Education Advocates Give City Council, State Lawmakers Low Marks
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A report card from a coalition of education advocates gives barely-passing grades to City Council and the state legislature, when it comes to funding Philly schools.
City Council gets a C-minus. And the state legislature gets a "D" in a report card from a coalition of groups led by Public Citizens for Children and Youth.
Donna Cooper, PCCY's executive director says, "This is where we think you are. You have to do better. Now, the real way that City Council and the State Legislature will understand that is when people turn their anger about the underfunding of public education into action at the polls."
Council got credit for passing the cigarette tax, but received an "incomplete" for failing to authorize a one-percent sales tax extension. Cooper says the Legislature's "D" grade was based on its inability to pass a statewide school funding formula, and for providing only the minimum for Philadelphia schools.
