PHILLY.COM / AP: The head of Philadelphia’s public schools said Tuesday that the district needs an additional $96 million to offer students even a “wholly inadequate” education next year, and he implored city and state lawmakers to invest much more in the cash-strapped system.
Superintendent William Hite’s last-minute plea for funding came two days before City Council is scheduled to break for the summer and just as legislators are struggling to hammer out a state budget before the fiscal year begins July 1.
Without the extra money, Hite said, the system could see class sizes above 40 and more than 800 teachers laid off. He has also floated the idea of not opening schools this fall… (more)
You could give them $96 Billion and it wouldn’t make a difference. No matter which school district, the only thing more money does is to increase the income of the teachers and administrators.
We should outsource or eliminate music, art, phys. ed. instructors. Paying $100K plus per year including benefits for those positions is ridiculous. You don’t need a 4 year degree to teach these things, let alone a masters.
Teachers and administrators have to realize that the taxpayer doesn’t have unlimited funds. If you don’t like the pay and benefits (You would have to crazy not to) then go into a different field of work and see how that works out for you.
Students who don’t want to learn should be removed from the school system. If they wise up in the future, help them get their GED.
Having been educated in a school system with up to 72 students in a grade school class and 50+ in high school classrooms I don’t understand the problem. Research from the Commonwealth Foundation shows that since 2000, despite a decrease of 35000 students statewide, the school system employees increased by over 35000. Since the Phila. public education industry cannot seem to get the job done, perhaps the time has come to issue vouchers.
EDITOR: No comment.