Amid all the post-election analysis, here’s a pitch about tonight’s budget hearing at the School District of Philadelphia.

The District’s budget at $2.3 billion for operations and $2 billion for capital funds rivals the budget of the entire City of Philadelphia. Last year the City delivered $30 million to offset a spiraling deficit. But how much have we heard about how well this money is being spent and for what purposes?

Last week, the City wrapped up weeks of budget hearings where different departments had to answer publicly to questions from Council. While I wouldn’t go nearly as far to say that the City is some sort of model of transparency, compare that budget process with the District’s.

Thus far this year there has been only one public hearing on the school budget, a lump sum summary announcement last month, that lasted barely a half hour, at last minute notice (even reporters were scrambling), with not a single citizen present. The District’s 552-page budget document was just posted online on Friday with no public discussion about what cuts schools can expect. In previous years, the District by this point had already published a “cut list” of programs. With barely a month to go before the District ratifies $2.3 billion in public money, most of the public is still in the dark about what’s happening with all this money for our schools.

Parents United for Public Education has spent some time going through the District’s budget and will be publishing an analysis later today on its website. The most important issue for Parents United has been the lack of progress on reduced class size. Meanwhile external contractors have managed to hang onto millions of dollars.

Next week, City Council is expected to hold hearings on the District’s budget. Too often, Council has taken a pass on the opportunity to ask serious questions on issues that matter (beyond just the financial cost), but with class size spiraling upwards, school closings throughout West Philadelphia, and the papers covering contracts gone awry, it’s time for Council members to step up. This year more than any other year, Council is the front line on being the watchdog on school budgets and we need them to do their public duty.

The District’s budget hearing is tonight:
Wed., April 23rd
5 p.m. start time
440 N. Broad Street, 2nd flr. auditorium

Council hearings on the School District budget:
Mon., April 28th – City Council
Tues, April 29th, 1:30-3 p.m., 5:30 to 7 p.m. – public testimony