Philly Schools Chief: Schools May Not Open on Time Without Extra Funding

By Vince Lattanzio

Philadelphia's schools chief says the district may not be able to open its schools on time this September without tens of millions in additional funding to reverse draconian cuts and major layoffs enacted earlier this year. School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Dr. William Hite said Thursday that he's "deeply frustrated" over the lack of help from city and state officials to close a $304 million budget deficit with just four weeks to go before school opens.

Philadelphia's 136,000 public school students are set to go back to school on September 9, but Dr. Hite says if the district does not get at least $50 million in additional funding by next Friday, August 16, he might have to push back that date. Dr. Hite says there are three scenarios that could play out if the district doesn't get the cash. One option would keep all 218 schools closed past September 9. Another would only open a portion of the schools and in a third option, the schools would open, but only operate for half days. "Our students are the most important part of this equation, and it is both saddening and frustrating to be in the position of telling them and their families that I do not know when their education will resume," he said.

The superintendent says the schools cannot operate without the proper amount of staff. He says it's all about safety. "Fifty million allows us to tell parents that when their child is walking through the hallways, eating lunch or at recess, an adult will be supervising them," Dr. Hite said. He added that no principal can run a 3,000 student high school or 400 student elementary school without support staff. The School District of Philadelphia, the nation's eighth-largest public school system which is controlled by a state reform commission, laid off nearly 4,000 employees in June. The layoffs included all assistant principals, secretaries and guidance counselors. Hundreds of teachers and teacher's aides also lost their jobs.

The $304 million funding hole also causes schools to shelve extra-curricular activities and non-core programs like art. An infusion of $50 million will allow the district to reinstate about 1,000 of those laid off employees. He says they would include assistant principals and secretaries. Dr. Hite said while the money would allow the schools to open on time and for full days, it's still not enough. "Fifty million will only allow us to open the doors, but not give our students the quality education they deserve," he said.

THE PROPOSED FUNDING