I'd appreciate you providing that to the Chair, but for the purpose of this public testimony, do you -- after just a cursory review, do you have a feel that they were responsive? Just rate the response, without getting specific.
Well, I would say they were very responsive to the recommendations of the report; however, not adequately to the conditions 104 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY in which they find themselves today and going forward. The School District remains in businesses that arguably are not core-mission businesses of public education and for which they may have to out-source or privatize or in some other fashion get out of those businesses, because somebody else may be able to do them more effectively and strategically more cost- efficiently. And we're not talking about that's something we like to say as opposed to that's something that may be necessary in order to help further reduce operating budget deficits.
Well, I agree with you totally, 'cause I asked the question of the School District and the Administration that I would think that the first thing we would do is review most of the operating departments that you just mentioned, and it doesn't appear to me that they have really explored cutting and doing some things that are -- would underline radical. A fleet management operation that in fact grew from 41 employees just to administer it to 43 this year. 105 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY So it's difficult for me to be sympathetic to the School District when, in fact, I don't think they've really looked at the District as a business and have analyzed where they can make improvements to save the taxpayers and lessen the deficit.
Councilman, I believe that even when all of those kinds of radical changes -- restructurings, out-sourcings, downsizings -- are done on the non-core mission of education, the School District will still have a gargantuan deficit, and at the end of the day, the only way that deficit can stop being the front and center issue that dominates the leadership's attention is to finance it.
You're welcome. Are there any other questions from members of the committee? (No further questions.)
Mr. Katz, thank you so much for your patience and for your 106 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY testimony.
Thank you. Vernard Johnson is our next witness. (Witness comes forward.)
Good evening, Council President Verna and Councilwoman Blackwell. My name is Vernard Johnson, and I'm the Executive Director of Healthy Family Healthy Life, and I'm a parent of a 15-year-old young lady who is at the World Communications Charter School, and I'd like to start out my testimony today by talking a little bit about charter schools. As both of you ladies know, and probably some of School District people that are here, our family has been an active supporter of public schools in Philadelphia for the past 15, 16, 17 years. Our oldest daughter is a graduate of Philadelphia public schools and graduated -- actually graduated from the Parkway Program. Wanted to be a nurse, had As and Bs in science, tested well, started her college career at 107 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Community College of Philadelphia, and --
Mr. Johnson, I'm sorry. The noise level is much too high. If you're having conversations, do so in the corridors so that we can hear the witness. Thank you. Please proceed.
Started her college career at Philadelphia Community College that has one of the better associate-degree nursing programs in the country and couldn't cut the mustard in science, but tested very well. Has now readjusted her thinking and is going to become a public school teacher. Is going to enter Cheyney in the fall and hopes to come back and teach in Philadelphia public schools. So we're supporters of public schools, but we couldn't sacrifice our youngest daughter, so we had sent her to private school; that was costly for us. And then the opportunity for charter schools opened up, and we sent her to a charter school that is now under scrutiny by the School Board, and we have a public hearing tomorrow for the renewal of our charter. 108 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY And I say to the Board of Education while they're here and in front of Council that we are all public schools, charter schools included, and that we need to look at the issue of equity in the schools together, we need to look at the process for reviewing charter schools together. And really, I'll just leave that charter school piece like that. I'd now like to talk a little bit about public schools in general. I've been attending the United Way City of Philadelphia effort to plan for early-childhood education programs over the last month or two along with the School District, along with some School District personnel. And one of the missing links in those meetings is that there are no parents there. So we plan and we talk about successful programs, about what it costs, and we do all of that in the absence of parents. And so I say to the parent leaders who are here that this is a strong mayor environment now, that the Mayor makes decisions and influences the School Board. And Estelle Richman is the Director of Social Services for this city. And 109 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Harriet Dichter is the person who's responsible for children's services in this city, and her phone number is 685-5670, and maybe you might want to give them a call to tell them that you want to be involved in the process for long-term planning of early-education programs. I'd like to move to partnerships. If we keep looking at violence in schools as a police issue, we may be doing ourselves a disservice. Violence is a public-health issue, has been classified as a public health issue for several years now, and every time we talk about violence in Philadelphia public schools, we talk about it from a safety and security perspective. Maybe we need to begin to talk about violence from a health and safety perspective. We see too many children daily who are entitled to services, City services, that they're not getting, but the agencies are being paid. DHS workers are being paid, (indiscernible) workers are being paid, and our children go without services to a large degree. So as we're talking about partnerships, maybe we could talk about how the School District partners with DHS, partners 110 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY with them in an effort to get the kind of services that are being paid for right now, every day. It doesn't cost anything, it's already being paid for. It takes a effort to coordinate the services to make sure that the families who are eligible for 'em are getting 'em, so maybe that's a way that we could look at partnerships. Maybe we could look at the Health Department, if we're not, as a partner. Maybe they could do the -- maybe they could provide nurses for schools that don't have nurses. Maybe they could look at the health education programs that nurses don't have an opportunity to complete every day like around critical illnesses such as asthma. J. Henley, who used to be the Chief Executive Officer of HMA, and we've discussed this with Mr. Ramos.
We're prepared to offer every child in the Philadelphia School District who has asthma or allergy and who has not been tested for the 111 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY allergy that triggers the asthma, we're prepared to offer those children, free of charge to the School District, free of charge to the family, an education program and testing, with the testing results going back to the school nurse, to the doctor, and to the family, making recommendations on how to handle the allergies that are triggering the attacks, free of charge. We see more children, Councilwoman Blackwell, today, under the care of school psychologists and psychiatrists and taking Ritalin than we've ever seen before. And I'll close with this: than we've ever seen before. We see children standing in line, asking each other, have you had your pill today, have you had your Ritalin today? We're keeping kids good and dumb. And so, you know, years ago, we sat here and said 50 19 percent of the children couldn't read; today we 20 sit here and say 50 percent of the children can't read. And if the children can't read, we know they're going to act out. So I close by saying this: If we could provide the children with quality health services, a quality physical, quality counseling, help 112 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY parents and families who are in need of help and who deserve help -- and in some cases, help is being paid for but is not being delivered -- maybe we could change the behavior and the environment of our schools so that teachers can teach and children can learn. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Johnson. And let me say thank you for your help with Ritalin because when we had hearings back in about 1983, without your help, we would not have even known the problem existed. And albeit we still have all of the problems, and even Mr. Kirsch testified that 50 percent of 9th-graders -- that's the grade I used to teach -- aren't even finishing school. We know that the struggle continues, but certainly, you have been in the forefront of that, and we say thank you.
It's my understanding that we may have people or witnesses in from the PCN. Are they still here? Would you 113 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY please approach the witness table. (Witnesses come forward.)
Councilman Nutter, are you asking that someone from the School Board also be at the table?
Can we have someone from the School Board also at the witness table to address this issue, please? (Witness comes forward.)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to go back some of the earlier discussion to get a little better sense of where things are, where things are going. And I think from some of the comments of my colleagues earlier, one is it should be fairly clear that there is a significant amount of concern about the situation with regard to PCN. We all have our various take on this situation. But I think one of the glaring issues at the time at the moment is what the amount and 114 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY level of contact and discussion has been over whatever the period of time has been, where things are at the moment, what may or may not happen on Friday, is there agreement, is there not agreement and then Monday. And so, again, at least for the record, I do want to get a better understanding of two items that I thought would be driven not only by this reference that a significant number of Councilmembers sent a letter to the School District about this back in the summer of 2000, as well as the Board took an action back on September 11th, which I came to that Board meeting, commended the Board for their action, and I took their action and their words in this Board resolution very seriously. And so, for instance, the Board said that the District, in conjunction with the Mayor's Office, City Council, and appropriate City and nongovernmental agencies, shall undertake a comprehensive review of the need, cost, and funding of pre-kindergarten, early-childhood programs in the District, and that the District staff are directed to take all necessary steps to 115 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY facilitate the program review process and report back to the Board as appropriate. What I'm trying to understand in any of that is, what happened from September 11th going forward to February 27th of 2001 that responded to the two resolve clauses that I just made reference to leading to where we are at this moment?
Okay, I will say that since that time, the District has been in contact and discussions with Harriet Dichter from the City regarding the whole issue of early childhood in general. We're looking at it from the standpoint of what do we offer, the quality of what we offer, how does the quality of what we offer compare with national initiatives, and so forth. We've also done that in collaboration with the United Way. Some of our programs are in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania and a study that they're doing. So we really have approached it through the umbrella of looking at the quality of all of our early-childhood programs because we are committed to the premise that if we as a district are going to offer these programs, then we're 116 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY offering them for educational reasons, because that's what differentiates them from babysitting. So we want to make sure that all of our programs -- Head Start CDC and PCN -- are educationally sound, educationally rigorous, and that has really been the trust thrust of our work. As far as PCN goes --
It was Miss Ruffin who was at the table earlier, right?
Now, did I understand from her testimony that Head Start has a significant educational component to it and that PCN does as well?
And that Comprehensive Day Care, making no judgment between and among any of these programs, just trying to understand again what their purpose is, that Comprehensive Day Care was, or is, more of a day care program as opposed to an educational program; 117 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY is that correct?
No. It has an educational component. I think that the major difference may be in the certification requirements for the teachers. In PCN, there are certified teachers, as there are in Head Start.
All right. So at least at a baseline, you have the opportunity to have an educationally-driven program, given that you have certified teachers running it. We don't have certified teachers providing, in your words, a babysitting service, right?
Correct. And we also have a rigorous program in that all of our early-childhood programs use our curriculum frameworks. You know, we have an early-childhood component in frameworks. The teachers get training, there's professional development, and we just want to make sure that we maintain a high standard of academic instruction so that we as an educational institution will be different -- 118 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
-- than what is offered in the community at large, the private providers, you know, your next door neighbor, who maybe can watch your kids.
Well, I understand that. And I'm sure that you don't mean in any way, shape, or form to suggest what's going on at PCN is similar to sending your child down the street --
-- to the neighbor or across the street to grandmom's.
So how does any of that -- and I have my own view and position that the parents are quite clear with regard to the cost issues, but how does that evaluation that you're going through, which is great and appropriate -- one, where does that -- 'cause I didn't hear anything about the parents in any of that discussion, is one. And, two, how is that driving the cost issue or the increased few issue? And is that being looked at with regard to 119 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY any of the other programs?
Okay. The only program right now that current is under review for fee questions is Parent Cooperative Nursery. So in terms of long-range and short-range goals, we realize that we have a short-range goal to resolve the fee schedule for Parent Cooperative Nursery by virtue of the resolution and by virtue of the District's in September when we rescinded the fee for this year. That's the short-term goal that has to be resolved very soon. But our long-term goal is to evaluate all of early childhood because, as the District is financially strapped at this time, we really do have to make decision long-term around the future of early childhood in general.
But you would make decisions around early childhood if we had all of the money that we need because you're in the education business, and we're running three different programs that serve multiple constituencies, and you would want to know the answer to those questions if there were no funding issue, right? 120 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Absolutely. We would want to have assurance that the quality of our program is the quality that we would want it to be given that we are an educational institution.
Tell me where the parents fit in any of that earlier discussion when I asked you what's going on between September 11, 2000 and February 27, '01. I heard about United Way, I heard about Harriet Dichter, I heard about the University of Pennsylvania, I heard about a whole host of people, but didn't hear anything about the parents.
Okay. The parents -- first of all, there were periodic meetings with PCN Center representatives. We've had parents come to several Board meetings between then and now to express their ongoing concern about PCN and the ongoing appeal that we collaboratively reach a decision. And then there was the meeting on February 27th and the meeting this Friday, in addition to the surveys.
Okay. I mean, 121 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY first, obviously, allowing parents to speak at a Board meeting, I mean, I don't think that anyone would necessarily consider that to be a part of any kind of discussion process about a program. You don't have discussions at the Board; you make a statement, they say thank you very much, next speaker. What happened between September and February related to the parents around the evaluation of this particular program, cost estimates, analysis of the educational service being provided? What's the cost of this program to the District, what's the estimate of the cost?
And if the program -- all of the teachers are certified teachers, right?
Okay. If the program went away, would you fire the teachers? 122 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
If people either stopped participating because either they felt that they couldn't financially afford it, or the circumstances or the situation around its operation were becoming onerous, or it was a hassle to be involved, or for whatever other reason, the program went away, would the teachers go away or would they be absorbed into the School District.
You would not save the money by the teachers going away or this program going away, right?
All right. And the 123 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY proposal to increase the fees, what will that generate?
The proposal to increase the fees, what would that generate?
You mean -- we don't have a proposal yet, but you're saying, what would a fee -- what would a fee support? Or -- I don't understand.
Well, you articulated earlier that there was at least a model or a proposal last summer for a sliding scale. I'll take it -- when you say that you don't have a proposal at the moment, I take that to mean you don't have a proposal that you necessarily want to talk about here because you haven't had a chance to talk about it with the parents on Friday in anticipation of an announcement on Monday. But, I mean, I don't want us to get into a situation where anybody who is either listening to this or is subsequently going to read the record would be under the impression that as 124 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY of today, March 7th, on Wednesday, the District has no idea what they might potentially put forward or charge as the increased fee but they might know either by Friday, when they talked to the parents, or will be ready to announce on Monday. I don't think you're going to come up with a proposal between tonight and Friday's meeting, right?
We are taking the input from -- the additional input from the parents and planning to share our thinking at the moment with them on Friday.
With the anticipation that on Friday, we will have a proposal to present before the Board.
What happens if you don't reach agreement on Friday? Or is that necessary?
Well, Debra Kahn wants to come up and also address this. But, you know, we are aware of the concerns that the parents have expressed. We are 125 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY trying very hard to adhere to a Monday deadline because we are aware that should people care to exercise the option to attend PCN or exercise other options, that this is the time of year when people have to make those decisions, contact possible providers, give deposits in many cases, and we realize that time is of the essence. So it's our expectation that we will have a resolution to recommend to the Board on Monday. (Witness comes forward.)
Debra Kahn Secretary of Education for the City of Philadelphia. Councilman, I think just in response to the one question about how much would the proposal generate, along the lines of what Mr. Ramos had described about the kinds of things that had been heard from the parents and what we took into account in terms of the time of the program, the parent volunteering, and accounting for that time, so that the current proposal -- and I think the numbers you had heard around were roughly $20 a week. That would generate, I think, approximately $200,000 in new revenue. That's just taking into 126 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY account that we already receive the $25-per-month fee, so it would be roughly a net increase of about $200,000.
Let me say this. I mean, you know, every dollar to the District is critically important. I mean, a dollar is a dollar; I do understand that and I'm mindful of it. I have to say, though, that -- I mean, if anyone did a cost-benefit analysis of the time, the effort, and the anxiety factor that has gone into this since last year and now culminating over the past couple weeks, I'm just not really sure that that analysis would show that for $200,000 in a district that has a $235 million cumulative deficit and a program for 4-year-olds, preparing them for kindergarten and helping to train their parents, that this is worth it. In addition, it's my understanding, at least according to the calendar, that I think this hearing is going to at some point be recessed until Tuesday, the 13th. Is that correct, Madam 127 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Chair?
Now, the Board meeting is on Monday. I don't know what we will know or not know out of Friday's meeting. If anyone is sensitive to the timing aspect of this whole thing, I certainly am and I'm sure my colleagues are because that's how we got involved in this -- I'll just kind of call it "mess" in the first place, although certainly letting people know something sometime in March is a whole lot better than letting them know sometime in July. On the other hand, the Board President talked about this program, the cost of this program, the fact that Head Start has a dedicated funding source from the federal government, that CDC has a dedicated funding source from the State, and that this program, which I don't think anyone in the couple hours that we've been talking about, no one has seem to do indicate is not a worthwhile program, is not a program that's providing good service to the 4-year-olds and to their parents, has ever said anything bad about this particular program. Its only problem is it has no dedicated 128 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY funding source from anyone other than the District supporting a program in its buildings, paying for certified teachers, and what the parents pay on a monthly basis. Now, we have not been asked for anything or to do anything or to look at any additional funding for this, and I'm not saying that any of my colleagues at the moment are willing to put an additional dime on the table, but we haven't been asked that particular question. And with all of that in mind, all I can ask is, if the Board was anticipating taking an action on Monday based on a meeting coming up on Friday, and we're going to be back in session on all of the budget matters on Tuesday, that I would ask for some accommodation for this City Council to have an opportunity before the Board takes any action or takes any action under consideration on Monday, that a report be made to this Council and to this committee on Tuesday to let us know what is going on and what has happened or transpired from the meeting on Monday and what's going forward from the meeting on Friday and what's 129 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY going forward from that point before any action is taken. We know the Board has multiple meetings and also obviously has the ability to schedule special meetings. This is a critical issue. Under the circumstances, I think -- and I probably wouldn't suggest this, other than the fact that no 9 one has been able to tell me with any clarity what specific actions of a meaningful fashion have taken place from September 11, 2000 to February 27, 2001. Clearly, most of the components of the resolution passed by the Board, for whatever reason, not pointing any fingers at anybody. It snowed a lot, we have a lot to do, we had Christmas, New Year's, stadiums, whatever anybody wants to talk about, but I don't get the impression that a whole lot of time and attention was devoted this particular issue, which this program, for some people, will be a pimple on an elephant's behind, but it's important to a whole lot of parents and a whole lot of kids, and it's very important to many members of this City Council. And I don't think it's going tear up anybody's week next week to wait a day or so and 130 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY be able to bring some information back to us as to what's going on with this before the Board takes any action. My position has been crystal-clear since last summer: If there's going to be an increase, whether it's a sliding scale or a flat fee, as proposed by the parents -- there probably should be some level of increase. We got into a problem last year because of a timing issue. Now we ask, take a long-term view, what's the evaluation, what's the cost, what's the benefit of the program. That information, for whatever reason, has not been completely put together.
We are not that far apart, I believe, on getting a resolution to this particular issue, and I would say to take a little more time to try to get it right is better than trying to rush it at the last minute and further upsetting the parents and their children about this particular program. And that is the request that I'm making at this moment to the Chief Academic Officer and to the Secretary of Education on behalf of the Mayor. Thank you, Madam Chair. 131 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
You're welcome. Oh, I'm sorry. Councilman Rizzo?.
I would just like to follow up on that. Again, what was the price tag associated with the revenue of this program? How much money does the District make?
Per the proposal that's in the works, I would say roughly $200,000 now.
Just maybe quickly, could you point to four areas in the School District where you have reduced your spending by $200,000?
Well, actually, you had asked the question previously of Mr. Katz about the Greater Philadelphia First study, and actually in the footnote of his testimony, he indicated there that the total of the GPF projections or recommendations had been, I think, $45 million. And at the end of that formal oversight process, a GPF audit had indicated that there were $47 million worth of savings and many of those are recurring. So I think that's just one area.
I don't think I 132 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY heard Mr. Katz say that. I heard him say he wasn't sure --
But I'm going by what he testified here today. If it was in his testimony, then I don't know what his reluctance was to say it. Just point to what you know -- not Philadelphia First's old -- that thing's three or four years old, that report. Today, tell me four areas in the administrative offices and in the administrative operation where you've been able to trim $200,000 from anything that you do over there.
In the last round of budget cuts in professional development, there were significant cuts. There were cuts last year in the cluster budget as well. And we could provide for you, you know, a number of --
If you needed to come up with the monies to offset the cost of this program, could you give me on idea of where you might find $200,000? 'Cause I think I could do it 133 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY in about 30 seconds.
We would be interested, as we said to you this morning, you know, to take any of your suggestions and any other Councilmember's.
Well, I gave you -- I want to give you some interesting statistics.
Fleet Management is responsible for almost 7,000 vehicles, giving you an example. They do it with about 50 administrators that manage Fleet Management. You do just a little over 1,000 vehicles, and you do it with 43 administrators in the operation. I don't want to beat this to death.
My point is, I haven't seen, and Mr. Katz, obviously, if it's on paper, couldn't really point to where you've accepted and adopted those, and you're telling me that you adopted and saved the School District $45 million, adopting the recommendations of the Philadelphia First study?
Yeah, over time, yes. And, again, as he testified, there are the reports and 134 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY the summary reports, and I imagine that they've been provided to Council in the past, but we'll certainly be happy to do that again.
I'm going to have to call Sam Katz tomorrow morning to find out why he wasn't willing to say that because you heard him say he'd have to get back to us to review and audit the recommendations to see what in fact were implemented, rather than just say what we normally here -- that's a great idea, we think it's wonderful. And next year and the year after that and the year after that, we're still using Nextel phones. Thank you.
Madam President, if I may. Mr. Nutter wanted to know -- some clarifications were needed concerning meetings or what has happened since September 11th to February 27th of this year. When it is said that various meetings have been held in which the parents have had discussions concerning the PCNs, there are three meetings a year held at Girls High School in which 135 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Mrs. Bunny Verbit is, you know, supervising it. There are educational meetings, okay? The very first meeting, we had someone there from Shanghai Press, and he talked to us about his books, and it was a very lengthy meeting. At the end of the meeting, I believe we had five minutes in which I addressed the parents. And I told them that we needed to get together, that we needed to do something concerning our program, that I felt that we were in imminent danger of being -- you know, they keep saying to me, we're not trying to do away with your program. Well, if you put this high money rate to this program, you're closing the door on this program. There is a House bill that protects our program, okay? Mr. Cohen did address that earlier, I believe, that he was part of putting together that House bill. Now, the second meeting had to do -- I believe Danielle had to do something with how we take care of our children, children's safety. And then, again, at the end of that Miss Jennifer Plummer-Davis was there, and she did more or less say to us that they're here to ask us how we feel 136 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY as parents, and there were some pointed questions asked as to why are you trying to change the program, why will there be a sliding scale, why are you doing this. As far as the February 27th meeting, we were not negotiated with. We were asked what kind of information we parents would be willing to submit concerning the decision-making of a sliding-scale fee or any fee to be implemented on this program. We were not asked to help make that decision. We were told about this survey. I have handed over copies, 'cause we made copies of every one of these surveys that were passed over, and we have passed them in to City Council, what the parents have actually said. And I can tell you, because I have seen them, that the majority of the parents have said they would like no fee. And if no fee at all, then at least the $5 a week that we in our proposals to the School Board have said that we would be willing to at least in an effort to establish open and fair dialogue with them, at least come meet them part way. Because we understand that there's a deficit, we understand 137 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY that they have to come up with money, okay? So we are trying to be honest and we're trying to be fair and we're trying to say if we must pay something, let me tell what you we can pay, because this is all we can pay. We have given them three different proposals: a flat $45 rate, a sliding scale, and a flat rate, which, for those parents who have any kind of economic hardships, would be able willingly and privately to bring forth those items that would be necessary to determine what their income is so that they would either be excluded from paying or pay a lower rate. At no time did the School Board recommend that to us; we recommended it to them. If this is fair and open dialogue, this is what the School Board feels is negotiating, me sitting there telling them what I have worked very hard countless of hours and sleepless nights to put together, and this is what they feel is fair and open dialogue, well, I have to stand here in public and tell you, that's unfair. I've done most of the work, they have included me in no 25 decision-making. 138 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY And I hope that answers your question, sir. (Applause.)
Thank you very much. I'm sorry. There have been a number of students that have been waiting. I'm going to ask you to please -- (Applause.)
If you want to add anything to what has already been said, I ask that you please be brief in doing so.
Kindly identify yourself for the record, please.
Danielle Miller. I just want to add that the $45 flat fee, Mr. Rizzo, that we proposed, $80,000 would be contributed that would be generated by the parents to the School District, and for the volunteer hours, the grand total would be $327,200 contributed in volunteer hours, mandated hours, and the fee, the $5 per week. 139 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. I was only going to make the point that you already made, that there are other people here to testify, and this issue's not going to solved here tonight until School District makes its proposal.
Thank you all very much. The next group to testify are the National Students Association: Jeremy Kaplan, Day Augustine, Eboney Jones, and Tara Colston. (Applause.) (Witnesses come forward.)
Who's testifying first? Okay, would you please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony. MISS JONES: My name is Eboney Jones and I'm from the Philadelphia Student Union. (Applause.) MISS JONES: Unfortunately, we had 140 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY about 100 people here but they had to leave because of the time. And I would like to say that our tokens, school token, is now expired because we had to wait. It expired at o'clock and it's now 7 7 o'clock. Okay. Hello. My name is Eboney Jones, and I'm a student at Simon Gratz High School. I enjoy going to school and I am very serious about getting my education. My mother has four children that attend public schools. She spends $144 a month on school tokens to send me and my siblings to school and back, and $144 a month is too much to pay for a free education. (Applause.) MISS JONES: This is money that we can't spend on food or clothes or other things we need. I believe that school is very important in a child's life and I would hope that you have the same beliefs as I do. I'm not just speaking for myself. There are lots of other students in a similar 141 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY situation. Some students are ashamed of letting people know that they can't afford tokens. That's why some aren't here today. What I am so adamantly asking you is to consider not voting on the budget until you come up with a plan to make tokens free or more affordable. (Applause.) MISS JONES: We understand that you don't have to vote on the budget until the end of May, so that gives you time to find a solution to our problem. You are our leaders and we look up to you, so take responsibility for this tragic situation. (Applause.) MISS JONES: We can tell that money is not an issue. When City Council wants something done, it happens; for example, the stadiums. Everyone says that education is paramount; this is your chance to prove it. (Applause.) MISS JONES: I also have copies if you need.
Yes. We'll 142 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY have them distributed. Thank you. MISS JONES: I also have the testimony from a counselor. Her name is Andrea Clyman (ph.). "As a counselor in the Philadelphia public schools, I have always seen a problem with the cost of school tokens. Tokens cost $36 per month per child. Many parents call asking for free tokens or a way to get free tokens for their children. Unfortunately, there is nothing available. Occasionally, I can get money from a fund for a few packs of tokens. This is the tip of the iceberg. "many times, we just do not know why kids are not coming to school. Kids will tell me that the parents did not have the money for tokens. Many teachers provide kids with tokens, which they pay for themselves. There is one girl I give a token to every day. Most of our children live in homes with very low incomes or families with no assistance. Money for food, rent, and utilities come before tokens. "Ironically, children here for disciplinary transfers get free tokens. Families 143 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY with two children must provide $72 for school tokens. I believe we would provide a great service if we could provide or greatly reduce the cost of tokens. "I graduated from Olney High School in 1960. Tokens were then $1 for tokens. I do 8 not think the cost of living has risen nine times. 9 For all of the money our city spends, it would be 10 more for good use to have children travel to school for free or at a more affordable cost. "Simon Gratz, where I have worked as a counselor for 12 years is an inner-city Title 1 school. Our children receive free lunch and breakfast. Money is a huge problem for our families. Help in this area would be greatly appreciated. "Sincerely, Andrea Clyman."
Hello. My name is Sherelle Nelson, and I am here to testify on behalf of Tara Colston. Unfortunately, she had to 144 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY leave earlier. "My name is Tara Colston, and I am a sophomore at Simon Gratz High School. I am also faced with the issue of getting to school due to token costs. My parents spend $37 per week -- that is $148 per month -- to get my siblings and I to and from school. I feel that school is already challenging enough in dealing with the lack of books teachers, school supplies, et cetera." (Applause.)
"Why does SEPTA, the School Board, City and State feel another challenge is necessary. Although my family is not poor by School District standards, there have been a few times where I have had to stay home school because we did not have money for tokens. "I attended yesterday's City Council hearing and heard that Councilman Goode asked whether lack of tokens affect truancy. I would like to say, through personal experience, that it has a drastic effect on truancy. I have many friends who miss school on a regular basis because they don't have tokens. I suspect that between 30 and 50 students miss school every day at my school 145 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY because they can't afford tokens. "If you don't believe me, call my principal. The assistant principal has several teachers in my school spend money out of their own pockets to give out tokens every day because they recognize that students need tokens to get the school." (Applause.)
"I do not recall that being a part of a teacher's or principal's job description. "For many students, whether or not they have a token is primarily the issue in whether they go to school. It is a huge burden. It should not be this way. Many students are ashamed to go around begging for tokens. They shouldn't have to do that. They shouldn't have to beg to get to school. "I understand that many of you are working to find new creative ways to pay for the tokens. This has been going on for many years, and nothing has changed. Meanwhile, I am losing out. This is my education and my future at stake. I want to go to school and I want to 146 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY learn, but I need your help. "We demand that you find a way to make the tokens fee before you vote on this budget." Thank you. (Applause.)
Hello. My name is Day Augustine. I also have copies of this testimony as well.
Thank you. We'll be happy to circulate it and give a copy to the stenographer.
Also, I am a member of the Philadelphia Student Union. (Applause.)
And I attend West Philadelphia High School. I am here to testify because so many other students and I sometimes miss school because I cannot afford tokens. I am not afraid to admit it. I have been here to testify before, but people don't seem to take us seriously. I want to get my education, but how I do it -- I mean -- excuse me. But how can I do it if I can't get to 147 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY school. We need to do something about this problem as quickly as possible. (Applause.)
I do believe Councilman Rizzo said last time I testified that there was a foundation called the Mary Mason Foundation. We called the Mary Mason Foundation, as Councilman Rizzo suggested last week, and a very rude woman told us that she couldn't give us any information and that we would only listen to the show more -- we would have to listen to the show more to get more information because the tokens are just a gimmick, just to get people to listen to her show. That's what she told us. I am attending West Philadelphia High School for ROTC and the Aviation program. And I live in Wynnefield area, meaning that my grandma has to put out $36 every month just to send me to school. A free education, huh? People fail to realize that she is on a fixed income. She is retired and she has to pay bills. She has to pay mortgage on her car, on her house, and yet she still has to put out money for a supposed free education, which I so rightfully deserve. 148 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY Public schools are supposed to be free, but if we have to pay to get there, then it's not really free. I don't think that sitting around this table, just talking, is going to fix our problems. We have to work harder and we have to work together in which to make this token situation work for us. Thank you. (Applause.)
For the record, I would like to show that we still have a large number of students here, and it's now 7:13. We've been here for the last three hours waiting patiently because all voices are going to be heard no matter what discouraging (inaudible). (Applause.)
All right. So, my name is Jeremy Kaplan, and I am a senior at Masterman High School and a member of the Philadelphia Student Union. (Applause.)
As you have heard from the personal testimony of my colleagues, the price of school tokens is a major obstacle to getting an 149 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY education for many students in this city. Thousands of families across the City are burdened by this cost. This is not right and we demand that something be done about it. (Applause.)
New York, Pittsburgh, Erie, and many other cities all provide free public transportation for their students. Students in Boston and San Francisco pay a third and a quarter respectively of what we pay in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, we are paying $9 a week to get a public education. We tell students that it is crucial that they go to school every day, which it is, but then we leave them on their own to figure out how to pay for it. Many families are able to put the money together, although they certainly do not have it to spare. Other students are able to plead with caring teachers or administrators to get them to provide token money out of their own pockets. Many other students just can't find the money and don't go to school. Finding this money a huge hardship for thousands of students. If we truly believe it is 150 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY important for everyone to go to school, we should not be making it this hard. (Applause.)
We know that the money is out there. The City has a large surplus and is spending far more than this on stadiums. (Applause.)
We know that when City Council makes up its mind to do something, you can get it done. We are asking you to do this: We are saying that helping students get to school needs to be a top priority. (Applause.)
This is not a free education of some families are paying $144 a month to get their children to school. We understand that some of you want to find other ways to do it, but we have been told that for years, and nothing is happening. Meanwhile, our education and our future is at stake. Now we are asking you to show us that you care, show us you want us to go to school. We 151 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY hear these words from adults all the time. Well, now we need some action to back it up. If you all vote on this budget next week without finding a way to help us get to school, it will send a clear message to ours students, to the young people of the City that no one is listening and no one cares. (Applause.)
If that is your intent, then go ahead and vote on the budget. I mean, we will then see where your priorities are. (Applause.)
If that is -- sorry. We know that you do not have to vote on this until the end of May. We are saying that we want to go to school but we need your help. Please find a way to make tokens free before you vote on the budget. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode. 152 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Thank you, Madam President. I have one quick question. Who gave you the May date for passing the budget?
Miss Mason will be here tomorrow. I stepped out and I just read your statement, and we'll let her know, but she does give out tokens. That much I know. Thank you.
Thank you all for your patience in coming in to testify. Thank you very much.
We will not be silenced. 153 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY (Applause.)
The stenographer would just like a five-minute break if you don't mind. (Break taken.) - - - (Proceedings resume.)
Thank you very much. Our stenographer is back so we'll resume our hearing. We thank you for your patience. William Mackey, Citywide Youth Agency. That includes: Jennifer Robinson, Raymond Webb, and other guests. (Witnesses come forward.)
Welcome. We recognize you to present your testimony. Please identify yourself for the record for the stenographer and proceed.
Good evening. I'm Dr. Mark Kirsner (ph.), speaking for Philadelphia Youth in Control. I am the evaluator of the project. I have here Raymond Webb, who is a senior at Benjamin Franklin High School. On my 154 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY right is Miss Jennifer Robinson, a sophomore at Parkway High School. And on my further right is Sarah Murdoch, who is a Citywide staff and PYIC coordinator, and I'll explain to you PYIC in a moment. We are asking Council and the Administration to pass an executive order making Philadelphia Youth in Control as an administration demonstration project. The Philadelphia Youth in Control Project is a unique coalition of major institutions, public agencies, and local community organizations joined together to make the resources available and accessible for the children and youth of the William Penn School Cluster. The members of the coalition include Temple University, the School District of Philadelphia, the Free Library, City Departments of Human Resources, Recreation and Police, and local organizations like the Philadelphia Anti-Drug Anti-Violence Network and the Citywide Youth Agency. The program serves high school and middle school students by encouraging them to 155 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY succeed in their academic studies by having them pursue studies in knowledge-based fields like health, architecture, science, engineering, and business, and by teaching them to appreciate others through service to their community. The program encourages use of the best of what this City offers: field trips to our museums, research in our libraries, person-to- person contact with community leaders, business people, teachers and academics, and most importantly graduates of our community who have succeeded in their studies and who have gone on to higher education. Our program is important because these children are important. Most of the students with whom we work are in academic trouble. Our latest count, 80 percent of our school students, test below grade level in one of three basic subjects; 54 percent test below on two subjects; and 27 percent on three subjects. We see some high school students entering our programs reading or testing at 2nd- and 3rd-grade levels. They need our help. There are barriers with which the 156 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY program and the students enrolled in the program must deal. First of all, while organizations may want to be part of joint efforts, coordination of the lower level of staff is often difficult because, indeed, there are some of those who are unwilling to go beyond their routine assignments. Secondly, parents are so hard to involve in these programs. Perhaps it is the burden of being the sole bread winner, perhaps it is time demands of other children, or some other reason. But whatever the cause, many of our children's parents or caretakers are not a part of the child's social processes. Finally, transportation is a barrier for delivering service to these children. Our city promotes a new fatality (sic) to tourists coming from all over the globe and yet we are reluctant fatality (sic) to our own children. How an students learn about the world when the cost of getting around the City is so expensive to them. Increased mobility of our students through subsidizing a program which helps these students get to cultural and educational programs, after school and on weekends is sorely 157 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY needed. I thank you for your consideration. (Applause.)
Good afternoon. My name is Raymond Webb. I'm years of age and I am 7 currently a senior at Benjamin Franklin High 8 School. 9 (Applause.) 10
I am also part of Citywide 11 Youth Agency. I have been a member for six 12 years. I'm in the law division and hope some day 13 to be a corporate lawyer. 14 This will be my sixth year of speaking 15 before City Council. 16 (Applause.) 17
I feel that students from 18 grade 6 to 12 should be able to ride SEPTA because parents have enough bills without having to worry about money for school tokens, especially single parents such as my mother. The yearly cost is $432, but that's just for one student. What about the families with multiple children. Parents already have to pay taxes to provide for school funding, so why shouldn't their children be able 158 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY to ride the bus for free. By doing this students, you will give truant students that only miss school due to the fact that they can afford tokens every -- hold it. Afford tokens a chance to (indiscernible) education along with their not-so-less-fortunate peers. This will also help parents save money for more useful things such as their child's college education. This will not only help single-parent homes but also two-parent homes that are struggling to make ends meet, because, let's face it, Philadelphia isn't exactly a wealthy city. You punish us when we don't go to school, but you won't give us the financial help we need for transportation. (Applause.)
You say you want to help us to get our education, but are you willing to go to any extreme to help us. Thank you.
Hello. My name is Jennifer Robinson. I attend Parkway 159 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY (indiscernible) and also Citywide Youth Agency, and I'm -- at CWY, we take a different career such as law, arts and culture, business, architecture, health and computer technology. I'm in the law division. I was at the State competition law program, and I learned a lot of things. Citywide and my fellow students, my partners and to Robert Brown, who is -- who was the Councilman Darrell Clarke's office. Citywide give us stipends and they give us a monthly TransPass. And when the School District can give it to us, I think -- let me see, hold up. There are the only reason why we receive transportation from Citywide is because we earned it due to participation. Citywide spends at least $3200 a month for transportation for us when the School Board should do it for us. (Applause.)
My mom was paying $42 a month, even though my mom couldn't afford it. That's why I join Citywide and also because I thought that, well, since they got a law program, I'm not going to be coming on the bus, I'm not going to try to be on the streets. 160 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY And also, why is it that the schools in New York and Erie and Pittsburgh, they get their tokens for free. Why can't we? (Applause.)
Yo, can you all please stop worrying about the new stadium and think about us, because, let me tell you, in my schools, we don't ever have books or we don't ever have our own ID. What's up with that? You all supposed to be the School Board, you all supposed to be thinking about the schools, not about no stadiums. And I think you all should hear what we saying and you all decide. You all make the right decision. (Applause.)
Hello. My name is Sarah Murdoch. For the past four to five months, I have been a part of Citywide Youth Agency, working with Philadelphia Youth in Control Coalition. Our coalition has 65 representatives from different public and private organizations. Citywide Youth Agency is developing a ID card which will allow the students to record his or her presence by swiping his or her card in 161 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY a computerized machine to track the use of social, educational, and recreational services. This swipe system will help us direct not only to get the right resources but also know where our students are going in their future. The students will be able to use their ID cards at the library, health clinics, and SEPTA, et cetera. With money allotted towards this project, youth will be able to receive services from these resource providers without them worrying about spending money for fees. Half of the time youth do not take the initiative or take advantage of resources accessible to them because their families have insufficient funds. We believe that money should be invested in this project to provide more resources so that we can better serve the youth. Citywide Youth Agency spends $3200 a month on transportation for our students when we could spend this money on other initiatives. Thank you. (Applause.)
Again, I'd like to say something else about how Citywide give us 162 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY stipends. Even though my school only have ID's, it's hard for me to cash my check and it's hard for me to do over things because I don't got no 5 stipend. And you all talking about safety in schools. People from all over be coming in our schools, say they part of Parkway, and they get away with it. You don't know how old they is, you don't know what they carry. Our metal detectors have -- they down half of the time. So I would like for you all to look into that because in my school, I ain't learning nothing 'cause I don't have nothing to learn with. (Applause.)
So we hear you say you don't have books. We do have the School District here and we hope that they will carry back the issue of ID and get back to certainly your organization and to school and to the Council. Would you get back to us? Thank you.
Please 163 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY identify yourself for the record and again your testimony. We cannot hear you. You must speak into the mic. Pull it over, pull it close to you. You have a soft voice.
Hi, good afternoon. My name is Shira (ph.) Kellum, and I'm a senior at Samuel S. Fels High School. And Citywide gave me the encouragement to organize a stop the violence and violence control classes. And being as though students do not have tokens or extra money, the parents can't provide extra money or any type of way to get transportation to the classes, I can't do it. Being as though they need that -- they don't need -- basically, they don't need to stop the violence class or whatever. That's why violence is bad. That's why we getting violence, a lot of it. So, therefore, me being young and Citywide encouraging me to stop the violence classes and the prevention and all of that, we need them extra tokens or whatever you all can do to provide. Ya'll can't probably provide a lot, but a little bit would help and a little bit will 164 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY go far. And I think it's that -- it's the adults' responsibilities to provide us with token money for transportation or something. And it's funny how education is free, but transportation to get there is not. Can I ask you a question? Should we have to struggle, which you all had to struggle too. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.)
Hi. My name is William Mackey. I'm an employee at Citywide Youth Agency. First, I just want to say thanks to all of the young people that stayed here, the Student Union and the Citywide Youth Agency and all of the other students. (Applause.)
The Council had a strong representation from them this evening and they should be proud of that. Now, I want to talk about the SEPTA issue, along with other City services. And as we 165 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY look at the City School District, we look at the cluster system. Now, let me give you an example. In the William Penn Cluster, we have a average of 11,000 students, so we believe that about percent is really achieving at the honor roll 8 level, and we believe that about maybe another 9 50 percent is average. And then you have another 10 portion of 25 percent that may be at risk or 11 really need some resources. Somebody in that 12 cluster has to stand up and be a leader, even if 13 it's the School District, it's DHS, it's the Rec 14 Department, it's the Health Department. 15 I just think that the services is not 16 coordinated and it's not filtering down to the 17 student. Therefore, everybody flip over each 18 other. You go into high school, you have to pay 19 for security, you have to pay for the electricity 20 costs, and then you bring the Recreation 21 Department in to provide the same service. It's a 22 lot of duplication. And who's the losers? These 23 young people. 24 When you look at SEPTA and the swipe ID 25 system in the school system, have SEPTA and the 166 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY School District technology people sit down to develop a interactive system that mirror each other. We believe that the swipe system that the School District use and they scan ID's can be mirrored and worked out with the technology at SEPTA. SEPTA employees don't use TransPasses; SEPTA employees use they ID and swipe the public transportation free, if I'm not mistaken. , bring in SEPTA people and the technology people at the School District and the swipe ID system, that we can very quickly develop a demonstration model for youth ridership. Not only can that swipe card work as a disciplinarian measurement in the School District; it should be the library card, it should be the youth health card, it should be -- why should a kid get suspended at 11 o'clock from William Penn High School and shoot the jump-winning shot at Demby playground at 11th and Oxford. It don't make sense. We are not talking to each other. So I commend this administration for its youth efforts. However, we are not at the table when it comes to direct services for our 167 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY children and youth. And I can say this year, in Year 2, in Philadelphia Youth in Control Project, with 340 students enrolled in it, we are moving that way. When the library system is recognizing the students ID card. We had SEPTA at the table. We spend a minimum of $3200 a month for monthly TransPasses. We had SEPTA at the table and ask them to have those youth ID cards be recognized by SEPTA scan machines, the swipe machines, the magnetic TransPasses. And it can happen -- only if this Council authorizes and brings those people to the table. And we say it should go further. With 12,000 students in the William Penn Cluster, only percent had a physical God knows when, it 17 doesn't make sense. Shouldn't every Philadelphia 18 student have a library card? Shouldn't every 19 student have comprehensive social services if they 20 need it? It's not making sense. 21 My recommendation is hold SEPTA 22 contribution from Council until you get 'em to the 23 table. And once they come to the table, ask them 24 to look at all of the other mechanisms that they 25 do. SEPTA say that they cannot do donations to 168 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY organizations and all, but the University of Penn have a unique system with they students how they ride on public transportation, don't they? 'Cause somebody pulled back they contribution and put them to the table. I'm very proud of Raymond Webb. Raymond Webb started at Citywide six years ago, and when he was a little kid, we brought him in here to start testifying.
We chose Raymond Webb to be our youth delegate. We are proud that Raymond Webb is getting ready to go off to college. So when people question about do after-school programs work, they work. And this is next young lady I'm getting ready to let speak, Charlita Hardy, was one of the youth in our program, and she's a outstanding mentor and staff member at Citywide. )
I want to thank you, but do not underestimate the ability that these young people have. They know how to get by with SEPTA. Now, if you want to work with 'em, you could, but sooner or later, they going to show you how to ride for free. Believe me. 169 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY (Applause.)
Thank you, Mr. Mackey. You make some excellent points. And, again, we ask the School District, when we resume these hearings, since you are coming back to report on other issues, that you will respond to the whole issue of ID and how it can be used for libraries, for students in and around school and for various other functions that Mr. Mackey mentioned. He makes some excellent points. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you. My name is Charlita Hardy, and I'm the Special Events Coordinator at Citywide Youth Agency/AIDS Prevention Specialist. And what I would like to say is for me being in Citywide for my senior year and then escalating on to a staff member at Citywide Youth Agency, I have learned a lot on hands-on training within the agency, and I support the agency with their initiative to support the youth and empowering the youth. And so I really think it's 170 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY very important that they receive the resources that's needed in order for all of us, the parents, the youth, the community residents, the City Councilmembers, elected officials to join in as a joint effort to provide these resources for the youth. And I am glad to be a member of Citywide, and I'm glad to be able to be in the presence of the young people and allow them to be a backbone for Citywide as well as I am a backbone for Citywide. And I can't stress the importance enough for us to try to provide those resources for the youth because they do need the tokens and they do need the parents' initiative to come out and support their children. We do need the mentors and the tutors because it's a lot. And as I, you know, as I grow within the agency and the challenges that come upon us, you know, I realize more and more that it's a group effort. We need the young people, the young people need us, and we need the City Councilmembers, and everyone has to join in -- the community residents, the grassroot organizations need to come together to make change 171 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY for the youth to make it happen. Thank you. (Applause.)
Next is Shelly Yanoff, Philadelphia Children and Youth, PCCY. (Witness comes forward.)
Okay. The next group, most of them are from Comprehensive Day Care. Will you just kind of move over this way so you can go on right after Miss Yanoff.
Good evening. It is a long day. I'll try to be very brief. I'm Shelly Yanoff, Executive Director of PCCY, the region's outside government child advocacy organization. I'm here today to speak very briefly on the School District's budget. I begin by stating the obvious: The City will continue to lose people unless we have a good public education system. We can try to sell the City --
Excuse me. Can 172 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY you please be quiet as you're leaving. We need to hear the testifier. Thank you.
The City will continue to lose people unless we have a good public education system. We can try to sell the City to developers in many different ways, but we won't sell the City to family or to employers without a successful school system. And while we may sometimes differ on the small print, we all do understand what a successful school system looks like. We start with teachers, students, and a decent learning environment. We don't have enough teachers. Why, you heard, and it was in response, I believe, to both the Council President and the Chairperson the Education Committee. Today you heard that there are currently about 130 teaching vacancies and about 200 more long-term substitutes currently in the School District. There are also about 1300 other employees who are not fully certified as teachers in the subject they're teaching and they are teaching our kids every day in our schools. That translates to about 45,000 kids being taught 173 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY by people who are not fully certified. We at PCCY, together with the parent organization, the Alliance Organizing Project, are just completing a report on the teacher vacancy issue. And in fact, (indiscernible) Jordan over there is the one that did all of the work on it. Our teachers there paid less, have harder working conditions, and have students who need more supports but receive less than most of the surrounding districts and all of the districts in the State. The discussion about how to make the situation better is a long one, and we believe it deserves a Council session. We would urgently ask that the Education Committee consider having a session on how we deal with the vacancy issue in our schools. As you know, there is State legislation that's been introduced to provide some additional supports to potential teachers who work in urban districts where they're needed, but whatever the answer are, we need more trained supported teachers, and that means money. The next crucial ingredients are 174 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY students who get to school ready to learn. That means children who start school, having had good preschool experiences, and are able to have enough time, supplies, and attention spent on them to succeed. That means preschool programs, full-day kindergarten, adequate supplies, and small class size. We have seen the positive results of many of these programs. We've seen improved achievements by the kids who have profited by good pre-school experiences, by full-day kindergarten, and by the smaller class size that the Literacy Initiative has started this year. They are doing much better in the early grades, and we are seeing that improvement. But we can't begin to get to scale even in 1st grade and kindergarten. We can't fulfill the requirements of our empowerment plan without another $75 million on top of the $191 million. We won't be implementing the empowerment plan. And, Council President Verna, that was your first question in these hearings, how are we going to do it? We're not going to be able to do it, and if we don't do it, we can't empower Philadelphians. So we have to really go back to the drawing table, 175 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY it seems. Every year, there's State legislation introduced urging the State to support quality child care, full-day kindergarten, small class size in the early grades. We don't usually have the Philadelphia delegation all speaking with one voice in favor of them; we need to. In the last several years, there have been also been bills introduced in the legislative to change our reliance on property taxes and move to have schools predominantly supported by the State income taxes; that's what other states are doing, but we are not and we will suffer for it. Again, our State delegation does not unanimously support it; we need them to.
In the last year, PCCY conducted a survey asking neighborhood voters about their views on the local schools and how to make them better. Make class size smaller, they said. Make the schools safer, provide support for teachers, and provide adequate supplies. More than 40 percent of the people we interviewed moved into the neighborhood because of the quality of the elementary schools. Unless we do far more, they 176 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY will move out as well. The schools then are our tickets to success as a city. Speaking of tickets, we don't want to beat this horse, but we must return to the subject of tokens. You've heard tonight our kids need to get to school in order to be successful in school. I feel a little like Jobe -- how long, how long do we have to ask kids to wait to do something about the high price of tokens? As we've said and you've heard, thousands of kids are losing out every day because they don't have enough money to get to school. Nine dollars per week is a lot of money for a school district whose students are between 78 and 80 percent low-income. Ask any principal of a high school in the City, ask a magnet school teacher, ask a charter school teacher or administrator or a teen who goes to the academies. They will tell you that they miss out and that thousands of kids miss out because of high cost of getting there. Everyone's waiting for someone to do something. 3 million out of SEPTA's budget, put it to the School District to spend on transfers. That will reduce the price of tokens to 60 cents. )
Then we can turn to the State. Show these kids that it matters to you that they get to school. Schools do need to provide good learning environments. That means all of the above in a safe, secure, responsive atmosphere in buildings in good condition. We do find ways to fund the buildings and stadiums and programs we want. We must show that we want to save our schools and our children, and thus our city. We know this is just the beginning of a long process, but it must form the foundation for a new way to fund our schools. Locally, our support has not grown, except for this year, this current year's $20 million grant. We must increase our local support for public education. We can be successful as a city if we want to be, and that means building success in our schools. That's the prize we have to keep our eye 178 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY on. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you, Miss Yanoff, and I do believe you know that we will be having public hearings later in the year regarding teacher vacancies.
We didn't miss a bunch of young people, did we? Okay, just checking. So now we'll have the parents from the Comprehensive Day Care. (Applause.) (Witnesses come forward.)
And we have Donna Gonzales, Stephanie Bankole, Alice Coles, Lawrence Floyd, Angela Hawkins, and Crystal Ashton.
Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good evening. My name is Angela Hawkins. 179 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY I just wanted to say that I am a single mom. I have four children, two of which that attend Comprehensive Day Care at the Christian Street facility. There is a continuous need for Comprehensive Day Care in our community. The Comprehensive Day Care has provided me with affordable, quality day-care services for my children. Having my children attend the program has played a very important part in their early-childhood development. Comprehensive Day Care has not only provided my children with quality services, but it has also provided me with services. The institution of parental involvement in the program makes me feel like I have a voice on how my children are being cared for and educated. The monthly parent meetings that are held give us valuable information on how to better our parenting skills, disciplining of our children, nutrition, and how to deal with the special needs of our children. There is a great need for the continuance of this program in our communities if our children are going to have a better, brighter 180 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY future. Our children are the future leaders of tomorrow. We owe it to them as parents, teachers, and as legislators to continue to support programs such as these to help pave their way. Thank you.
Please identify yourself for the record an proceed with your testimony.
Good evening. My name is Lawrence Floyd. I'm a single parents of two, with one child attending Christian Street Comprehensive Day Care. Since my child has been attending this program, I have seen a academic and social skill development at a rate that will put him shoulder to shoulder with other incoming kindergarteners. To say that I am pleased with this program is an understatement. The thought of it not being available to me is uncomprehensible (sic). I don't know where I would turn if this program was not available to me. We need this program funded. I need the program funded so that 181 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY my child can continue to receive early the education that will help him make a smooth transition into elementary school. Thank you. (Applause.)
I don't remember reading that this program's being cut. Someone said it's being cut? Is this program being cut? I don't think so.
Okay, all right. You had some other parents with you. Did they leave?
Is there anyone else to testify? Would you approach the witness table. (Witness comes forward.) 182 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Good evening kindly identify yourself for the record.
Hi. My name is Nicole Hall, and this is my daughter Imani (ph.). And I feel as though as a parent -- I'm a single parent raising my daughter. I work a full-time job, but I cannot afford to send her to a private center, and the day care program that she goes to at Bach Teen Center is very excellent. She's two and a half and she's well advanced for her age. And I like the program and I think that it's excellent in the City, and I think that more programs need to be like the Center at Bach. The teachers are excellent, and I feel that they really are caring and they're concerned about the children.
And that's all I have to say. (Applause.) 183 3/7/01 - SCHOOL BUDGET - PUBLIC TESTIMONY