Council holds hearing on funding for public schools
by thenotebook on Nov 20 2013 Posted in Latest news
Photo: Isaac Riddle
Council members Mark Squilla, David Oh, and Jannie Blackwell at a hearing on education funding Tuesday.
by Isaac Riddle
School District of Philadelphia chief financial advisor, Matthew E. Stanski, and Lori Shorr, chief education officer for the mayor’s office, told the City Council Committee on Education Wednesday that the School District doesn’t have enough revenue to adequately educate students.
In response, however, City Council members were surly, questioning the relationship between money and achievement while expressing their irritation that Stanski couldn’t tell them right now exactly how much money they will be asking for next year from either the city or the state.
Shorr and Stanski argued that a predictable state funding formula would help the District become financially stable.
A state funding formula based on districts' needs and student enrollments hadbeen created under the Rendell administration, but was abandoned when Gov. Corbett took office in 2011.
“We need a funding formula so it isn’t a year-to-year begging,” said Shorr. “There’s got to be a predictability, you have to be able to know so that it is not an every year drama.”
Part of the purpose of the hearing was to weigh a Council resolution which would call for the education committee to begin a series of meetings to address the state’s approach to education funding.
Council members voiced their frustration and skepticism of the District’s fiscal