Phila. schools prepare for cuts as they face budget shortfall Philadelphia Inquirer 09/22/2009:
"Masch said that it was too early to speculate where cuts might be made, but that the district would 'move heaven and earth' to keep in place reforms put forward by Superintendent Arlene Ackerman.
This school year, the district lowered class size in kindergarten through third grade and hired more counselors, particularly in the city's troubled neighborhood high schools.
Will the district commit to keeping those reforms in place, no matter what?
'I can't say that,' Masch said. 'We don't have a plan yet. But we're not going to turn away from making reform. I do not think that Dr. Ackerman will let us rest until we have figured out a way to do everything in our power to make the dollars we do have go as far as possible in helping us enable more students to succeed academically.'"
"Masch said that it was too early to speculate where cuts might be made, but that the district would 'move heaven and earth' to keep in place reforms put forward by Superintendent Arlene Ackerman.
This school year, the district lowered class size in kindergarten through third grade and hired more counselors, particularly in the city's troubled neighborhood high schools.
Will the district commit to keeping those reforms in place, no matter what?
'I can't say that,' Masch said. 'We don't have a plan yet. But we're not going to turn away from making reform. I do not think that Dr. Ackerman will let us rest until we have figured out a way to do everything in our power to make the dollars we do have go as far as possible in helping us enable more students to succeed academically.'"