Last week we called for immediate action from Philadelphia’s leaders to ensure our public schools are prepared to open in September. We’ve recently seen signs of movement in the right direction:

• Mayor Nutter guaranteed at least $50 million needed to open schools on September 9; the District can now begin hiring back critical school staff who were laid off this summer.
• The SRC voted to temporarily suspend parts of the state school code; one of the changes will allow schools to hire back staff based on the needs of students, rather than seniority only.

Now, we must have an honest conversation about what it will take to provide not just an adequate, but a high-quality education for all Philadelphia’s students. In Friday’s Inquirer, we urged a shift from political posturing to problem-solving for the District that will require leadership, courage and creativity from all sides:

“What is needed is innovative thinking, from both district management and the teachers’ union. It’s time to agree that money is not the only problem facing our schools, and that the path forward requires policy and contract changes.”

Read the piece by Mark Gleason, Jonathan Cetel, executive director of PennCAN, and former State Representative Tony Payton here.

Thanks for your continued support; please contact us with questions or to get involved in our work to ensure every child in Philadelphia can attend a great school.