School District to cut 3,820 jobs, 1,260 teachers.

[gren]

In a pre-School Reform Commission budget briefing, Philadelphia School District Chief Financial Officer Michael Masch said that to close a $629 million budget gap, the district will lose about 16 percent of its workforce - 3,820 jobs. That includes a reduction of 1,260 teaching jobs, or about 12 percent of the teaching force. It's not yet clear how many layoffs that will mean [because of attrition].

The district will also lose full-day kindergarten. It's going to a half-day program. There will also be cuts to transportation, special ed, summer school, art and music programs. Class sizes, for the most part, will go up to contractual limits - 30 students in K-3, 33 in grades 4-12. Instrumental music and the district's athletics program both stay.

Masch said the district is counting on $75 million in savings from re-opening the district's union contracts. PFT president Jerry Jordan has previously said that the teachers' union is not open to coming back to the table; the teachers have already taken a pay freeze, he said. Masch did not sound convinced that Jordan's no means no. "It remains to be seen who's going to come to the table and when they're going to come to the table," he said the briefing. Remember, too, that under the state takeover law that created the SRC, that body was given the power to impose terms on any union, rather than negotiate. Asked if the SRC would go that route, Masch said that the district would prefer to negotiate, as it has in the past.

The afternoon's SRC meeting will be one to watch.

UPDATED: Philly SD losing 3,820 jobs, full-day K | Philly | 04/27/2011

Let the fun begin at the SRC?

[OldMama]

You know, I've been thinking about how to reply to this for a couple of hours. There's just nothing I can say. Awful. awful, awful.

[fifi le pew]

As a PSD parent this is awful (and I knew most of this was coming) but I think the absolute worst choice is not to continue full-day kindergarten. In the long run, I fully believe this will have the most devastating impact across the board. Poor kids from bad homes absolutely need full-day kindergarten to get a proper leg up and foundation for future years. And, for many working parents, this is also a huge issue. In fact, one of the reasons that I ended up staying in the PSD was because the suburbs I was looking at only had 1/2 day kindergarten and I couldn't fathom another year of paying for before care and 5 hours of aftercare (plus the fact that my kids have been in full-day care since they were young, and were used to full-day programs). So, because PSD was full-day K, we decided to stay and "give it a shot." We were thrilled with our local school and have ended up staying.

But, I think that many who have a financial option, will look at this at just pull the plug, and that's a real shame because there are some really good school that have made very good strides over the past decade.

[Dolemite]

As a PSD parent this is awful (and I knew most of this was coming) but I think the absolute worst choice is not to continue full-day kindergarten.

Actually I would have preferred a 1/2 day Kindergarten. I think a lot of parents with financial option prefer it also.

[OldMama]

I have to agree with fifi. Some parents may prefer the half-day but many others count on full-day, and pay for after care as well. The academic advantages are great as well. The standardized curriculum for kindergarten is very rigorous. There's no way teachers will be able to cover everything in a half day. Guess they'll be held accountable for that as well.

[JackStraw]

Philly SD losing 3,820 jobs, full-day K | Philly Let the fun begin at the SRC?

Just as long as Arlene doesn't lose her $100,000 bonus.

[philly_kid]

As a PSD parent this is awful (and I knew most of this was coming) but I think the absolute worst choice is not to continue full-day kindergarten. In the long run, I fully believe this will have the most devastating impact across the board. Poor kids from bad homes absolutely need full-day kindergarten to get a proper leg up and foundation for future years. And, for many working parents, this is also a huge issue. In fact, one of the reasons that I ended up staying in the PSD was because the suburbs I was looking at only had 1/2 day kindergarten and I couldn't fathom another year of paying for before care and 5 hours of aftercare (plus the fact that my kids have been in full-day care since they were young, and were used to full-day programs). So, because PSD was full-day K, we decided to stay and "give it a shot." We were thrilled with our local school and have ended up staying.

But, I think that many who have a financial option, will look at this at just pull the plug, and that's a real shame because there are some really good school that have made very good strides over the past decade.

Yeah, it's a big deal for us. Of course the xtra money for child care is an issue, but right now my son is in K and he has art, music, gym, computer class, current events in addition to his regular math and reading etc. So now my second child gets only half of the stuff? What won't she get? Also, there are kids in his class that, even with a full day, are still having issues with the curriculum. Now they will have half the time to keep up? My son has read the two books a day as part of the 100 book challenge (he's up to 400). He did this every single day of the school year. Other kids in his class have parents that don't participate at home. Those kids need that time in school because they don't get it at home.

[fifi le pew]

Actually I would have preferred a 1/2 day Kindergarten. I think a lot of parents with financial option prefer it also.

Really? I guess I just have a different set of acquaintances, because most I know, including the affluent, prefer full day, particularly if you have 2 working parents. Overall, however, I think for the populace of the PSD this is a big mistake. First, most studies show that full day kindergarten is particularly effective for the lower or lower-middle class. It is particularly important for a populace that traditionally does not have high-quality pre-school options--which includes most of the PSD population.

And, the PSD has a lot of students who come to school not speaking English,and the full-day kindergarten provides the critical opportunity to become fluent and literate by the end of the year. From my own personal experience with my local school, I can't imagine children tackling the 1st grade curriculum without full-day kindergarten.

[macdaire]

I am guessing this is not solidified yet. I had heard full day K was very much on the table.

I agree with Fifi. As a parent in a two parent working household I am totally in favor of a full day K- I cannot imagine cordinating (or affording) the alternative. However as an educator in Philadelphia a half day K horrifies me. It seems like cash is misdirected- somehow they have money for "parent university " ( a noble and very shiny cause) but not where we should be putting resources and let's not discuss bonuses....

[gren]

macdaire, I doubt full day kindergarten will be saved. They're talking about cutting 12% of teachers and bumping all class sizes to the max so it seems difficult to think that they'd be able to save full day kindergarten. Whatever it is the gap is $629 million plus $75 million which the union isn't going to negotiate (as Jerry Jordan rightfully said, they had 18 months of pay freeze and a negotiation involves both parties getting something, not accepting a pay decrease and getting nothing in return). Seems like it will be very difficult to close the gape any way even with cutting kindergarten and most everything not state mandated.

[billy ross]

How much does the district pay per student at district-run schools? How much does the district pay per student at schools run by outside contractors? How much does the district pay per school at charter schools? I just get the impression that district-run schools cost alot more to operate per-student, and that Jerry Jordan should look at what happened to the UAW workers before he flat out denies that there is a need for contract updates. The state of Michigan's economy collapsed, and alot of people are working for alot less than they were before, because their companies collapsed and went bankrupt, which voided their contracts. We're talking $10 per hour now for people who used to make over twice that. The SDP doesn't need to declare bankruptcy to nullify the contract. I hope it doesn't get as ugly as it did in Michigan, where the UAW is now a shell of its former self because its leaders didn't read the handwriting on the wall and adapt in time.

[Queen Villager]

The Inky says full-day kindergarten isn't state-mandated. However, I believe it was mandated by the court in the Philadelphia School District desegregation case many years ago. They couldn't really desegregate the schools so the court ordered numerous reforms, including full-day kindergarten. Was that overturned? If not, may Philadelphia legally end full-day kindergarten?


From: Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia

The Consent Agreement was approved by Commonwealth Court Judge Doris Smith-Ribner after a hearing on Monday, July 13, 2009. The approved agreement closes a case brought in 1971 by the Human Relations Commission which initially sought mandatory transfers and busing. Instead the Court approved a voluntary transfer and magnet program proposed by the District. In 1993 Judge Smith-Ribner denied the PHRC's request for increased bussing and the next year she denied the District’s request to end the case, finding that the District remained segregated and that the “District is failing or refusing to provide an equal educational opportunity and a quality education to children attending racially isolated minority schools.” Subsequently the District was ordered to undertake a number of reforms, including full day kindergarten, a more rigorous and uniform curriculum, and increased support services for students in low performing schools. Other changes like smaller class size were introduced and then abandoned when financial problems hit the District.

[BarryG]

How much does the district pay per student at district-run schools? How much does the district pay per student at schools run by outside contractors? How much does the district pay per school at charter schools? I just get the impression that district-run schools cost alot more to operate per-student, and that Jerry Jordan should look at what happened to the UAW workers before he flat out denies that there is a need for contract updates. The state of Michigan's economy collapsed, and alot of people are working for alot less than they were before, because their companies collapsed and went bankrupt, which voided their contracts. We're talking $10 per hour now for people who used to make over twice that. The SDP doesn't need to declare bankruptcy to nullify the contract. I hope it doesn't get as ugly as it did in Michigan, where the UAW is now a shell of its former self because its leaders didn't read the handwriting on the wall and adapt in time.

If you have read my previous posts on this topic you know I have little love for the teacher's unions. However. Many of the teachers in PSD are really underpaid for what they do; teaching in the city can be very difficult compared to the 'burbs, and teachers here take a pay cut to do it. I don't know what your suggestion is, but what the union needs to give ground on in tenure--the teachers getting laid off should be the expendable ones, not the ones that have been here the least amount of time. Protecting older teachers who may be past their prime and laying off young, energetic teachers who get a smaller salary is very foolish. They also should bump up the class size max, at least in the high schools. There is no correlation between class size and student performance at the secondary level.

If the school district could lay off expensive, underperforming teachers and optimize the use lower-paid and better ones, this would be much less painful.

[3rd&Brown]

Has anyone read the comments over at philly.com.

The whole tenor of this argument just sickens me. I don't understand what Republicans and Tea Party-ers expect when they demand and elect no new taxes under any circumstances. For god's sake, we have billionaires from OK and TX stealing our natural gas, tax free, all the while the school district of Philadelphia is ending full-day kindergarten.

What's wrong with this picture? And who voted for that jerk (Corbett)?

Argh. So frustrating.

[billy ross]

Has anyone read the comments over at philly.com.

The whole tenor of this argument just sickens me. I don't understand what Republicans and Tea Party-ers expect when they demand and elect no new taxes under any circumstances. For god's sake, we have billionaires from OK and TX stealing our natural gas, tax free, all the while the school district of Philadelphia is ending full-day kindergarten.

What's wrong with this picture? And who voted for that jerk (Corbett)?

Argh. So frustrating.

I don't think that it can be argued that the SDP delivers value for the dollars the state has thrown at it. According to Karen Heller, King High has a graduation rate of 32%, for instance. At some point the chickens come home to roost. The system is being dismantled, and the changes will become more radical under Corbett. Right now we have a system which is built around which adults get which spoils.

The SDP has been a drag on the city and on the state for decades. A new approach is being tried. It will be one built around students. Students and their families will be empowered to control their destinies. It'll be interesting to see how it works out. I think that vouchers are just a part of the radical reform agenda, and that throwing money at the SDP isn't. That's what I meant when I said that it's time for the union to wake up and figure out that they're making themselves irrelevant with their head in the sand approach. We have gone from a system where the interests of the producer predominated, be they manufacturers or workers, to a system where the interests of the consumer are paramount, and the producer be damned. Philadelphia used to be a manufacturing city, a producer. Now Wal-Mart gets its crap from China, and precious few people care about who the producers are. It's been a wrenching adjustment for Philadelphia. The SDP is a producer which does a lousy job. It, and everyone who makes money off of it, is in huge trouble, because just like Sears and K-Mart and Acme couldn't adapt to the new consumer-focused world, and so got replaced by new, leaner, more customer-focused producers, I just don't see the SDP adapting.

I also believe that Corbett views education as how he will be judged as governor; he doesn't plan to ignore it or starve it as your post implies. He loves Christie, but I think he's looking to go beyond where Christie has gone.

[Queen Villager]

The SDP has been a drag on the city and on the state for decades. A new approach is being tried. It will be one built around students. Students and their families will be empowered to control their destinies. It'll be interesting to see how it works out.

How is firing 3800 people and shutting down full-day kindergarten going to empower students and their families, especially the scores of thousands of poor, stressed families and "at-risk" children? How will it not drag on the city when the poor and middle-class parents of thousands of half-day kindergarteners must try to make child-care arrangements for them, and when many of those children enter first grade ill-prepared for the curriculum? Those with the means will go to private school or leave for the suburbs (or both). The system may be broken now, but I'm not sure that dismantling it entirely is the answer, especially when some schools in this city do work well.

[ArcticSplash]

Has anyone read the comments over at philly.com.

The whole tenor of this argument just sickens me. I don't understand what Republicans and Tea Party-ers expect when they demand and elect no new taxes under any circumstances. For god's sake, we have billionaires from OK and TX stealing our natural gas, tax free, all the while the school district of Philadelphia is ending full-day kindergarten.

What's wrong with this picture? And who voted for that jerk (Corbett)?

Argh. So frustrating.

You mean the "Keep voting Democrat!!!" comments that comes up on every Inky/DN story that involves negative news?


Had we an actual real two-party system in this town where there's genuine political competition for offices, perhaps we wouldn't be so corrupt and contented; which is an attitude that isn't very welcome to city-wide planning or progressive reform until a crisis develops.

[raider.adam]

What's wrong with this picture? And who voted for that jerk (Corbett)?

The thing is, Corbett is doing pretty much exactly what he campaigned on. And he won by a comfortable margin.

[3rd&Brown]

The thing is, Corbett is doing pretty much exactly what he campaigned on. And he won by a comfortable margin.

Oh. GIVE ME A BREAK. You and I both know that Corbett's win had everything to do with the tenor and races at the national level. Both he and Onorato were practically invisible during the governor's race. It was the biggest snooze of a gubernatorial election I've ever seen in this state. I care about this stuff, and I had to practically DIG for information on their stances. Do you really think the average voter knew what the hell they were voting for? They were voting for the Tea Party/Republican "ideals". They weren't voting for Tom Corbett.

[Quote=billyross]I don't think that it can be argued that the SDP delivers value for the dollars the state has thrown at it. According to Karen Heller, King High has a graduation rate of 32%, for instance. At some point the chickens come home to roost. The system is being dismantled, and the changes will become more radical under Corbett. Right now we have a system which is built around which adults get which spoils.[quote=billyross]

Oh, right. You send your kids to William Penn Charter. F you, billy. Seriously. This impacts the good schools just as well as the bad ones. This does have to be said, about the way this plan is being laid out. Ackerman should be using more precision. If 1,380 teachers are being let go, she should just close the X number of worst performing schools that account for the equivalent of 1,380 teachers. The district is oversized anyway, relative to enrollment.

Making the cuts so widespread seems short-sighted. Why aren't school closures included in this plan?

[NickleDimer]

School reform has to start with the teachers' union. Cutting all these teachers won't make the district better. Their contract probably dictates that those with the least seniority (read: those with a fresh education, new insights, ambitious goals for the american education system) and preserve the old guard, many of whom are part of the reason this district got so bad in the first place. It's insane that teachers pay and priority when it comes to cuts is not determined by the quality of their instruction, but by the number of years they've been in the district.