Ilene Poses’s testimony before the September 14, 2017 School Reform Commission meeting.

David Mosenkis from POWER researched educational funding in the state of Pennsylvania – a state which has one of the lowest educational budgets in the U.S., contributing only 34%.  It is the state in which there is the greatest inequity between rich and poor school districts.  His research also revealed that there is a racial bias to this inequity.  On average, the least white districts are receiving approximately $1900 less per student than white districts.  In June 2016 the state legislature passed a fair funding formula, however at present only 6% of the education funding goes through this formula. Ninety four percent of the funding is still unfair along racial lines.  Philadelphia region , according to the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, contributes 39% to the state budget but Philadelphia is not getting its fair share of funding for the students of this city.POWER has been going to Harrisburg for the past 3 years to protest this unfairness and meet with legislators.   What is the SRC doing about this funding unfairness?  I’ll tell you- nothing.  Instead the SRC meets to turn public schools over to charter operators and spends years giving substandard charters like Khepera, Aspira and Universal a chance to continue.  The SRC says it talks to the state privately about this underfunding for our students but how does the public know that?  The SRC is a public entity but the public has no say.

Sing to the tune “America”

(lyrics by Marilyn Allahand and Ilene Poses)

We want our schools to be

Based on democracy

Schools business free.

We want transparency

Funding equality

The time is right to reach our goal

SRC must go.

Give neighborhoods control

Let parents play a role

We want our say.

They take our schools away

Do everything their way

Philly parents never have a say

SRC go away.