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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=15932
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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 16, 2014 09:35 AM
From: Representative Angel Cruz
To: All House members
Subject: Referendum: Dissolve the School Reform Commission and Establish an Elected School Board in First Class School Districts (Former HB 947)
 
In the near future, I plan to reintroduce legislation that will amend the Act of March 10, 1949 (P.L. No. 14), otherwise known as the Public School Code, and create a referendum giving voters the option to determine if the School Reform Commission or an elected school board should control a school district of the first class.

Under the current provisions of the Public School Code, if the Secretary of Education declares a school district of the first class to be financially distressed, a School Reform Commission is appointed by the Governor and the Mayor to oversee the finances and operations of the school district. This practice was first established during the Ridge Administration by Act 46 of 1998. In 2001, Act 83 gave the power to appoint SRC board members to the governor and the mayor. Act 88 of 2002 extended the term of gubernatorial appointees to 5 year terms. In 2002, then Education Secretary Charles Zogby designated the School District of Philadelphia as financially distressed. As a result, the state replaced Philadelphia’s nine- member school board with an appointed School Reform Commission composed of three members appointed by the governor and two appointed by the city’s mayor.

To date, the School District of Philadelphia has substantially improved student achievement and regained financial solvency. However, this has been achieved at a major cost to the residents, taxpayers, and voters of the great City of Philadelphia. As you may know, there have been widespread rumors of scandal and corruption involving both the SRC and former Philadelphia School District Superintendent Dr. Arlene Ackerman. Because the School District is no longer financially distressed and has shown marked improvement in academics, I believe it is time for the SRC to be dissolved and to allow the, voters of the City of Philadelphia to determine the direction of the School District of Philadelphia. My legislation proposes that at the first primary, special or general election that occurs 90 days after the adoption of my bill, a binding referendum question be presented to the electors of the school district of the first class. That referendum question will ask whether the School Reform Commission shall be dissolved and the members of the board of school directors shall be elected, on a nonpartisan basis, by the qualified electors.

In the past, there have been questions regarding unpaid income taxes, exorbitant salaries, and scandals. The gubernatorial and mayoral appointees have served their purpose by improving the School District of Philadelphia’s finances and academic achievements. Now, the voters in Philadelphia should be given the ability to control the School District of Philadelphia’s destiny.

Please join me in sponsoring this important legislation.



Introduced as HB212