Mr. Johnson, can you hold up a second. Can you tell me, how much is the dollar amount for the per-student cost at charter schools? It's not 69 --
No. My understanding from Dr. Rider, in the telephone conversation 2875 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 yesterday, is that his school receives about $5100 a year for students, that a lot of that money then has to go into capital costs, which prohibits them to provide the kind of academic education they would like to provide. And because of that, those programs that the traditional public school would like to enact, such as Saturday schools that this charter school already had in place, has been cut back, has been stopped.
Okay. Can we have someone from the School District to speak to this matter?
John Skief is here. And as you may know, he is the President of the Charter School Organization, and he absolutely can explain exactly what charter schools get, what the issues are, and what the problems are. So I'm sure that he's an expert on all of these and speaks all over the City.
Since we're doing charter schools, it makes sense for John Skief to 2876 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 come up to the witness table, in addition to Superintendent Hornbeck.
May I just note, Madam President, while I'm at the mike, that Vernard Johnson is the reason that Franklin Learning Center really is being replaced. As you know, he came in here year in and year out to complain about the condition of the school. And he's really, really to be commended for all of his work in this issue of trying to protect our children, and we thank him.
We'll just ask -- since we're on the issue of charter schools, maybe Mr. Skief can go, and then we'll ask the questions to Superintendent Hornbeck.
That's fine. Good afternoon, Council President and Councilmembers and members of the community. My name is John Skief. Presently, I'm the Chief Administrative Officer of Harambi Institute of Science and Technology Public Charter School. Harambi was one of the first charter schools to be authorized in 2877 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Philadelphia. We are now in our third year of operation. Previously, I spent 28 years as a high-school teacher within the public schools. I spent years at West Philadelphia High, and in 7 1989, I became the leader and coordinator for the 8 1989 initiative of high school renewal and 9 restructuring. I was a part of the Philadelphia 10 Schools Collaborative, in which at least 11 $20 million was poured into the City from the Pew 12 Foundation in order to reconstruct the way high 13 schools were currently being operated. 14 As a facilitator, I was very, very 15 frustrated behind the lack of change within the 16 system. There would be workshops held at Edison 17 High School on Saturdays, teachers would be 18 compensated $100 for attending these workshops. 19 You would get $100 as soon as you entered at 8:30 20 in the morning, and by the afternoon, half the 21 parking lot was empty. 22 I followed the charter school bill and 23 decided to move into the charter school operation 24 because I was, as a teacher, frustrated by the 25 lack of change within the public school system. 2878 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 And I might say that much of and many of the innovations that are featured in charter schools were offered to the public schools through the Philadelphia Schools Collaborative. But in 1991-'92, when there was a push to do exactly what was stated in 1989 -- that is, school-based management as well as shared decision-making -- the union and the principals balked at this. The Philadelphia Schools Collaborative Office was closed, and it was folded into the school system. I'm reminded of a statement that was made by the late President Kennedy. " Charter schools are filled by parents who have been frustrated by the lack of change, teachers who have been frustrated by the lack of change, and students that have been failed or students who the school system has failed to reach educationally. " These are the people who make up the charter schools. When I first became a charter school operator, I still felt -- in fact, I felt that I 2879 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 was a member of the public system of education. I soon felt that I was not. I was a teacher in the in-service program where I taught innovative ways of teaches, and I was fired from that position. Once we got our charter -- and let me just say in regards to the funding, all charter school children are included in the overall count and the per-capita count of the Philadelphia School District, which means that if $6800 comes into the system for my children, I will eventually end up with $5,165, which means that it's an approximate $1600 difference between what my children get, who are typically at risk. There's a $1600 difference. Now, another way of looking at this is this: My classroom cap is 24. For every 18 students, the School District makes $40,000 a 19 year. The School District does not transport my 20 children, although they get funding to, and a bill 21 was passed at the beginning of this school year, 22 which now gave funding for our children for busing 23 and transportation, but the School District does 24 not bus my children. I deal with children from grades to 2880 1 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 8. My 1st- to 5th-graders still have to catch the bus as they watch school buses go by. There are private schools next to me. Those buses pass my children. Our children are public-school children. The first year of operation, the School District got approximately $300 per child, every child, for Title I services.
The School District couldn't figure out how much of the Title I money should go to our schools. So the first year, the School District kept all $300 of the Title I money, and the State and the Governor took outside of his budget to provide that money to our children. Our first year of operation, the School District receives -- I don't know how many, 1,000-plus for special ed. students. I'm to get around 9,000. There's once again a difference there for special-education students, which the School District keeps. The first year, it was difficult for us even to get records, much less the funding for special ed. Now a lot of that has been ameliorated since then, but the reason why I came is because 2881 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 too often than not, charter schools are offered up as the reason why there is a budget shortfall in the School District. " Well, if we put the children first, then we would say that the $6800 actually belongs to the child, and not the system. And there is absolutely and positively no benefit of keeping that $1600 to the School District. When you put the child first, any reason why they should keep that $1600 does not add anything to the educational resources of children who already are at risk. So as charter school operators, we have a greater at-risk population, but yet and still, we are asked to respond to the standardized testing. Now, it just so happened that last year, my 8th-grade class came in fifth in the City of the Pennsylvania assessment test. Our class -- our SAT-9 scores, our target was a 10 percent increase from year to year 2. We did a 22 17 percent increase from year 1 to year 2, with 23 less resources. 24 What has to be understood is that 25 charter schools give the public a choice in public 2882 1 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 education, and we cannot simply tell people that this is the best that you can get. Charter schools provide that choice. Public schools aren't for everyone, charter schools aren't for everyone. Now, I spent a week in Milwaukee in which I looked at the process that Milwaukee has chosen to settle its problems. Milwaukee uses a combination of charter schools as well as school choice with means, provided vouchers. That is, depending on your income level, you can get a voucher up to 5 or $6,000 per child to go to any school. The fact of the matter is, all of these choices in Milwaukee, everyone works together. And it is actually -- and this I got from the Mayor: They gained $25 million as a result of the alternatives that they have used. Now, as a charter school operator, we were talking about after-school funds. I applied to PCCY for $5,000 for after-school money. The final decision for that went to the Board of Education, in the Superintendent's Office. And I was denied the $5,000 because we are a charter school. 2883 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 This summer, there's going to be Freedom Schools. Charter school children are denied the opportunity to go to the Freedom Schools because they go to charter schools. The Philadelphia Education Fund has been providing workshops and staff development for teachers for years. They get paid to come. Charter school teachers have to pay to come. You see, I thought that we would work together in this, because there is nothing that stops the public schools -- and there were clusters within the public schools that wanted to transfer into charters. This would save the public school money and it would also -- this would save the School District money and it would also give them the kind of freedom that charter schools have within their own operations. Well, these clusters were not allowed to do that, and to this date, not one existing public school has turned to charter school under the District. If we put the children first, then we would know that our children deserve all of the money that comes through the School District.
But I am simply very, very frustrated and tired of 2884 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 being blamed for the shortfall of this district or the statement being made that this district gave us money. No, it didn't. The money simply passes through, and we have been able to educate with less resources and less money than what's going on in the School District. And for us to get blamed for this shortfall or any insinuation of that is really a disservice to our children. And I think that we really need to look at the children first, because if charter schools work, it was my understanding that the School District would look and see what does work and then replicate that. But what I see and what I have been feeling from my former colleagues is that we are in a tug-of-war over this money. No, we're not. We are all here together, we are educating children for free. And as far as we're concerned, those of us who have joined the charter school movement have taken pay cuts, many of us, worked much harder, but what we are educational pioneers who have been locked in a system, and we owe the public a choice. My children went to the neighborhood schools, they made the honor roll in elementary, 2885 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 but they did not pass -- or did not get high enough marks in the standardized test scores. " It's not my fault that they do not teach up to the standards necessary. So all of my children have graduated from Catholic school because I had the economic means to do so. So if I had a choice because I had the economic means, don't you think that our children, who do not those same economic means and these parents shouldn't they be given the choice? I think if we put the children first, the answer will be very simple. Thank you very much. )
That's great. I have a couple questions, but I first want to get to the question that we have of Superintendent Hornbeck. We have questions regarding the operation of charter schools, but Superintendent, can we hear the reason why there's a 15 or a $1600 difference in what students receive in public versus charter schools? 2886 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
The State identifies with great specificity what goes into the payment to charter schools. Part of what makes up the $6969 are things like federal funds and privately- raised money and debt service. Those are excluded under State law from the calculation of the per-student calculation. Those are expenses and funds that we in effect have off to the side, and what is paid to the charter schools is precisely what the law provides. Let me also say -- just make two other comments. I think that the work that Mr. Skief has done and the work that has gone on in the World Communications Charter, for example, to which Mr. Johnson referred to a little while ago, is very good, and I applaud the work that they've done and the initiative that they have taken. Indeed, it is our support of charter schools that has resulted to date in the approval of more than half of all the charter schools in the whole state of Pennsylvania. And I applaud also -- and I really am glad to see Mr. Skief focussing on how kids actually achieve, because at the end of the day, 2887 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 that's the only thing that matters, and the percent increase in the first year is terrific, 4 and I look forward and presume that he will 5 achieve in Harambi the same 40 percent improvement 6 that all 259 public schools achieved in its first 7 three years. And I think as long as charter 8 schools are focused on children, as we are in the 9 public schools, that that will take place. 10 It is the case -- and this isn't 11 blaming the charter schools, it's blaming the 12 State law in the way that it was written -- that, 13 in fact, the charter school law, the way it is 14 crafted, has resulted in the withdrawal of a net 15 $38 million in this school year from the balance 16 of 204 or 205,000 in the public schools. That's 17 just a fact of life. And it arises from two principal things. One is that about a third of the kids going to charter schools never went to public schools in the first place, and so we never had any money for 'em, but we have to pay the $5100 for each one. That's not Harambi's fault or World Communications or anybody else, it's the way the law is crafted. 2888 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 And, secondly, it arises from the fact that as kids leave the School District, the public school system, they don't leave in little groups of 30, and thus you can't always fire the teachers as they walk out the door. They leave one here and three there and two over there. Now, it is true that there is an offset. In fact, this year, the total payment to the charter schools is something in the neighborhood of 45 or $46 million, but there's an offset of 7 or $8 million that we save as a consequence of not needing as many teachers. But the net loss to the School District this year is $38 million. And we have repeatedly urged not anything to the charter schools but to the State legislature that they correct what we consider to be a serious imperfection. Kids, whether they're in charter schools or in the public schools, neither one ought to lose out as a consequence of the particular features of the law. And we would be delighted to see it changed and then grow these kinds of innovations even more.
May I respond? I'd like to 2889 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 respond. I would -- I would urge the Council to do its own financial study and count up the number of charter school students, and you multiply that by $1600, and please tell me how the School District is losing money. (Applause.)
Put those two things together because of that $1600, there is absolutely and positively no obligation, none whatsoever, to charter school students. The last thing that I would like to say is -- and I really don't want to get into the political thing, but when this charter bill came out, the total amount of dollars -- 68, whatever it is -- would have followed the child. It was through the lobbying and the political -- whatever goes on in Harrisburg which weakened the charter school bill. Strong charter-school bills say the money follows the child. And I ask again: Who should get the $6800? The child who is coming to us at risk, shouldn't they get that full money? And if the public school takes some of that money, and Mr. Hornbeck referred to federal programs, which we 2890 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 are locked out of, and the other programs, which we are locked out of, you know, if we put the children first, I think the answer will be very clear.
There are several of those features that are just plain untrue.
Superintendent, are you going to speak to the issue of being locked out of --.
Yes, I am. And Title I, for example, that's federal money and they are not locked out of getting federal money and Mr. Skief knows it, and I don't know why he would say that they are. (Mr. Skief responds inaudibly off mike.)
They get Title I, money which is the single largest federal grant in the United States and in the history of education in the United States. The second piece of this is, we, for example, have to provide services to parochial schools, and that's part of the $6969. There's not a single charter school that provides those 2891 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 services or bus transportation, and that's not included under State law.
Thank you. The fact is that in the course of this notion of money following the child, there's no 10 reason particularly that Mr. Skief should know this law, but he has implied that money comes into the system as the number of children grows, and that, of course, is not true since the early '90s. The only time that the State legislation has money following the child is when the child leaves the School District, not when the children come in. And that's a very significant difference. I think in many ways that if money did follow the child both in and out, we would, in fact, have had $100 million more under the old ESBE (ph.) formula that was wiped out back in 1993. It's a piece of legislative history that someone who is focused on running a school need not know, but the Council ought not to go away with the misunderstanding of that. 2892 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
Well, I can't understand why they would not qualify, a charter school would not qualify for after-school program funding.
There was only one charter school that got it, only one. And when the $5,000 -- only 5,000 -- I mean, because after-school money is millions of dollars. And when we went to PCCY and put in our application and I was not told because the application was open to schools, community centers, everyone. But I was denied, and I was denied because of out of office, they were told that as a charter school, we could not get that funding.
Well, Bonnie Raines (ph.), and I forgot the other lady that worked for PCCY, but the person within Dr. Hornbeck's office was Diane Casabona (ph.). That's the person that they had to call, that's the person they called, and for the $5,000, we were denied. We put over $20,000 of that meager sum we had in our after-school program. We ran it anyway. 2893 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
Okay. Well, maybe Miss Yanoff, from PCCY, can respond to this question because I would think that children are children irregardless of what school they attend -- whether it's a charter school or a public school. And I'm not quite understanding why you would not qualify to receive after-school money.
My understanding is that this is what happened. I will check with Bonnie Raines and my staff about that. But about five years ago, when we started talking about the importance of the after-school programming, when neither the School District nor the City was providing support for that, we went out and raised money -- PCCY -- from the corporate sector and started a process where we would give people technical assistance, communities, $5,000 if they would start a program in their neighborhoods, and we provided a lot of support for it. About two years ago, I believe, the communities and schools -- the School District secured funding -- or maybe three years ago from the federal government for special programming for after-school programs. They had worked with us to 2894 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 develop the way in which you could assist communities and schools in starting programs. Even in the earliest part, we asked the School District to put up the sites -- that is to say, not to charge rent -- so that we could provide -- these programs could be provided. My understanding is that a partnership then grew between the School District and PCCY in which we cast a net and had people apply for the funding. And then there were decisions about who was available to get them or not. And I do not know the specifics of that decision but I will certainly get back to you.
Okay. So then basically, you're saying that charter schools are not excluded from getting --
As far as from our end of it, I don't know what the end decision-making was. I will get back to you on that process.
As far as what we were dealing with, originally, it was a model that was used without external, actually private dollars, then it became more public dollars with the School 2895 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 District and the partnership continued of looking at the -- at seeking applications and looking at the applicants and helping them along.
I will be glad to participate with any conversation with Mr. Skief, as always and certainly with you, Council.
I had got my answer. That is the answer -- no. Because I called and Denise said I have to talk to someone in the district, who was Diane Casabona, and the answer was, "You are a charter school, no."
Well, under State law, the charter schools are considered LEAs. And as far as I know, we also didn't open programs in any other LEA as well.
It's a school district. And they did that under State law for the purpose of permitting, among other things, charters, which I think make a lot of sense, to receive the federal monies that we were talking about a little while ago. The fact is -- and I must also say, 2896 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Mr. Skief referred to millions of dollars. That's just absurd, he knows that we didn't have millions of dollars.
Yes, you did. If you'll look at the record, you'll find that out. But the fact is that when we did the $5,000 grants, which are a part of this hearing and that have been brought up, there were a couple of hundred thousand dollars involved that were involved. And we do lots of things for those particular programs.
Let me just clarify again. When I say "millions of dollars," I'm talking about the 21st Century Grant. That's millions of dollars that go to school districts.
What I asked for was a mini grant coming from PCCY. It was very clear that it was $5,000. And in that RFP, it did not say that charter schools were excluded. I learned that when I was finally given the answer "no."
Okay. Well, one of the things we want to do, Mr. Skief and Shelly 2897 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Yanoff and Mr. Hornbeck, is to get together after hearings. We'll schedule something because I think this issue is just going to grow and grow. So we think the best way to resolve it is not here today. You brought it up, we're really happy you did. I commend you, Mr. Skief and Mr. Johnson. I know that Mr. Johnson -- I've been here four years now, and Mr. Johnson has been at every hearing that I've attended, and he has a strong commitment to the children and families of the City, as well as Mr. Skief. (Applause.)
So we want to thank you. And I'll get in touch. As the Chair of Education, I'll facilitate pulling the meeting together to begin to have this dialogue that's much needed.
And may I conclude by saying that I would really invite the Council to look at Milwaukee and Cleveland, where everybody works together, rather than working apart. Because by everybody working together, the level of education rose and the school districts saved 2898 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 money. Thank you.
I wanted to ask the Superintendent a question just about charter schools.
Okay. Can we hear from Reverend Shine first, Councilwoman, because I believe he has another commitment.
And I told him we would call him next, and Mr. Hornbeck's going to stay with us till the conclusion of our hearing.
Mr. Skief, 2899 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Mr. Skief, can you stay with us also?
Can you stay with us also? I believe Councilwoman Blackwell would like to ask other questions. However, I had asked Reverend Shine to testify because he does have another commitment. (Reverend Shine comes forward.)
Thank you, Madam President and Chairman of this committee and Members of City Council, and all that are here present. I'm Reverend Robert Shine, the Pastor of the Baraka Baptist Church in West Oak Lane. I am also Chairman of the Board of the World Communications Charter School and a Board Member of PCCY and an avid advocate for public education. Madam President, I'm no stranger to appearing before this Council and I'm not accustomed to wasting your time or my own time on some frivolous minutia. This present Council represents the very best of the interests and the concerns of all the people of Philadelphia. Therefore, I feel it compellingly incumbent upon me to come before you today and with a degree of 2900 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 great enthusiasm in the belief that each of you in this chamber shares a commitment to public education. As I look, all of you will spend every effort to do what must be done to make critical choices and critical changes that provide for and support quality educational opportunities for the more than 200,000 students in our public schools. As the debate continues about public funding, the Black Clergy, on whose behalf I am here, support any proposal that includes full funding. It is our belief that by the workings of divine providence, we have reached a moment in our city's history where the Mayor, the Superintendent, the School Board, and others of us are in accord with certain initiatives, such as small class size, quality preschool and after-school programs for our children of all ages, clean and safe schools and classrooms that provide state-of-the-art technology for our children, support for children who are at risk and need tutoring, summer schools, and other help that is needed. It is our contention as well that research-based professional development for our 2901 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 teachers and principals be enacted because we know that the school has a better chance of succeeding if the principal is a leader and a good teacher, and that is a fundamental ingredient for every classroom. It is our believe, as Black Clergy, that these are common and good objectives. We have lobbied State legislators, written letters to and met with the Governor and his staff. We have been responsible for drafting legislation for full and equal funding. We have held Town Meetings with State legislators. We have support rallies and aided in mobilizing Statewide coalitions to address the need for full funding for all the underfunded districts of the State, and we're among the signatories that filed suit against the State for more money for public education, particularly here in Philadelphia. We have spent considerable hours with top school officials and administrators, all in an effort to ensure that our children were achieving. Madam President, from our observation, there has been incremental success -- not as much as we have hoped nor liked. Nevertheless, there has been some success. 2902 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Significantly we are happy to report that the Black Clergy has seen the marked progress of student achievement in Philadelphia, dramatic improvement through the determined efforts of the often critical and criticized role of the District Superintendent. Black Clergy's latest data, as we seek to be involved as leaders in our community, where most of the students of our school attend our churches. The teachers attend our churches, the parents attend our churches. It is our belief that from the data that is available to me now that for the second year in a row, test scores are up. What more can we be asking as we see this incremental success being written. Students in the 4th, 8th and 11th grade score higher in reading, math, and science making significant, broad-based improvement. This is data that we have received. In each grade, in each subject, students' scores improved from 1996 to '98.
In reading 4th-graders scored more than 13 percent points higher, 8th-graders scored 11 points, and 11th-graders scored more than 8 points higher. This indicates marked improvement over 2903 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 what has been. And we cannot rest our laurels on what has been. It is our belief that, yes, more needs to be done. And these gains came while more students took the tests. 5 percent of the school system's 4th-graders took the test in 1998, an increase of percent over '96-- 1996, 8 that is. Nearly 89 percent of the 8th-graders 9 were tested, an increase of more than 16 percent points. More than 75 percent of the 11th-graders completed the test, an improvement of nearly percentage points. 13 Again, according to the data we 14 received, the number of the special-education 15 students taking the test increased by 36 16 percentage points. Some 241 of the City's schools 17 showed progress since 1996, more than one-half of 18 the schools in the system, and 145 schools 19 exceeded their goal. I believe that's incremental 20 success. It's not total, but we're reaching our 21 goal. 22 Annual tests administered by the 23 Pennsylvania Department of Education fully 24 corroborated the District's results. And if 25 that's believable, then I commend what has taken 2904 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 place in our school system in Philadelphia. Our watchful eyes perhaps do not see all that some others might be seeing or have seen in the past, but let's train our eyes on the present and the hope of the future, for we are cognizant that our tax dollars were being responsibly spent by the school administrators. 8 percent, 364 administrative positions were eliminated since 1981. And if we can believe the State Department of Education's numbers, it is our School District that spends more of each dollar on instruction than the average in every one of the four suburban counties around Philadelphia -- meaning Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery. And, again, if this data is correct, our district spends $7,080 per student per year, compared to $10,284 per student per year in Jenkintown, and nearly $12,000 per student in Lower Merion, and more than 12,500 students per year in Radnor. What this suggests is that our district spends more than $1500 less than the average for all 61 districts in the surrounding four counties, 2905 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 again suggesting that the per-pupil cost has widened to 60 percent over the last eight years. What does all this data mean to us? That we are competing with our neighboring counties for more competent teachers, and at the same time, paying them nearly $3300 less. How can we ever hope to meet the challenges and demands of our ever-modernizing society? It goes without saying that in a large urban center such as Philadelphia, far more impoverished children come to school in greater need of health care and less prepared to learn than children of wealthier school districts. Here again, our data indicates that 78 percent of all children who live in poverty in Philadelphia, they are our children and they must be provided for. Madam President, I've received the success stories written about charter schools, and as we serve as the Chairman of the Board of the World Communications Charter School, there is great numbers of success stories, yet there still exists those problems that we need to attend to. And we believe that this chamber, this body can aid us and remedy many of the problems that our 2906 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 district has. The Aid to Families with Dependent Children in Philadelphia increased while, at the same time, decreased in other areas around the State. This data supports our idea of the ever-widening gap in the readiness to learn among our Philadelphia school children. I will hasten to add that this Council ought not to be fooled nor misled by influences that are willing to write off the children of God who are impoverished.
In spite of all of what I have said, here are some of the success stories that we have learned. Full-day kindergarten for 5-year-olds is now in place. Student attendance across the board has improved by 80 percent. Social promotion has been cut out. A meaningful accountability system is now in place. A performance index now allows parents and communities to know how well the school is doing. A comprehensive professional development plan has been initiated. Efforts are being made to provide books for every child. More computers have been provided for the classroom, of which the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and vicinity have purchased and supplied some 20 2907 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 computers. The issue of truancy has been more aggressively dealt with. The community of safety has responded to the needs for addressing school safety. The District has expanded family resources to have 14,500 volunteers. That, to me, is an incremental success story that cannot be short-circuited. We, as a society, have made many mistakes. We have corrected some, like slavery, like segregated accommodations, like unequal employment opportunities, like redlining, for example. We are working on others, like miseducation, uneducation, poor education, and lack of education, and the inequities in our schools. I believe providence has bought you here to deliver and support every resources that you have and make them available for adequate education of our students in Philadelphia. I believe that the first and foremost task imposed upon all of us in the school system, in the charter school system, all of our foremost task is to provide for our schools if we want an enlightened citizenry so that the future of our 2908 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 city and society and government might work. I believe that we must always impress upon our youth that our experiment in self-government needs them, and they need education. We must, with God's help, take the challenge and give our children and youth what they deserve, what they need, give them a good sense of self-worth, self-pride, a sense of value, a sense of dignity, and we will then equip them to correct the mistakes that we of our generation have made. Most of us know that quality education and equal opportunity, because of education, are the unquestioned dividends that we ought to gladly pay for our children's future. Finally, Madam President, I need to say a word. If it takes a village to raise a child, then one of the very meaningful components is our working together to the exclusion of none. I'm reminded of the ruling handed down in the opinion of Judge Dora Smith. And somehow I can't but humbly beseech this Council that in my considered opinion, Judge Smith's this order is consistent with the objectives that I have aforementioned, and that this prudent body will be 2909 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 well-served by supporting this implementation. I believe we need to work together, and thus far, I believe there have been many efforts to work together, both in the charter community and in the public school community. Thank you, Madam President.
Are there any questions of Reverend Shine? (No questions.)
Thank you for your patience. I hope we didn't keep you too late. Mr. Hornbeck, would you again approach the witness table. I believe Councilwoman Blackwell did have further questions to ask.
And I thought we would get Reverend Shine out of turn simply because he had another commitment. (Dr. Hornbeck returns to witness 2910 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 table.)
Madam President, never have a problem with the clergy. Thank you. Mr. Hornbeck, do you know what the difference is between the services that -- is there a difference between the services that Catholic schools get and those that charter schools get? How does that relate, do you know? I know it -- in terms of transportation, do we pay for Catholic schools' transportation?
But yet, we don't pay for charter school transportation; am I correct?
No. As a result of a change in the legislation last year, we did start paying for transportation for charter schools.
Are there any other such services? I know there's -- I've forgotten that we do --
What about 2911 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 lunches? I know there are other services that -- because we've talked about it in here. There are other services that we pay for for parochial schools that the State mandated we pay, and I was just trying to compare those in my mind to what happens with charter schools.
I do know that in the case of parochial schools, there is also, under federal law, a provision that we provide services in the school from the School District. Unlike charter schools that receive Title I money directly, parochial schools do not receive Title I money directly, but they do receive services -- for example, reading specialists -- from the public schools.
I'm concerned, and I would say to the Chair of this committee who talked about meeting that when we had a committee hearing with regard to charter schools, we could see that there are a lot of problems. 2912 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 And, Madam President, I would also say that charter schools obviously, in my opinion, grew out of desperation and a need for parents to have hope that their children could receive a positive education. It is ironic that Reverend Shine mentioned Judge Dora Smith's decision because it points out that obviously, we still have problems in public schools in terms of equity in education. Just the other day, I met with some monitors who were here to make sure to investigate whether or not Judge Dora Smith's decision is being honored, so they're all around. I'm sure they've met with the Superintendent, and they're going to schools and talking to parents, principals, and other interested people about that. So it means that we do have problems. I only regret still that I don't know why the -- I don't know why the State law was written as it is. Obviously, there are inequities between what charter schools get and what public schools get, and it isn't fair that -- I agree with Mr. Skief. Charter schools are always made the brunt of, we don't have money, we fund charter 2913 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 schools. And it's absolutely -- it's not fair because charter schools are exciting, wonderful maces, and I have said even in one of our newsletters about charter schools that these people are pioneers. They're leaders, they're pioneers in education. Mr. Skief, is there something that you can think of that we need to work on that, in a feasible way, could be helpful, some area where we need to focus? And maybe it's not -- maybe you don't need to answer that today, but certainly we always recommit ourselves to the exciting schools that charter schools are and want to pledge our support and are willing to focus in any way we can to be helpful in this Council and to work with the education Chair to do that.
Well, let me say that this is the second step, because the first step was done by you --
-- in which we got a chance to educate and put out the information as it actually is. And this is the second step because, basically, all we want is the truth to come out 2914 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 and for real facts. And what had not happened, even during the debate about charter schools, what are the actual facts about charter schools, and many people, even to this day, do not know that charter schools are, in fact, public schools. But understand that the money comes from the State through the City for transportation, and that's to transport parochial school, private school, as well as public school children. The law was written in such a fact that the School District would bus children in the way that they normally do, so the law was kind of vague. But the upshot of that law was, charter- school children could not catch the bus, and we would be housed next to private schools, Catholic schools, and watch empty buses ride by because they were charter school children. And once the law was passed this year, when we were finally given money for transportation, we ran into the same problem because all of the buses were tied up through the School District. So for us to get and contract bus service was almost impossible. 2915 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 So what we were able to do is simply to provide tokens, but I have 1st-graders 2nd- graders, and 3rd-graders who have to get on that bus. And the School District said that they could not handle the overload, and because of the fact that the law was passed in such a way at such a late time, that they couldn't get the routes together. So hopefully, this September, our children will be able to get on that bus. Another thing was nursing. We were told nursing services would be provided to charter schools, as the School District does nurses, the parochial schools and private schools. And once again, charter schools were locked out. So, you know, once again, I would urge Council to get some more information, to get some testimony from some of these other cities that have tried some things kind of different. And please look at the fiscal facts that we talked about separately. And I think that we, you know, will come up with some answers.
Thank you very much. And, Madam President, as you know, for 2916 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 the last two years, there was no directory available, and we printed one. Obviously, now that other charter schools have been approved, I guess, last month, I suppose --
Okay, the decisions will be made Monday. I had forgotten that we have a new school board, and the Mayor wanted to have them consider issues. But for the last two years, we have created charter directories that we make available to anyone who wants them because we saw a need for people and parents and community people to know that charter -- what they are and that they are available. So certainly, they are still -- until Monday, they are still current. Usually, we do them in the summer, but anyone who wants a directory, I'll tell my office to bring down a few. They are always available, they always tell what charter schools are, who can apply. And we 2917 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 just think it's very, very sad and unfair that we have these public schools who are sometimes considered quai-public, sometimes public, sometimes private, and they're not really given their due. This is -- I'm holding up a Philadelphia charter school directory from August 1999 for anyone who's interested in having one and who would like it, to have one, until Monday, when they create new ones. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Mr. Skief and Mr. Hornbeck.
You're welcome, Councilwoman. We were just having a little side conversation here about the empty buses passing children.
Mr. Hornbeck, would it really be a great imposition to be looking into this? I mean, if the buses are half-empty, why wouldn't we have children who are, what, in 1st grade or 2nd grade being accommodated by the school buses that are passing them by? 2918 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
Assuming that that's accurate, I would be glad to look at that.
And I think in Milwaukee, I think he said that everybody works together to make sure that the program works. I think that we have to make a concerted effort to make sure that we all work together for the benefit of all of the children.
So I think that with this meeting -- before coming to the meeting, Mr. Hornbeck, I think it would be very wise to check about the bus routes and how and if, in fact, there are empty seats on that bus, if the children from the charter schools could not be transported. Okay? (Applause.)
Yes, sir? The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Just so I understand the response that the Superintendent gave is if in fact that's accurate -- did I hear you say earlier 2919 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 that the School District does not provide transportation to the charter schools?
What I'm getting at is that, are yellow school buses passing these children accurate because we're not picking them up in the yellow school bus, we're providing them tokens for transportation. Is that accurate?
If we're giving them tokens to get SEPTA, the yellow school buses are passing them by because they're not authorized to pick up the charter-school children because they're given tokens, so that is an accurate statement that yellow school buses are passing charter schools.
The question I have is, how many seats are on that yellow school bus? 2920 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 There's no question but that yellow school buses cross all over the City every morning and up and down, but the assertion is that all of these buses are half-empty.
That's what you're questioning. Well, I think I've told you before that I see lots of school buses. As a matter of fact, I describe the one location at Rising Sun and Cottman where that's five intersections that come together, and I have seen as many as a dozen school buses, ten -- and maybe that's exaggerated -- where every intersection has a school bus or two waiting, and I look and I see ten kids on this one, seven on that one. I don't think -- rarely have I seen a school bus that had all 49 seats, or whatever their capacity is, filled. But just so I understand, the charter- school kids given tokens and not transported by the School District of Philadelphia, and if the buses are half-empty and they pass by these kids, that's an accurate statement.
Those buses could be half-empty for a number of reasons, I would think. 2921 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
We don't know the route of that bus and how many more children they have to pick up, we don't know how many children could be absent that particular day. I don't think that's for us to judge. What I'm asking is for Mr. Hornbeck, before coming back for the meeting that Councilwoman Miller indicated she would like to have, is to get that information so that we can all discuss it. Okay?
That's right. But I was just trying to understand the concept that charter-school kids are not provided transportation by the School District but are given tokens to use public transportation.
Actually, we don't even give the tokens; we give money to the charter schools, and the charter schools use a variety of means to transport their kids. Apparently in the 2922 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 case of Harambi, they use tokens. Other places do too, but still other places use other means, including reimbursing parents for bringing their kids. So it's a variety.
So just 30 seconds more. If the capacity were there on a particular route to take the -- to transport charter-school children, would that be something that you'd consider doing?
There are lots of things to take into account, including what the implications would be for adding kids to routes to non-public schools. For example, every time we try -- there are a whole set of interlocking factors here. If there is a way, without added cost, to increase the ease of transportation for anybody anyplace, then absolutely, we would be more than open to it. But it's not as simple, as Madam President suggests, as saying, as that bus passes that intersection, it's half-empty and there's a kid going to a charter school so we ought to put him on it. It's a whole variety of other things, 2923 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 and I will be glad to see to it that knowledgeable staff meet with whomever -- Mr. Skief certainly, but others as well to look at this issue.
So when we have the meeting, I think that would be very helpful.
Are there any other questions from members of the committee? (No further questions.)
Thank you. Our next witness is William Devlin of the Urban Family Council. Is Mr. Devlin here? (Mr. Devlin not present.)
Arnold Hall, Home and School Council. Arnold Hall, is he present? (Arnold Hall comes forward.)
Good afternoon, Mr. Hall. Kindly identify yourself for 2924 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good afternoon, President Verna. I'm Arnold Hall, President of Home and School Council. As such, of course, I have a child in the public schools. I am a member of many other organizations, board positions and otherwise throughout the City, and I say that I wanted to say reflective of my comments, and I will make them brief.
I look to you with the kindness that I know we're going to get from you, but I look to you with the hour, and also because a good bit of what I would have to say, I could simply say and echo a ditto to Reverend Shine's remarks that you've hear already and several others. But I would like to mention and also to our Chairlady, who is not here at the moment, Councilwoman Miller, and to those here, Members of Council and those not here. I come primarily to continue to exhort you. I have appeared before this body on many occasions. And amongst the first several years ago, I began to exhort this 2925 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Council to take a very forward step -- sounding kind of corny -- about selecting and placing billboards throughout the travel ways of this city, to make a firm statement to the commitment level far back then about this city, this city caring for our children. The casinos certainly know how to get you there. They billboard all the way and you'll never get lost trying to find one of them. I want to preface now to say that my remarks come out of the thinking of a period that some here may not recall. Some of, I'm sure, were there with me, but during the outbreak of World War II, this nation was called and came to a stop to meet the challenge of a war that we found ourselves in. By virtue of a set of circumstances, the mass production of automobiles and other related products had to be set aside, things of convenience that we had come to expect to be the norm for American citizens, but they had to be set aside to address the needs of winning a war. And "winning" is the key word. Industry and machinery had to be converted. For as much as the love of automobiles 2926 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 and other conveniences to status had become so desired, common sense and a common-sense approach had to be taken if we were to commit to survival and winning that war. Resources had to be diverted, priorities had to be shifted, unity had to be realized, good and proper leadership had to be exemplified, waste had to be halted, spirited morale had to be built, focus had to be maintained until victory was achieved. Today, Madam President, most of us who know and those others will probably awaken at sometime to recognize that we are again faced with a war. We're in a very crisis time, and the issue at hand speaks directly to the survival and to the winning of saving the future. It's our children. It speaks directly to the war that's being waged every day on the attacked of the survival and future of our children. This equates also to the survival of our city and the future of our city. The heart of the preservation and the opening of opportunities for our children rest in the schools, in the educational system. And in greatest measure in this city, it happens to be the Philadelphia School District, where the vast 2927 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 majority of our students will go. But it's time to move aside, and I was so delighted this evening to hear from the many who face and come from different paramours of new creativity. Because I am here to speak to you and to our other Councilmembers. Like I, an elected person, although I didn't run for this office, I did inherit it from a write-in vote from across the City. And I'm convicted that I am going to continue to exhort it. I won't try to lay numbers to you; you will hear many. And the others that I have for you, I will be meeting with you and others from the Council following these hearings, because we'll talk to those specifics. But I want to speak to the sheer fact that the number-one issue, the number-one issue -- and that means where the greatest dollars, the greatest dollars, have to be turned in the City. And you're the vehicle, you're the determining body as to how the dollars coming into this city tax-wise ought to be spent. And it has to be diverted, it has to be prioritized to the education of our city.
2928 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Beginning with understanding that we cannot ignore extremely aged buildings, the monies oftentimes, and I truly believe, that are being wasted trying to race after maintenance, trying to race after rehabbing, trying to race after refitting buildings that are far and beyond that ability to do it meaningfully and with any common-sense approach about the dollars spent. I speak to you also of the thousands of our children who end up in the penal institutions, where we have found it so easy to build another system of employment and another industry in this country. Money that's being wasted on the back half, because we are not spending it on the front half. One of the things -- and I'm in agreement with much of the issues in the dealings of the Children Achieving agenda. I have some questions about portions. I'm thrilled by the successes that I know are real, about the achievement levels going up for our students. I'm in the schools literally every day. I'm working on this behalf for the last ten years -- at no 25 pay. But that's not a bragging issue; it's simply 2929 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 to say that like so many others in the home and school movement, they are volunteering, they are in there with heart, body and mind and soul, many every day. I know I am. But I speak to the absence, as I tour our schools, of the abdication from the old votech. When I look in our schools and I see the shops that we we've moved away from, because there is an absolute need to fit our children in the mindset of technology and in the skills of technology. But I know each and every day that if we don't find a way to touch the literacies that are within our children, if we don't find ways of keeping them interested and staying in our schools at the middle-school levels -- and over the past two months, I have been in the juvenile justice system nine times, advocating and representing families of children in our Juvenile Justice Center -- many and most of whom I know should have never ended up here, but some have dropped out for the sheer lack of interest to hold them, to hold them long enough to get them to understand about this other technology, that they do have some 2930 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 attunement to. We definitely need to keep up that. But we don't need to abdicate it as though we have to throw away one thing to have the other. It all comes down still to the need for more and greater resources. And those resources boil down to dollars. And we need this Council to stand up and reach to that greatest level of creativity, bringing in all the collaboration that you can, to find new ways to bring that additional funding that this district needs. We can't have those shops without having teachers in them, but we need them. I know that if my house is backing up plumbing-wise, and I'm quite sure you may feel the same, and I'm calling for a plumber, and you understand what I mean when that crisis thing hits in a house. When that plumber gets to my door, I'm not about to stop him to ask him how computer-literate he is. If he can fix my pipes, if he can straighten out that stuff, then he's got a job. And there are people performing those jobs every day. We're not training our kids to that today. In reference to the music, to the arts, 2931 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 to that which used to be called "home economics" that covered a multitude of things, in reaching the literacies and the interests of our kids and training them to hold them there, we've moved away from them, we have moved away from them. And it's not right, that in the balance of saying as far as a librarian and a music teacher, an art teacher, can we have this? No, we can't have this because we have to go this way.
I do believe, I do believe, as others are doing more and as you are trying to do more, that there's more we can do here and we must do at the local level before we can impress and as we make effort to impress those at the State and other levels. But I simply exhort you to look into it as I know you will. I've seen and am delighted at your interest shown in our educational system, at the interest that Councilwoman Blackwell has done in so many different areas, but to our children's and people's interest, and to the others and Councilwoman Miller. But I exhort you not to let up but not box out the reality that we cannot have smaller 2932 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 class sizes. We need to keep -- and thanks to Mr. Hornbeck and the Children Achieving agenda that we have full-day kindergarten. And we don't need to take backward steps, trying to balance out whether we can keep those or have to give up and back up on that in order to meet some other needs. I believe our children deserve every bit of it, I know they do. And I believe we have the means, if we reach and stretch. But this body must stand up and take the leadership and unify the leadership that says and speaks to our children, because if you speak to our children, you'll speak to the rest of us.
I'm going to summarize it this way: to ask you and to continue to exhort this Council body, and as I said, we will meet with you and other Councilmembers repeatedly. But if you can evidence -- and that's 2933 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 the issue -- evidence to the children of this city that this city government and you personage and as out of the administrative offices of the Mayor, really believe, really mean, raise their level of hope, give them reason to understand a new respect for authority and government and our working relationships, give them a reason to believe that they are important enough, that we really do care enough, without a great deal of vacillation but study is required, but they need to have that evidenced. And if it gets to our children, it will get to their parents and the other residents of the City. Thank you.
Thank you very much Mr. Hall. Are there any questions or comments from members of the committee of Mr. Hall? (No questions.)
Thank you again. Our next witness is William Mackey from City Wide. (Mr. Mackey and students come forward.) 2934 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
Mr. Mackey, please identify yourself for the record and please proceed.
Would you complete your testimony, and then we'll take the others.
Okay. I'm going to ask if Mark Spearman can -- you have a draft in the back of our package to you and I'm going to ask if Mark briefly can explain it to us.
Kindly identify yourself for the record, please.
Mark Spearman, City Wide Youth Agency, Program Manager. 2935 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
Good afternoon. Madam President, in this chart, it lays out the three high schools in the William Penn Cluster as well as City Wide, and what we're showing is the effectiveness of City Wide's program and how it affects the promotion persistence and/or the promotion rate of students inside of the cluster area. The first school is the William Penn High School, which, in 1999, put out a 43 percent promotion rate, meaning that 43 percent of their students either graduated or were promoted to the next grade. The Bodine High School had 87 percent, and Carver High School put out 81 percent. And City Wide Youth Agency, the students that we dealt with in our year-around program, we graduated or promoted 74 percent of the students that worked with us, and that would be within our career exploration classes, labor-market orientation, as well as tutoring.
Good afternoon, Madam President. My name is John McDaniel. I am the 2936 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Community Outreach/Corporate Outreach Liaison.
Excuse me. Would you mind pulling the microphone closer to you so that we can hear you.
My name is John D. McDaniel, and I am the Corporate Community Outreach Officer for City Wide Youth Agency. I just want to speak briefly on our overall program. What City Wide endeavors to do with our academic program, with three academic components, we have two components of our program, one geared towards high-school students that prepare students for careers in law, health, business, computer technology, arts and culture, and engineering. The same with our middle-school program, focussing on those same academic tracks. We work with students in the William Penn cluster from William Penn High School, 2937 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 Elverson Middle School, and Wanamaker Middle School. We also accept students citywide for our academic programs, and what we endeavor to do is provide tutoring, homework assistance, and mentoring so that we can give our kids a positive outlook on life, enrich their academic achievement in their respective schools, and provide assistance to them with college preparation, youth employment, and summer internships. I'm going to turn the microphone over to one of our high-school students and let her speak on how our youth agency has helped her in her respective school with academics, tutoring and the like. MISS HARRIS: Hi. My name is Kashmiera Harris and I attend (unintelligible) High School, and --
Excuse me, Kashmiera. I have a teenage daughter too, and teenagers tend to talk real fast. Slow down, spell your name for the stenographer. Slow down. MISS HARRIS: My name is Kashmiera, and you spell it K-A-S-H-M-I-E-R-A, Harris. And I attend (unintelligible) High School. 2938 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 And I am here to represent City Wide Youth Agency and I am here to tell you that City Wide Youth Agency has gave me great excellence in education because they help me in tutoring. I mean, if I came there with any problems, they helped me, they was always there to push you if you felt as though you can't go any further. They tell you it's more -- you can try harder, keep trying harder. I'm there for computer and technology because I want to be a computer programmer or a computer specialist when I grow older. And City Wide Youth Agency has helped me to gain hands-on experience with computer specialists system analysts, and other important people. City Wide is a great influence to the community because their youth give back to the community by helping clean up vacant lots, keeping students out of trouble, helping people who have came there with negative attitudes, change them to positive-attitude people. And they just did a great deal to the community and to the students and the schools around them.
Okay. Thank 2939 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 you. So you enjoy going there? MISS HARRIS: Yes. (Applause.)
Councilwoman Miller and other Councilmembers, for the last eight years, we've been working very hard with the School District and primarily up in the William Penn Cluster. In the back of your package that we gave you, those colored charts means a lot to us because what it tells us is that City Wide Improvement and Planning Agency is operating at a level of engineering science embolding school. That's what it tell us. And it tells us that we are taking the average student in the William Penn Cluster and having 'em graduate at a rate just as high as those two schools. However, I can tell you that no matter how much innovativeness we come in with, sometimes it's hard getting things to the School District. I can't understand it. For instance, four or five years ago, we came to this Council and we talked to the School District, and we had our deal of the Philadelphia resource card, and people kind of 2940 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 laughed at us. But today, I can tell you that almost every high school has that youth I.D. scan card in there, and I'm proud to say that we gave that -- as far as I know, we was the first one that started that ideal in this school system. But you know what? We was never involved in the planning and implementation of that, and I have a problem with that, and if I tell you I didn't, I'd be lying to you. I have another issue. I don't think the School District should receive one dime yet from this Council or the State until they show profiles for every child in their system. We should see student profiles, and this should be -- it should be a plan, special talent for every kid for success. That's what we should see. Attached with every student pocket should be a plan to succeed. Do you agree, Councilwoman?
You didn't let me finish. 2941 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
I do agree that there needs to be a plan, and it would certainly help parents be able to track what's going on with their kids in terms of areas that need to be improved. And I would hope that that's happening within the individual classes.
I think it needs to happen at a cluster level, and I'm going to be brief, and if you let me go on, we -- our model that you have in front of you talks about a demonstration that we're pulling together of 350 students in the William Penn Cluster. And what it talks about is a wholistic approach. On like in here, it lists all of the stakeholders who are coalition members in here -- Community Service Network, DHS, Philadelphia Anti-Drugs Anti-Violence, and so on, on . And we have all these groups at the table to serve these 350 model students because we believe in the model, that if we profile every student, we will be able to bring all of this after-school enrichment to their daily life and to their family, and the number could probably be 2942 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 higher, but this is not happening. It goes on to be, you know, almost like if you're the chosen one at 21st and the Parkway. For instance, I'll give you one. Under the federal law now, each county must establish a youth board for its job-training dollars, right? And the School District set up a board and, you know, we think we got a pretty good reputation. If you look at this, I think we doing a good job in the William Penn Cluster, and I think one of my staff should be part of that youth advisory board. I can't understand it. But that youth advisory board plans to spend millions of dollars for some employment and year-round money and never even consulted with us, more or less never even talked to us. But they tell me today that our program -- we've been -- we've been doing a year-round program for years. I think everybody in this town knows we do a pretty good job at year-round after-school programs. Why not talk to us? I think that's important to us, and I think it's an insult with numbers like this coming out and we not being consulted. I don't understand it. 2943 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 But you, as the Chairperson of Education, I know we going to get to the bottom of it and get some answers. And I know we going to sleep good tonight with that. Councilwoman Miller, if I could add on briefly two of our recommendations. You know, this stadium issue seems to be real big in this town, and I know PCCY is talking about a surcharge on youth -- tickets being sold to generate a couple of million dollars to do some stuff, and we applaud the effort, but we don't think it goes far enough. We think that it should be $1.20 or $1.25, Councilwoman Brown, and we think it should be a youth reinvestment act with a youth board. Where's the youth board? Young people spend a lot of people in this town too. They tell me they spend about $2 million a month. You have a teenage daughter.
Okay. And I don't have any kids, and they spend most of my little bit of money. So I know they spend a lot of money, right, okay? Am I right. 2944 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
And my nieces and nephews and neighbors' children and everything.
And we proud of that. But anyway, we think it needs to be a youth council or a youth commission to help recommend how that money is spent. If we don't never hear from the young people and then we set 'em on the side and we lock 'em up and the yellow school buses leave 'em and the mud come in their faces, and then we tell 'em they bad. You know what I'm saying? (Applause.)
But that's -- again, that's on the Transportation Committee. Now, we've been researching this issue for a long time. My last one is a real good one. My last one is SEPTA. Now, we know in the Mayor's budget, Councilwoman Blackwell, that the Mayor 2945 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 said $2.8 million to the SEPTA, and we know the School District contribution to SEPTA on whatever plan they have equals something, and we know SEPTA's been doing some stuff with the University of Pennsylvania, even though they tell us that it's no such thing of a discount. We think that the school I.D. that the youth scan in the school, that should be a library card too. You agree? Every public-school child should have a library card, right? So we think we've worked out a system with the library to make the school I.D. card a library card. We met with SEPTA this morning, and guess what? With a little bit of time, the school I.D. can work for ridership for youth too. We've been telling the school this for four years now. They won't listen to me, maybe they'll listen to you.
One of the things that I'd just like to say is that we can talk and we can put all your -- condense this and make a smaller packet of the things that you want to be 2946 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 involved in.
I just have a question. Did you ask the School District for involvement in the youth advisory board around job training?
We asked them a lot of things, Councilwoman. And to be frank about it, I think the School District has turned the corner and is coming some way. I don't think they got enough of that grass-roots "oomph" involved, if I may say. And probably a lot of times, we get caught up with the messenger and not hearing the message. And that's been the case with me. You know us, we start out on the corner and we be advocates and some of us get elected and some of us don't. And a lot of times, you know, people that talk loud and say loud things, sometimes the message gets missing. And, you know, I can live with that. But I'll tell you what, I'm not going to go nowhere 'cause people going to listen to the message. We have asked consistently, repeatedly, sent documentation over and over and over and over 2947 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 and over, begged 'em. And we watched our stuff be developed. It's no way right now with numbers like this in the William Penn Cluster that William Penn is not open at o'clock at night, free of 6 charge. Do you agree? Thank you. 7
Well, I do think 8 that school should be open in the evening. 9 Your time has been way up, I just let 10 you go on and on. 11
Okay. We only had a few students because you all upped our time. We thought we was going on at 6 o'clock, and we wanted to really pack the place to show we can get numbers out because we know numbers mean a lot. And I'd like for you all to applaud ourselves, these young people from the William Penn Cluster that come out. They all are not bad. (Applause.)
Mr. Mackey, I am very familiar with the number of children that you can bring to the City Council. I know I've seen that for the whole four years I've been here. And prior to coming here, when I worked for Representative Richardson, you certainly came into 2948 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 our office to help get your whole organization going.
I just want to commend you and commend the children and commend the other people that are involved, 'cause I think you've done a fine job. I was there in the beginning when you first started, so I can certainly see, you know, just how far you've come. I'd be willing to sit down -- I'll talk to Councilmember Darrell Clarke, who is your City Councilperson and see if we can sit down and figure out ways that we can work together.
Councilwoman, and to the Councilmembers, we want to say thanks for letting us come again. This is our eighth year coming here with our year-round program, and we have received a lot of support from Council, and we want to say thanks to the staff that go over and beyond the call of duty on Saturdays and in the evenings, and they scream, but they always help. And I want to say thanks and especially to my Councilperson, Councilman Clarke. 2949 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Let me commend Mr. Mackey and all of you and City Wide. You continue to do an excellent job. As you know, I come out of West Philly to come down to show my support for the fine programs that you do. You're always on the mark. I think it's a great idea to have one card that can used for library admission and as an I. D. for student. And, you know, an I.D. is just really, really important. We've talked about it over the years here. Especially when it comes to youth crime, it's easy to identify who should be in school and who shouldn't be if you have an I.D. or if you wear an I.D. So that alone is very, very important across the board. But we want to commend you for all that you do and congratulate all of the young people here, and certainly are committed to doing whatever we can to help your program. Thank you. 2950 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9
Thank you, Madam Chair. I simply want to go on the record and echo what you've already stated with the work of City Wide and to encourage you to continue to come. We want to take that 8 times 2 that you'll be here for the next eight years to advocate for young people and to say hats off to you as well for all the work I know you've done there in the William Penn Cluster. The challenge is to multiply, have that kind of thing that you're doing become contagious in other clusters in our city.
So I'm prepared too to follow the lead of the District Councilperson as it relates to subsequent action on your concerns.
Okay, thank you and thank all the young members for coming in to 2951 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 testify today. Miss Phyllis Babcock? (Witness comes forward.)
Do you want to identify yourself for the record and spell your first and last name, please.
Yes. My name is Phyllis Babcock. P-H-Y-L-L-I-S, B-A-B-C-O-C-K. I noted on Councilman Nutter's face when Mr. Hornbeck handed him a copy of the packet, and I want to take you through my packet because it's not as daunting as it looks. After the cover page, there is simply a reference for more information. Then there is a list of pages, 16 one per cluster, that shows which schools are in 17 compliance and which are not. At the end, you 18 will find my speech written out for those of you 19 who learn better visually than orally. And there 20 is a reference sheet that refers to the State 21 laws. 22 It is fitting that I, a retired teacher of home economics, am here on International Women's Day, representing a profession which has traditionally been considered a woman's field. 2952 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 But as more women have gone out of the home to work and more men are taking more responsibility for work in the home, the profession has changed its name. This name change follows a societal change in the family. Say "home economics" and immediately stitching and stewing come to mind. " was a fitting name. Now that the family is a consuming unit, "family consumer sciences" reflects the way the 21st century family lives. But at the heart of the profession, whatever its name, remains the family. The State Department of Education (PDE) has recognized the importance of teaching our children the skills they had need to improve the quality of their lives and has mandated the study of family and consumer sciences (FCS) in the new regulations they promulgated in January of 1999. These regulations require each 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th-grader to receive instruction in family and consumer sciences, taught by a certified teacher of home economics. In addition, every high-school student from the class of 2003 onward must have 2953 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 family and consumer sciences instruction as a requirement for graduation. This means that there must be standards for family and consumer sciences included in the curriculum frameworks. This means that certified teachers of home economics must be appointed to the schools. I am here today to alert the Members of City Council to the fact that the School District of Philadelphia is not meeting these State requirements. Family and consumer sciences is not included in the curriculum frameworks. The District does not hold principals accountable for following state Law, allowing them to choose whether or not to meet this State requirement. Therefore, principals have been closing FCS programs, albeit illegally, dismantling laboratories, and dissipating the equipment. The School District has been laying off -- again legally -- certified teachers of home economics. Only 60 certified teachers of home ec. are appointed to teach family and consumer sciences in the entire School District. For your convenience in ascertaining if 2954 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 your constituents have the mandated FCS programs, I have placed in your information packet a list by cluster of those schools with and those without an FCS program taught by a certified teacher of home economics. When one asked the Administration about this, they agreed that some of the FCS subject matter is important but that they are doing it, quote, differently, unquote. What they fail to tell you is that their way is not in compliance with the regulations of the State Department of Education. The School District has taken some of the FCS subject matter and placed it in the health curriculum. While State regulations multi-discipline courses, these same State regulations demand that the people who are teaching the various parts of a multi-disciplinary course be certified to do so. Teachers who are certified in health and physical education are not certified to teach home management, consumer education, human development, family relations, or child care and development.
Members of the concerned teachers group 2955 3/8/00-SCHOOL BUDGET-CONT'D-BILLS 7,8,9 have brought this concern to the Board of Education, but we have not been taken seriously. We have been informed that the Superintendent had not even discussed our concern with members of the previous board. I must say parenthetically that Mr. Ramos has agreed to meet with us later in the month. Therefore, we filed a complaint with Auditor General Robert Casey and the State Department of Education. They have taken our concerns seriously. They have invoked Section 14 11-24 of the Public School Code, which resulted in the rehiring of the teachers of home economics who were illegally laid off last June. )