How the next mayor can help Philadelphia’s schools

The top reason people with kids move out of Philadelphia isn’t because of crime or jobs — it’s because of the schools. That means the young and upwardly mobile — the middle-class taxpayers who would fund schools and government — are leaving.

Here’s one sensible way to stop that: Give every family with school-age kids living in the Philadelphia School District cash to go to the schools they want to attend. You don’t even need to pass laws to make that happen — the legislature already provided that opportunity to school districts.

Passed in 2012, a Pennsylvania law provides a way out for students who attend a school that isn’t meeting their needs. The law authorizes school boards to provide scholarships using state funds for students in the district to attend other public and non-public schools.

Of course, this solution relies on school boards and administrators putting the needs of the students over their own. Administrators, too often beholden to powerful government unions, have a tight grip on the money and are weary to relinquish any of it to the rightful owners: the children.

But the mayor can change that. In Philadelphia, the mayor elects the city’s school board — the body with the power to create these scholarship programs. A new mayor can free thousands of students from failing schools simply by appointing a new school board that will finally put students first by providing scholarships.

Research shows that scholarship programs exert competitive pressure on school districts, forcing them to improve. A 2022 EdChoice report found that 25 out of 28 studies concluded that school choice programs had a positive effect on public school students’ test scores.

School districts would still retain much of the almost $20,000 per student they receive in funding — even for students that leave on scholarships. A 2022 study of Ohio’s scholarship program found no negative impact on school districts’ per-student expenditures.

Imagine using funds in a way that helps children improve both public and private school outcomes, rather than pouring money into the Philadelphia School District with zero results or accountability.

The School District is home to nearly 140 of the state’s low-achieving schools — or public schools that rank in the bottom 15% based on performance metrics. According to the latest statewide scores, 70% of Philadelphia eighth graders were not proficient in language arts and 90% were not proficient in math. Philadelphia’s achievement results are among the lowest compared with other big-city districts nationally.

According to a recent poll, around two-thirds of city residents agree that Philadelphia is heading in the wrong direction, and there’s strong consensus — especially in communities of color — that improving schools should be a top priority for elected officials.

We need a strong mayoral candidate who will finally hold all schools, administrators, and most importantly, a new school board, accountable to their first responsibility of putting student needs first.

Proposed legislation in the state Capitol would target education funding directly to students and families in the most underserved, underperforming schools. Introduced and passed by the Pennsylvania House last year, the Lifeline Scholarship program would give families in low-achieving schools around $7,000 of public funding to pay for educational expenses like tuition, homeschool curriculum, and tutoring. The program has bipartisan support, with even Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro backing the proposal.

Another legislative solution is to expand the state’s economically disadvantaged schools fund, which provides supplemental tax credit scholarships to low-income students. Students who qualify attend a school where at least 51% of the students receive scholarships from the Education Improvement Tax Credit or Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Programs. Economically disadvantaged school scholarships give these students access to better schools and a better future.

Our elected officials in Harrisburg have options on the table that will benefit all of Pennsylvania’s kids — but right here in Philadelphia, we don’t need to wait for legislative fixes. We just need a strong mayor to finally put our kids first.