“Growing Call” to Abolish School Reform Commission

Time for an end to state control of Philly schools?

At The Notebook, blogger Ron Whitehorne examines the possibility of abolishing the School Reform Commission that oversees Philly schools:

With the SRC’s legitimacy at a 10-year low, there is a growing call for abolishing it and returning schools to local control. At a gubernatorial candidates’ forum in November, hosted by the Working Families Party, the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS), and a number of unions and community organizations, the candidates were asked whether they would support returning Philadelphia schools to local control. John Hanger and Allyson Schwartz both explicitly called for the repeal of Act 46, while the other Democratic candidates expressed general support for this demand.

The education advocacy community is not of one mind, however, on the question of what should take the SRC’s place. Some favor returning to the pre-state-takeover form of governance, a board appointed by the mayor. Still others prefer the SRC to the uncharted waters that an elected board would create.

 TAGPhilly, a group of activist Philly teachers, says its report card shows all the Democratic candidates would favor abolishing the SRC.