WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia has been placed under the governance of the SRC to ensure good academic and fiscal outcomes; and
WHEREAS, The City has dramatically increased its financial support of the School District of Philadelphia through Bill No. 070015 (the Public Education Reinvestment Bill), signed into law on June 14, 2007; and
WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon City Council to consider public education with the best interests of children in mind, having identified several areas of concern in the Public Education Reinvestment Law, including;
early childhood education
class size
after school programs
drop out prevention
school safety; and
WHEREAS, These areas of concern are consistent with those identified by the Education Advisory Task Force and others, which also include:
teacher recruitment, retention, and attendance
achievement gaps and remediation efforts
truancy rates
graduating students' placement in college, career training, or the workforce; and
WHEREAS, Quarterly reporting can provide more accountability for the additional funding provided through the Public Education Reinvestment Law; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Council calls on the School Reform Commission (SRC) to submit quarterly updates to the Mayor and City Council related to the impact analysis report for additional School District funding filed by the SRC pursuant to Bill No. 070015 (the Public Education Reinvestment Bill).
End