Category: Eyes and Ears on the SRC (archive)

Eyes on the SRC – July 1, 2016

SRC

By Lisa Haver

At its June 16 meeting, SRC Chair Marge Neff announced that the June 30 meeting, posted for months on the district’s website, would be moved to July 1 at 10:00 AM—on the cusp of the July 4th holiday weekend. The last time the SRC held a morning meeting, it cancelled the PFT contract, so our antennae are up.

Responding to pressure from APPS, Ms. Neff promised last year to post resolutions at least two weeks before the meeting. But a promise is not a law, so it can be broken anytime—without any penalty—as it has for the last two meetings. In addition to the 130+ resolutions originally posted, the SRC added a significant number of resolutions in the days before the June 16 meeting. That makes it even more difficult to see how much corporate funding is influencing district priorities and how little is actually making it to classrooms. If a resolution is added the day before, there is no way to speak on it until the next meeting—after the resolution has been passed. As of this writing Tuesday, no resolutions have been posted for the Friday meeting.

Given the SRC’s recent action, or lack of action, on the Renaissance renewals, we believe that it is crucial for people to attend this meeting. The SRC has, in effect, rejected the reports presented by its own Charter School Office on the Aspira and Universal schools. The CSO recommended in April that the SRC vote not to renew charters for Aspira Olney High School, Aspira Stetson Middle School, Universal Vare and Universal Audenried. The CSO gave numerous reasons—academic, financial, managerial—why these schools should not be renewed. Rather than accept the CSO’s report, the SRC has entered into private negotiations with Aspira. The Universal renewals have not appeared on the list of the last two meetings, and the SRC has not said when it will vote on them.

We teach our children about democracy, but the SRC, once again, does not feel the need to practice it.

Note: Lisa’s commentary on the subject of the SRC and its failure to observe the rules of democracy is published in Tuesday’s Philadelphia Daily News:

Commentary: SRC is acting as if it’s above the law | Philadelphia Daily News – June 28, 2016

Resolutions were posted by the SRC on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. No mention of the Aspira and Universal charter reauthorization.

 

 

 

Ears on the SRC – June 16, 2016

SRC 6-16-16 #4

By Deborah Grill and Lynda Rubin

In the week just prior to the June 16th meeting, the SRC added 10 new resolutions to the over-130 already posted. They also withdrew, without explanation, 7 resolutions for charter renewals.  Commissioner Farah  Jimenez was not present at the meeting, neither in person nor by phone.

Although renewals for  Aspira Stetson and Aspira Olney were not on the agenda, Stetson students were in attendance.  PA Representative Angel Cruz and Aspira Chairman Fred Ramirez were on the speakers list to speak in favor of the Aspira renewals; neither showed up.  Lisa Haver asked whether they were  taking part instead in the private meetings which Aspira attorney Kenneth Trujillo had alluded to and that the district had acknowledged were taking place.

Click here to read the entire “Ears on the SRC – June 16, 2016

Eyes on the SRC – June 16, 2016

SRC pic 5-19-16

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, the SRC has posted 129 resolutions for the June 16 Action Meeting. Eight of those resolutions involve charter school renewals or amendments to other charters. Two resolutions involve approvals of the charter licenses for John Wister Mastery Charter School and Global Leadership Academy at Huey Charter School as part of the Renaissance program. One resolution re-establishes Kenderton Elementary as a District operated neighborhood school.

There are too many resolutions in The Academic Payments/Contracts for APPS to investigate before Thursday’s meeting.   Many of these resolutions involve the outsourcing of services and involve millions of dollars.   We encourage you to look them over. You can access them on the School District’s website.

At its May 28 meeting, the SRC again tabled the resolutions on the non-renewals of Aspira Olney High School and Aspira Stetson Middle School.

This month, without explanation, the SRC has failed to post the resolutions on non-renewal of the two Aspira schools. In addition, non-renewal resolutions for two Universal schools, Audenried and Vare, have disappeared since being postponed two meetings ago. Will the SRC tell the public what is happening and whether or not the process is continuing? Or is this process taking place behind closed doors?

Please note: there is a second Action meeting this month: Thursday, June 30 @ 4:30 PM.

To register to speak at either one, call 215-400-4180 before 4:30 PM the day before the meeting.


Click here to read Selected Resolutions and APPS Analysis

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.