Transforming Philadelphia Schools

Greetings Everyone,

 

Below you will find a schedule for the budget hearings set by the School District of Philadelphia.

 

 

In an effort to gather community input on draft budgets and plans before they are finalized, the School District of Philadelphia will be hosting a number of community meetings in May.

 

Details on meeting dates and locations are below:

Meeting	Date	Time	Location
SRC Budget Hearing	Tuesday, May 1st, 2012	5:30 - 7:30 pm	Auditorium 440 North Broad St
Community Budget Session	Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012	6-8 pm	Kensington CAPA HighSchool 1901 N. Front St.
Community Budget Session	Thursday, May 10th, 2012	6-8 pm	West Philadelphia HighSchool 4901 Chestnut St.
Community Budget Session	Saturday, May 12th, 2012	10:30 am - 12:30 pm	South Philadelphia HighSchool 2101 S. Broad St.
Community Budget Session	Tuesday, May 15th, 2012	6-8 pm	Northeast High School 1601 Cottman Ave.
Community Budget Session	Thursday, May 24th, 2012	6-8 pm	Girls High School 1400 W. Olney Ave.

 

This transformation is about ALL public schools in Philadelphia - District-run and Charter. Both are vital parts of the public education system in Philadelphia; only by addressing the challenges and opportunitiesof both will we achieve our most important goals. By creating a culture of safety and achievement, streamlining our operations, empowering educators, and offering quality choices and a more responsive schoolsystem to parents, we will achieve a sustainable, high-quality public education system that meets the diverse needs of all of Philadelphia's students.

 

 

Even after making drastic budget cuts over the past year, the School District still faces a financial shortfall estimated at $26 million this year and $218 million or more next year. The sheer size of this deficit demands a dramatic rethinking of how the District manages operations and how it ensures that schools provide the best possible education to students from every neighborhood.
Rising operational costs, recent state funding cuts, and the end of federal stimulus dollars have highlighted deep structural budget issues that must be addressed urgently and strategically.
The SRC and District leadership are working with experts to address the current financial crisis and restructure operations to reflect a changing educational landscape in the city and nation.

 

To survive this financial crisis and structure schools to give students and families better options, Philadelphia must transform its school system. Among the actions taken are the search for a new superintendent/CEO, the consideration of possible building closures, the efforts directed at school turn-arounds, and the District restructuring.
The scale and pace of these changes can be overwhelming, but the ultimate goal is to increase access to safe, high-quality educational options for all Philadelphia students. We'll achieve this goal by moving responsibility and opportunities for innovation closer to the classroom, while modernizing and streamlining our operations.