►
Description
During a Joint Hearing of the Council Committees on Education and Children and Youth held February 18, 2016, Chair Helen Gym (At Large) questions Karen Lynch, Chief of Support Services for the School District of Philadelphia, about District issues.
School Reform Commission members were not present for the Hearing.
A
Alright,
my
turn.
Thank
you
very
much.
I
have
a
question
of
clarification
on
your
testimony
and
then
I
have
a
couple
of
questions.
I
just
want
to
assure
and
thank
the
audience
for
your
patience
as
we
go
through
this
dr.
Lynch.
You
said
in
your
testimony
that
you
would
be
hopeful
that
you
want
to
provide
gifted
services
and
foreign
languages
in
our
schools
are
those
not
being
provided
it.
B
B
A
So
it's
my
understanding
that,
according
to
the
Pennsylvania
State
code,
it
mandates
that
every
school
district
provide
gifted
education
to
every
child
at
every
school
and
that
every
high
school
student
have
two
languages
afforded
to
them.
And
at
least
one
of
those
languages
being
offered
in
a
four-year
sequence.
Is
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
and
violation
of
the
state
code.
B
A
A
You
know,
as
we
talk
about
what
we
are
trying
to
do.
It
is
my
hope
that
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
and
all
of
us
understand
that
inequity
and
the
elimination
of
inequity
across
the
city
is
a
primary
goal,
but
there
are
basic
ways
that
we
can
start
to
ensure
that
inequity
is
not
being
provided,
is
being
addressed
on
a
much
more
direct
basis,
as
opposed
to
a
rhetorical
kind
of
comment
and
I
guess
when
I'm
hoping
to
have
with
this
conversation
is
to
understand
ways
in
which
that
happens
and
how
we
do
it.
A
If
we
are
looking
at
changes
in
services,
if
we
are
asking
people
to
see
their
taxes
raised,
we
need
to
better
understand
what
the
priorities
that
the
school
district
are
across
the
spectrum
and
for
many
of
us,
our
complaints
that
come
into
the
school
district
happen
not
only
around
academics,
but
the
breakdown
around
school
support
services,
as
well
as
the
basic
operation.
So
you
know
I,
don't
expect
you
to
respond
to
that,
but
I
just
wanted
to
put
that
out
there.
A
If
you
could
please
it
would
help
if
you
could
provide
a
brief
overview
of
current
staffing
levels
and
vacancies
and
changes
that
may
have
occurred
over
the
last
five
years.
Specifically,
it
would
help
to
have
you
talk
a
little
bit
about
teacher
vacancies.
As
we
know,
we
can't
really
talk
about
inequity
if
don't
have
a
teacher
in
front
of
the
classroom
as
students
and
it's
my
understanding
that
we
opened
the
school
year
with
almost
200
teacher
vacancies
and
classrooms.
Could
you
clarify
what
the
current
teacher
vacancy
is
my.
B
B
A
Okay,
so
I
believe
we
got
an
email
today
at
twelve-forty
p.m.
but
the
teacher
vacancies
that
we
have
through
the
Philadelphia
Federation
of
Teachers
indicates
that
there
are
180
for
classrooms
with
teacher
fate
with
no
teacher
in
front
of
them
today.
Would
you
consider
that
to
be
an
accurate
figure.
A
B
A
A
B
A
B
I
think
and
I
can't
detail
this,
but
I
can
share
with
you
that
the
urgency
has
been
addressed
by
active
pursuit
of
and
recruitment
of
qualified
teachers.
I
know
that
our
organization
has
extended
emergency
certifications
where
teachers
can
be
found.
That
challenge
is.
Is
that
a
good
number?
This
is
a
workforce,
that's
in
place
at
the
start
of
the
school
year,
and
so
to
the
extent
that
positions
are
vacant,
it
becomes
a
challenge.
We
also
have
an
attrition
rate,
that's
considerable
and
we
have
long-term
absences,
and
so
the
combination
makes
it
a
challenge
to
fill.
A
A
We
will
be
asking
about
the
percentage
of
teacher
vacancies
that
have
lingered
since
September
eighth
I
think
that's
a
very
important
thing
to
understand
that
there,
students
who
are
not
receiving
this
have
not
seen
a
teacher
since
school
started
and,
additionally,
we
hope
to
break
out
by
school
type,
elementary
middle
on
high
school,
special,
admit,
neighborhood
and
magnet
I.
Think
those
and
we'll
be
sending
you
this
information
more
directly.
My.
B
B
A
So,
roughly
170
three
times,
30
is
550
200
children
who
do
not
have
a
teacher
in
front
of
them
on
a
regular
daily
basis.
I
just
wanted
to
make
that
I
mean
I,
guess
we
can
adjust
that
a
little
bit
for
the
special
education
numbers.
But
to
me
that
is
a
very
serious
concern,
not
something
that
I
think
that
this
council
will
let
go
of
and
hold
the
district
accountable
to.
Every
child
deserves
a
teacher
in
front
of
them
on
September.
Eighth,
not
only
do
I
think
they
deserve
it.
It
actually
mandates
it.
A
So,
to
the
extent
that
this
is
not
happening
on
any
basis,
this
is
going
to
be
a
major
cause
of
of
priorities.
I
would
assume
if
I
could
speak
on
behalf
of
our
council,
that
that
is
a
top
priority.
We
can't
even
start
to
talk
about
education
if
a
child
doesn't
have
a
teacher
in
front
of
them.
The
substitute
teacher
fill
rate.
Could
you
talk
a
little
bit
about
what
is
happening
with
the
current
fill
rate
on
substitute
teachers
and
the
year-to-date,
the
number
of
prep
periods
that
have
been
lost
by
teachers
for
covering
it?
A
B
A
A
You
this
is
an
area
that
is
much
more
within
your
bailiwick,
because,
as
director
of
student
supports,
I
think
that
we
can
have
a
easier
dialogue,
since
this
is
not
something
that
is
well
outside
of
your
area.
You
know.
One
of
our
greatest
concerns,
obviously,
is
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
has
laid
out
a
clear
priority
around
its
action
plan
and
one
of
the
questions
one
of
the
top
priorities
that
lists
on
this
action
plan
is
to
implement
the
bullying
and
harassment
policies
with
fidelity.
A
However,
in
a
recent
seventh
in
a
study
which
you
wrote
into
the
action
plan,
not
you
personally,
but
your
team
wrote
into
the
action
plan.
You
noted
that
over
61
percent
of
students
surveyed
reported
being
concerned
about
bullying
at
schools
over
fifty
percent
of
students
reported
being
a
victim
of
bullying
and
forty
percent
reported
being
a
perpetrator,
a
pure
aggression
and
bullying
at
least
one
time
in
the
prior
a
month
and
more
than
eighty
percent
of
students
at
schools
indicate
that
nobody
does
anything
to
try
to
stop
the
bullying.
A
B
I'm
not
certain,
can
you
say
again
where
those
figures
came
from
because
they're
not
they're
not
familiar
to
me
and
I,
think
probably
a
better
source
or
an
additional
source
of
information
about
bullying
and
harassment
would
be
I.
Think
the
last
time
that
I
testified
before
the
City
Council
I
share
the
results
of
survey
that
we
conduct
the
one
that
I
just
mentioned,
that
surveys,
teachers,
it
survey
students,
it
surveys,
parents
at
bullying
and
harassment,
which,
in
fact,
is
part
of
my
area
of
responsibility,
is
one
of
the
questions
that
was
asked
on.
B
That
survey
set
in
fact
several
of
the
questions
as
spoke
to
bullying,
harassment
and
I.
Think
that
the
outcome,
the
results
of
that
survey,
showed
that,
from
the
perspective
of
teachers,
the
perspective
of
parents
and
the
perspective
of
students,
they
each
have
a
very,
very
different
idea
about.
What's
occurring
that
from
the
perspective
of
students,
it
happens,
it's
far
more
infrequent.
If
happens
less
from
the
perspective
of
parents,
their
results
were
very
close
to
what
students
reported
from
the
perspective
of
teachers.
B
It
happened
more
and
so
the
opportunity
to
delve
further
into
that
and
to
see
whether
or
not
there
are
any
trend.
It's
a
survey
that
we
conduct
against
the
end
of
the
school
year,
probably
closer
to
April,
and
we
will
be
able
to
see
whether
or
not
there's
a
trend,
a
pattern.
Whether
or
not
this
information
is
a
fluke
just
what
the
results
might
be.
So
you
know
I
would
ask
that
after
that
point
we'd
be
able
to
see
more
and
be
able
to
know
more
so.
A
B
B
At
the
school-based
level,
it
would
be
everyone's
responsibility
to
address
bullying
and
harassment
where
they
see
it
and
in
our
training
and
in
our
policy
that
that
we
circulate
that's
exactly
the
case.
Every
classroom
in
fact,
is
expected
and
all
throughout
the
schools.
We
expect
to
see
the
policies
on
bullying,
harassment
posted
so.
A
Otis
Hackney
at
South
Philadelphia
High
School
that
seemed
fairly
effective
and
it
actually
designated
an
individual
to
specifically
address
bullying
and
harassment
that
students
and
teachers
and
school
staff
who
were
required
to
do
bullying
harassment
knew
that
there
was
an
individual
who
was
there
and
present
at
the
school
who
would
connect
the
child
or
the
victim
or
the
perpetrator,
to
a
series
of
support
services
that
would
document
and
take
reports.
That
would
count
that
would
address
and
direct
that
has
the
school
district
stepped
away
from
that
practice.
Since
it
was
considered
a
best
practice,
I.
B
Would
say
that
across
the
school
district,
the
benefit
that
we've
had
over
time
is
that
more
people
have
become
involved
in
this
effort.
More
people
are
familiar
when
we
trained
at
the
school
level.
We
train
everyone
in
the
school
that
is
able
to
attend
our
training
sessions,
and
our
policy
says
that
everyone
will
be
and
that
all
across
their
district,
when
we
see
it
when
we
recognize
it,
it's
something
that
we
will
report
I
can
share
with
you
that
that
that's
the
practice
were
following.
A
So
this
is
again
another
question
because
it
sounds
like
there
might
be
confusion
about
from
a
school
based
perspective.
How
a
student
at
a
school
or
an
individual
teacher
at
a
school
would
know
who
specifically
to
go
to
the
School.
District
of
Philadelphia
obviously
has
a
school
safety
officer,
ms
Diane
sure
who's,
that
the
legal
department
is
supposed
to
be
addressing
bullying
and
harassment
specifically.
But
does
she
communicate
directly
with
any
specific
individuals
to
ensure
that
bullying
and
harassment
is
being
addressed
better
in
schools,
Diane.
B
Sure
retired
several
months
ago
and
her
position
is
currently
recruiting
we're
recruiting
to
fill
that
opportunity,
and
so,
as
soon
as
that
opportunity
has
failed
in
her
absence
we
have
behavioral
health
staff
or
I
guess
a
post,
her
retirement.
We
have
behavioral
health
staff
who've
been
serving
in
that
capacity.
How.
B
A
A
Actually
this
was
in
december
to
talk
about
its
work
around
trauma-informed
care,
and
one
of
the
questions
that
came
forward
was,
although
we
understand
that
people
are
being
trained
in
it
and
that
kind
of
thing
that
there
again
needs
to
be
a
central
person
who
addresses
this,
and
one
of
them
has
been
a
question
about
the
issue
of
school
counselors
and
the
lack
of
school
counselors
at
the
lack
of
schools
without
full-time
counselors
number
one
and
the
ratio
of
student
to
counselors.
That
is
a
very
serious
concern.
A
The
American
school
counselor
association
recommends
a
ratio
of
approximately
one
to
two
hundred
and
fifty
counselor
1
2
250
students
per
counselor.
We
know
very
well,
but
there
are
a
number
of
schools
without
full-time
counselors.
I,
don't
know
if
you
have
that,
but
at
the
pft
provides
us
with
indications
that
there
are
at
least
49
schools
without
full-time
counselors,
and
that
there
are
a
number
of
schools
in
which
the
ratio
of
one
to
250
is
nowhere
near.
A
Is
nowhere
near
that
at
the
majority
of
our
schools,
what
counts
is
the
priority
around
reinvesting
around
the
school
counselors?
Obviously,
this
state
Supreme
Court
makes
it
very
clear
that
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
should
abide
by
the
contract,
and
the
union
contract
states
very
clearly
that
every
school
will
have
a
full
time
counselor.
Is
it
the
district's
priority
to
abide
by
that,
and
how
much
would
that
cost.
B
B
And
so
I'd
have
to
provide
that
exact
number,
but
in
to
provide
services
in
the
additional
40.
I
would
multiply
the
additional
49.
I
divide
that
by
two
and
multiply
it
to
determine
how
many
additional
and
how
much
that
class
might
be
and
I
can
provide
you
with
the
average
dollar
amount
for
a
starting
salary
for
school
counselor
I.
A
A
And
then,
in
terms
of
issues
around
schools
without
full-time
nurses,
so
the
school
that
the
P
of
T
again
provides
indication
that
there
are
about
a
hundred
and
twenty
three
schools
without
full-time
nurses,
that's
more
than
half.
We
know
that
I've
been
talking
to
principals,
talking
to
parents
and
talking
to
a
number
of
support
services.
The
this
is
another
major
area
of
concern:
the
lack
of
full-time
nurses
in
schools
and
I
guess.
One
of
my
questions
is:
is
that
has
the
school
district
calculated
how
much
it
would
cost
to
restore
full
time?
Nurse
well,.
B
B
A
My
understanding
that
before
one
of
your
staff,
people
left
to
as
chief
of
staff
to
superintendent
height
that
she
gave
us
an
estimate
of
approximately
eight
million
dollars
to
restore
a
nurse
to
every
single
public
school
in
Philadelphia
and
approximately
twelve
point
five
to
13
million
dollars
to
restore
a
nurse
to
every
single,
parochial
public
and
public
and
parochial
private
and
public
school.
In
Philadelphia.
Sure.
B
A
A
So
I
guess
part
of
my
question
is:
is
that
I
know
that
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
is
asking
for
more
money?
And
I
guess
one
of
the
questions
that
we
always
have
within
city
council
is:
should
the
district
continue
to
get
money
or
as
we
obviously,
it
will
get
money
from
both
the
city
and
the
state
if
it
gets
additional
money?
Where
do
the
priorities
become?
What
are
its
central
priorities
around
restoration,
a
restoration
agenda
fundamentally
back
to
every
school?
I.
A
So
I
just
want
to
redress
again
that
it
sounds
like
between.
If
we
were
to
say,
say,
3.7
million
is
too
low
to
restore
counselor
back
to
every
school,
but
we
are
talking
about
less
than
20
million
dollars.
That
would
guarantee
a
full-time
counselor
and
a
full-time
nurse
in
every
single
public
school
in
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
and
a
full-time
nurse
in
every
single,
private
and
parochial
school
in
Philadelphia,
and
that
that
seems
like
a
number
that
is
manageable,
as
opposed
to
the
300
million
or
five
billion
that
sometimes
gets
pushed
out
there.
B
A
It's
not
something
that
we
can
be
clear
about,
because
I
think
one
of
the
things
that
we
really
need
from
the
school
district
is
a
restoration
agenda
that
prioritize
where
the
spending
will.
So
it
feels
like
from
our
perspective
that
a
lot
of
money
does
go
to
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
and
a
lot
of
it
goes
out
and
on
clarified
expenses,
and
our
children
still
seem
to
be
falling
farther
and
farther
behind,
and
that
we
can't
even
make
basic
issues
like
school
code
requirements.
That's
going
to
be
a
very
serious
issue.