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06/01/2024 11:55 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20130&cosponId=14898
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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: June 17, 2014 03:12 PM
From: Representative Michael H. O'Brien
To: All House members
Subject: Creation of Elected School District in Philadelphia
 
As you know the Philadelphia School District has been in turmoil for years. We have tried the experiment of state control and it has been a failure with no accountability. At this time the district resembles an education system of a third world nation and it has to stop. Our society fails when we have an uneducated society.

Shortly, I plan to introduce legislation try a new approach to our crisis. I am proposing we change the control of the school district and truly give it local control. My legislation establishes an elected school board to be accountable for the district and shifts the taxing power for the district to this new board from the City of Philadelphia. In essence, we create a school board similar to every other district in the Commonwealth.

While there has been other legislation to address this district problems, none has abolished the powers of the School Reform Commission this legislation will and it is long overdue.

This new board would consist of a elected board, one member from each council district, one at large member and one non-voting appointee by the Mayor. Each member is elected for a two year term with a term limit of 10 years. This would be an unpaid Board.

I would welcome your support of this legislation.



Introduced as HB2390