Is The Allentown School District Out of Control?

Is the Allentown School District Out Of Control?

 Recently we have read and heard ad- nauseam of the continuing controversy regarding the Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding cuts; the lay- off of teachers and the dire predicament of the Allentown School District.  Perhaps some facts about the ASD and the Pennsylvania Basic Education Fund will pique your interest.

Forty Eight percent of the students in William Allen High School cannot read at grade level. Sixty Five percent of the students score less than grade level in math.

At Louis E. Dieruff High School, the scores for 2010 revealed that 51% of the students could not read at grade level while 61% could not do math at grade level. These two schools are considered as failing and have been for many years. These schools are on the PSSA report as requiring “Corrective Action”. The question is; what kind of corrective action?

The new Superintendent has laid out a very aggressive plan for the revision of the curriculum and a re-focus on the way classes are organized and staffed. This plan has not received the support of teachers, students and many parents.

The plan calls for a layoff of more than 200 teachers and support staff, while the administration remains virtually untouched.

The Superintendent has said that Governor Corbett has cut the budget along with the funding for several programs, and that we now have fiscal crises on our hands.

Let’s look at the facts as reported by the P.A. Department of Education,

During the 2006/07 school year the ASD had 18,318 students and 1154 teachers and administration. The salaries and benefits at that time totaled $122.9 million.

For the 2010/11 school year, there are 17,870 students and 1849 teachers and administrative staff. The salaries and benefits are budgeted at $157.5 million.

This is a 60.2% increase in staff and a 28% increase in salaries and benefits while the number of students is -2.4% less. WHY?

The 2011/ 12 budget plan calls for salary increases of $5.9 million, and additional spending of approximately $6 million..

During the school year 2008/09 the PA BEF provided $5,226,142,000 to the school districts in Pennsylvania. The year 2009/10 was $4,868,741,000 supplemented by Federal Stimulus money of $654,747,000. The 2010/11 year was $4,733,523,000 supplemented by $1,042,563,000.

Pennsylvania is no longer receiving the AARA money and Governor Corbett has returned the budget to the 2008 level of $5,226,142,000.

States and school districts were told NOT to use Stimulus money for hiring teachers, but for capital projects and other uses; because the stimulus funds would not go on forever.

I do not intend to defend Governor Corbett, nor castigate Governor Rendell; merely to present the facts as they really are. It is clear that Rendell took the opportunity to reduce the State portion of BEF and supplement with funds from the AARA allocation. It is also very clear that Governor Corbett restored the budget to previous levels. In fact the Allentown School District is getting $1,753,028 more in allocation for BEF than previously. The part of the previous budget that is missing is the AARA Stimulus grants.

With such a poor performance by our schools over time, it is apparent that the ASD is continuing to fail our students and the community. It is also apparent that throwing more money at the problem is not the answer. The ASD has some excellent and very dedicated teachers. We also have some bad ones. It is the responsibility of the Administration to reward the good ones and get rid of the bad ones.

We are seeing the results of a long time profound lack of leadership, ideas, stewardship and oversight by the Administration and the school board.

So, before we blame the teachers for the poor performance of the ASD; I think we should first look at the bloated and obviously ineffective ASD Administration.

There are many more important  issues than space in this column will allow me to address, however, If you are a concerned citizen of Allentown and would like to know more, please do the following;

1.      Get Involved! Attend the ASD board meetings; learn for yourself what is and is not being done and how the money is being spent.

2.      Attend the Allentown City Council meetings for the same purposes.

3.      Go to our website at ccofa.blogspot.com. Click on the mission statement icon; click on the next meeting notice, read the posts.

4.      It’s your children; your community; your money. Do you care?

Jerry Holt

Jerry Holt is a retired apparel and textile manufacturing executive and serves as Chairman of Concerned Citizens of Allentown