SDP Collapsing Faster than Expected

**raider.adam** · 06-29-2012, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by BarryG

Philly.com comments imply that Hite has a history of personal misconduct and nepotism... any truth to that?

Is he applying for the PHA job?

heyo!

**annie** · 06-29-2012, 03:50 PM

Reform PGCPS Sasscer

Those are from an anonymous blog the authors of which refuse to go public (Inky reporter talked to one on condition of anonymity). It's kind of hard to know what to make of it then. With Ackerman, there were public warning signs and named stories.

**annie** · 06-29-2012, 04:40 PM

Did Philadelphia poach Prince George's Superintendent Hite? | WashingtonExaminer.com

Hite's spokesman, Briant Coleman, said his boss had not received an offer from Phildelphia as of Friday afternoon. "I think Dr. Hite is still making a decision," Coleman said, clarifying that "no decision" has been given to Hite from the City of Brotherly Love yet.

Also, on Monday night, I remember Martinez saying Philadelphia was his first choice - so much for that.

**Hospitalitygirl** · 06-29-2012, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by annie

Did Philadelphia poach Prince George's Superintendent Hite? | WashingtonExaminer.com

Also, on Monday night, I remember Martinez saying Philadelphia was his first choice - so much for that.

The comments section on philly.com had plenty of negative comments on both candidates, with more negativity given to Hite.

Is it a case of smoke and mirrors or where there's smoke there's fire? I have cause for concern with either candidate.

**Marquis** · 06-29-2012, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by Hospitalitygirl

Is it a case of smoke and mirrors or where there's smoke there's fire?

Can you provide a smoke-free option please?

**Hospitalitygirl** · 06-29-2012, 07:19 PM

Hite is new Philadelphia schools chief

It's official.

**annie** · 06-29-2012, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Hospitalitygirl

The comments section on philly.com had plenty of negative comments on both candidates, with more negativity given to Hite.

Is it a case of smoke and mirrors or where there's smoke there's fire? I have cause for concern with either candidate.

I don't know that Philly.com comments are the best barometer and a lot of the Hite negativity seemed to have to do with his race and assumptions about the power system in Philly. Keep in mind these same commenters assumed Ramos was behind the Martinez pick for racial reasons but those sitting near Ramos on Monday night could hear him harrumphing while Martinez spoke. Martinez really did come off pretty badly, name dropping Arne Duncan and playing BCG buzzword bingo instead of answering legitimate questions, a record that included laying off 500 teachers but hiring 50 TFAs and bragging about jacking up the graduation rate without showing that it resulted from real learning etc.

Hite's to-do list when he arrives in Philly is going to include beginning the process of proposing 40 schools for closure, a difficult budget environment and a big money "plan/draft/concept" dreamed up by outside consultants and pushed by his bosses. The landing may be rough to say the least.

**raider.adam** · 06-29-2012, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by annie

Did Philadelphia poach Prince George's Superintendent Hite? | WashingtonExaminer.com

Also, on Monday night, I remember Martinez saying Philadelphia was his first choice - so much for that.

I have a feeling he was told he wasn't going to be picked.

**billy ross** · 06-30-2012, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Hospitalitygirl

The comments section on philly.com had plenty of negative comments on both candidates, with more negativity given to Hite.

Is it a case of smoke and mirrors or where there's smoke there's fire? I have cause for concern with either candidate.

My gut tells me that I would have preferred a that new search be conducted. I've been through these 'national searches' before where the finalists weren't of the quality that was required, and it got really ugly until that person who was chosen left in a very disruptive manner. Ironically, the temporary replacement who came in to fill in for a year while another national search was conducted ended up being a perfect fit, and he was eventually offered and accepted the permanent position, and he's worked out amazingly well.

**annie** · 07-01-2012, 03:32 PM

Anyway, my concern now is with the superintendent contract and transparency. Hite has to give four months notice in order to get his severance package with his current district. I hope we don't end up buying him out of it or continuing to pay CRO Knudsen $25K/month for four months while Hite ties up loose ends.

**annie** · 07-06-2012, 11:50 AM

Phila. SD deficit has grown to as much as $282m

Officials say they want to make up the money by collecting delinquent taxes, and say they are taking steps with the city to make that happen. Should that effort not yield enough new money, though, they say they will have to consider things like non-school cuts, reductions to salary and benefits (both unionized and non-unionized employees) and finally, school cuts - the last resort, they said.

**annie** · 07-07-2012, 01:50 PM

This chart has been stuck in my brain these last few days:

Also this, though I'm not sure I agree with all of the assertions (particularly about Ackerman and the stimulus money):
Commentary: The '20% less' solution is the problem, not the answer | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Finally, it is curious that they are making real noise only now about the delinquent taxes now that they're ****ed by not getting all of the $94 million. At the SRC meeting on May 1st, I brought up the issue of the uncollected taxes and Ramos assured me after my testimony that CRO Knudsen was working on just such a plan and would be presenting it to City Council. Just what have they been doing these past 60+ days?

**MariusPontmercy** · 07-07-2012, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by annie

This chart has been stuck in my brain these last few days:

Also this, though I'm not sure I agree with all of the assertions (particularly about Ackerman and the stimulus money):
Commentary: The '20% less' solution is the problem, not the answer | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Finally, it is curious that they are making real noise only now about the delinquent taxes now that they're ****ed by not getting all of the $94 million. At the SRC meeting on May 1st, I brought up the issue of the uncollected taxes and Ramos assured me after my testimony that CRO Knudsen was working on just such a plan and would be presenting it to City Council. Just what have they been doing these past 60+ days?

Wonder why Pittsburgh gets so much more funding when it has about the same relative level of poverty.

**annie** · 07-07-2012, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by MariusPontmercy

Wonder why Pittsburgh gets so much more funding when it has about the same relative level of poverty.

I'll ask as I was wondering the same thing. To be clear, the chart is showing revenue per pupil, not expenditure so it doesn't take into account Philly's additional funding from the state and federal Title 1 funding. This chart from the same source shows the (relatively minor) impact of Title 1 given the increased needs of districts with high poverty rates:

**raider.adam** · 07-08-2012, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by annie

Also this, though I'm not sure I agree with all of the assertions (particularly about Ackerman and the stimulus money):
Commentary: The '20% less' solution is the problem, not the answer | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Why would anyone think that students living in deep poverty in Philadelphia can be effectively educated for 20 percent less than what is being spent on students in the suburbs?

That is a silly answer. If the suburbs spent $30,000 per pupil, Michael Churchill is saying that SDP would still be screwed at $24K a student. Obviously that makes no sense.

This is part of the problem when trying to deal with education funding. In determining the money that is needed to run SDP isn't relative to what Lower Merion spends. If Lower Merion cut their budget by 20%, does that all of a sudden mean SDP's budget is fine? Of course not.

Well, doesn’t Philadelphia get more state funding than any other Pennsylvania school district? No, not on a per-student basis.

State data show that more than 30 percent of Pennsylvania’s school districts get higher per-student state funding than Philadelphia. In some cases, the difference is dramatic. Pittsburgh received $8,645 per student in state funding in 2010, while Philadelphia received $6,779. That’s a $1,866 difference. If Philly had an extra $1,866 per student in state funding, it would be receiving $373 million more from the Commonwealth.

Would be helpful if they explained why. I mean, if you combine the above statement with their previous:

(If Philadelphia had an extra $2,700 per student, its budget would be $540 million higher.)

they are making the argument that the problem is simply the state formula on disbursements.

As for the talk on Commonwealth cuts, isn't the Commonwealth spending more of its money on k-12 education than before?

**OldMama** · 07-08-2012, 01:26 PM

In all this we need to remember that the PSD has many, many more special education and ESL students than the burbs. The self-contained versions of special ed are extremely expensive and drive up the per pupil spending. Even though these classes are mandated by a federal law, they are not funded by that law. More special ed students necessitates more PTs, OTs, speech therapists, psychologists, and classroom assistants. Having a uniform per pupil-based funding formula that does not take the higher numbers of special ed and ESL students into account actually, then, allots less per regular education pupil than in other districts.

**annie** · 07-13-2012, 08:06 PM

$139 million: Cost of charter expansion so far | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

Charter school expansions approved by the School Reform Commission this spring are projected to cost the cash-strapped School District $139 million over the next five years – $100 million more than District officials had previously stated.
A District spokesperson released the revised figure hours after School Reform Commissioner Joseph Dworetzky directly challenged District staff’s previous public estimate -- $38 million over five years – during the SRC's open session Friday morning,
The dramatically lower cost estimate “was an error,” Thomas Darden, the District’s deputy for strategic initiatives, later acknowledged.

I guess Darden attended the Michael Masch school of accounting. Told you Dworetzky is the only one paying attention. But hey, Mastery Lenfest will save the district $20 million by giving up 600 unused seats (because, you know, all successful charters like Mastery have long waitlists) so only what an $80 million difference to go? Love the attempted save at the end that the SRC's been working based on the correct calculation all along - if that were true Dworetzky wouldn't have needed to run the numbers himself.

**raider.adam** · 07-13-2012, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by annie

$139 million: Cost of charter expansion so far | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

I guess Darden attended the Michael Masch school of accounting. Told you Dworetzky is the only one paying attention. But hey, Mastery Lenfest will save the district $20 million by giving up 600 unused seats (because, you know, all successful charters like Mastery have long waitlists) so only what an $80 million difference to go? Love the attempted save at the end that the SRC's been working based on the correct calculation all along - if that were true Dworetzky wouldn't have needed to run the numbers himself.

So the guy who is rarely in the area seems to have a better hold on things than the others?

**annie** · 07-13-2012, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

So the guy who is rarely in the area seems to have a better hold on things than the others?

Yes and more willing to ask questions that might make the respondents uncomfortable or have to think. Maybe his law firm work has been less since his move and he has more time to review documents?

I have to imagine Cary and Pritchett got all kinds of calls from people tonight. Cary because Dworetzky's arguments convinced her to vote with him against the charter expansions. Pritchett because he's the only other one that could conceivably be turned.

Ramos asked today if Northeast High was overcrowded. I sure hope that was just a leading question and not ignorance...

**annie** · 07-23-2012, 07:28 PM

Pretty low-key SRC meeting tonight. The 32BJ contract was approved - supposedly $100 million in savings. Hope they got that math right at least.

I did see Leroy Nunery, who did such a bang up job as Acting Superintendent that he got demoted and Chief Recovery Officer Knudsen was brought in at a salary of $25K/month but is for some reason allowed to hang around still for $200K/year, slide into his Porsche in the parking lot before the meeting. The livestream doesn't pick up on little things like that...