SDP Collapsing Faster than Expected

[Dolemite]

Charters, which kept their mouths shut when Corbett cut the education budget last year,

Talk about spouting off uninformed opinions. ICS sent bus loads of students to Harrisburg protesting the past couple of years. Anyway "Charters" aren't a collective entity that you can make absolute comments about.

[BarryG]

You are one to talk about ducking issues. Why do you depend on me to educate you on matters regarding the SDP even though you seem to have no problem spouting off uninformed opinions? The charter per-pupil payments are currently $8,773 and will go to $8,065 next year because of the drop off in funding. Charters, which kept their mouths shut when Corbett cut the education budget last year, are now requesting that they somehow be exempt from the cuts that they largely failed to protest (charter per-pupil payments lag one year behind any cuts).

We don't know whether there were any other operators interested in Audenreid because it and the $55 million building we paid for was handed over in a no bid process. Moreover, once Universal got into the school Gamble talked publicly about how he had a hand in the design aspects which sounds awfully like the taxpayers built him his school and then gifted it to him. If you can't see this for the crooked deal it is then I think you have no interest in having an honest discussion.

It is incredibly crooked. The optimistic view is that the new SRC has a lot of work cut out for them, and doing away with Kenny's corrupt deals is a big challenge that they arent/can't focus on now. They kids still need to get educated somewhere. It's a win that he is giving back any money at all. Maybe next year they will continue to chip away at this corrupt deals.

[annie]

Talk about spouting off uninformed opinions. ICS sent bus loads of students to Harrisburg protesting the past couple of years. Anyway "Charters" aren't a collective entity that you can make absolute comments about.

If you had kept reading, you would have noticed I said "they largely failed to protest." I am aware of individual schools being active. I find it strange that groups like the Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools and the like didn't make much of a peep last year. They're noisy now that the cuts are trickling down to them.

It's a win that he is giving back any money at all. Maybe next year they will continue to chip away at this corrupt deals.

He's not giving any money back. He gets the school and utilities and maintenance for free this year and pays less than his costs next year. Since the SRC just passed a FY13 budget that didn't restore cut nurses, school police AND ADDED an 11% reduction in instructional spending it's hard to feel happy about this "win."

[Dolemite]

If you had kept reading, you would have noticed I said "they largely failed to protest."

I guess the SDP largely failed to protest too.

[annie]

I guess the SDP largely failed to protest too.

The institution? Yes. The parents and community? No.

[Dolemite]

The institution? Yes. The parents and community? No.

And the parents and communities of Charters didn't fail either. So basically you said nothing when you made your snide remark about Charters.

[annie]

And the parents and communities of Charters didn't fail either. So basically you said nothing when you made your snide remark about Charters.

I think they were a hell of a lot less active. It's hard to get riled up when the hurt is year off and you've got politicians and major PACs lobbying and trying to carve out special legislation to protect you further.

But let's turn this thread about an important topic into a snit fit between you and me. Let's.

[Dolemite]

I think they were a hell of a lot less active. It's hard to get riled up when the hurt is year off and you've got politicians and major PACs lobbying and trying to carve out special legislation to protect you further.

Or you're just wrong.

You're whole logic is off. These Charter operators know where the money is coming from so it's in their best interest to keep that stream as large as possible. They are likely to spend money to send kids to Harrisburg than to ignore it.

But let's turn this thread about an important topic into a snit fit between you and me. Let's.

I suppose if you keep making snide remarks we will.

[annie]

Universal is receiving ~$4 million over three years from the federal government for its Renaissance programs at Bluford (visited by Romney) and Daroff: http://www.edweek.org/media/22charter-c1n.pdf

It had expected to receive millions from the federal government for Audenried and Vare as part of the Promise Neighborhood Initiative but it didn't: Universal Companies loses out on grant for Promise Neighborhood implementation | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Universal's contract requires that it provide all promised programs and services at Audenried and Vare whether it received the grant or not. It wasn't clear how the company was going to do that without the government money it was banking on and now we know.

[annie]

!!!!!!!

$1.8 million: District price tag at Audenried and Vare this year | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Universal will pay nothing to operate in Audenried and Vare for the 2011-12 school year. Next year, Universal will continue to receive the same services and pay a total of $500,000 to operate in the two buildings - $300,000 for Audenried and $200,000 for Vare - with the District picking up the balance. The balance of the cost assumed by the District next year is again expected to easily exceed $1 million.

[raider.adam]

!!!!!!!

$1.8 million: District price tag at Audenried and Vare this year | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Heh.

[annie]

Just the visual representation of the aneurysm I had. And here's another:

270 more layoff notices to go out this week | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

PFT president Jerry Jordan said Tuesday that 270 of his members are receiving layoff notices, including 39 counselors, 85 people in the category covering parent ombudsmen and student advisers, 22 non-teaching assistants, and 97 supportive services assistants.
Other categories hit include secretaries, school operations officers, full-time class assistants, and six vocational teachers -- two in home economics and three in industrial arts, he said

So much for the "firewall" the SDP supposedly built around the schools. What did they make it out of, newspaper?

[Dolemite]

Just the visual representation of the aneurysm I had. And here's another:

270 more layoff notices to go out this week | Philadelphia Public School Notebook


So much for the "firewall" the SDP supposedly built around the schools. What did they make it out of, newspaper?

With the huge decrease in number of students it makes sense that the SDP wouldn't need as many staff members. I'm not sure what the issue is here. I understand that it sucks for people to lose jobs but when you can't afford to pay them then you have to lay them off.

[seand]

Ramos politically bungles amendment to "distressed school district" bill to shore up the district's ability to demand give backs on pension costs without renogiating contract.
SRC push for more power over unions riles legislators

The politics of the story is fascinating. It appears the SRC assumed they had more power under the original terms of the state takeover to force pension changes than a more careful look at the fine print waranted. Which throws their budget projections out of whack. So Pedro Ramos attempts to get an amendment in shoring up their ability to force pension give backs on the DL and gets caught up by Philly state reps for not working with them. Meaning it gets shot down and yet more school closings and layoffs to make up for savings they won't get on pensions in all likelihood.

But State Rep. Jim Roebuck proved why his position on the education committee is so important to both the PFT and its ideological enemies in the voucher movement.

Ramos' revelation about the amendment especially rankled State Rep. James Roebuck (D., Phila.), the normally genteel Democratic chair of the Education Committee.

"Chairman Roebuck lost his temper," O'Brien said. "The even-tempered, unflappable Ph.D. from the University of Virginia became [incensed]. No one had ever seen that before."

Roebuck told Ramos: "This will never make it out of my committee," according to O'Brien, and the rest of the delegation promised it would never get a floor vote.

Roebuck agreed that the meeting was "contentious" and said the SRC's actions were "disingenuous at best."

"I think it makes us cautious as to whether or not we have a trustworthy relationship with the SRC," Roebuck said.

As O'Brien recalled, Ramos told them he was an appointee of Gov. Corbett and could not act without consulting him. To which Roebuck replied: "Go back to the governor and get the money to fix this." And then the meeting broke up.

So is Roebuck right? Is there anymore money to be squeezed from the governor or is it simply a lost cause and is he in fact demanding the SRC lay off more teachers to protect the pensions of the few who remain because thats how Jerry Jordan would rather play it?

[annie]

With the huge decrease in number of students it makes sense that the SDP wouldn't need as many staff members. I'm not sure what the issue is here. I understand that it sucks for people to lose jobs but when you can't afford to pay them then you have to lay them off.

You don't understand. Many schools lost their school police and full-time nurse in the layoffs over the last year. Many of the positions listed in these recent layoffs were covering for those previously let go. Knudsen and Nixon have said the school budgets and staffing were cut to the bone and that they weren't going to touch them further (a lie because there's an 11% decrease in instructional spending in the FY2013 budget which is what caused this). This is understaffing to a dangerous and lawsuit generating level.

[annie]

So is Roebuck right? Is there anymore money to be squeezed from the governor or is it simply a lost cause and is he in fact demanding the SRC lay off more teachers to protect the pensions of the few who remain because thats how Jerry Jordan would rather play it?

I believe Ramos told City Council the SRC is expecting more money for the charter from Corbett IN THE FUTURE for the decentralization we are doing NOW. Bobby Henon doesn't have the video up but I swear he said that. Seems like we should be getting the money now for what we are doing now.

[raider.adam]

I believe Ramos told City Council the SRC is expecting more money for the charter from Corbett IN THE FUTURE for the decentralization we are doing NOW. Bobby Henon doesn't have the video up but I swear he said that. Seems like we should be getting the money now for what we are doing now.

Sounds like the usual thing. Budgeting based on what they hope to get. Now we know why SRC and Kenny Gamble get along.

[seand]

I believe Ramos told City Council the SRC is expecting more money for the charter from Corbett IN THE FUTURE for the decentralization we are doing NOW. Bobby Henon doesn't have the video up but I swear he said that. Seems like we should be getting the money now for what we are doing now.

You said yourself decentralization is expense neutral. Whether they are right or wrong (and you obviously assume wrong) about it working, I assume they want decentralization because they actually believe they might be able to get higher test numbers, better graduation rates, not as a sacrifice to the angry pro-charter Republican gods in hope they might rain down more money.

[seand]

Sounds like the usual thing. Budgeting based on what they hope to get. Now we know why SRC and Kenny Gamble get along.

They get along because Kenny Gamble is beloved by Buppie Dem politicos and white Republican politicos for some strange reason and the are more worried about making those politicos happy then educating kids.

[annie]

You said yourself decentralization is expense neutral. Whether they are right or wrong (and you obviously assume wrong) about it working, I assume they want decentralization because they actually believe they might be able to get higher test numbers, better graduation rates, not as a sacrifice to the angry pro-charter Republican gods in hope they might rain down more money.

I was watching the livestream. That's what he said. I don't know what your first comment has to do with anything.