Steven Bilski, Markia McClinton, Daniel Pioy, and Deanna Ramsey.
Since protocol has already been established, my name is Rhemar Pouncey, and I represent Overbrook Elementary School. I have been to every board member -- board meeting with the School District of Philadelphia since the inception of this facilities plan. The last time I stood before them, I produced to them an alternative to closing Overbrook Elementary School, which would have saved the school district $2.6 million. I sent the proposal to each board member, including President Streater, as well as Dr. Watlington, and did not hear back from them. I stood there in front of them and told them that my team of architects, developers, would be willing to look over the facilities plan because the math is not mathing. The school district needs to be held accountable. And I'm stating before City Council and the members that are in chambers, and I'm putting it on the record, an audit needs to occur. As Jerry Maguire would say, “Show me the money.” Because I'm not seeing where the money that we have already given them over the decades has gone. The schools have been in poor condition for the last 40 years. I mean, I'm a graduate, so, 40 years. We're still doing the same thing over and over and over again, and putting a band aid on something that can be totally fixed. Thank you.
Hello, everyone. My name is Tasha Taylor and I'm the Home and School President of Edward T. Steel Elementary School. And I sit on a lot of different organizations. I wanted to bring up a couple of things that have not been addressed tonight. Like for one, I'm a parent of 10 and I have a grandparent of 20. 35 percent of grandparents are raising the school age children that we are speaking about. But no one is putting them on the forefront. Where is the budget for parent involvement? Why is there only one percent of Title-1 funding going into parent involvement, and the school makes a decision on the part of the budget that the parents should be speaking to. So we have to look at that. We also have to look at the special education. Special education needs to be at the forefront of a lot of what is going on and happening in the schools. They are right now, not talking about it, but I've been in some of the meetings for the year where they are phasing out. A lot of you don't know, they're phasing out emotional support. They are integrating those students into regular classrooms. And you haven't heard about it. I know because I'm there and I'm in the schools, which goes against mandates. Also, when we speak to the bathrooms, we need to speak about staff bathrooms as well. I'm in a school now that toilet hasn't flushed in two months, okay? So we need to look at the whole dynamic. And also bring the parents to the table. I'm hearing everyone speak, but I don't hear no one bringing us parents to the table. Everyone is lying about bringing the parents to the table. Bring us to the table. We are talking about our children and everyone with children in here who has a child, has a niece, has a nephew. Let us talk about all the children and bring the parents to the table. Stop making these decisions without us. Everyone, stop making these decisions without us. The school district, stop making these decisions without us because these are our children. Thank you.
Good afternoon. My name is Darryl Bundrige. I would like to begin by thanking you all City Councilmembers for your continued support of City Year, our students, and our communities. Especially for today -- like today, we're particularly grateful also for Council President Johnson being an ardent supporter. And City Year has been in Philadelphia for the past 28 years as a partner, helping our students succeed and strengthening our pipeline of educators, civic leaders. I want to be clear, we see ourselves as well aligned with the priorities for the One Philly One Future One Plan. And we address that in the space of public safety and education and workforce development. We are providing mentorship, academic support, keeping our students connected to schools, increasing engagement, and saving learning environments. We know this because of the 120 students we have serving 7,500 students and 12 schools. 56 percent of those maintain 90 percent attendance or better. 70 percent of those showed improvement in grade or math assessments and literacy and math. 88 percent of our students believe City Year -- or our staff believe City Year has positively improved the environment. This, of course, we are doing with diverse support. However, our federal dollars, as you heard about last year, still are not keeping up pace with our level of support. So we're asking for your continued support in investing in us through our million dollars that you have provided for us to close the gap, stay in our schools, and continue to provide teachers to the pipeline and civically engaged professionals. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Thank you. Thank you very much for your testimony. I'm sure if Council President Johnson were here, he would say, shout out to City Year. So thank you very, very much. Is there anyone else here to testify whose name has not been called? Okay. Seeing none, the Chair now recognizes our Education Chair, Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, for a motion that the public hearing and meeting on the bills and resolution 3 before the Committee today stand in recess until Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 400 City Hall.
Madam Leader, I move that the Committee of the Whole stand adjourned until Tuesday, April 28th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. COUNCILMEMBERS: Second.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the public hearing and meeting on the bills and resolution before the Committee today stand in recess until Tuesday, April 28th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 400 City Hall. All those in favor of the motion will indicate by stating, “aye.” COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye.
Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the motion carries. This Committee will stand in recess until Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, 10:00 a.m. at which time we will reconvene in room 400 City Hall. Thank you very much for being here. (Committee of the Whole meeting concluded at 5:35 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence are contained fully and accurately in the notes taken by me of the above case, and this copy is a correct transcript of the same. _______________ Samanda J. Rios