Can Philly make the grade?

Some might say, “Be careful what you wish for…”

Says the City of Philadelphia: “We got this.”

For years, Philadelphians have demanded the restoration of their right to govern their own school district. With the coming dissolution of the School Reform Commission in two months, the city finally gets its wish.

But the rightful return of control brings with it tremendous responsibility. From the Mayor to City Council, from educators and parents, the city is mobilized to make the hard decisions required to deliver what students need to succeed. It helps that everyone knows what they’re fighting for.

The district has seen improvements in early literacy and graduation rates, thanks in part to key initiatives like the Read By 4th campaign, of which PCCY is a member. The progress made must be protected and the needs of students demand much more from all of us.

Students need the supports Mayor Kenney envisions, like specialized reading coaches for every elementary school and 9th grade academies that reduce the risk of dropping out through tutoring and counseling.

They need to be better prepared for college and careers, so the City is pushing for investments in more advanced placement courses, free SAT testing, and Career and Technical Education programs (CTE), IT internships, and apprenticeships.

In addition, the increasingly diverse student body requires additional bilingual supports. This way, teachers can focus on advancing the class as a whole, instead of dividing their attention to get ELL students up to speed. High school teachers also need more training to increase student achievement and engagement.

The Mayor has identified the means through which the City can provide resources to not only stabilize the District’s finances but to invest in these new programs that are desperately needed.   

The new property assessments assure that the market values of properties are now more accurately reflected. But higher valuations mean more taxes owed. With the Mayor calling for a 4.1% increase in property taxes, where does it leave struggling families?

It’s not entirely painless, but the Mayor’s proposed increase in the Homestead Exemption will shield families who can least afford a tax increase.

The proposal calls for a 50% increase in tax-protected home value, shifting it from $30,000 to $45,000. This means if your home was valued at $128,100 (the median for the city) and saw an increased assessment of 11% (the average increase), your annual property taxes will go up $43. But if your property value stayed the same, your taxes will decrease by $162. 

The situation is urgent for our schools and the decision before us is to find the funding required and build upon the progress made or fail to find the funds and see cuts. There couldn’t be more at stake.

Failure is an option that Philadelphians can’t afford, especially our students.