Was there a 217 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 discussion with the City about the cost of the reimbursement at the time and why the number was so seemingly high as compared to what you're presently paying?
Jim Lewis, Administrative Assistant to the COO. We did a study for trash pickup for this year, because our contract with Waste Management expires in August, and we did a cost analysis with Commissioner Tolson and the price that Commissioner Tolson came in at was around $7 million for trash pickup.
The way we haul trash now is by dumpster, so we don't get a daily pickup, which is what the City would give us.
And from the private sector, what are you getting? Once a week?
Why wouldn't we just give you the same service that you've been getting?
You can join the party, but you can't kind of shout at me from the back.
Come on up. Since we're on the subject of the trash pickup, let's get all the trash pickup people here.
Tremendous amount of expertise in this area. There might be a cost savings that we can talk about.
If the question is on the cost savings or having the City do it, actually our contracted price is pretty good. It's around 2.9 million versus the estimate 219 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 given us by the City of over 7.
I heard what you said, but I thought what I was getting was information that the $7 million was based on a daily trash pickup. Why would we do that? If you're content with once a week, every three days, I mean, obviously some appropriate amount, you can't have the trash sitting out there forever and in many instances, obviously schools are in neighborhoods and it's a pretty nasty situation, but why wouldn't you request of the City something that was comparable to what you were putting out on the private side? If it's $7 million for daily, then it seems to me that weekly or twice a week is going to be, I don't know, maybe that's about half of that.
I don't think they have the capability to haul the dumpsters like Waste Management does, the trucks that actually pick it up and throw it in the back of their compactors.
Is that the things that come out and grab it and flip it? 220 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262
I will tell you this, though: We've talked about that. We've had some internal debate about perhaps having that very thing. I mean --
I just don't understand how someone can do it cheaper than we do it. I mean, we're kind of like in the business.
Yeah. Sometimes the price you get may not be -- well, sometimes there's the price that it would cost them and the price that they would want to charge you. So it's trying to get to what the actual price of that service would be. But would we love to have our trash picked up daily by the City? Absolutely. If, obviously, we could afford it and if we could adopt the carriers so that the City could manage it. And it's something that we've talked about. We just don't think --
I 221 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 understand. Let's go back to the overall contracts area. So you're going to provide to us a detailed listing of all the various professional services contracts, consultants, dollar amount, scope of service and you can do that for the last at least two years?
Yes. I think we can make it reflect -- yeah; for the last two years. And if we have ideas of what's going into the next budget, we'll put those in as well.
And along with that information, you'll be able to tell us the name of the company, location of the company, who the principals are and what the work was for, nature of the work?
Well, we will get you the name of the company, and then obviously if more information is needed, the location, where the company is located, board of trustees, owners, whatever, we can certainly provide that.
We'll do our best. 222 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 I only smirk because of the quality of our information systems at times. So I think certainly we can get the location. As far as the principals, that might not be on the system, but we'll do our best and give you the complete package.
And this would cover all generally professional services, consultants, lawyers, vendors, architects?
Everything that would fall into a professional service contracted category, yes.
Okay. Are you having technology problems over at the District, keeping track of information?
No. No. I'm not saying we're having problems. I'm just saying I can't promise you, Councilman, that all that you asked for right there I can spit out in a report automatically. I will see how much we have and do the best we can with the systems.
We don't have -- the system doesn't have the history that we'd 223 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 like it to have. I mean, we can tell you what we've been contracting out and the cost, but going back more than two years, it is going to be difficult. Plus, when we go -- when we evolve to our new budget process and to our new data system next year, we'll have a more workable document. But we're a year away from completing that.
Lastly, you'll be able to give us information about the gender and race of the various professionals?
The data systems we're building are obviously comprehensive, so Kim Sangster will pull out the MBE/WBE firms, legitimate MBE/WBE firms, and the contracts they have with the School District. We'll give you all those.
It's not a very long list. I mean, it's getting longer now, but prior to two years ago, the School District maybe did 3 percent of its 224 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 contractual services with basically MBE/WBE companies. There, in effect, was no --
That's not the narrow request in terms of the information. It's a part of a larger --
-- package. All right. I just have a couple of last things. I seem to remember there was a lot of discussion in the past year or so about an accountability system I think that states --
Accountability Council has been created and has met, and it's actually going to be issuing a report shortly. They're meeting tomorrow.
Next week we'll give you an update on what their time line is for laying out their report.
Could you comment for me on Tab 8, ? You lay out some test scores for charter schools, most of 225 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 which seem to be below the District's average with regard to PSSA and SAT tests. 4
I'm going to ask 5 Joe Jacovino, who is our Accountability 6 Officer and Acting Chief Academic Officer. 7
Councilman, 8 three of 38 charter schools met AYP criteria, 9 adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind. Fifty-eight of our own schools met the AYP criteria. Even though there are more charter schools than 38, only 38 have tested grades that are part of that requirement. We also require --
Even though there are 48 charter schools, because of the state testing at the grade levels of 5, 8 and 11, some charter schools do not have tested grades, or they will have tested grades eventually. We require also that all charter schools as well as all of the District schools, including privately managed schools, 226 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 are part of the standardized assessment system where we use the TerraNova in grades 1 through 10. So we track the performance of charter schools consistently with data from grades 1 through 10 and we analyze their performance in relationship -- on a level playing field with the performance in our own schools.
Okay. What I wanted to ask you is, in your report on 2, you say that of the 48 charter schools, nine of scored above the District average 15 for 2003 5th grade; nine of 19 for the same 16 year for 8th; three of 14 for grade 11. And I 17 guess what I'm trying to better understand 18 from you or get your perspective on is the 19 testing of the charter schools and how they're 20 performing in comparison to the District's own 21 average, and what your numbers are saying is 22 that less than 50 percent, significantly less 23 in two categories, less than 50 percent are at or above the District's average. Why is that?
Well, again, 227 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 charter schools are independent schools from the standpoint that they have their own Boards of Education and their own Chief Academic Officers. Each of them is an independent school district. What we're trying to insure and guarantee is that we do have measures that we use, not only state measures but local assessment measures that we use so that we can compare the progress which schools make over time. So those figures are accurate figures. Charter schools, like many of our public schools, are struggling to perform at what we would call nationally recognized levels. What we're attempting to do as part of an accountability system is measure that progress and replicate success. There are a number of charter schools that have programs which hold great promise. We are encouraging the continued expansion of those programs, and Mr. Vallas can talk more about the kind of relationship with charter schools. However, I would categorize the performance of many charter 228 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 schools as areas of concern for us as we move forward.
Bottom line is, the research, basically the results aren't any more impressive than the public schools. If you look at the high schools in particular, half the high schools are doing better, half the high schools are doing worse. So they kind of fall just at or average or slightly below. I will point out, in the last PSSA and TerraNova exams, the charter school test scores were relatively stagnant. There were a few that went up, but basically they showed no 16 gains. Also, the percentage of children in charter schools, how do the children who enroll in the charter schools compare to the District, generally they are at or slightly above the School District's average. So the charters don't necessarily get the worst-performing kids. They get kids at about the District's average or sometimes slightly above the District's average. 229 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 So the results have been -- I said when I took the superintendentship here, I said, I didn't realize I was taking two struggling districts, the public district and the charter district. That's one of the reasons that we've moved very aggressively the last two years, with some heat being generated, to toughen the standards on the selection of new charters and to toughen the standards on the recertification of existing charters. And that's why the SRC has moved to develop a comprehensive charter policy which will be more aggressive about not only approving charters but also in making sure that when charters are approved, they fit into some overall strategic plan for the District.
Thank you. Madam Chair, I have two last questions. Mr. Vallas, can you give me an update or give us an update rather on the status of the Microsoft School?
Am I correct to 230 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 say we're waiting for the Park District to give -- the school is in design. We're ready to go. We're just waiting for the Park District to basically -- the Parking Authority to sign off. Is that right, Ellen? Fairmount Park. I've got to get my authority district right. Sorry about that.
Hopefully the Parking Authority is not involved in this one.
Lastly, Tab 9, Pages 3 and 4. A couple years ago there was a significant amount of discussion about Beacon schools and also relationship with Safe and Sound. What are the costs of those programs and how much are you reimbursed to provide those programs at the schools?
The cost of not only providing of services for the Beacon schools but also providing services -- because there's 190 schools that have programs that 231 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 are sponsored by the City's Safe and Sound. And the total cost of all those programs to the District is about $5 million. And, no, we don't receive any reimbursement for that.
That's for everything. That's Beacon and Safe and Sound general, because it's just not -- Beacon and regular Safe and Sound-funded after-school programs.
City rec. There's three people talking at once. We have 190 schools that have some sort of City or City recreational programs. Beacon, City rec, Safe and Sound, all told, the cost of the District is, I think, 4.7, 4.8 million dollars, and we are not reimbursed for that.
You are not reimbursed? 232 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262
No. We don't receive Safe and Sound money directly. It comes to community-based organizations or it comes to -- but we house a number of programs in our schools.
Thank you. Is that not by agreement, however, that the schools would house the programs, Safe and Sound would pick up the operational tab for those programs? Do you recall?
Well, when I first came in, the first thing that we did was, we stopped charging the City for Beacon, but also that same year we also sought to secure funding through Safe and Sound. But the bottom line is, every year we've requested funding through Safe and Sound. So I don't know if we've reached the formal agreement. Certainly we welcome the programs and we've opened our schools, and let me point out that the programs are only going 233 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 to continue to expand, given what's happening to a number of the recreational facilities. But it is imposing a cost and we have sought Safe and Sound money in the past, and likewise we will do so again this year.
Are the Safe and Sound programs in the rec centers or are they also separate from that and in schools?
One more question. Is the Beacon program -- I know they're pre and post schools. Are they mental health programs, too, or just pre -- or not just, but pre and post programs for students and community members?
The Beacon programs are after school and they run obviously through the dinner hour into the early evening. So they're not pre start of 234 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 school day programs. They're after school. They're exclusively after school and evening programs.
And, therefore, they're students from the schools and the neighborhood?
No. It's not limited to students from the schools. The kids come from all over the neighborhoods to the programs.
No. That's great. So we're going to get information on that?
If I could ask the Councilwoman. When you asked the question with regard to was something by 235 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 agreement, is the question was it by agreement that you provide the service or was it by agreement that you would not be reimbursed for it?
No. It's just been good-will. I mean, we open our buildings. We have not turned anybody away, any City program, any recreational facility program that is sought to locate in one of our schools, including the summer. The schools will not only be open to Philadelphia public school academic programs and enrichment programs this summer, but our schools will also be open to City-funded and recreational programs this summer. So we open our buildings. We don't shut our buildings down.
No. I understand that. And I was going to leave this for Monday, but it sounds like a lot of buildings are going to be open this summer. 236 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262
Yeah. We will prioritize opening up all of our buildings that we consider to be conducive for summer school; in other words, our air-conditioned buildings, and that's about 100 buildings. So we'll have at least 100 buildings open.
Okay. We'll talk a little bit more about that on Monday.
I just have to ask what it's costing the School District.
I think it's about 4.7, 4.8 million dollars. That's security, third shift custodial services, things like this.
No, we're not reimbursed. Those are costs that the District 237 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 incurs. We don't receive money directly from the Beacon program. Beacon funds programs that are in the schools, but they're not school programs.
We have sought Beacon funding. What we did -- I'm sorry. We have sought Safe and Sound funding. So rather than charge -- prior to my arrival, the School District --
I think it's 4.7. It's a little over $4.7 million. I'll get you the exact number. I've asked staff to itemize it at your request.
Thank you. 238 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262 Lastly, Mr. Harris, when you put together that list of the professionals, how many bond deals have you done since you've been here?
Can you get us a full fact sheet on the teams that participated?
And the fees that were generated as a result of their participation, whether it's the underwriters, legal counsel, special counsel, extraordinary counsel and any other kind of counsel that came as a result of any of those transactions? I'd like to know all the people who were on the deal and what their fees were.
We'll provide that, along with the rest of the information you requested.
Great. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll wait until Monday. 239 Whole - 5/11/04 - Bills 040259, 040260, 040262
Thank you, Councilman. Thank you all. This hearing will be recessed. This is with regard to the School District, because tomorrow we do taxes. School District, Monday, May 17th at 9:30 a.m. Thank you all. Thank you. (Committee of the Whole adjourned at 1:50 p.m.) - - - 240 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on May 11, 2004, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)