Month: May 2016

APPS members testimony to the Philadelphia School Reform Commission – May 26, 2016

SRC pic May 27, 1016
The Philadelphia School Reform Commission (Commissioner Green participated by phone conference)

On May 26, 2016 the Philadelphia School Reform Commission’s met to decide on non-renewal of four charters and to vote on the School District Budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017.

This is the testimony of five members of the Philadelphia Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools to the Commission.

All five videos can be viewed here.

Click each picture below to view single videos. Speakers are in order of appearance at the meeting.

Lynda Rubin SRC pic

Video of APPS member Lynda Rubin testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 26, 2016.

The transcript of Lynda’s testimony.

Coleman Poses SRC 5-27-16 pic

Video of APPS member Coleman Poses testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 26, 2016.

The transcript of Coleman’s testimony  with a spreadsheet of relevant charter information.

Rich Liuzzi SRC 5-27-16

Video of APPS member Rich Liuzzi testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 26, 2016.

The transcript of Rich’s testimony.

Diane Payne SRC 5-27-16

Video of APPS member Diane Payne testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 26, 2016. Be sure to listen to the audio of the debate with Commissioner Jimenez at the end of Diane’s testimony.

The transcript of Diane’s testimony.

Lisa Haver SRC 5-27-16 pic

Video of APPS member Lisa Haver testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 26, 2016.

The transcript of Lisa’s testimony. The last few sentences were not in her testimony because of the three minute time limit.

 

Eyes on the SRC – May 26, 2016

SRC logo

by Lisa Haver
May 25, 2016

Each month, APPS publishes our “Eyes on the SRC” in which we select some of the resolutions to be voted on at the next meeting for perusal and analysis. As of this writing on Wednesday evening, less than 24 hours before the meeting, the SRC has yet to post its Resolution Summary.

This shows once again that the SRC has only contempt for the public it is supposed to serve. To add insult to injury, the deadline for signing up to speak was 4:30 PM Wednesday. How can people speak on the business of the SRC when they SRC won’t tell us what it is? APPS has been trying for 18 months to settle our Sunshine Act complaint, filed in November 2014, to bring the SRC into compliance. What are they trying to hide?

Please come to the meeting Thursday, May 26th at 5:30 and demand transparency and fairness from the SRC! If you cannot attend, SRC meetings are broadcast beginning at 5:30 Thursday on Comcast Channel 52; Verizon Channel 20; and online at PSTV Live.

The only thing posted is the Resolution List below. A couple of things that should be noted:

Click here to read the rest of the post.

Ears on the SRC – May 19, 2016

SRC 5-19-16

By Diane Payne

May 23, 2016

 APPS Presence

APPS members continue to bear witness to the actions of the state-imposed School Reform Commission.  Whether the meeting is crowded or sparsely attended, we testify every month on crucial issues, not the least of which is the SRC’s lack of transparency and public accountability. APPS members were present to call “shame” on the SRC when it convened its stealth meeting to cancel the PFT contract. This month APPS members Karel Kilimnik, Diane Payne and Robin Lowry spoke on a number of issues. To view their testimony, go to APPSphilly.net.

Among the public speakers was a dedicated group of Penrose School parents from Southwest Philadelphia. They voiced their anger and frustrations at both the district administration and the Penrose school administration’s failure to support their hard work toward redesign.  There is never a penalty for district’s failures but schools are labeled and then closed, turned over to charters, and subjected to the chaos and churn of the turn-around model.

SRC Rejects Charter Office Report, Changes Procedure to Hold Up Non-Renewal of Renaissance Schools

Click here to read the rest of the post.

APPS members testimony to the Philadelphia School Reform Commission – May 19, 2016

SRC pic 5-19-16

On May 19, 2016 the Philadelphia School Reform Commission’s met to decide on turnover of public schools to charters and the proposed non-renewal of four charters.

This is testimony of members of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools at this meeting.

All three videos can be viewed here.

Click on the pictures below to view individual videos. Speakers are in order of appearance.

Karel Kilimnick pic 5-19-16

Video of APPS member Karel Kilimnik testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 19, 2016.

The transcript of Karel’s testimony.

Diane Payne SRC testimony 5-19-16

Video of APPS member Diane Payne testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 19, 2016.

The transcript of Diane’s testimony.

Robin Lowry SRC 5-19-16

Video of APPS member Robin Lowry testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing – May 19, 2016.