Investments in Education Ensure a Successful Future for Philadelphia City Schools

Although recent Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) scores have been promising, there is much that needs to be done to overcome obstacles, which are hindering the success of students in the Philadelphia School District. 

As we gear up for yet another school year, it is important that we focus in on ensuring academic achievement, identifying those students who are at risk for dropping out, and continuing real progress in our schools.

I applaud the District, principals, teachers, community and, most of all, the hardworking students on achieving a record sixth consecutive year of growth in math and reading PSSA scores.  There has been a District-wide increase of 4.2 percent in reading and 4.1 percent in math.  There have also been increases in the percent of students scoring Advanced or Proficient on reading and math in all grades.

These achievement gains are a testament to the hard work, perseverance and dedication that most of our students have.  But the percentage of students scoring Below Basic, the lowest performance level, continues to rise.

Fifth and Seventh grade students have demonstrated the greatest decline in PSSA scores in both reading and math. The fifth grade student’s scores are down by 4.9 percent in reading and in math by 6.4 percent.  Scores for seventh grade students have gone down even further.  In reading, the scores declined by 6.2 percent and in math by 8.8 percent.

This downturn in success has been especially noted in our young males of color, who are not only struggling in their studies, but dropping out as well.  Project U-Turn, a drop-out prevention organization has found that 81 percent of the District’s special education students are African-American and Latino males.

This is not only unacceptable, it is avoidable.

I have always been an advocate for ensuring all students in Philadelphia receive a quality education, so that they are well equipped to compete in the ever-changing global market.  Combined initiatives at both the state and local level that are designed to keep children in school will help ensure that Philadelphia students stay on the path to academic success.

Here in the Legislature, education continues to be a top priority.  The 2008-09 state budget provided one of the largest increases in public education in the history of the State, increasing basic education spending by more than $400 million.  The investment puts nearly $9.7 billion in total funding towards basic education. 

Locally, Philadelphia School District, the largest in the state, will receive nearly $932.6 million.  This is an increase of nearly $51 million or 5.75 percent from last year’s budget.

I have been pleased with the steps the City of Philadelphia is taking to make academic success a reality to every student in the District.  Putting children first is at the core of the new plan for the District.  To help in this endeavor, the City of Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission has allotted $634 million for education reforms.

The District will push $18 million in funding directly into classrooms by reducing class size in kindergarten through third grade.  This will increase resources to every student by reducing class size to a ratio of 22 students per teacher in 35 schools.  These 35 schools are those that have failed to make adequate yearly progress, in accordance with the federal No Child Left Behind law, for the past five years. 

Our lowest performing schools will receive $12 million for additional personnel and learning materials.

In an effort to reach some of our most vulnerable students who are at-risk for dropping out of school, the District has adopted the Re-Engagement Center where individuals, aged 16 to 21, can re-enroll to get their diploma or GED.  The program also links these students to child care and housing resources.

More than 8,000 students drop out of Philadelphia City schools each year.  We must channel resources toward this problem and create more programs like the Re-Engagement Center that target these at-risk students before they drop out of school.

These efforts to improve education in Philadelphia are a great first step toward putting our schools on the same competing level as other schools in the Commonwealth.  It will make the possibility of real academic achievement a reality to many of our struggling students and ensure future success for the Philadelphia School District.