Resolution 140704
Calling on the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education to thoroughly investigate any and all allegations of curriculum deficiencies reported within the School District of Philadelphia that have been properly filed and received by the Secretary.
Introduced by
From the floor
Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.
“The ayes have it, and Resolution 140704 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 140707.”
Council President Clarke · Stated Meeting, September 25, 2014 · Sep 25, 2014 · official transcript, this passage
Status timeline
- Sep 18, 2014Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar · CITY COUNCIL
- Sep 25, 2014ADOPTED · CITY COUNCIL
Official documents
Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.
Full text
Read the full text as published
..Title Calling on the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education to thoroughly investigate any and all allegations of curriculum deficiencies reported within the School District of Philadelphia that have been properly filed and received by the Secretary. ..Body WHEREAS, In September 2013, the School District of Philadelphia began operating under what itself described as a "Doomsday budget", cutting thousands of staff positions including guidance counselors, librarians, music, and art teachers; and WHEREAS, During the 2013-14 school year, 825 student, parent, and teacher complaints were filed with Pennsylvania Secretary of Education alleging curriculum deficiencies within the School District of Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, These complaints ranged from allegations pertaining to lack of instruction, lack of guidance counseling services, lack of relevant student assessment information, lack of teaching staff, and lack of facilities which resulted in a loss of instruction; and WHEREAS, Under 22 Pa. Code § 4.81(a), "The Secretary (Pennsylvania Secretary of Education) will receive and investigate allegations of curriculum deficiencies from professional employees, commissioned officers, parents of students or other residents of a school entity"; and WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Secretary of Education has a mandatory and ministerial duty to investigate all 825 of these complaints under the Pennsylvania Code; and WHEREAS, To date, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education has failed to conduct a meaningful and thorough investigation of many of the 825 individually submitted allegations filed with the Department of Education; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby call on the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education to thoroughly investigate any and all allegations of curriculum deficiencies reported within the School District of Philadelphia that have been properly filed and received by the Secretary. ..End