Public Schools in the Philadelphia Area

Here are some fingertip facts about the School District of Philadelphia, the seventh largest in the nation by enrollment, serving a racially and ethnically diverse student population.

Enrollment:
214,350 as of November 18, 2003 including early childhood programs.

Number of Students by Grade Level
      - Head Start & Preschool 3,347
      - Elementary 99,664
      - Middle 31,204
      - Senior High 49,907
      - Vocational/Technical Schools 4,897
      - Special Schools* 25,331

      - Total: 214,350

*Alternative Placement Center, Daniel Boone, Charles Carroll, CEP Hunting Park, CEP/Allegheny, Stephen A. Douglas, Girard Academic Music Program, J.E. Hill, E.S. Miller, Overbrook Educational Center, Pennypack, Shallcross, Widener Memorial, Youth Study Center.

Regions
Central East Regional District
Central Regional District
East Regional District
North Regional District
Northeast Regional District
Northwest Regional District
South Regional District
Southwest Regional District
West Regional Distric

Enrollment Trends
Starting in 1987, enrollment began to decline from the year's total of 196,413 to a low of 189,511 in 1990, before beginning what has become an annual incremental upswing, with an enrollment nearly 215,000 in the year 2003.

Schools
There are 276 public schools in the School District of Philadelphia, composed of:
      - 177 Elementary schools, including Lamberton (K-12)
      -   43 Middle schools
      -   36 Neighborhood and magnet high schools
      -     6 Vocational-technical schools
      -   14 Special schools

Organization
The School District of Philadelphia presently is organized into 9 Regional Offices.

Annual Budget
For 2001-2002, the School District of Philadelphia has a $1.749 billion operating budget. Since 1989, the operating budget has failed to keep pace with inflation and increasing enrollments. The impact of these factors contributes to the current $100 million deficit. The estimated per pupil expenditure for 1999-2000 was $7,669. Although this is a slight increase over previous years, it is still significantly lower than the average per-pupil expenditure of the majority of the surrounding school districts.

Transportation
Each day, the district provides transportation for 33,560 children, including 17,825 public school students, and 12,246 private and parochial school students, 2,877 charter school students and 612 early intervention students. The district also supplies free and reduced-rate SEPTA tokens to eligible students. As of June 2000, 13,800 students (including 1,100 non-public students) qualify to receive free tokens and 13,000 students (including 5,500 non-public students) received reduced-rate tokens based on average daily ridership.

Food Services
On an average school day, the district serves approximately 112,000 lunches and about 43,000 breakfasts. A study by Temple University shows that 80 percent of the district's students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Because of the high number of low-income children at 230 schools, all children at these schools receive breakfast and lunch at no cost.

Employees
The 2001-2002 operating budget provides for 21,580 total positions, including 11,141 classroom and assistant teachers (K-12) and department heads; 1,798 full- and part-time classroom and instructional assistants; 998 security and non-teaching assistants; 494 counselors and librarians; 432 health providers, psychologists, and therapists; 473 principals and assistant principals; 2,835 maintenance and custodial staff; 1,176 bus drivers and bus attendants; 719 secretarial and clerical workers; and 158 executive management, area academic officers, directors, assistant directors, and administrative assistants.

Employment Trends
Since 1988, to meet declining revenues, significant staff reductions have occurred, including a cut in management and supervisory staff, and 26 percent in clerical staff. In 2001, the state lifted the mandatory residency requirement, allowing newly hired teachers to live outside of the City of Philadelphia.

Labor Contracts
The school district and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) entered into a four-year contract, effective September 28, 2000 until August 31, 2004. Common goals achieved between the School District of Philadelphia Board of Education and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers are: a comprehensive plan to attract and retain qualified teachers; a more competitive pay package for teachers; and increased opportunities for a quality education for students. The new labor contract for 2000-2004 was ratified by the school district on November 3, 2000.

Governance
The School District of Philadelphia has a School Reform Commission, comprised of five members, 3 appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and 2 appointed by the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter stipulates that the School Reform Commission has no direct taxing authority. Instead, the school district submits "lump sum" budget request to City Council for its approval.

A new management structure was approved by the Board of Education on August 14, 2000. The board appoints the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Academic Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Paul Vallas
The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) Gregory Thornton
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) Karen Burke
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mike Harris
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) Patricia Renzulli