Parent+United+113007

2227 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19132 215-236-2100,** //email: parentsunitedphila@gmail.com// [|//http://parentsunitedphila.googlepages.com///]
 * Parents United for Public Education

November 30, 2007 This is an update from Parents United for Public Education on our November work.

Central Germantown Council, 5800 Germantown Ave. //Pl. call ahead 215-236-2100 if you can attend// //and we’ll count you in for pizza ($3-5 contribution)//
 * PARENTS UNITED OPEN MEETING**
 * Wed., Dec. 12th** (2nd Wed. of the month) **6-8 p.m.**

Below:
 * Philadelphia Parking Authority
 * CEO Tom Brady meeting
 * High School Multiple Acceptances
 * Ongoing committees
 * Upcoming dates

More dollars into the public schools are critical if we’re going to demand change. Since September, Parents United has called upon the Philadelphia Parking Authority to fulfill a $20 million commitment to the schools. The campaign has received tremendous publicity, and the attention of the Governor and Mayor-Elect, but so far no cash. There is a proposal to divert about a million new dollars from a red light camera bill to schools, but that bill is currently stalled in the House. Parents are currently going through PPA audits to search for what we believe could be a “special dividend” to the schools.
 * __Philadelphia__ __Parking Authority__**


 * TAKE ACTION!:** Five minutes of your time can make a difference. Letters and phone calls to Rep. John Perzel (215-725-2100) and Dwight Evans (215-549-0220), both of whom orchestrated the state takeover of the Parking Authority by promising a steady funding stream to the public schools. Letters to the editor (Daily News: views@phillynews.com, Inquirer: inquirer.letters@phillynews.com) also help.

__**Parents United meeting with Tom Brady**__ On November 15, Parents United continued our ongoing conversation with interim CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Tom Brady. Below is a brief summary.

1. **Baseline budget for schools:** Parents United requests that the School District begin a plan to establish a baseline budget for schools and begin community based budget discussions so schools will not be surprised by budgeting in the spring. A baseline budget guarantee is supposed to ensure that schools’ needs come first. Mr. Brady said there was interest in beginning those discussions in January.

2. **Expansion of reduced class size initiative and arts & music:** Parents United requests the District to clarify the expansion of the reduced class size initiative for year 2 and to document and clarify the plan for expansion of arts and music in the schools.

3. **Transportation/deseg:** Parents United believes strongly that all children should have free transportation to school. Mr. Brady said that the District is discussing the possible expansion to 5th and 6th grade of the SEPTA passes currently being granted to 7-12th graders. They are costing out this initiative. Parents United is pushing the District to engage in a community discussion of deseg and its ties to funding and transportation

4. **Contracts:** Parents United requests to review the EMO contracts particularly around obligated services to English Language Learners and special needs students. We have also requested whether we can have input or provide points of concern regarding upcoming labor contracts.

__**H.S. Multiple Acceptances**__ Earlier this fall, Parents United successfully reversed a planned policy to eliminate multiple acceptances to high school. A group of a dozen concerned parents met with CAO (Chief Academic Officer) Cassandra Jones in mid-November. Dr. Jones explained to us that she would likely submit to the SRC in December a recommendation to permanently eliminate multiple acceptances to high schools based on an independent study. The SRC will likely take a vote sometime in February. A new meeting is scheduled for December 5th. If you are a concerned parent on this issue, we recommend staying in touch with this group as we believe that the SRC will make the final decision on this issue.
 * TAKE ACTION!** You can contact the SRC by writing to: Sandra Dungee Glenn, chair, through druggiano@phila.k12.pa.us, Joe Ferguson, SRC, Chief of Staff, jferguson@phila.k12.pa.us, Marty Bednarek via druggiano@phila.k12.pa.us, and Jim Gallagher at ffrederick@phila.k12.pa.us.

__**Committees**__ The School District of Philadelphia is embarking on a number of District initiatives, many of them far reaching. Parents United representatives are serving on the CEO Search Committee and the Alternative Education Task Force. Other committees include:
 * High School Blueprint Committee, Al Bichner
 * Corrective Action II Task Force, Cassandra Jones
 * Strategic Planning, and others

If you are interested in serving on any of these committees, contact the CEO’s office for more information.

In addition to the above, Parents United will be looking at the following areas of work. If you are interested please let us know by calling Aissia Richardson, 215-236-2100:
 * __Future Work__**
 * **Healthy Foods Initiative:** Help us figure out how to bring in a healthy foods program to the schools
 * **Council Legislative Visits:** This January, Parents United will head to City Council with a legislative list of demands for our schools. Get to know City Council and put education on the front of their agendas.
 * **State Funding and Costing Out Study:** A recent state study showed that Philadelphia is almost a billion dollars underfunded and 95% of the school districts in the Commonwealth are also underfunded. Will this study result in any action by the legislature? Not unless we do something. Contact Parents United if you're interested in joining the effort to secure a more just education funding system.
 * **School Reform Commission/state meetings:** We're planning meetings with School Reform Commissioners and state policy makers. We're looking for parents, and school representatives to tell your school's need story and where we need to prioritize dollars.


 * __Save the Date__**
 * **Dec. 12th, 6-8 p.m.,** 5800 Germantown Ave.**:** Parents United Open Mtg: Find out about us and how you can be part of an active parent group working for change and justice in our schools.
 * **Dec. 17th, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 3101 Market Street:** Philadelphia Parking Authority: Grinch or Santa? The last Parking Authority board action. Join us as we give the Parking Authority an award for Grinch of the Year or celebrate a school funding victory.
 * **Dec. 20th, 6-9 p.m., African American United Fund Fundraiser honoring Parents United for Public Education as Volunteers of the Year, 2231 N. Broad Street:** African American United Fund has named Parents United for Public Education their Volunteers of the Year and are celebrating our accomplishments. Please consider coming to their annual holiday party, $20 donation requested. For more information, contact Aissia Richardson, 215-236-2100, aissia.richardson@gmail.com.

Helen Gym Parents United for Public Education215-808-1400; hgbf@aol.com

//Parents United for Public Education is an independent group of parents working for fiscal accountability; a public process and parent voice in decision-making; and setting priorities that place kids and classrooms first in the School District's budget. For more information, please contact Aissia Richardson, 215-236-2100, or Helen Gym, 215-808-1400. If you do not wish to receive emails, please respond back to parentsunitedphila@gmail.com. Visit us online at// [|http://parentsunitedphila.googlepages.com/.]