U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is right in saying there is “no excuse” for allowing Philadelphia public schools to be in financial limbo and urging Pennsylvania lawmakers to help the state’s largest school district “avert an educational crisis.”
“There’s no excuse for a public school system anywhere in the U.S. to be in this situation in the 21st century, and it’s even worse to see it in Philadelphia, the cornerstone of this great country and the cradle of our founding principles,” said Duncan last week in a prepared statement. “Philadelphia’s children didn’t create these problems or ask for them; our responsibility as adults is to do everything we can to provide students in Philadelphia the world-class education they deserve.
“Without courage and leadership I worry greatly that Philadelphia’s children will be shortchanged. We must invest in public education, not abandon it,” said Duncan.
Duncan implored state, city and school district officials and labor union representatives to “continue working together to avert this educational crisis.”
Negotiations are continuing between representatives of the school district and labor unions, which have been asked to concede $125 million by agreeing to employee health-care contributions, a salary freeze and a longer work day under terms of a new contract.
The city is prepared to send $50 million borrowed against city sales-tax revenue generated in the future, repaying the loan balance with proceeds in the following year.
Meanwhile Pennsylvania lawmakers are in summer recess while the district’s approximately 204,000 traditional and charter school students do not know if they are returning to bare-bones schools without guidance counselors, art, music and sports programs.
The more than 3,800 school districts employees, from assistant principals to secretaries, that were laid off to help balance a $304 million deficit also do not know if they will be returning.
State aid remains uncertain and insufficient.
A state rescue package that is awaiting Gov. Tom Corbett’s signature could total $141 million, but only a portion of it is coming from the state. The city must borrow and collect more in delinquent taxes to fund the rest.
The state is providing about $45 million as one-time infusion from a forgiven federal debt under the state’s Fiscal Code bill amended last week by the Senate and sent to the House for consideration.
The House is not scheduled to reconvene until Sept. 23. However House Speaker Sam Smith could convene a meeting as early as next week, according to Barb Grill, spokeswoman for Democratic state Rep. James Roebuck.
The House Speaker should convene a meeting immediately.
With Philadelphia public schools still in fiscal crisis lawmakers should return to Harrisburg to deal with the unresolved funding issue.
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