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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DATE: February 17, 2016


CONTACT: Ian Gavigan (ian.gavigan@phila.gov) 215-686-3408
After Supreme Court ruling, failure of state takeover clear
PHILADELPHIA Councilwoman Helen Gym (At Large) released the following statement
following yesterdays Pennsylvania Supreme Courts ruling in West Philadelphia Achievement
Charter Elem. v. the School District of Philadelphia and SRC:
Yesterdays Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling makes unmistakably clear that the School
Reform Commission and Pennsylvanias fifteen-year experiment in state takeover have been a
disaster for students and schools.
Since its formation, and particularly in recent years, the SRC has used its unprecedented powers
to impose new rules that allow schools to operate without essential staff, slash programming,
close schools, and violate key sections of the teachers contract. The SRC has also continued to
recklessly expand the charter sector by approving new charters and ceding control of dozens of
schools to private operators. Charter payments have rapidly become the Districts largest cost
burden while underfunded, understaffed neighborhood schools languish in disrepair.
After years of administrative overreach and failed experimentation, with no end in sight to the
fiscal distress the Commission was supposed to alleviate, the time has come to dissolve the
School Reform Commission and finally give control of Philadelphias schools to
Philadelphians.
Furthermore, with the Courts declaration that Harrisburg may not abdicate its responsibilities
to the SRC, it has become urgently necessary for the General Assembly to fix the states broken
system for funding and regulating public education. Specifically the legislature must address its
deeply-flawed, nineteen-year old charter law, which prevents school districts from exercising full
control over charter school authorization and growth. Without action, Philadelphias school
district will not remain solvent and is at grave risk.
Both in Philadelphia and across the state, it is abundantly clear that our system of public
schools, so many of which are struggling to provide the most basic services to students, cannot
be called thorough and efficient. It is now up to the Courts to weigh in on the need for a fair
funding system, and to ensure that the legislature does its job.
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