than our schools being opened safety and securely ... as they were scheduled on Sept. 9."
But City Council, which is on summer recess until Sept. 12, has not extended the sales tax so far.
The sticking point involves Philadelphia's pension crisis. Council President Clarke wants to split the sales tax revenues between the schools and the city's deeply underfunded pension system. He criticized the Corbett plan, which he said was not crafted with sufficient Council input.
"I don't think we should sign on to what I and other members believe is a bad deal simply because we want to come up with a short-term funding stream that is questionable," he said.
Jane Roh, Clarke's spokeswoman, said earlier this week that the disagreement over the sales tax revenue should not affect the city's ability to borrow $50 million for the schools.
Clarke also floated an alternative Thursday to help fund the school district: having the city buy assets and surplus properties from the district for $50 million. He said the city could move quickly on this plan.
District officials said Council does not need to reconvene or pass legislation in order to be sufficiently assured that the $50 million will arrive. Roh said Clarke's plan will allow Council to provide that guarantee by the end of next week.
Additionally, Clarke said Council members would like to get a sense of what the teachers' union might put into the pot in the way of concessions.
Few options
Nutter's view is that Clarke's proposed split of sales tax revenue between the schools and the pension system could work only if the state legislature approved the city's pitch to levy a cigarette tax for the district. Then that new tax revenue would replace the sales tax proceeds that the schools would lose to pensions.
But Nutter's aides noted that could not happen until after state lawmakers returns from their summer recess in late September. And the legislature gave the cigarette tax idea a cool reception when Nutter pitched it earlier this year.
Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, meanwhile, has proposed another plan. She wants to give the schools a one-time grant of up to $50 million, dipping into budget reserves. But Nutter and his team say draining the modest reserve would be a bad idea for a city that could be hit by surprise costs from any number of directions.
Parent Dawn Hawkins, a member of Action United, said she supports Hite's stand. To her, City Council and Nutter are passing the buck.
"City Council knew that this was going to happen. They all went on vacation," she said. "They have to realize that these children's education is on the line. These children's safety is on the line."
No comments:
Post a Comment