Year: 2016

Commentary: District’s ‘turnaround’ plan is bad for students

Lisa Haver SRC 1-21-16

The following commentary by APPS member Lisa Haver was printed on April 1, 2016 in the Philadelphia Daily News.

If you read the paper or listen to the news, you probably have some opinions about the issues facing the Philadelphia School District.

You know that Harrisburg’s repeated slashing of education spending and its failure to come up with a fair and permanent funding formula continue to take a toll.

Adding to that problem are questionable district priorities, which have resulted in:

* More than 160 teacher vacancies, leaving at least 5,300 students without a full-time teacher this year.

* The substitute fill rate plummeting from 65 percent to below 40 percent after the School Reform Commission’s vote to outsource jobs.

* Lack of support staff, including counselors and classroom aides, resulting in an increase in serious incidents in many schools.

* Fewer than eight certified school librarians in the entire district.

Also, the physical condition of the buildings themselves, along with the dearth of full-time nurses, has resulted in higher student absenteeism.

The school district, though, has a different take on the situation: The problem is that teachers and principals are in the wrong buildings, and that moving them is the solution.

Last month, Superintendent William Hite announced yet another “turnaround plan” for four more neighborhood schools, the main feature of that plan being the forced transfer of principals and teachers.

Hite has rejected critics’ characterization of his plan as “destabilization,” but recent history shows that it represents only the latest chapter in a pattern of destabilization for all four schools. Consider:

* S. Weir Mitchell in Kingsessing was a K-5 elementary until 2013. When the district closed two nearby schools, Mitchell incorporated those students and added seventh and eighth grades.

Comments to the article can be read at the Inquirer post:
Commentary: District’s ‘turnaround’ plan is bad for students | Philadelphia Inquirer – April 1, 2016

APPS members testimony to the Philadelphia School Reform Commission – March 24, 2017

SRC 3-24-16

 

On March 24th, 2016 the Philadelphia School Reform Commission held a special meeting to vote on its Preliminary Five-year Plan (FY 17-21) and a Lump Sum Statement (FY 16-17)

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

The two  videos can be viewed here. Testimony is in the order of appearance.

Click on the pictures below to view the videos individually.

 

Lisa Haver SRC 3-24-16

Video of APPS member Lisa Haver testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 24, 2016. She comments on the new budget then presents evidence that Wister Elementary is outperforming any Mastery Charter.

Click here to read the transcript of Lisa’s testimony.

 

Karl Kilimnic SRC 3-24-16

Video of APPS member Karel Kilimnik testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 24, 2016. She corrects a misunderstanding by Commissioner Jimenez of her question at the previous SRC meeting and then asks why the SRC did notpost the proposed 5-year plan before the meeting  which is yet another violation of the Sunshine Act.

Click here to read the transcript of Karel’s testimony

 

Ears on the SRC – March 17, 2016

SRC 3-17-16 #2

Rally and Cry

This SRC meeting was preceded by a rally—sponsored by Parents of Wister, NAACP, PFT, APPS, PCAPS, and Parents United—in front of the school district administration building. Speakers addressed the district’s failure to provide the resources needed for thriving public schools. A large and noisy presence of Mastery supporters on the other side of the steps periodically disrupted the speeches of parents and community members, including the president of the local NAACP. Once inside the auditorium, a vocal contingent of the Mastery supporters occasionally ridiculed and disparaged teachers and parents of Wister, as well as those supporting their fight to keep Wister public.

What is noteworthy about this scenario is that it plays right into the hands of the corporate machine. This strategy of pitting community members against each other serves to secure the power and profit of the few over the democratic voice of all. Parents, students, teachers and community members all want the same thing; a fair, equitable and safe education for our children. Although we want the very same thing we find ourselves divided by a promise that some see as salvation for their child while others know is the handing over the democratic rights of every child. The corporate model promises what we all want for our children but comes with two costly price tags: the continued disinvestment of traditional public schools coupled with an alarming loss of democratic rights.

Speakers

Eight members of APPS provided testimony at this SRC meeting: Diane Payne, Deb Grill, Karel Kilimnik, Carol Heinsdorf, Lisa Haver, Barbara Dowdall, Kristin Luebbert, and Robin Lowry. (To see videos of these presentation or read the transcripts, visit APPS members testimony to the Philadelphia School Reform Commission.) The testimonies called out the SRC and Superintendent Hite for a wide range of dereliction of their duties to safeguard public education.

Click here for the rest of the article. 

APPS members testimony to the Philadelphia School Reform Commission – March 17, 2016.

SRC 3-17-16 #1

On March 17th, 2016 the Philadelphia School Reform Commission held its monthly meeting.

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

All eight videos can be viewed here. (Click on the second blue dot for the second page.) Testimony is in the order of appearance.

Click on the pictures below to view the individual video.

 

Diane Payne SRC 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Diane Payne testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.

The transcript of Diane’s testimony and related links.
Note: Due to technical difficulties, the beginning of Diane’s testimony is missing in the video. See her transcript for her full statement.

 

Deborah Grill SRC testimony 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Deborah Grill testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.

The transcript of Debbie’s testimony.

 

Karel Kilimnick SRC testimony 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Karel Kilimnik testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.

The transcript of Karel’s testimony.

 

Carol Heinsdorf SRC testimony 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Carol Heinsdorf testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.

The transcript of Carol’s testimony.

Lisa Haver SRC 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Lisa Haver testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.

Barbara Dowdall SRC 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Barbara Dowdall testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.

The transcript of Barbara’s testimony and added footnotes.

Kristen Luebert SRC 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Kristin Luebbert testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.

The transcript of Kristin’s testimony.

Robin Lowry SRC 3-17-16

Video of APPS member Robin Lowry testifying at the Philadelphia School Reform Commission meeting – March 17, 2016.