Coalition of Philly public school and charter officials call on Pa. lawmakers to approve House Democrats’ funding plan

A group of public and charter school officials called on legislative leaders to pass state House Democrats’ proposal to fix Pennsylvania’s unconstitutional funding system, which would bring $242 million to the city this year and $1.4 billion more over the next seven years.

The unusual 15-member coalition, led by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, includes public school, charter school and union officials from groups such as the African American Charter School Coalition, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Esperanza, and SEIU 32BJ. Charter and public school officials are often at odds with one another, as they compete for the same public funds and students in what’s already an underfunded system.

“Our organizations represent different sectors, have different missions, and have policy differences on a range of issues, but we have come together with one voice to urge you to take action to support the needs of all Philadelphia students,” the coalition officials wrote in a letter sent Sunday to Gov. Josh Shapiro and legislative leaders.

House Democrats are poised to pass the sweeping changes to Pennsylvania’s school funding system on Monday. Its future is unclear in the GOP-controlled Senate, where Republicans have expressed concern with the proposal because leaders can’t predict the state’s economic future over the next seven years it would take to fully fund the new system.

The 87-page bill would cement a plan brought forward by Democratic lawmakers on the bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission earlier this year, intended to address the Commonwealth Court ruling’s findings that Pennsylvania has been depriving students of needed resources, particularly in poorer communities that can’t raise as much in local tax revenue as wealthier peers.

The plan sets targets for adequate funding in each district, based on a measure of what high-performing Pennsylvania districts spend, and how much aid the state owes each of them. The full amount — more than $5 billion — would be phased in over seven years.

The letter, however, did not mention two of the most controversial parts of budget talks this year in relation to education funding: cyber charter school funding and proposals to set aside taxpayer dollars to send some students in poor school districts to private schools.

The bill the House of Representatives plans to pass Monday includes provisions to slash payments from school districts to cyber charters that House Democrats estimate would save districts $530 million next year alone. It does not include any school voucher proposal, but Senate Republicans maintain that parents should have access to all forms of education, including private ones, to fix Pennsylvania’s school funding system.

“The General Assembly has an opportunity this year to finally end the system of education that has denied students across the commonwealth, and here in Philadelphia, their fundamental right to an education that prepares them to succeed,” the coalition officials wrote.

“Imagine what we could do if Philadelphia students had access to the world-class education they deserve.”