School Funding

The district has added air conditioning to dozens of schools in recent years. But around 50 still won’t have adequate cooling when the new school year begins.

The budget directs more funding to the state’s poorest districts. But advocates say more funding is still necessary for literacy and early childhood education.

Pennsylvania’s state budget will be late again. But a key House Democrat says a major impasse on education is unlikely.

Voters' views of Philadelphia schools have worsened over the past year, according to a new survey conducted after a turbulent year for the district.

Mayor Cherelle Parker said no additional recurring funding is coming to the district under the deal.

Superintendent Tony Watlington sent a memo to city councilmembers on Thursday saying without a new source of recurring revenue, the district would not stop the cuts.

City Council gave initial approval to a $7 billion budget deal Thursday that leaves out the $1 tax on companies like Uber and Lyft. Instead, councilmembers’ will draw $48 million from other budget sources for the school district.

The Philadelphia Board of Education, which is appointed by the mayor, approved a plan to close 17 schools. That’s led to calls for the board to be elected instead.

The district budget includes some $225 million in cuts that will mean schools will lose climate staff, teachers, counselors, and substitutes.

The centerpiece of a Pennsylvania lawmaker’s congressional campaign is a $500 billion proposal to fund school construction and maintenance. It’ll be a tough sell.

The Yass Prize — an organization founded by Yass and his wife Janine — announced new ‘Opportunity Knocks’ scholarships. Critics say they represent a attempt to lure students away from public schools.

The Board of Education is slated to decide whether to close over a dozen schools on April 23.

Schools are preparing to lose math teachers, climate staff, art classes, Advanced Placement courses, athletics, and extracurriculars.

Mayor Cherelle Parker says if her rideshare tax passes, the school district would no longer need to cut school-based positions next year.

School district officials say they’re facing a $300 million budget shortfall. Parker responded by increasing the tax she initially proposed from 20 cents to $1.

Superintendent Tony Watlington said significant cuts are necessary, but stressed that claims the district is riddled with wasteful spending are ‘absolutely false.’

Shapiro says he wants to see how much authority states will have over the program under rules that will be released by the U.S. Treasury Department.

The additional funding won’t be enough to fill the district’s $300 million budget deficit.

Superintendent Tony Watlington has said the plan will need $2.8 billion in funding. The people who control that money take issue with what he wants to do.

The budget will send $193 million more to Philly schools and add accountability reforms for cyber charter schools, among other changes.