State Wallet Tightens for Philadelphia Schools

[Valin]

Via Meadia:

6/18/13

 

Philadelphia schools might open next year without new books, art or music classesand without thousands of current employees. The state-appointed School Reform Commission passed what critics call a draconian budget of $2.4 billion for Philadelphia schools last month that would drastically cut education spending across the city. The New York Times reports:

 

Pink slips were recently sent to 19 percent of the school-based work force, including all 127 assistant principals, 646 teachers and more than 1,200 aides. Principals are contemplating opening in September with larger classes but no one to answer phones, keep order on the playground, coach sports, check out library books or send transcripts for seniors applying to college.

 

Philadelphias schools, whose chronic budget problems led to a state takeover in 2002, have not been this close to the abyss in memory. The troubles have many causes: rising pension costs, high debt payments for past borrowing that papered over budget gaps, a flight to charter schools and a block-grant formula for state aid that has fallen behind enrollments, which have increased 5,000 a year between charter and traditional schools, according to Mr. Hite.

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In the private sector, its standard practice for struggling companies to cut costs and personnel in an effort to remain efficient. Due to the power of entrenched bureaucracies and public unions, this is far less common in the public sector, but the massive budget crises faced by these struggling cities has forced their hand. Now these school districts are faced with a choice: either innovate and find a way to deliver better results for less money, or watch students and residents abandon the school system for better alternatives elsewhere.

 

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