All Eyes On Phila. School District As Battle Over More Charter Schools Gets A Vote Tonight
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The School Reform Commission tonight is deciding whether to approve any or all of the 39 applications for new charter schools in the city of Philadelphia.
The issue pits charter supporters, who say there's a public demand for more school choices, against traditional public school advocates, who contend that charter schools divert desperately needed resources from public schools.
Already, one-third of Philadelphia students attend charter schools. The cash-strapped district has an $80-million deficit next year, and has said it can't afford new charters.
But Pennsylvania House speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) has made several recent trips to Philadelphia, urging the SRC to approve more charters. And the pro-charter group Philadelphia School Partnership has offered the district $25 million to defray the cost of new charters, but the SRC hasn't said whether it would accept the cash. Others have pointed out that the one-time donation would leave the school district with an additional budgeting problem down the road.