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From YouTube: Committee on Education 12-15-2021
Description
The Committee on Education of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at 9:00 AM to hear testimony on the following item:
210978 Resolution calling for public hearings in Council’s Committee on Education to examine the School District’s newly proposed admission process for criteria based middle and high schools.
A
B
I
now
note
that
the
hour
has
come.
Will
the
clerk
please
call
the
roll
to
for
attendance
members
that
are
in
attendance?
Please
indicate
that
you're
present
when
your
name
is
called
also.
Please
say
a
few
brief
words
when
responding
so
that
your
image
can
be
displayed
on
screen.
When
you
speak.
Can
the
clerk
please
call
the
role.
B
B
Before
we
begin
to
hear
testimony
from
the
witnesses
we
have
for
today,
everyone
who
has
been
invited
to
the
meeting
to
testify
should
be
aware
that
this
is
a
public
hearing
that
is
being
recorded
because
the
hearing
is
public.
Participants
and
viewers
have
no
reason
reasonable
expectation
of
privacy.
By
continuing
to
be
in
the
meeting,
you
are
consenting
to
be
recorded
additionally
prior
to
recognizing
members
for
questions
or
comments
they
have
for
witnesses.
I
will
note
for
the
record
at
that
time
this
time
that
we
will
use
the
fat.
B
B
B
A
A
I
live
in
southwest
philadelphia
in
cobbs
creek
king
session,
and
I
have
lived
there.
My
whole
life
I
attended
public
school
at
long,
streth
and
then
turner
middle
school.
It
is
described
as
a
high
crime.
Poor
african-american
neighborhood,
the
parents
who
contacted
me.
They
told
me
that
their
son
was
fortunate
to
receive
financial
aid,
a
grant
a
scholarship
to
catholic
school
where
he
excelled.
His
gpa
was
close
to
4.0.
A
He
did
extremely
well
in
the
standardized
tests
in
the
98
percentile.
They
struggled
in
the
community
to
keep
him
off
the
streets
to
keep
him
safe.
Where
there
is
a
lot
of
violence
and
danger,
they
were
proud
of
his
work
ethic
and
his
commitment
to
helping
others
great
recommendations
and
they
believe
that
would
be
explained
in
his
essay.
A
They
were
alarmed
and
what
they
were
telling
me.
I
was
unclear
because
I
didn't
have
any
details.
I
was
even
unsure
of
what
was
going
on.
What
they
told
me
is
that
they
learned
that
there's
a
new
process
to
get
into
one
of
the
criteria
based
schools.
In
this
case
it
was
central,
high
school,
that
central
high
school
and
other
magnet
schools
under
a
new
process,
just
announced
by
the
school
district
and
already
implemented
with
great
confusion,
was
that
their
son
standardized
tests
would
not
be
taken
into
account.
A
His
recommendation.
Letters
would
not
be
taken
into
account
and
his
essay
would
be
graded
by
a
computer
program
which
they
felt
very
insecure
about.
I
have
since
learned
that
the
computer
program
obviously
cannot
judge
content,
but
is
specifically
not
to
be
used
for
grading.
It's
a
teaching
aid
and
therefore
that
left
them
with
gpa,
but
they
understood
to
some
extent
and
were
asking
me
that
gpa
is
not
the
only
criteria
in
the
sense
that
perhaps
their
son,
for
example,
got
a
3.8
gpa.
A
What
weight,
how
much
weight?
What
zip
codes?
I
don't
know
what
the
zip
codes
are
as
of
today,
but
at
the
time
I
looked
at
it,
there
were
no
zip
codes
in
west
philadelphia,
no
zip
codes
in
southwest
philadelphia,
no
zip
codes
in
south
philadelphia,
no
zip
codes
in
most
parts
of
philadelphia
that
represent
underserved
communities.
A
A
We
have
witnesses
today
and
and-
and
we
have
parents
today
and
and
the
fundamental
question-
is
this
system
better
than
what
had
existed
before,
and
certainly
the
issues
around.
It
include
the
fact
that
philadelphia
by
some
accounts
is
ranked
597th
out
of
707
school
districts
in
the
state
of
pennsylvania,
putting
us
at
the
bottom
15.,
where
we
have
to
fight
parents
and
students
to
get
a
good
education,
whereas
other
students,
simply
by
where
they
live,
and
they
they
just
go
to
school
and
it's
a
great
school
it
is.
A
A
D
Thank
you
so
much
madam
chair,
and
I
apologize
to
the
public
for
the
condition
of
my
voice.
I'm
trying
to
get
it
back,
but
I
wanted
to
make
some
brief
opening
remarks
in
case
I'm
not
able
to
fully
participate
in
a
q
a
later
you
know.
I
want
to
first
of
all
thank
all
the
community
members
parents,
educators,
who
are
on
this
hearing
or
who
are
watching
this
hearing
because
today
needs
to
be
a
conversation
about
equity,
and
that
is
an
important
conversation
that
we
need
to
have.
D
That
is
an
issue
for
the
entire
city
to
be
concerned
about.
That
is
a
particular
issue
that
that
I'm
certainly
concerned
about
and
have
raised
directly
with,
the
superintendent,
in
particular
around
a
school
that
my
two
of
my
children
attended,
mastermind
and,
in
particular,
when
we
see
plummeting
student
enrollment,
there
needs
to
be
an
analysis.
D
D
But
I
do
have
serious
issues
about
this
process.
I
think
some
of
them,
my
colleague
councilmember
david
o,
addressed
there's,
no
question
that,
in
terms
of
in
terms
of
process
opening
a
brand
new
announcing
a
brand
new
high
school
selections
process
on
the
day
that
high
school
selection
effectively
opens
with
almost
no
information
going
to
parents
is
irresponsible.
D
It
created
chaos
and
uncertainty,
fear
and
suspicion.
That
is
the
wrong
approach
towards
any
school
system,
towards
its
students,
towards
its
parents
and
towards
its
educators
and
towards
our
city.
You
know,
I
think
that
there
was
no
question
that
there
was
no
significant
public
input.
I
know
we
will
hear
from
the
district
that
there
might
have
been
some
amounts
of
parent
surveys
that
might
have
gone
out.
That
is
not
a
substitution
for
input.
D
There
was
no
significant
input
into
this
decision
that
was
made
and
a
generation
of
kids
certainly
a
whole
class
of
them
are
deeply
impacted
by
that,
and
that
also
is
unacceptable
and
then
finally,
I
want
to
take
issue
with
the
idea
of
what
equity
is
and
what
it
isn't.
Equity
is
a
purposeful
change
in
practice,
policy,
resources
and
investments.
D
D
That
is
why
I
do
primarily
take
issue
with
the
school
district's
announcement
that
this
process
intends
to
quote
unquote,
remove
all
human
judgment
from
the
admissions
process
of
select
schools.
That
is
not
equity.
It
is
not
equity
in
any
definition,
it
is
randomness.
Randomness
is
not
synonymous
with
equity.
Randomness
can
be
chaos,
randomness
can
also
be
inequity
and
randomness
does
not
build
for
confidence,
trust
and
engagement
in
a
better,
more
equitable
school
system
that
serves
all
students
and
not
the
most
privileged.
D
Many
young
people,
we
one
thing
that
we
know
about
computer
algorithms-
is
that
they
can
measure
a
pre-inserted
formula
of
effectiveness,
but
they
cannot
measure
heart.
They
cannot
measure
potential.
They
cannot
measure
the
power
of
a
young
person's
voice.
To
speak
to
experience,
it
is
shocking
to
me
that
a
computer
would
read
and
review
essays
for
applications
to
a
school,
and
so
you
know
again,
I
want
to
emphasize
algorithms.
D
Removing
human
judgment
are
in
no
way
a
form
of
equity
they're,
not
an
assuring
change,
and
I
do
not
think
that
they
are
a
better
change
and
then
finally,
you
know.
The
last
thing
I
want
to
say
is
that
the
long-standing
issues
around
equity
in
the
school
district-
not
only
plummeting
enrollment
of
african-american
students
at
criteria-based
schools,
but
the
plummeting
number
of
african-american
teachers
in
the
school
district
of
philadelphia.
The
plummeting
number
of
african-american
leadership
in
the
city
is
something
that
should
be
school.
D
Leadership
in
the
city
is
something
that
needs
to
be
a
top
priority
in
this
school
district,
one
without
the
other,
and
not
having
a
fuller
sense
of
our
commitment
to
all
schools,
particularly
our
elementary
schools.
Resources
that
are
invested
in
them
makes
this
move
even
more
difficult
to
understand,
and
so
I
hope
this
conversation
today
is
going
to
be
a
complicated
one.
D
I
know
our
school
board
has
been
dedicated
to
its
goals
and
guardrails,
but
I
also
urge
the
school
board
to
understand
that
equity
isn't
played
out
in
algorithms
and
things
that
are
created
down
in
440.
they're
executed
in
classrooms
all
across
the
city
of
philadelphia
in
the
welcomeness
that
young
people
feel
as
soon
as
they
step
in
foot
into
a
school
in
terms
of
the
opportunities
that
they
are
granted
when
mistakes
are
made
in
terms
of
opportunities
for
scholarship,
external
opportunities
for
leadership
that
are
provided
in
schools
and
outside
of
them.
D
I'm
far
beyond
this
hearing,
I
want
to
thank
the
chair
and
the
sponsor
for
taking
the
time
to
hold
it,
but
I
do
believe
that
we
are
going
to
have
to
have
a
much
more
serious,
dedicated
conversation
to
equity
that
goes
far
beyond
school
selection
and
admission
and
that
we
should
challenge
any
any
equity
definition
that
calls
for
the
removal
of
human
judgment
and
relies
on
computer
algorithms.
Those
are
not
again
equity.
We
need
a
fuller
vision
of
it.
I
look
forward
to
that
conversation.
Thank
you,
madam
chair.
B
G
While
I
commend
the
school
district
for
putting
a
plan
in
place
specifically
to
address
the
disparities
in
the
selection
process,
the
implementation
of
this
plan
has
left
me
with
many
questions,
the
most
pressing
of
which
is
about
the
prioritization
of
students
by
zip
code
and
the
timeline
for
implementation
by
using
large
areas
to
determine
representation
in
the
city's
criteria.
Criteria-Based
schools,
thousands
of
children
from
underrepresented
neighborhoods,
are
at
risk
of
being
overlooked
because
they
share
a
zip
code
with
students
from
more
resourced
areas.
G
As
one
example
from
my
district,
which
is
which
is
not
included
in
any
of
the
zip
codes
that
are
given
preference,
I
would
want
to
be
sure
that
kids
from
cops
creek
are
represented
in
the
top
schools.
The
way
that
students
from
cedar
park
are
because
these
are
very
different
neighborhoods,
even
though
they
share
a
zip
code
and
are
only
a
few
minutes
apart.
G
The
timing
of
the
implementation
of
this
new
process
also
gave
me
pause.
The
school
selection
feedback
survey
was
open
until
june
11
and
results
and
solutions
were
released.
The
first
week
of
october,
the
same
week
that
high
school
that
the
high
school
selection
process
for
the
next
year
began,
and
it
concerns
me
that
parents
and
students
were
notified
of
the
changes
to
the
application
process
the
same
week
that
students
were
expected
to
begin
choosing
the
high
schools
that
they
wanted
to
attend
in
a
system
that's
already
inequitable.
G
The
selection
process
does
need
an
overhaul,
but
we
need
to
evaluate
whether
the
system
that
has
been
put
in
place
for
the
upcoming
school
year
will
actually
create
the
equity
that
we
are
striving
for
in
our
city
schools.
So
I
look
forward
to
the
conversation
today
and
I
appreciate
the
the
sponsor
of
this
resolution
and
the
chair
of
this
committee
for
hosting
it.
B
Thank
you
so
very
much.
I
know
that
at
last
week's
school
board
meeting
there
was
a
lot
of
discussion
around
this
issue.
I
look
forward
to
this
morning's
conversation
and,
like
my
colleagues,
I'm
very
concerned
because
we
finally
recognizing
the
issue
of
equity,
racial
equity
and
then
we
roll
out
something
that
is
so
bumpy
and
so
chaotic,
and
this
is
not
the
kind
of
conversation
we
should
be
having.
B
We
should
be
having
a
conversation
about
providing
more
opportunity,
not
less
opportunity,
and
so
I
hope
that
through
this
conversation
and
the
conversation
that
has
been
happening
by
the
school
board,
that
the
school
district
will
listen
to
many
of
the
folks
who
are
going
to
testify
today
and
really
consider
what
it's
going
to
implement
this
year
and
how
we
can
better
improve
this
process.
So
I
also
want
to
thank
the
bills.
The
the
resolution
sponsor
for
this
discussion.
B
So
with
that,
we
will
start
with
our
first
panel
want
to
reiterate
that
we,
honorable
donna,
bullock
first
dr
joshua,
wilson,
stephen
kleinman,
dr
keely,
mccarthy,
jayda
nogares
and
kimberly
caputo,
so
representative
bullock
as
a
parent,
also
of
a
graduate
of
mastermind
in
central.
I
can
tell
you
that
this
is
an
issue
that
I
have
personally
experienced
myself
this
process.
So
thank
you
very
much
good
morning.
I
Good
morning,
thank
you,
councilwoman
chairwoman,
maria
quinoa
sanchez.
First,
let
me
thank
my
former
boss
and
his
absence
council
president
daryl
clark,
as
I
mentioned,
the
chairwoman
council
member
david
o
and
the
members
of
the
education
committee
for
inviting
me
to
speak
today
for
the
record.
My
name
is
donna
bullock
and
I
serve
as
the
representative
of
the
195th
legislative
district,
chair
of
the
pennsylvania
legislative,
black
caucus
and
most
important
title
apparent
in
the
philadelphia
school
district.
I
I
More
than
two-thirds
of
the
students
come
from
economically
disadvantaged
households,
and
many
of
them
will
be
the
first
in
their
families
to
attend
college
and
when
the
school
was
recognized
as
a
blue
ribbon
school
in
2019,
our
board
of
education,
president
joyce
wilkerson
praised
the
school
for
its
diversity.
Saying,
and
I
quote,
I
want
to
salute
carver's
commitment
to
diversity
and
equity.
It
does
it
in
a
way.
No
one
else
does
it's
unmatched
in
the
city
end
quote,
but
the
school's
district,
the
school
district's
recent
announcement
puts
all
of
that
into
question.
I
Every
parent,
including
lawmakers,
like
myself,
is
going
to
do
what
is
best
for
their
child,
and
I
acknowledge
that.
But
I
am
also
a
legislator,
who
has
advocated
for
equitable
solutions
to
address
the
disparities
created
and
perpetuated
by
years
of
historically
racist
inequitable
systems,
institutions
and
investments.
So
I
do
not
take
this
conversation
lightly.
As
we
spent
a
year
talking
about
equity.
As
legislators,
we
now
face
the
conundrum
of
what
does
equity
really
look
like
beyond
words
and
eloquent
statements.
I
I
Equity
is
about
giving
people
what
they
need
to
have
the
same
access
to
the
same
opportunities
and
benefits,
but
when
it
comes
to
limited
resources-
or
in
this
case,
a
limited
number
of
seats
in
top
performing
schools
in
an
otherwise
underperforming
school
district.
That
is
also
underfunded
by
state
funds.
I
How
do
we
equitably
equitably
divide
the
pie
when
we
simply
don't
have
enough
pie?
In
this
case?
We
create
winners
and
losers
and
no
matter
how
we
slice
that
pie,
we'll
just
have
another
set
of
winners
and
losers
and
the
more
I
talk
to
parents
at
carver
at
sla
bieber
at
masterman
at
schools
all
across
the
city.
I
realized
that
more
is
at
stake
than
the
8th
grade
class
at
carver.
We
must
do
this
right.
I
We
have
a
chance
as
legislators
as
policy
makers
as
lawmakers,
as
leaders
and
as
parents
to
be
critical
of
any
and
all
policies,
even
those
that
claim
to
address
equity
and
to
ensure
that
they
actually
achieve
the
goals
that
they
set
forth
and
not
set
us
back.
We
have
an
obligation
to
do
so
for
our
children
and
for
our
con
constituents.
I
So
before
I
move
on,
I
want
to
applaud
the
city
of
city
council
for
holding
this
hearing
and
asking
the
tough
questions
as
explained
by
the
council
members.
In
their
opening
remark,
the
school
district
announced
this
online
application
at
the
same
time
that
they
announced
the
significant
changes
to
the
process.
I
It's
not
the
first
time
that
they've
attempted
to
do
this,
and
nor
are
they
the
only
school
school
district
to
try
new
york
city
also
implemented
a
lottery
last
year,
among
other
things,
with
modest
results.
A
decade
ago,
chicago
public
schools
used
the
race-based
admissions
program.
It
now
chooses
30
of
its
students
from
a
citywide
pool
and
the
remaining
70
from
a
much
complicated
process
that
draws
evenly
from
the
top
students
from
various
social
economic
tiers
in
census,
tracts
throughout
the
city
rather
than
zip
codes.
This
is
not
easy,
as
we
heard.
I
Philadelphia's
changes
include
removing
barriers
to
eligibility
such
as
making
algebra
available
to
every
single
middle
school
student
and
removing
the
foreign
language
requirements,
changes
that
I
believe,
were
appropriate
and
equitable
without
question,
but
the
more
aggressive
and
controversial
changes
that
included
a
lottery
for
eligible
students
that
included
an
online
writing
assessment
created
by
an
algorithm
that
included
zip
code
preferences
only
representing
one
portion,
one
section
of
the
city,
all
of
these,
these
druids
through
the
policy
and
the
process
into
question.
The
merits
of
these
policies
will
be
discussed
by
other
panel
panelists.
I
So
I
will
focus
on
process
much
like
the
opening
remarks
from
the
council
members.
The
school
district's
development
and
implementation
of
this
new
admissions
process
is
fraught
with
miscommunication
lack
of
transparency,
conflicting
information
and
mishaps,
such
as
the
total
system.
Failure
during
the
administration
of
the
online
writing
assessment
at
one
school.
I
I
I
Those
details
were
left
to
the
school
district
personnel
and
were
developed
without
much
public
input
other
than
an
online
survey,
and
even
that
survey
failed
to
build
any
consensus
around
some
of
the
most
polarizing
changes
in
the
new
process
and
to
my
knowledge
there
wasn't
any
public
comment
or
opportunity
for
to
provide
feedback
on
the
proposed
changes
before
the
announcement,
and
even
if
these
steps
were
taken
to
engage
school
district
families,
they
clearly
were
not
sufficient.
As
many
families,
teachers,
students
and
faculty
were
shell-shocked
by
the
announcement
of
the
changes,
this
fall.
I
This
alone
should
have
given
the
school
district
pause
to
ask
whether
they
effectively
rolled
out
this
process.
Furthermore,
the
announcement
had
very
little
details
about
the
online
writing
assessment,
the
zip
code
preferences
or
any
clarity,
but
about
how
it
applied
to
middle
schools
like
carver
that
had
traditionally
served
as
a
pipeline
to
their
high
schools.
I
Students,
parents
and
teachers
and
guidance
counselors
waited
as
details
trickled
out
and
yet
many
questions
remained
leading
up
to
november
21st
application
deadline
during
the
administration
of
the
online
writing
assessments
these
last
few
weeks,
and
even
today
does
the
use
of
technology
through
both
the
lottery
and
the
online
writing
assessment,
truly
eliminate
bias
and
achieve
equity
according
to
virginia
eubanks.
In
her
book,
automating
inequality
technology
systems
don't
remove
the
bias
they
simply
move,
it
move
it
to
a
different
set
of
winners
and
losers.
I
Technology
is
not
a
substitute
for
justice
and
the
use
of
algorithms
and
the
delivery
of
public
services
often
fail
the
most
vulnerable.
So
how
are
we
safeguarding
against
those
concerns?
What
was
the
process
for
selecting
the
companies
that
developed
this
technology,
the
technology
to
administer
the
lottery
and
the
writing
assessment?
I
I
Could
the
lottery
possibly
make
a
school
like
carver,
less
diverse,
and
what,
if
any
appeals
process
even
exists?
These
are
just
a
few
questions.
The
school
district's
approach
to
developing
and
announcing
this
new
admissions
process,
as
mentioned
by
earl
earlier
comments,
did
not
build
any
confidence
in
the
school
district.
In
fact,
it
bred
distrust
and
discontent,
discontent.
I
It
unnecessarily
pit
families
against
each
other
and
cause
division,
policies
and
actions
to
achieve
equity
must
be
strategic,
they
must
be
intentional
and
they
must
be
inclusive.
They
should
reflect
our
values
as
a
city
and
they
must
have
buy-in
to
work.
It
is
not
sufficient
to
say
this
is
equity
for
equity's
sake.
Without
explanation.
I
I
Such
a
shift
in
policy
and
practices
group
would
require
months
of
public
engagement
and
if
we
had
determined
which
laws
to
pass
based
on
an
algorithm,
I'm
not
sure
how
many
of
us
would
get
reelected
for
the
next
several
years
we
will
be
faced
with
more
challenges
when
it
comes
to
how
we
equitably
distribute
resources
and
services.
The
question
is:
are
we
willing
to
do
the
hard
work
to
create
real
equity
and
not
just
a
reallocation
of
the
same
pieces
of
the
small
pie?
The
harder
work
would
be
figuring.
I
How
how
do
we
create
more
pie,
more
quality
seats
in
classrooms
across
the
city?
How
do
we
replicate
the
success
of
a
carver
or
a
central
or
mastermind
in
other
parts
of
our
great
beloved
city?
How
do
we
invest
in
our
neighborhood
schools
and
how
do
we
keep
fighting
at
the
state
for
level
for
fair
funding
for
the
fair
funding
formula,
so
that
philadelphia
has
the
resources
to
provide
more
opportunity
for
all
of
our
students?
I
Since
that
october
conversation
with
my
son,
I
constantly
checked
my
own
moral
compass.
Yes,
I
want
my
son
to
go
to
the
school.
He
believes
best
matches
his
interest
and
would
best
prepare
him
for
his
next
chapter,
but
I
also
want
that
for
his
classmates,
a
diverse
group
of
students
from
all
across
the
city
and
all
from
all
different
and
social
economic
backgrounds.
I
I
want
that
for
the
shining
star
at
gideon
elementary
in
north
philadelphia
for
the
student
at
mcmichael
and
west,
or
at
charles
elementary
in
south
philadelphia,
and
I
want
that
for
the
student
coming
from
saint
malachy
entering
the
school
district
for
the
first
time
we
have
a
responsibility
to
all
of
our
students
and
reshuffling.
The
equity
deck
doesn't
get
us
there
investing
in
equity.
I
Does
I
look
forward
to
hearing
the
testimony
from
all
the
other
panelists
and
again
I
want
to
thank
city
council
for
taking
this
opportunity
to
allow
the
public
to
hear
from
the
school
district
and
to
ask
the
hard
questions
to
make
sure
we
are
getting
this
this
opportunity
to
address
equity
right.
We
must
do
it
right.
This
is
the
time.
Thank
you.
B
E
Okay.
Thank
you
good
morning.
Thank
you,
council
members
for
inviting
me
to
offer
my
testimony
at
today's
city
council,
education
hearing.
My
name
is
dr
joshua
wilson
and
I'm
an
associate
professor
of
education
at
the
university
of
delaware.
I'm
an
expert
in
the
use
of
automated
scoring
and
automated
writing
evaluation
tools
in
k-12
education.
E
E
In
addition,
it's
also
laudable
that
the
district
recognizes
the
challenges
of
efficiently
and
reliably
scoring
student
writing.
Scoring.
Writing
is
time.
Consuming
challenging
work
is
virtually
impossible
to
institute
an
efficient
and
efficient
and
reliable
human
scoring
process
without
substantial
rater
training
scoring.
Writing
can
be
filled
with
error
and
bias.
Indeed,
raider
error,
as
it
is
known
in
the
field,
is
perhaps
the
largest
source
of
error
in
writing
evaluation.
E
Thus,
the
decision
by
the
district
to
adopt
a
scoring
method
that
ensures
consistency
in
objectivity,
increases
efficiency
and
reduces
biases
is
also
reasonable
and
laudable.
Automated
essay
scoring
can
be
a
natural
solution
in
that
regard.
Automated
essay
scoring
or
aes,
sometimes
called
machine
scoring,
is
the
use
of
computer
algorithms
to
assign
scores
to
student
writing
that
are
highly
consistent
with
those
a
trained
rater
would
assign
those
scores
are
returned
immediately
with
no
human
effort
and
those
scores
are
100
consistent.
E
Aes
just
examines
the
features
of
that
essay
features
such
as
vocabulary,
sentence,
structure,
cohesion
coherence
and
assigns
a
score
based
on
how
that
essay
compares
to
essays
that
scored
previously,
so
turning
to
aes
could
be
seen
as
a
reasonable
decision
by
the
district.
Indeed,
there
is
precedent
to
suggest
that
automated
scoring
can
make
placement
decisions.
E
And
finally,
there
is
a
new
form
of
educational
technology
that
incorporates
aes
and
automated
feedback
to
help
support
the
teaching
and
learning
of
writing
this
technology
sometimes
referred
to
as
automated
writing.
Evaluation
combines
automated
scoring
and
automated
feedback
to
help
students
learn
the
strengths
and
weaknesses
of
their
writing.
Helps
teachers
promote
greater
amounts
of
writing
practice
and
more
rapid
practice
feedback
cycles
and
ultimately
help
improve
writing
instruction
writing
outcomes
for
students.
E
Indeed,
the
am
I
right
system
used
by
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
is
one
such
program,
a
program.
I've
done
a
lot
of
research
on
myself
in
my
research,
I
show
that,
by
giving
students
feedback
about
the
ways
they
can
improve
their
essays
when
revising
am,
I
right
provides
benefits
to
teachers
and
students.
So
the
first
point
I
want
to
make
is
that
aes
itself,
automated
essay
scoring
is
not
the
bad
guy.
It's
not
that
there
are
no
valid
uses
of
aes.
E
There
are,
however,
it
depends
on
how
aes
is
used,
which
brings
me
to
my
concerns
about
the
school
district's
writing
sample
as
part
of
its
school
selection
process,
as
I
will
share.
These
concerns
include
how
aes
is
being
used
here,
but
also
include
the
writing.
They're
also
broader
include
the
way
that
the
writing
assessment
is
independent
of
aes.
E
Am
I
right
is
not
intended
to
be
used
as
part
of
high
stakes
decision
making,
and
my
right
is
intended
to
support
classroom
based
writing
instruction,
giving
students
feedback
about
ways
they
can
improve
their
essays
when
revising
further.
It
is
not
meant
to
be
used
without
a
teacher
or
a
human
rater.
Looking
at
student
writing
yet
this
is
what
is
happening
here
and
here's
an
example
of
why
using
am
I
right
for
high
stakes?
Decisions
is
inappropriate.
E
Its
scoring
system
is
deliberately
designed
not
to
evaluate
content.
It
only
evaluates
the
quality
of
the
writing.
This
is
not
because
aes
can
never
score
content.
It
can
it's
also
not
because
measurement
incorporated
the
developers
of
am.
I
right
do
not
know
how
to
create
those
kinds
of
aes
algorithms
or
models
they
can
am.
E
I
right
doesn't
score
for
content,
because
doing
so
would
mean
that
am
I
right
would
need
to
include
a
very
limited
number
of
writing,
prompts
the
teachers
and
that
teachers
would
not
be
able
to
create
their
own
writing
prompts
or
embed
their
curriculums.
Writing
prompts,
if
am
I
right,
is
intended
to
work
in
different
school
districts
in
different
schools
and
with
different
curricula.
It
would
be
a
substantial
limitation
to
only
include
a
limited
number
of
prompts
that
students
can
practice
on.
E
Instead,
the
tool
is
designed
to
score
only
for
writing
quality,
ignoring
content
so
that
it
can
be
maximally
flexible
across
instructional
contents
context,
and
this
is
okay,
because
it's
intended
to
be
used
in
conjunction
with
a
teacher
who
also
reads
and
provides
feedback
on
the
student's
writing.
If
the
system
is
scoring
for
general
aspects
of
writing
quality,
it
frees
up
the
teacher
to
address
the
content
issues
and
when
I
work
with
teachers,
I
say
that's
what
you
go
to
you
know.
That's
what
you've
gone
to
school
to.
E
E
If
the
system
were
designed
to
be
a
placement
test
or
support
placement
decisions,
it
would
be
desirable
and
preferable
to
score
for
content
and
include
only
a
limited
number
of
prompts
to
ensure
that
students
writing
is
scored
more
fully
and
appropriately
in
that
contents.
In
that
context,
and
in
fact
thinking
about
the
right
placer
example
that
assessment
uses
aes,
but
that
aes
system
scores
for
content.
E
Next,
I
know
of
no
research
that
validates
the
cut
scores
selected
by
the
district
as
predictive
of
future
success
in
those
respective
schools,
absent
appropriately
researched
and
validated
cut.
Scores
decision
on
who
can
and
cannot
enter
the
lottery
may
not
be
accurate
and
thus
may
cause
harm.
Why
a
22,
why
not
24
or
21?
Why
is
17
and
not
16
or
18?
E
While
there
are
percentiles
attached
to
the
scores
that
am
I
right
produces?
It
is
unclear
whether
those
scores
are
nationally
normed
or
represent
a
population
of
students.
Writing
in
response
to
90-minute
writing
prompts,
which
is
what
the
school
district
has
elected
to
use
as
it's
a
writing
sample,
I'm
unaware
of
any
published
research
for
measurement
incorporated
that
describes
those
aspects
of
the
percentile
scores.
Thus,
I
would
not
treat
the
am
I
right:
percentile
scores
as
equivalent
to
percentile
scores
generated
from
a
validated
norm,
reference
test
like
the
pssa.
E
Finally,
it
is
well
known
in
the
field
of
writing
assessment
that
a
single
writing
prompt
is
insufficient
to
make
an
accurate
decision
about
a
student's
writing
ability.
Students
vary
in
their
performance
relative
to
the
genre
of
the
prompt,
whether
they
compose
narrative,
informational
or
opinion
pieces
and
relative
to
the
topic
of
the
prompt,
for
example,
writing
about
outer
space
or
bravery
or
the
role
of
automation
in
industry,
for
example.
E
These
variations
mean
that
a
score
from
a
single
writing
assessment
indicates
only
so
much
about
a
student's
writing
skills
and
I've
done
research
showing
that
when
using
am
I
right
with
elementary
students,
you
arrive
at
a
much
more
generalizable
estimate
of
a
student's.
True
writing
ability,
if
they
complete
three
30-minute.
Writing
prompts
one
prompt
in
each
genre
and
then
taking
the
average
of
those
scores.
Thus
I
wonder
if
the
district
would
have
been
better
served,
allocating
the
90-minute
assessment
window
to
elicit
three
30-minute
writing
samples
in
different
genres
versus
a
single
writing
sample.
E
So,
in
sum,
I
do
think
the
district
was
wise
to
think
about
the
role
of
writing
assessment
in
making
predictions
about
student
success
and
academically
demanding
schools.
I
also
think
it
was
wise
to
consider
ways
to
make
that
scoring
that
writing
assessment
maximally,
reliable
and
efficient,
reducing
removing
any
human
bias
that
may
be
limiting
diversity
in
these
schools
looking
to
aes
was
also
reasonable,
as
it
has
a
number
of
benefits
and
it
can
address
those
goals.
E
However,
memi
write
was
not
intended
to
be
to
be
used
in
this
way
and
coupled
with
the
lack
of
research
on
the
selected
cut,
scores
and
issues
surrounding
single
item
writing
assessments.
Good
intentions
unfortunately
arrived
at
a
very
problematic
writing
assessment
scenario
that
should
be
reconsidered.
Given
the
stakes
attached.
Thank
you
very
much
for
your
time
today.
B
B
Policy
and
direction,
I
will
be
listening
and
paying
attention,
but
I
support
the
efforts
of
both
you,
madam
chair,
as
well
as
councilman,
oh
and
the
other
members
of
this
committee,
in
addressing
this
issue
that
was
really
somewhat
taken
aback
in
reference
to
how
quickly
this
proposal
came
about
when
many
parents
and
others
were
not
aware
of
it.
So
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
and
I
will
be
listening
as
a
ex-official.
I
guess
a
member
of
this
committee,
so
thank
you.
B
K
I
J
J
I'm
sorry
can
everybody
see
that?
Yes,
thank
you
so
good
morning
and
again,
thank
you
for
the
chance
to
to
testify.
My
name
is
steve
kleiman,
I'm
a
parent
of
a
student
applying
to
high
school,
but
I'm
here
because
for
over
30
years
I
led
research
initiatives
at
a
non-profit
here
in
philly
best
known
for
developing
the
licensing
exam
for
physicians
in
the
u.s.
My
job
for
many
years
was
to
look
for
novel
assessment
approaches,
including
cutting-edge
technologies
like
automated
scoring.
J
Professor
wilson
shared
with
us
a
few
reasons
why
the
writing
sample
is
problematic,
designed
for
feedback,
not
high
stakes,
use,
cut,
scores,
not
validated
one
sample,
not
enough
I'll,
build
on
that
and
describe
how
the
writing
sample
is
delivered.
How
automated
scoring
is
used
by
another
major
company
and
some
additional
challenges,
and
one
replacement
idea
well
first
to
put
a
face
on
this.
We're
talking
about
scores
and
cut
points,
but
a
few
thousand
eighth
graders
are
right
now
vying
for
1300
positions
in
five
schools
affected
by
this.
J
For
many
getting
in
is
their
aspiration
and
maybe
even
their
ticket
out.
The
decision
about
this
has
very
real
and
personal
consequences.
So
how
does
it
work?
Students
have
90
minutes
and
after
they
write
their
essay,
they
click
submit
a
score
appears
on
the
screen
on
a
scale
of
6
to
30,
indicating
whether
they
will
enter
the
lottery
or
not
to
see
how
this
can
be
done
differently.
We
look
to
leaders
in
the
industry.
The
educational
testing
service
has
been
using
automated
essay
scoring
for
toefl.
It's
the
test
of
english
as
a
foreign
language.
J
It's
a
three-hour
test
of
reading,
listening
speaking
and
writing
and
yes,
the
writing
sample
is
scored
by
computer,
but
there
are
some
big
differences.
There
are
two
writing
samples,
not
one
it's
rated
by
a
computer
and
a
human.
If
the
computer
and
the
human
disagree
another
human
rates
it,
you
can
retake
the
test
as
many
times
as
you
want.
It
only
counts.
25
percent
of
your
score
and
there's
no
pass
fail.
J
In
measurement
as
professor
wilson
started
to
talk
about,
even
when
a
test
looks
like
it's
working,
we
worry
about
threats
to
score
interpretation.
That
is
what
could
have
gone
wrong.
That
makes
the
score
suspect,
especially
for
high-stakes
decisions.
There
needs
to
be
rigorous
study
whenever
new
threats
are
plausible,
and
there
are
a
few
that
I'd
add
in
to
what
were
already
mentioned.
One
seemingly
innocent
one
was
that
there
was
no
practice
with
the
software
beforehand.
J
Another
another
concern
I
I
have
has
to
do
with
the
possibility
of
bias-
and
I
I
think
professor
wilson
and
I
agree
on
this,
and
it
takes
a
little
unpacking,
but
I'd
like
to
back
up
a
little
bit
and
to
say
a
little
bit
more
about
what
the
computer
is
actually
doing.
The
computer
scoring
is
done
by
modeling
human
ratings
of
essays,
but
humans
can
have
bias
and
because
the
computers
model
the
humans,
the
computers
can
be
biased.
J
Ets
studies
show
that
the
english
as
second
language
toefl
test
takers
were
upscored
or
downscored
by
the
software
systematically,
and
there
were
some
differences,
for
example,
among
those
originating
in
different
countries
and
continents.
So
efforts
must
be
expended
to
pre-test
in
a
representative
population
and
look
for
and
correct
it
in
the
model
and
score.
So,
yes,
they
can
score
without
bias,
but
it
takes
a
lot
of
work
and
analysis
to
do
that.
J
So,
let's
move
maybe
now
to
what
can
we
do
to
replace
the
writing
sample
score?
What
are
some
of
our
options
at
this
point?
To
think
about
it?
I
made
made
it
easy
for
myself.
I
assume
that
we
have
only
a
couple
weeks
and
no
money.
So
under
those
conditions
I
was
left
with
a
few
choices.
We
got
to
use
existing
data
and
that
consists
of
standardized
test
scores
or
grades,
and
I'm
going
to
take
us
down
the
ladder
path
quickly,
but
other
options
should
still
be
on
the
table
so
grades.
J
Why
grades
you
say
a
lot
of
schools,
use
it
for
9th
grade
selection
and
middle
school
grades
are
a
good
predictor
of
high
school
rates.
Well,
aren't
we
using
them
already?
Yes,
and
no
in
the
design
of
this
year's
criteria
for
school
selections,
schools
require,
for
example,
a's
and
b's,
but
operationally
that's
not
what
it
means.
J
J
If
someone
got
an
a
in
english
and
it
was
a
92
use,
the
number
92
that
increases
the
information
content
from
one
bit
to
20
bits,
because
the
scores
range
from
80
to
100
and
the
data
is
already
there
in
the
school
systems,
but
doing
this.
Just
for
english
raises
a
question.
Why
just
english?
Why
just
a
writing
sample
if
we
already
have
a
math
numerical
grade,
let's
use
it
and
once
we're
down
that
path.
J
We're
right
at
gpas
take
the
course
subjects
and
do
the
same,
and
we
now
have
potentially
eighty
times
the
amount
of
information,
but
we
also
have
another
half
year
of
school
for
the
eighth
graders,
we
can
fold
that
into
a
gpa.
We've
now
increased
the
amount
of
information
by
two
orders
of
magnitude.
J
Does
it
make
sense
why
we
want
more
information,
not
less?
How
many
of
you
would
bet
one
thousand
dollars
that
you
know
what
that
image
is?
How
many
of
you
would
bet
one
thousand
dollars
that
you
know
what
that
image
is
in
high
resolution
even
upside
down?
We
recognize
mona
lisa.
We
don't
recognize
her
in
low
resolution
without
better
information.
It's
not
just
that
we're
going
to
pick
the
wrong
students,
it's
that
some
of
the
most
promising
kids
are
just
not
going
to
be
seen.
J
But
this
is
where
it
gets
interesting,
at
least
for
me,
what
are
the
problems
that
we're
grappling
with
that
are
right
at
the
border
of
this
in
the
new
school
selection
process
that
can
be
managed
through
gpas
and
maybe
in
some
different
ways.
So
let
me
have
everybody.
Look
at
this.
One
select
the
student
most
likely
to
succeed
in
high
school,
which
one
is
going
to
be
most
likely
to
succeed.
Well,
I'm
going
to
go
with
this
person
who
got
the
97
and
90
94.4
attendance,
but
the
way
the
new
system
is
implemented.
J
A
J
So
in
this
example
that
person
that
a
is
going
to
be
kicked
out
of
the
lottery,
the
94.4
percent
does
not
qualify
to
enter
the
lottery.
The
95
percent
is
a
1-0,
so
that
person
is
going
to
be
disqualified
from
pending
any
of
these
criteria
based
schools
because
of
one
day
difference
and
what
happened
here
is
that
we've
lost
information,
we've
cut
it
down
to
a
couple
ones
and
zeros,
and
this
person
missed
their
shot
because
of
that
one
day
of
school.
J
There
are
other
ways
that
we
might
do
this
in
a
more
sensible
way
by
preserving
all
the
information
that
we
have.
First
for
the
immediate
fix
that,
and
we
could
stop
right
here.
Gpas
are
going
to
be
a
better
metric
that
we
could
possibly
use
now.
In
the
longer
term,
we
could
consider
folding
in
other
information
allowing
accommodation
or
slippage
for
things
and
not
do
a
one
zero,
for
example,
for
attendance.
So,
for
example,
if
this
represents
the
that
the
thickness
of
the
the
bar
here
represents
the
the
gpa.
J
Maybe
we
bring
in
attendance
but
rather
than
lopping
that
person
off
and
not
allowing
them
to
qualify
for
the
lottery,
or
in
this
case
just
a
rank
ordering,
maybe
their
gpa
gets
adjusted
down.
It's
now
a
composite
score,
and
we
can
continue
thinking
well,
what
other
things
might
we
want
to
fold
in?
Can
we
think
about
some
measures
of
economic
disadvantage
again?
That
would
not
be
a
1-0
but
actually
would
bump
up
this
person's
gpa
or
their
composite
score
and
allow
us
to
think
more
critically
about
how
this
is
is
sensible
to
rank
order.
J
J
J
Well,
certainly,
this
is
just
one
way
of
doing
it
with
continuous
scores,
but
the
point
is
to
try
to
preserve
as
much
information
we
can
as
we
can,
and
there
are
other
logical
or
non-numerical
methods
to
handle
this.
So
to
conclude,
gpas
could
improve
information
available
for
school
selection
in
the
very
short
term.
J
Some
sort
of
composite
score
could
incorporate
multi-dimensional
factors,
important
for
equity,
fairness
and
academic
excellence,
and
other
options
really
should
be
explored,
and
I
offer
these
ideas
in
the
hopes
that
some
of
them
might
serve
as
kindling
and
bring
the
light
debate
on
the
full
range
of
really
complicated
issues
before
us.
Thank
you.
G
M
You
so
much
good
morning
and
thank
you
for
allowing
me
to
testify
today,
I'm
here
as
a
professional
and
also
as
a
parent.
I
have
an
11th
grader
at
central
and
a
7th
grader
at
carver
engineering
and
science.
I'm
also
a
professor
of
english
and
the
director
of
the
writing
program
at
chestnut
hill
college.
Here
in
philadelphia,
most
of
my
career
has
been
spent
teaching
and
assessing
the
writing
of
first-year
college
students.
M
M
In
addition,
what
is
being
tested
is
questionable
as
a
useful
measurement
since,
as
we
know
from
research,
the
algorithms
are
not
rewarding
things
like
subtlety.
Humor
do
not
reward
for
complexity
of
ideas,
but
rather
sentence
structure,
number
two
having
one
assessment,
and
now
we
know
a
flawed
and
unfair
one
as
a
gatekeeper
is
itself
flawed
and
unfair.
M
M
M
Finally,
I
want
to
say
that
giving
students
their
score
immediately
and
making
that
score
determine
everything
is
cruel.
If
you
have
a
student
in
school,
you
know
how
stressful,
even
something
like
khan
academy
for
math.
Is
they
don't
like
it
very
much,
but
with
those
math
quizzes,
if
they
don't
get
100,
they
just
retake
it
again.
The
stakes
are
very
low
for
khan
academy
homework.
N
Thank
you
so
much,
and
thanks
for
having
me
here
today.
It's
jaya,
ramji
nogales,
I'm
a
professor
of
law
and
associate
dean
for
research
at
temple
law
school.
I
should
start
by
saying
I'm
here
speaking
in
my
capacity
as
a
parent
of
a
fourth
grader
and
eighth
grader
in
the
philadelphia
public
school
systems,
nothing,
I
say,
comes
from
temple
university,
it's
it's!
It's
my
my
personal
insights
having
having
been
through
this
wild
ride.
This
fall.
N
N
All
of
our
students
benefit
from
schools
that
represent
our
diversity
and
all
of
philadelphia's
public
school
students
deserve
to
be
represented
at
the
criteria-based
schools.
So
it
is
this
commitment
that
gives
rise
to
my
concern
about
the
new
admission
process,
which
I
see
is
prioritizing
optics
over
meaningful
opportunity.
N
I'm
going
to
talk
about
four
concerns
with
the
new
process
that
other
speakers
have
spoken
about,
with
much
more
expertise
in
much
greater
detail.
The
computer
scored
essay
and
the
concerns
about
its
inaccuracy,
zip
code
as
a
proxy
for
diversity,
and
it's
the
bluntness
of
this
tool,
other
barriers
that
are
in
there
the
hidden
obstacles
that
some
of
you
have
spoken
about,
and
then
this
haphazard
process
right
the
problems
with
the
process
and
then
I'll
wrap
up
by
talking
about
where
this
may
take
us
right.
N
N
I
don't
need
to
add
much
to
what
the
other
experts
have
said,
but
I
will
say
that
the
website
itself,
for
am
I
right,
says
that
it
should
not
be
used
for
high
stakes
assessment.
In
my
written
testimony,
I
have
quoted
directly
from
their
website,
so
also
the
company
itself
says
this
is
not
the
way
this
this.
This
essay
should
be
used.
Also
echo
the
cruelty
that
dr
mccarthy
spoke
about
in
my
daughter's
eighth
grade
class.
They
took
the
test
together
and
the
students
who
did
not
get
the
score.
N
N
N
My
own,
as
I'm
sure
yours,
does
includes
a
broad
range
of
humans
along
race,
ethnicity
and
socioeconomic
status.
This
is
why
we
love
our
city.
Many
diverse
students
are
going
to
be
penalized
for
living
in
a
particular
zip
code,
even
if
they
attend
an
underperforming
school.
So
why
is
the
school
district
not
looking
at
the
school?
The
student
is
actually
attending,
rather
than
using
the
blunt
school
tool
of
zip
code.
This
is
surely
information.
N
That's
within
the
purview
of
the
school
district
equity
demands
that
the
process
make
an
effort
to
include
all
underserved
students
in
the
city
on
an
equal
basis.
As
previous
speakers
have
said,
there
are
other
barriers.
There
are
yet
more
obstacles,
these
ones
a
bit
more
hidden.
This
95
attendance
rate
that
others
have
spoken
about.
This
is
coming
on
the
heels
of
a
pandemic
in
which
our
students
were
forced
to
undergo
online
learning.
Many
students,
through
no
fault
of
their
own,
have
serious
problems
being
present
for
online
learning.
So
this
is.
N
This
is
a
measure
that
is,
that
is
cruelly
unfair.
The
algebra
one
requirement
I
I
agree
that
algebra
one
should
be
taught
in
all
the
schools,
but
in
underserved
schools
right.
Those
students
are
obviously
not
going
to
have
the
same
background
as
the
high
performing
school,
so
this
also
seems
unfair
and
these
barriers
are
harder
to
see,
but
as
a
parent,
I
I
have
noticed
them
and
registered
deep
concern.
N
As
representative
bullock
said,
as
a
parent,
it
has
been
breathtaking
to
see
the
chaos
which
just
demonstrates
the
lack
of
thought
in
the
process
as
a
very
privileged
parent.
It
has
been
challenging
to
navigate
this.
I
can
only
imagine
how
difficult
it
has
been
for
any
parent
who
does
not
have
the
privileges
I
have,
as
as
council
council
member
gautier
said,
and
as
council
member
jim
said,
this
is
not
purposeful
at
all.
In
any
way,
this
was
announced
a
day.
N
School
selection
was
opened
information
about
the
zip
codes
in
the
computer.
Essay
came
later,
parents
were
scrambling
to
obtain
information
and
it
promises
more
chaos
ahead.
Those
students
have
not
ranked
their
choices.
The
schools
have
not
ranked
the
students,
so
what
we
could
see
going
forward
is
one
student
could
get
into
all
five
criteria
based
schools,
there's
nothing
to
stop
that
from
happening,
while
their
next
door,
neighbor
with
identical
qualifications,
gets
into
none,
and
then
this
process
is
to
have
to
sort
itself
out
over
the
months
of
the
spring
semester.
N
So
it
promises
more
chaos
going
forward,
which
is
obviously
going
to
impact
different
households
in
philadelphia,
differentially.
Also,
the
algebra
one
requirement
cannot
be
assessed
until
the
end
of
eighth
grade,
so
some
students
who
may
think
that
they've
gotten
into
a
criteria
based
school
in
january
may
come
to
the
end
of
the
year
and
not
have
met
the
algebra
one
requirement.
This
is
not
a
process
that
has
been
well
thought
through,
so
I
would,
as
a
parent
have
said.
N
Okay,
if
this
process
is
increasing
equity
and
diversity
in
the
philadelphia
school
system,
I'm
just
going
to
ride
this
out.
But
my
concern
about
the
implications
for
dei
with
this
process
is
this:
core
design
could
actually
decrease
racial,
ethnic
and
socioeconomic
diversity
at
the
criteria-based
schools.
N
So,
first
of
all,
we've
all
discussed
the
ways
that
this
new
process
can
actually
exclude
underserved
students
by
the
thoughtlessness
of
its
design
and,
as
prior
speakers
have
said,
students
who
met
the
criteria
are
all
eligible
for
the
lottery
on
the
same
basis,
regardless
of
rape,
race,
ethnicity,
socioeconomic
status
or
academic
performance.
So
we
could
end
up
in
a
situation
where
the
criteria
based
schools
become
less
diverse,
because
no
attention
is
being
given
to
the
diversity
factors
that
should
matter
here.
N
So
there
are
several
next
steps
that
make
that
that
I
think
we
should
see
there
needs
to
be
reform
and
strategic
planning,
as
other
speakers
have
said,
engaging
key
stakeholders
that
that
really
really
has
not
happened
here.
We
need
to
fix
the
process
this
year
to
minimize
the
harm
dr
kleinman
has
given
us
some
great
ideas.
Maybe
we
need
to
pause
the
process,
but
what
we
really
need
is
a
long-term
plan
to
diversify
all
of
philadelphia's
high
schools,
the
criteria
based
high
schools
and
the
catchment-based
high
schools.
N
This
is
an
opportunity
I
believe,
created
by
the
black
lives
matter,
movement
to
improve
public
education,
for
every
student
in
philadelphia.
Do
not
throw
away
this
opportunity
in
service
of
this
poorly
designed
process
that
prioritizes
optics
over
meaningful
opportunity.
Our
students
deserve
far
more
than
this.
Thank
you
very
much
for
your
time.
O
Pleased
to
proceed
with
your
testimony
good
morning.
Can
everyone
hear
me
thank
you
for
having
me
and
allowing
me
to
present
some
information
and
perspective
on
the
high
school
process
for
students
in
philadelphia.
I'm
kimberly
caputo,
and
I
was
asked
to
provide
this
information
by
a
group
of
concerned
parents
known
as
all
parents
for
equity.
I
am
an
attorney
representing
parents
and
caregivers
across
the
commonwealth,
specifically
in
the
education
space.
I
can
share
that
philadelphia.
O
In
most
districts
in
most
districts,
families
are
limited
to
a
natural
progression
which
includes
a
single
high
school
and
perhaps
a
single
vocational
opportunity
for
their
child.
Here
in
philadelphia.
The
options
are
far
larger.
However,
these
options
are
not
equally
accessible
to
students
with
disabilities.
Those
are
the
students
I
serve
and
the
families
I
represent.
O
For
these
students.
The
opportunities
appear
to
be
restricted
or
limited
to
the
large,
comprehensive
high
schools.
They
are
not
represented
consistent
with
other
children
in
higher
performing
schools.
In
fact,
the
numbers
should
be
alarming
in
the
catchment
or
neighborhood
high
schools.
Students
with
disabilities
represent
at
times
numbers
double
what
the
overall
students
with
disabilities
population
is
in
the
district
overall,
for
example,
in
certain
schools,
the
students
with
disabilities
represent
43
percent
of
the
overall
population,
38
percent
of
the
overall
population,
whereas
a
school
like
central,
they
represent
one
percent
mastermind
one
percent
academy
at
palumbo.
O
4
again
the
information
is
available
and
I
would
I
would
submit
that
it
should
be
reviewed
carefully.
These
numbers
are
not
new;
they
have
in
most
instances
remain
the
same
or
close
to
the
same
over
many
many
years,
particularly
in
the
magnet
special
admit
and
now
what
we
are
calling
criteria
based:
schools
for
students
with
disabilities
who
are
supported
with
an
iep
which
is
an
individualized
education
plan
or
a
section
504
accommodation
plan.
O
I
am
challenged
to
see
how
this
process
was
employed
in
this
new
high
school
application
process,
not
just
because
of
the
timing
of
the
process.
The
new
process,
as
other
speakers
have
outlined,
but
also
because
of
covet
students,
were
not
in
school
last
year,
many
many
many
philadelphia
students
were
in
hybrid
learning.
What
does
that
mean?
What
that
means
realistically
is
that
parents
and
teams
did
not
have
an
opportunity
to
get
to
know
that
student
through
the
benefit
of
face-to-face
instruction.
O
How
does
that
apply
to
this
legare
process
that
I'm
talking
about
how
that
applies?
Is
lager
speaks
to
specifically
in
philadelphia
the
obligation
of
the
district
to
provide
equal
access
and
opportunity
to
high-performing
schools
for
students
with
disabilities,
english
language,
learners
and
students,
with
section
504
accommodation
plans?
How
is
the
process
supposed
to
work?
It
is
supposed
to
work
through
a
human
advocacy
process,
the
touch
of
human
to
student
adult
to
student.
What
do
we
know
about
this
student?
What
are
his
or
her
strengths?
O
O
Imagine
you
are
an
individual
struggling
with
regulating
your
emotions.
Imagine
you
are
an
individual
who
has
tremendous
creativity
who
has
wonderful
ideas
and
they're
locked
in
here,
they're
locked
in
here,
because
you
have
a
barrier
with
communicating
through
writing.
That
is
something
you
work
on
every
single
day.
Maybe
you
use
speech-to-text
devices.
O
Maybe
you
have
a
scribe
to
help
you
communicate
through
written
expression.
Were
those
supports
provided
to
these
students
who
are
so
desperately
desperately
in
need
on
behalf
of
all
students,
those
with
differences
and
those
without
I
submit
that
all
learning
environments
should
be
inclusive
and
should
reflect
the
faces
and
needs
of
the
entire
population
of
philadelphia.
O
O
O
I
only
hope
that,
in
the
conversations
that
I
know
will
follow
from
today's
hearing
that
some
or
all
of
you
be
the
voice
for
the
students
with
learning
differences,
be
the
voice
for
students
with
disabilities.
Please
do
not
forget
that
they
represent
15
percent
of
the
overall
population
of
students
attending
public
schools
in
philadelphia,
and
they
have
a
voice
that
deserves
to
be
heard.
B
A
Thank
you
very
much
chair
I'll,
just
say,
powerful
testimony
expert
testimony,
very
clear
communication.
I
I
have
no
questions.
I
know
that
we
have
more
witnesses.
I
appreciate
them
staying
you
know
on
this
on
this
virtual
meeting,
and
so
I
will
not
have
questions,
but
I
certainly
thank
the
witnesses
for
for
spending
this
time
with
us
their
very
valuable
time.
Thank
you.
So
much.
B
B
Lynch,
yes,
thank
you.
Who's
gonna
go
first
I'll,
go
first!
Yes,
thank
you
good
morning,
members
of
city
council
and
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
with
you
today,
council
member.
Oh
thank
you
for
scheduling
this
hearing
to
discuss
the
school
selection
process
for
the
record.
I
am
dr
sabria
khalingju,
the
lead
chief
of
equity
for
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
since
the
beginning
of
education
reform
movements,
one
of
the
stated
goals
has
been
to
make
education
accessible
to
all
a
public
good,
while
many
have
aspired
to
see
education
as
the
great
equalizer.
B
Most
reforms
have
fallen
short
of
that
mission.
This
history
is
not
only
of
national
impact
but
has
very
much
been
embedded
in
the
history
of
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
and
in
2021.
We
are
still
contending
with
ways
to
make
education
accessible
and
equitable
for
all
students,
especially
those
from
historically
marginalized
communities
on
june
15
2020.
In
the
wake
of
the
murders
of
brianna
taylor,
ahmad
arbury
george
floyd
and
countless
others
as
a
district,
we
released
our
statement
on
anti-racism.
B
The
appending
of
privilege
highlighted
here
is
not
simply
in
reference
to
a
configuration
of
numbers
or
an
assessment
of
differences
in
skin
color
or
features,
but
rather
speaks
to
the
destruction
of
a
system
and
a
dismantling
of
the
institutionalization
of
norms.
It
doesn't
just
ask
for
us
to
set
aside
seats
as
a
way
to
appease
a
few,
but
rather
challenges
us
to
explore
questions
of.
Why
who
and
for
what?
B
I
am
not
speaking
solely
about
visibility,
but
more
about
the
impact
of
opportunity,
access
and
power
as
a
teaching
and
learning
organization.
Our
mission
is
to
deliver
on
the
civil
right
of
every
child
in
philadelphia
to
an
excellent
public
school
education
and
ensure
all
children
graduate
from
high
school
ready
to
succeed,
fully
engaged.
As
a
citizen
of
our
world,
our
vision
is
to
see
all
children
having
access
to
a
great
school
close
to
where
they
live.
But
in
order
to
do
this,
we
have
to
start
by
addressing
the
areas
where
the
foundational
inequities
exist.
B
B
Equity,
in
its
truest
sense,
is
about
fairness
and
the
mission
to
achieve
balance,
but
the
conundrum
we
experience
with
equity
is
that
the
push
for
balance.
This
call
for
fairness
is
needed
because
deficit
has
been
more
prominent.
Equity
is
a
responsive
factor
when
lack
disenfranchisement
and
partiality
exist.
B
Because
of
this,
the
concept
of
all
experiencing
the
same
thing
to
the
same
degree
cannot
actually
coexist.
For
example,
we
cannot
argue
against
preferred
zip
codes,
but
advocate
for
automatic
matriculation
of
middle
schoolers
into
high
school.
We
cannot
say
we
care
about
diversity
in
schools,
yet
believe
that
expanding
the
pool
to
include
more
qualified
students
for
marginalized
identities
will
compromise
the
academic
quality,
as
highlighted
in
the
initial
press
briefing
and
several
inquiries
after
the
amendments
posed
in
this
year's
school
selection
process
are
a
small
step
in
the
direction
of
change.
B
There
is
still
much
more
we
need
to
understand.
We
must
continue
to
ask
ourselves
the
hard
questions,
such
as.
Where
do
we
see
alignment
and
misalignment
between
the
governing
policy
for
school
selection
and
the
way
it
manifests
in
schools?
Is
there
consistency
in
the
admissions
process
across
schools
who
is
impacted
and
how
and
the
fundamental
question
of
action?
How
can
we
create
greater
access
and
inclusion
for
students
to
participate
in
the
school
selection
process,
especially
those
most
traditionally
left
out?
B
While
some
may
argue,
this
change
feels
sudden
and
therefore
should
be
halted
until
we
can
tweak
the
nuances
in
the
words
of
dr
martin
luther
king
jr,
just
as
delayed
is
just
as
denied
what's
important
to
understand
here
is.
We
are
not
just
changing
steps
in
a
process.
We
are
working
to
shift
patterns
within
the
system.
B
B
And
yes,
not
one
of
us
was
here
when
this
house
was
built,
but
here
we
are
the
current
occupants
of
a
property
with
stress,
cracks
and
bowed
walls
and
fissures
built
into
the
foundation.
We
are
the
heirs
to
whatever
is
right
or
wrong
with
it.
We
did
not
erect
the
unev
uneven
pillars
or
joists,
but
they
are
ours
to
deal
with
now
and
any
further
deterioration
is
in
fact
on
our
hands.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
speak.
That
concludes
my
comments.
Q
Thank
you
good
morning,
good
morning,
council,
members
and
members
of
the
public.
My
name
is
karen
lynch
and
I
am
the
chief
of
student
support
services
for
the
school
district
of
philadelphia,
as
it
has
become
the
theme
today.
I
will
share
that.
I
am
not
a
parent
of
any
child
that
is
attending
any
school
district
school.
I
have
no
relatives
with
children
that
are
attending
school
district
schools
and
my
grandchildren,
one
grandchild
attends
school
in
new
york
city.
Q
Q
Q
Q
At
that
time,
we
indicated
that
we
would
seek
input
and
feedback
on
what
criteria
should
be
used.
Several
have
made
note
of
the
survey
that
was
conducted.
We
did
the
survey.
We
also
had
several
public
meetings
that
were
held
by
our
board
of
education,
where
families
had
the
opportunity
to
give
input
where
we
received
input
from
our
board
members
and
those
meetings
all
allowed
for
the
opportunity
for
public
speaking
and
for
individuals
to
share
their
opinions
and
ideas.
Q
B
Q
Q
At
these
meetings,
we
listen
to
board
members
who
stress
their
interests
and
concerns
about
the
school
selection
process
board
members
asked
and
again
the
public
had
the
opportunity
to
hear
and
participate
that
our
practices
provide
greater
access
and
transparency
to
all
residents,
regardless
of
their
ethnicity.
The
language
spoken
in
their
homes,
the
school
that
was
attended
or
their
demographic
and
more
board
members
questioned
individual
school
criteria.
Q
That
was
beyond
a
student's
data
and
educational
experience
who
would
and
who
would
not
attend
criteria
based
schools
at
the
public
meetings
for
the
at
the
public
meeting
for
the
board
of
education's
policy.
206
board
members
again
asked
if
we
eliminated
barriers,
and
they
stressed
that
we
eliminate
barriers
to
student
access,
maximize
opportunities
for
more
students
to
have
access
to
selective
schools
and
stress
the
need
to
eliminate
the
perspective.
Q
The
perception
that
middle
school
enrollment
was
a
means
to
high
school
acceptance
when
there
was
no
policy
or
procedure
that
guarantees
or
promises
a
student
in
middle
school
would
be
accepted
to
the
same
named
high
school.
In
fact,
students
in
these
middle
schools
have
always
been
required
to
apply
to
the
high
school
through
the
school
selection
process.
Q
We
also
conducted
a
school
selection
survey,
which
I
shared
earlier
and
asked
students,
parents,
principals,
counselors
community
members
to
share
ideas
and
comments
about
the
school
selection
process
and
additional
criteria
that
could
be
used
in
lieu
of
a
pssa
score
again.
That
was
not
the
only
input
that
we
received
to
the
process.
Q
Q
Q
Students
hoping
to
attend
a
career
technology
school,
what
we
call
a
cte
school
or
a
city-wide
admission
school
no
longer
have
criteria
based
on
grades,
attendance
or
pssa
scores.
This
has
increased
access
and
enrollment
options
for
more
students,
and
it
has
filled
seats
that
previously
were
left
empty
because
of
criteria
again.
Increasing
access
is
extremely
important
to
this
process.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
We
heard
from
parents
who
believe
only
children
from
certain
schools
had
the
privilege
to
attend
our
more
selective
criteria
based
schools.
We
heard
from
parents
that
said
students
attending
select
primary
schools,
have
a
direct
path
to
elite
schools
or
who
you
know,
or
the
position
that
you
hold,
determines
what
schools
a
child
will
attend.
Q
I
mentioned
earlier
one
of
the
parents
who's
on
your
list
of
speakers
today
we
have
sat
and
met
several
times
and,
most
recently
again
with
stephanie
king,
a
mother
of
two
children
attending
one
of
our
district
schools.
She's
passionate
about
this
topic,
she's
told
us
that
our
process
contributes
to
segregation
and
most
recently
shared-
and
I
quote,
our
changes
are
step
in
the
right
direction,
but
we
did
not
go
far
enough.
Q
Q
A
Q
I'm
nearly
finished
councilman.
Oh
I
I
I
just
have
a
couple
of
more
sentences.
We
collectively
have
upheld
a
process
that
we've
known
for
years
and
again
I
cite
the
pew
study
that
was
conducted
nearly
10
years
ago,
we've
known
for
years
that
this
process
is
inequitable
and
in
some
cases
not
even
equal.
Q
I
think
that
as
we
move
forward,
there
are
other
pressing
aspects
of
this
process
that
we
need
to
examine
and
I'll
just
name
a
few
kim
caputo
identified
special
education.
That
is
absolutely
something
that
we're
looking
at
more,
although
there
have
been
improvements
this
year
to
the
process
of
la
care,
sibling
preference
is
another
preference
that
exists
in
our
process
that
we
should
look
at
the
gpa
that
you
mentioned
earlier,
councilman.
Q
We
actually-
and
you
and
other
speakers
we
don't
have
a
gpa
for
the
seventh
grade
or
for
middle
school
and
establishing
a
gpa,
just
as
several
of
the
speakers
pointed
out,
would
be
a
much
better
approach
to
this
effort.
So,
looking
at
how
to
do,
that
is
definitely
on
the
list
of
improvements
for
next
year.
Q
I
will
do
my
very
best
to
remain
in
the
hearing
throughout
the
entire
opportunity
for
feedback
and
to
hear
comments
from
your
speakers
and
again.
I
think
it's
extremely
important
to
listen
and
to
hear-
and
I
think
that
the
hearing
you
have
today,
the
resolution,
as
well
as
the
hearing
each
provide
the
opportunity
for
us
to
hear
more
to
gain
more
input
and
more
insight,
and
so
this
concludes
my
comments
today.
Thank
you.
F
Yes,
thank
you
very
much
and
I
just
have
a
quick
question
before
we
open
up
questions
to
the
the
committee
and,
as
we
heard,
and
I
know
the
school
district
had
put
set
this
forth
and
I
understand
there
was
a
survey
that
was
set
out.
There
did
we
feel
it
and
necessary
also
to
to
meet
with
the
principles
of
those
schools
and
and
other
stakeholders
in
that
process.
As
this,
this
new
policy
was
being
implemented.
Q
Councilman,
I
would
share
with
you
that
principals
assistant
superintendents
other
chiefs
within
the
school
district,
including
our
academic
chief,
our
chief
of
research
and
evaluation
you
have
met
today.
Our
chief
of
our
diversity,
equity
office
dei
is
extremely
important.
There
are
several
other
chiefs
that
have
been
actively
involved
as
well
as
principals.
Q
Through
our
equity
lens
review,
we
included
parents
students,
we
included
not
just
the
principals
that
are
leaders
of
criteria
based
schools,
but
we
included
k
through
eight
principles
that
are
sending
students
to
your
criteria
based
schools,
as
well
as
principals
who
are
managing
and
leading
criteria-based
goals,
so
k-8
principles
were
included.
Yes,.
F
And
everybody
thought
that
these
these
policies
set
forth
would
was
a
a
good
idea
and
that
that
would
enhance
what
we're
trying
to
do
with
equity
and
inclusion.
You
heard
some
of
the
concerns
from
at
least
several
of
the
early
testifier,
including
our
state,
rep,
donna,
bullock
and
the
concerns
that
they
have
heard.
Do
you?
Do
you
think
that
this
policy
addresses
that.
Q
Do
I
think
that
each
person
has
a
perspective
that
merits
consideration,
and
I
respectfully
will
say
yes
that
I
do,
and
I
would
say
that
you
know,
as
I
just
shared
this
is
the
beginning,
and
so
this
is
an
opportunity.
This
is
the
beginning
of
with,
with
more
to
come
with
regard
to
access
and
equity,
and
I
take
the
comments
that
were
offered
into
consideration.
Q
Q
F
Okay,
I
mean
whether
it's
you
know
using
these
schools
and
moving
into
bigger
spaces
or
swappings
with
another
school,
or
you
know,
moving
the
middle
school
out
of
one
school
and
adding
more
high
school
spots
whatever
it
may
be.
I
think
those
conversations
are
also
important.
I
know
there
are
several
questions
by
some
of
the
our
colleagues
and
I'll
I'll
say:
councilmember.
Oh,
if
you
have
a
couple
questions.
Q
A
I
appreciate
the
work
you've
put
in.
I
know
it
is
a
complex
topic.
I
I
have
stated
my
concerns.
I
actually
do
not
agree
with
it.
However,
I
do
recognize
that
it
is
something
you
feel
passionately
about
and
you
are
responding
to
the
instructions
of
the
school
board.
I
will
note
for
the
record
that
we
did
invite
the
board
chair
and
we
did
invite
dr
height.
A
They
are
not
before
this
committee,
and
so
it
may
be
unfair
to
pose
some
of
these
questions
to
you,
but
I
will
and
if
you
cannot
answer
them
just
just.
Let
me
know,
based
on
the
concerns
that
were
raised
by
the
first
panel
computer
selection,
a
kind
of
blunt
use
of
zip
codes,
lack
of
more
data
in
terms
of
refining
between
one
candidate
and
the
next
and
the
sudden
too
many
people,
albeit
you've,
talked
about
the
process,
but
to
many
many
people,
the
sudden
surprise
of
a
new
process.
Q
Q
We
have,
you
know
close
to
20
000
students,
both
school
district
of
philadelphia
students,
as
well
as
students
who
reside
in
the
city
who
are
dependent
on
this
process,
as
we
have
shared
today
to
determine
what
their
options
are
going
to
be
for
attending
school
next
year.
This
process
is
not
just
a
process
for
enrollment
into
other
schools.
Q
A
Yes,
thank
you
for
for
your
answer.
I
I
will
say
that
I
I
do
interpret
you
know
the
the
situation
differently.
I
think
people
at
least
who
I've
heard
from
I
have
not
heard
from
everybody,
want
a
fair
process,
a
a
insightful
and
just
process
and
a
predictable
process,
and
I
think
that
raises
his
other
point.
That
part
of
it
is
that
philadelphia
is
the
only
school
district
out
of
707.
A
I
guess
it
depends
on
how
you
define
these
school
districts
in
pennsylvania.
That
does
not
have
an
elected
school
board.
Basically,
the
people
do
not
elect
their
school
board
representative.
They
don't
know
who
their
school
board
representative
it's
a
very
distant
process,
far
as
I've
ever
seen,
because
the
mayor
basically
appoints
nine
people
confirmed
by
council.
A
They
are
frustrated
that
somehow
what
they're
saying
is
not
being
received
in
a
way
that
they
feel
is
meaningful.
I
think
basically-
and
I
will
say
that
I
did
introduce
a
bill-
that
we
would
have
five
elected
school
board
members.
Let
the
mayor,
appoint
for
and
there's
no
alternative
to
that
nobody's
introduced
a
bill
that
all
nine
will
be.
You
know
elected,
so
I
will
put
that
out
there.
So
I've
had
this
existing
concern,
but
I
I
see
the
problem
as
being
that
there
are
many
students
who
want
a
good
education.
A
There
are
many
students
who
drop
out
of
our
schools.
There
are
many
unfortunate
situations
where
they're,
not
parents
at
home,
to
guide
them
and
many
other
things,
but
there
are
many
students
and
parents
who
want
their
child
to
have
a
good
education,
but
there
are
very
few
seats.
So
we
we
then
got
charter
schools
which
you
have
to
hit
a
lottery
in
order
to
go
and
people
apply
for
all
different
types
of
charter
schools,
whatever
it
is.
If
they
hit
a
lottery,
they
can
go,
but
most
people
can't
hit
the
lottery.
A
So
then
they
look
at
their
neighborhood
school
there.
They
could
go
to
a
private
school
if
they
had
the
money
most
people,
don't
some
people
can
leave
the
city,
and
I
think
we've
had
thirty.
Five
thousand
african
americans,
mostly
in
our
middle
class,
leave
our
city
for
a
less
expensive
lifestyle
outside
of
the
city
with
better
school
choices,
so
charter
schools,
private
schools,
outside
of
philadelphia,
and
that
leaves
the
magnets
goals.
The
criteria
based
goals
up
till
now
and
those
seats
have
not
increased
up
till
now.
A
There
was
a
level
of
self-determination
effort,
grit
planning,
you
know
to
get
themselves
into
the
school,
but
now
that's
a
lottery.
I
think
that
is
what's
most
disturbing,
that
they're
trying
to
express
to
the
school
district
and
basically
that
what
I'm
hearing
is
that
the
process
will
continue
the
way
it
is.
Q
Q
I
would
also
share
with
you
and-
and
I
can't
speak
to
I-
you
know
I
I
can't
you
know-
I
don't
have
an
opinion
one
way
or
another,
although
I
understand
your
point
about
elected
versus
voluntary,
but
I
will
share
with
you
that
the
nine
members
that
that
are
our
school
board
members
and
many
will
be
shocked.
To
hear
me
say
this:
they
spend
an
incredible
amount
of
time
working
to
understand
to
know
to
impact
their
domain
is
policy
and
they
are
actively
involved
as
volunteers.
Q
The
superintendent,
as
well
as
all
of
us
who
work
for
the
superintendent
accountable
for
achieving
those
goals
and
monitoring
on
an
ongoing
basis.
Our
progress
so-
and
I
lastly
will
say
to
you.
I
know
of
no
other
system
in
this
city
and
you
can
correct
me
if
I'm
wrong
that
allows
any
citizen
to
come
forward
and
speak
each
and
every
month,
at
a
board
hearing
for
three
minutes
about
the
topic
of
their
choice
and
trust
me
last
board
meeting.
Q
I
was
here
until
11,
45
and
probably
one
of
the
most
important
parts
of
the
evening
was
hearing
from
citizens
residents,
parents,
students
about
our
processes,
our
procedures
and
the
board
holds
us
accountable
for
the
things
that
we
hear
and
the
things
that
people
say
and
they
investigate
every
concern
and
they
actively
pursue
every
issue.
And
so
those
are
the
few
things
that
I
would
say
in
response.
Q
A
A
They
seem
pretty
diverse
in
in
the
sense
that,
when
we're
looking
at
especially
the
issue
today,
having
opportunities
for
especially
underserved
children
or
african
americans
or
or
other
minorities,
to
go
to
magnet
schools
from
what
I've
seen
the
majority
population
in
all
magnet
schools
in
philadelphia
are
minority.
Although
the
breakouts
are
different,
but
primarily
in
mastermint
and
central,
could
you
explain
how
one
criteria
basically
was
selected
over
the
other
for
the
process.
Q
A
No
is
it
because
they
have
like,
in
other
words
for
carver?
Is
it
because
there's
a
feeder
school?
Is
it
because
carver
has
a
middle
school?
Is
it
is
it
mastermind
has
a
elementary
school?
Is
it
an
effort
to
kind
of
change?
The
fact
that
a
lot
of
these
kids
in
the
elementary
school
or
middle
school
will
then
go
into
carver
or
mastermind
at
a
higher
rate
than
is
available
to
your
entire
city
or
or
what?
What?
What
is
the
the
reason,
for
example,
parkway
72.
Q
A
good
deal
of
the
discussion
has
been
about
access
and
equity
to
these
goals,
so
it's
not
just
based
on
racial
dynamics.
It's
based
on
students
who
traditionally
have
been
disenfranchised
from
the
pub
the
process,
students
who
meet
the
qualifications
who
live
in
areas
where
they
have
not
had
the
opportunities
that
others
have
had,
because
the
decision
decision-making
has
been
by
data
based
more
on
the
school
that
they
attended,
perhaps
than
the
school
then
their
educational
qualifications.
Q
And
so,
if
I
must
and
and
that's
how
we
looked
at
the
zip
codes,
the
zip
codes
are
not
reflective
of
of
the
demographics
you're.
Talking
about
the
zip
codes
are
reflective
of
the
students
living
in
areas
of
the
city
that
had
the
qualifications
to
attend,
but
the
lowest
representation
in
four
of
our
schools.
A
F
Q
B
And
you
know
I
just
also
want
to
say
I
I
I'm
good
to
see
that
the
district
is
making
important
steps,
moving
forward
and
kind
of
staying
true
to
the
equity
lens,
but
I'm
hoping
to
see
more
transparency
in
the
future,
so
we
can
kind
of
prevent
some
of
the
the
deeper
this
discussion
that
we're
having
around
you
know
the
process.
So
I
do
want
to
recognize
the
changes
I've
seen.
B
I
don't
know
like
all
of
my
children
have
went
to
at
least
especially
mid
high
school,
and
you
know
all
my
children
like
five
to
ten
years
apart.
So
I've
been
doing
this
whole
thing
for
a
long
time
and
I've
noticed
the
changes
that
have
been
made,
but
I
just
want
to
make
sure
that
more
is
in
the
process
and
also
what
or
how
were
folks
in
the
zip
codes
that
are
being
recognized,
informed
that
this
was
something
that
was
coming
down.
Q
B
Okay,
yeah,
I
wasn't
thinking
about
in
terms
of
signing
up.
I
was
just
wondering
how
you
know:
parents
would
know
that
that
that
would
be
something
that
they
should
be
paying
close
attention
to,
and
there
is
zip
codes
and
I'm
primarily
talking
about
parents
at
traditional
neighborhood,
elementary
schools
trying
to
get
into
middle
or
traditional
k
to
h,
trying
to
get
into
high
school.
Is
there
any
indication
or
envy?
Any
information
was
sent
out
directly
to
parents
within
those
zip
codes
for
them
to
be
paying
close
attention
to
the
process.
Q
I
believe,
as
I
said,
that
there
was
information
that
was
sent
as
well.
We
shared
with
counselors
school
principals
school-based
staff
so
that
they
could
promote
among
the
families
within
their
schools.
The
zip
codes
and
the
zip
codes
are
on
the
web
and
we've
encouraged
people
as
they
have
applied
to
note
that.
B
Okay,
I
think
I
just
want.
I
just
thank
you
so
much
for
that,
and
you
know
I
think
what
I
want
to
kind
of
put
in
this
space
is
that
the
real
goal
is
a
philadelphia
with
every
child
has
the
supports
they
need
at
every
school,
and
you
know
our
kids
and
our
parents
don't
have
to
feel
like
you
have
to
earn
or
win
your
way
into
an
excellent
education.
B
You
know
that's
not
what
education
should
be
about,
and
you
know
I'm
hoping
for
us
to
continue
to
change
the
trajectory
of
what
a
quality
education
looks
like
for
our
kids.
So
it's
not
about
earning
or
winning
your
way
into
a
good
education,
but
it's
something
that
all
kids
in
all
schools
in
every
neighborhood
have
the
opportunity
to
be
a
part
of.
So
thank
you
so
much
for
your
time.
B
F
F
K
Good
morning
I
am
sheree
sargent,
all
elected,
thank
you
all
elected
officials
of
city
council,
other
panelists
and
those
attending
virtually
virtually
throughout
our
city.
I
thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
welcome
parent
and
community
engagement
to
this
matter.
I
am
cherie
sargent,
while
it
states,
I
am
an
organizer
for
all
parents
for
equity.
Please
note
we
are
not
a
formal
organization
versus
parents
with
a
common
goal
to
support
a
better
process
for
students
of
this
district.
K
I
also
supported
other
communities
to
promote
parent
advocacy
and
support
as
the
carver
hsa
president,
specifically,
I
partnered
with
the
carver
principal
and
teachers
as
a
trusted
advisor
to
represent
the
parent
body
during
many
forums,
including
promoting
the
school
district
surveys,
school
admission
process,
inclusive
of
tours
new
family
orientation
in
open
houses.
I
shared
my
experiences
to
promote
the
school:
welcome
parents,
echoing
the
sentiments
of
the
principal
and
explained
the
current
culture
community
and
middle
school
transitioned
into
high
school
at
carver
ens
as
the
hsa
president.
K
I
was
personally
introduced
to
the
school
board
president
wilkerson
at
our
blue
ribbon
ceremony
on
september
26
2019,
when
she
commended
carver
for
his
diversity,
equity,
student,
success
and
strong
parent
body.
I
was
there
when
board
president
wilkerson
applauded
carver,
which
state
representative
bullock
referenced
earlier
today.
I
take
great
pride
as
I
represent:
carver
parents
and
citizens
of
this
city.
So
I
asked
today,
why
is
carver
undergoing
this
overhaul,
created
a
major
risk
to
disrupt
our
community,
in
which
you
commended
its
achievement?
K
If
you
have
known
about
the
needed
changes
to
become
more
equitable
and
equal,
why
institute
this
now
after
coving?
More
importantly,
as
this
administration's
term
is
ending,
this
also
leads
me
to
question
of
the
magna
schools
that
are
already
diverse
and
or
have
newly
implemented
practices
in
place
to
increase
diversity
with
intentional
and
student-driven
plans,
with
human
judgment
of
our
talented
administrators.
K
So
when
all
so,
when
the
all
parent
notification
regarding
the
changes
to
the
school
selection,
application
to
criteria
base,
formerly
known
as
special
select
schools
occurred
on
october
6
at
1
49
pm,
you
can
imagine
my
phone
by
2
pm.
I
had
over
30
calls
and
texts
just
from
carver
parents
in
other
schools.
I
instantaneously
instantaneously
went
to
carver
to
speak
with
the
principal
as
the
outrage
and
fear
of
current
middle
school
parents
was
at
a
high
as
an
invested
parent.
I
wanted
to
bring
the
attention
to
bring
this
matter
to
his
attention.
K
K
She,
along
with
carver
middle
school
students,
with
the
support
of
a
great
teaching
staff,
earned
their
achievements
and
abilities
to
meet
goals
set
forth.
Since
this
was
a
seven
year
practice
and
message
from
the
principal
I
never
questioned.
If
it
was
a
written
prop
policy,
it
is
not
my
role.
My
role
as
a
parent
is
to
trust
and
support
my
school
and
this
leader
to
have
such
trust
in
you,
the
district
as
a
philadelphia
resident
and
a
taxpayer
philadelphia
school
district.
K
Why
did
you
allow
such
a
practice
to
occur
without
a
policy
for
the
last
seven
to
eight
years?
Where
was
your
oversight
of
of
the
principal
and
other
school
leadership?
How
do
you
sustain
the
middle
schools
such
as
carver,
sla,
bieber
and
hill
freeman?
If
you
believe
parents
arrived
knowing,
it
was
only
a
two
or
three
year
commitment,
with
no
choice
to
continue.
K
You
are
now
enforcing
a
policy
versus
promoting
school
choice,
philadelphia,
school
district.
I
trusted
your
decision
as
you
appointed
the
principal
to
be
the
leader
of
900
over
900
students
at
carver.
I
trusted
the
principal
so
much
that
I
repeated
the
practice
known
as
the
carver
middle
school
transition
as
a
parent
leader
and
hsa
president.
K
K
K
In
october,
we
proposed
many
changes
directly
to
you
school
district
to
support
the
new
process,
with
adjustments
to
the
current
process
to
lessen
the
harm
of
middle
school
children
and
other
marginalized
students.
You
declined
without
hearing
a
full
discussion
and
denied
an
opportunity
of
a
two-way
engagement.
K
K
So
so
the
changes
in
policy
206
assignment
to
the
assignment
within
a
district
which
states
the
purpose
is
to
promote
the
best
interest
of
children
and
utilize,
clear,
transparent
processes
and
procedures
and
create
community
whose
members
have
a
diverse
background
and
life.
Experiences
that
enhance
equity
reflect
the
city's
population
does
not
seem
apparent
or
transparent
to
me.
K
Unfortunately,
the
recent
efforts
do
not
meet
the
intent
and
interest
because
there
is
an
adverse
effect
to
black
and
brown
children,
students
with
different
learning
styles
and
students
with
english
as
a
second
language.
While
I
present
my
disappointed
disappointment
in
the
recent
decision
of
the
process,
I
want
to
state
for
the
record.
I
am
open
to
accept
the
invitation
to
join
any
efforts
to
meet
the
intended
goals
for
all
students
in
philadelphia.
K
If
the
right
writing
assessment
remains
add
an
appeals
process
for
students
to
include
other
data
points,
as
as
children
are
more
than
a
score,
also
to
thoroughly
review
and
ensure
all
modifications
and
accommodations
for
students
with
different
learning.
Styles
are
reviewed
as
set
forth
by
their
learning
environment
and
the
applicable
laws.
Number
three
remove
all
zip
code:
preference
to
welcome
all
families
across
the
city,
an
opportunity
to
receive
a
quality
education
and
number
four,
most
importantly,
fund
all
schools
to
have
equitable
resources
and
close
the
gap
between
magnet
and
catchment
schools.
K
F
B
B
While
I
understand
the
need
for
change,
I
have
serious
concerns
about
the
new
school
selection
process.
I
remember
participating
in
a
school
district
survey
back
in
may
or
june
and,
as
I
went
through
the
questions,
I
did
not
envision
this
current
process
as
the
outcome.
The
survey
on
how
to
improve
the
school
selection
process
ran
between
may
17th
and
june
11th.
B
There
was
no
indication
that
this
survey
would
impact
current
eighth
graders
enrolled
in
middle
schools
attached
to
high
schools,
the
school
district
added,
the
written
assessment,
even
though
it
ranked
seventh
on
its
survey
and
they
added
a
lottery
system,
even
though
it
was
rated
last
as
an
option
for
improving
the
process.
Some
of
those
responses
included-
and
I
quote
a
lottery-
is
the
worst
idea
I
have
ever
heard
this
wouldn't
ensure
equity.
At
all.
Another
person
said
a
lottery
for
school
admission
is
a
horrible
idea,
because
transparency
is
really
important
as
a
parent.
B
How
would
I
know
for
sure
that
my
child
was
entered
into
all
eligible
lotteries?
This
is
important
to
know
because
the
lottery
is.
This
is
important
to
know
before
the
lottery
is
conducted,
to
give
parents
a
chance
to
make
sure
no
mistakes
were
made.
We
need
transparency,
it's
a
challenge
to
support
the
lottery
in
its
current
form,
because
it
includes
these
8th
graders,
which
it
should
not.
Families
and
students
should
not
have
to
endure
the
uncertainty
that
a
dual
lottery
brings.
B
Also
many
of
these
8th
graders
did
not
research
high
schools
in
7th
grade
because
they
plan
to
stay
in
their
schools
for
high
school.
According
to
the
school
district
survey,
results
53.3
percent
of
students
plan
to
stay
in
their
current
school
for
the
2022-23
school
year.
Some
of
those
written
responses
include-
and
I
quote,
my
child
is
already
at
a
special
admission
school
and
as
far
as
I
know,
we
don't
need
to
reapply
another
parent
said
already
at
special
admission
school
for
seventh
grade
more
than
half
plan
to
stay
in
their
current
schools.
B
B
B
I
hope
we
can
get
to
an
equitable
solution
so
that
all
students
and
families
can
relax
and
enjoy
the
upcoming
holidays.
So
please
can
you
exclude
current
8th
graders
in
this
new
process
for
the
schools
in
which
they
are
already,
students
then
have
the
remaining
seats
go
to
the
lottery?
If
you
can't
do
that,
please
explain
why.
B
Please
do
not
give
the
written
assessment
too
much
week.
According
to
the
district's
own,
frequently
asked
questions.
The
assessment
is
one
data
point
for
consideration,
so
we
should
not
be
able
to
knock
a
student
out
of
the
lottery
because
they've
missed
by
half
a
point
and
last,
please
add
an
appeals
process.
Thank
you.
H
G
G
The
last
couple
of
years
has
been
a
toll
not
only
on
our
students
and
teachers,
but
on
our
families
and
communities
for
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
to
once
again
put
a
burden
and
a
wrench
in
the
system
at
this
time
is
truly
detrimental
to
us.
But
I
would
like
to
say:
sla.
Beaver
has
not
only
gone
this
problem
this
year,
but
it
has
also
been
impacted
by
a
construction
problem
for
the
capital
improvements
we
as
a
school
have
been
taken
out
of
our
schools.
G
G
So
this
is
the
second
year
that
our
children
are
displaced
and
now
you're,
trying
to
take
our
children
and
put
them
into
a
school
where
they
don't
have
any
family
or
maybe
have
any
friends.
Because
of
a
lottery
system
because
of
a
reading
assessment,
all
of
our
children
are
not
able
to
get
a
22
or
17..
G
G
G
Okay,
I
am
starting
to
learn
more
about
very
much
in
the
school
district
and
I
am
starting
to
be
a
part
of
the
pcac,
which
is
the
parent
community
advisory
council,
which
is
attached
to
the
board.
I've
also
joined
into
the
face
act,
action
group
so
that
I
could
become
more
and
more
involved
in
schools
within
the
philadelphia
school
system.
G
If
you,
if,
if
those
things
are
not
there,
then
how
can
we
expect
them
to
be
educating
our
children?
I
reference
to
the
school
selection
program.
I'm
sorry,
I'm
going
back
again.
How
do
you
start
something
that
was
not
completed?
I
understand
that
at
this
point
it
is
not
completed,
no,
no
type
of
of
advisory,
non-advisory
and
no
type
of
oh.
I
just
lost
my
thoughts.
Please
please
forgive
me
no
type
of
appeal
process.
G
Thank
you,
appeal
process
isn't
is
in
place
for
this,
and
that
is
very
disgusting.
We
talked
to
at
the
school
board
when
I
was
listening
this
last
thursday.
There
was
a
parent
that
said.
If
a
child
got
a
22.1,
I
mean
sorry,
a
21.9.
Were
they
going
to
be
left
out,
miss
lynch
politely
said
without
flinching.
G
G
How
do
we
say
that
this
is
what
the
community
wants?
Yes,
you
did
a
survey
of
about
a
hundred
of
out
of
a
hundred
and
twenty
thousand
families.
You
only
got
five
thousand
responses,
responses
that
don't
even
talk
about
a
lottery
as
previously
stated.
Yes,
I
am
saying
the
system
needs
to
be
changed.
Yes,
there
is
bias
in
the
pres
and
prejudice
and
there's
a
picking
and
choosing.
G
F
M
M
I
understand
the
deep
need
for
equity
in
this
district
and
I
see
that
change
is
necessary
and
I
even
think
a
lottery
might
be
a
good
idea.
I
think
the
district's
intentions
were
good,
but
I'm
here
today
because
the
district
failed
to
think
out
the
details
and
has
created
a
process
that
will
harm
some
kids.
I
have
three
requests:
please
be
fair
to
the
8th
graders
at
carver,
sla,
bieber,
mastermind
and
other
schools
that
have
a
middle
school
with
an
associated
high
school
at
carver
we
have
68th
graders
and
about
200
high
school
seats.
M
M
As
others
have
said,
when
our
kids
applied
to
carver
the
principal
told
us
that
if
our
kids
got
a's
and
b's
and
seventh
and
eighth,
they
would
get
strong
preference
for
admission
to
carver
high
school.
We
knew
we
had
to
reapply,
but
it
was
something
close
to
a
promise
from
the
principles.
If
our
kids
did
the
work-
and
this
was
not
a
perception-
we
have
video
that
I've
shared
with
some
of
you
of
the
cover
principles
explaining
the
school.
Exactly
this
way.
M
M
M
My
second
request
is
that
the
district
start
communicating
with
parents,
teachers
and
staff
in
a
fair
and
human
way.
This
district's
top-down
approach
has
hidden
deadliest
justice
and
environmental
problems
and
thrown
parents
and
kids
into
disarray
with
its
random
announcements.
The
district
claims
there
was
a
public
process
about
the
lottery
if
their
communications
were
effective.
M
M
Honestly,
if
you've
given
me
a
year
to
deal
with
this,
maybe
I
wouldn't
have
been
so
you
know
angry
and
dismayed,
but,
as
many
have
noted,
they
gave
us
a
few
weeks
to
you
know,
visit
schools
think
about
private
school.
Some
of
us
are
thinking
about.
Moving
to
the
suburbs,
I
mean
it
was
just
shocking
to
me
that
they
would
do
this
and
we
all
have
jobs.
M
My
final
request
is
that
we
all
work
together
to
create
excellent
schools
throughout
the
city.
The
district
says
our
kids
can
go
to
neighborhood
schools
and
you
know,
as
a
person
of
some
racial
and
economic
privilege.
I
really
had
to
ask
myself
you
know
am,
I
is.
Am
I
right
to
fight
this
fight
and
I
keep
coming
back
to
a
moment
I
had
with
my
fellow
carver
parents
on
a
zoom
call
when
one
by
one
the
parent
said
some
version
of.
I
can't
send
my
child
to
roxboro.
I
can't
send
my
child
to
strawberry
mansion.
M
F
A
H
But
to
give
you
just
one
example:
at
several
school
board
meetings,
many
parents,
including
myself,
spoke
up
and
warned
that
the
writing
requirement
was
poorly
designed
and
callously
implemented
to
inevitably
cause
mental
distress
and
humiliation.
As
you
heard
this
morning
from
a
panel
of
experts,
these
concerns
unfortunately
proved
accurate.
All
the
predicted
problems
actually
occurred
and
this
could
have
been
avoided
had
the
district
merely
engaged
with
parents
before
making
changes.
H
This
is
a
city
that
understands
the
need
for
public
feedback
for
the
redesign
of
the
benjamin
franklin.
Parkway
extensive
time
is
set
aside
for
meetings
with
public.
The
meeting
with
the
public
to
engage
prior
to
starting
and
if
we
could
seek
public
feedback
for
a
landscaping
project,
we
surely
could
do
the
same
for
a
policy
that
will
dramatically
alter
educational
opportunities
for
thousands
of
students.
H
Eighth
graders
attending
citywide
middle
schools
left
the
comfort
of
their
neighborhoods
to
study
rigorous
educational
curricula
with
an
understanding
that,
if
they
show
up
every
day,
work
really
hard
and
do
well,
they
would
almost
certainly
be
admitted
into
their
corresponding
high
school
for
the
district.
To
now
pretend
otherwise
is
really
just
patronizing
to
us,
some
10
to
14
year
olds,
traveled
more
than
90
minutes
each
way
on
public
transit.
H
H
H
The
justification
for
the
changes
from
everything
I've
heard
prior
to
today
and
everything
I
heard
this
morning
seems
to
be
mastermind
that
it
supposedly
lacks
diversity
and
is
quote
a
bastion
of
privilege.
I
admittedly
have
not
studied
this,
but
my
children's
experience
has
not
been
consistent
with
this
narrative.
I
have
taken
my
children
all
over
the
city
to
visit
mastermind
friends
who
come
from
a
wide
variety
of
racial,
ethnic
and
economic
backgrounds.
H
They
also
have
friends
whose
families
come
from
all
parts
of
the
world,
including
the
caribbean,
latin
america,
africa,
the
middle
east,
eastern
europe,
south
and
east
asia
and
several
others,
and
I
understand
that
in
last
year's
entering
class,
the
percentage
of
black
students
tripled
compared
to
the
prior
year.
That
alone
should
give
pause
to
anyone
advocating
for
lotteries.
H
This
cultural
diversity
is
one
of
the
reasons
my
family
values
mastermind.
It
is
indeed
ironic
that
to
improve
the
diversity
of
mastermind,
the
district
is
employing
a
writing
sample.
That
is
really
just
an
english
language
proficiency
test,
which
unequivocally
discriminates
against
non-english
language,
again
unequivocally
discriminates
against
english
language
learners.
The
demographics
of
philadelphia
are
changing
and
we
risk
inadvertently
replacing
perceived
racism
with
nativism.
H
I
urge
a
pause
to
all
the
new
changes
to
the
school
selection
process
and
instead
urge
the
district
district
to
actually
engage
with
the
families
who
are
being
impacted
in
a
thoughtful
collaboration
to
better
design,
a
selection
process
that
will
both
promote
equity
and
better
meet
the
needs
of
the
impacted
students.
I
thank
you
all
for
your
time
and
consideration.
L
L
We
all
go
to
one
school
because
we
see
grade
or
below.
So
we
got
to
go
to
that
school
and
be
around
the
kids
that
don't
want
to
learn
nothing.
So
they
put
us
in
that
setting
and
it's
like
give
up.
That's
basically
what
it
is.
The
solution
is
just
stop
with
that.
They
need
to
get
rid
of
feeder
schools
period.
L
I'm
talking
about
from
ninth
grade
when
I
found
out
what
it
was.
Oh,
this
is
a
feeder
school.
This
is
what
we
gotta
go
to
because
we
didn't
get
our
right
grades,
but
I'm
like
oh
I
applied
for
central.
I
applied
for
school
of
the
future
I
applied
to
saul.
Yo
can
y'all
give
me
some
help,
so
I
can
get
into
one
of
these.
So
basically,
it's
like
you
guys
want
me
to
turn
into
a
monster
because
you're
putting
me
around
with
other
monsters.
L
L
That's
the
reality
of
our
children
and
our
most
challenged
communities,
and
that
can't
be
their
only
option.
Our
magnet
schools
are
shining
light
within
this
beleaguered
school
system.
They're
places
that
provide
children,
the
opportunity
to
rise
above
economics
to
rise
above
social
ills
to
rise
above
broken
families,
to
rise
above
expectations.
I
know
this
because
I
attended
mastermind
middle
school
and
even
after
my
parents
divorced
and
our
economic
situation
changed
and
our
family
structure
changed
and
our
reality
changed.
L
L
I
learned
that
there
was
a
world
beyond
25th
and
oxford
a
place
that
was
at
the
time
challenged
by
poverty,
but
where
the
neighbors
loved
each
other
and
shared
what
little
we
had
that
education
became
the
foundation
for
who
and
what
I
would
later
become.
So
even
when
the
drugs
that
had
decimated
my
community
overtook
me
and
left
me
homeless,
I
could
lean
on
the
education
I'd
received
at
masterman,
knowing
they
could
never
take
that
away
from
me
that
education,
that's
why
I
survived
poverty.
It's
why
I
survived
homelessness.
L
It's
why
I
survived
the
streets
and
it's
why
I
can
now
be
a
voice
for
my
community,
but
now
the
school
district
is
breaking
the
promise
of
magnet
schools
by
reneging
on
the
promises
made
to
parents
of
those
who
attended
these
middle
schools
at
carbon
engineering
and
science.
Where
my
son
is
now
a
senior
parents
were
told
that
their
middle
school
students
could
attend
the
high
school
if
their
grades
and
behavior
were
good.
L
There
are
other
magnet
middle
schools
where
the
same
promises
were
made,
and
now
those
promises
are
being
broken,
not
only
that
the
school
district
has
selected
zip
codes
that
are
rapidly
gentrifying
and
giving
them
priority
when
it
comes
to
attending
magnet
schools.
Why
should
students
in
what
is
now
called
brewery
town
get
priority
when
there
are
houses
in
that
community
that
sell
for
four
hundred
thousand
dollars?
L
Good
writing
touches
the
heart.
It
finds
the
thing
that
makes
us
human
and
gives
it
life.
It
speaks
to
us
in
quiet
places
that
can't
be
judged
by
a
machine
I'm
testifying
today,
not
just
for
the
students
who
currently
attend
our
magnet
schools,
but
for
the
ones
who
could
not
attend
and
were
swallowed
up
by
the
criminal
justice
system.
I
testified
for
the
ones
who
could
not
attend
and
were
trapped
in
a
cycle
of
poverty.
I
testified
for
the
ones
who
could
not
attend
and
lost
their
lives
to
gunfire.
L
L
I
know
this
because,
right
here
in
philly,
it
wasn't
until
2009
that
the
school
reform
commission
voted
to
end
40
years
of
desegregation
litigation
and
committed
to
implementing
a
plan
that
would
improve
achievement
in
the
district's
racially
isolated.
Schools
that
improved
achievement
is
still
not
a
reality,
but
on
our
magnet
schools,
our
kids
have
a
fighting
chance.
So
let
me
be
blunt:
I
believe
the
school
district's
changes
to
the
magnet
school
admission
process
will
set
up
generations
of
black
children
to
be
left
out
of
these
schools
in
even
greater
numbers.
L
So
this
is
more
than
a
matter
of
education.
It's
a
matter
of
economics.
It's
a
matter
of
racial
justice.
It's
a
matter
of
life
and
death.
Our
children
are
dying,
and
so
this
is
what
I
am
demanding,
and
this
is
what
I'll
be
taking
to
our
community.
One.
No
changes
to
the
magnet
school
admissions
process
should
be
made
until
a
new
superintendent
is
appointed.
L
Two
children
who
currently
attend
magnet
middle
school
should
be
allowed
to
stay
and
attend
the
high
schools,
as
they
were
promised.
Three.
A
computerized
writing
test
should
not
be
used
to
determine
admittance
to
magnet
schools
and
four
the
current
list.
The
preferred
zip
code
should
be
thoroughly
reviewed
before
they
are
implemented.
L
F
M
Sure
thank
you
and
I
want
to
start
by
thanking
all
of
the
panelists
who
have
spoken
thus
far
for
sharing
your
truth,
and
I
want
to
thank
all
of
the
city
council
members
for
your
tireless
individual
and
collective
dedication
to
our
city
and
for
this
opportunity
today
to
discuss
the
school
selection
process.
So
we
can
reinforce
our
shared
goals
of
promoting
diversity,
equity
and
inclusion
within
our
schools
and
throughout
our
community.
M
I'm
here
today
representing
my
personal
perspectives
as
a
long-time
resident
of
philadelphia
as
a
practicing
physician
as
a
medical,
school
educator
and
administrator,
and
a
mother
of
a
fifth
and
sixth
grader
in
the
magnet
school
system.
I
work
in
the
city
as
a
cancer
doctor,
but
in
addition
to
caring
for
patients,
I
conduct
research
to
help
identify
and
reduce
existing
healthcare
disparities,
impacting
black
and
latino
men
in
philadelphia.
M
I
publish
extensively
on
the
lack
of
diversity
in
our
national,
scientific
and
medical
workforces,
and
I
have
the
tremendous
honor
of
recruiting
and
teaching
students
and
junior
doctors
who
hail
from
incredibly
diverse
backgrounds,
and
I
just
want
to
explain
that.
I'm
an
immigrant
I'm
also
an
immigrant
who
grew
up
in
an
impoverished
village
in
india.
My
father
arrived
to
this
country
with
seventy
dollars
and
zero
professional
training.
M
It
was
my
public
school
teachers
who
reminded
me
why
we
risked
so
much
to
start
a
brand
new
life
in
the
united
states.
It
was
they
who
reassured
me
that,
despite
my
differences
and
the
prejudice
that
these
differences
provoked,
that
I
did
in
fact
belong
there
and
it
was
my
public
school
teachers
who
instilled
in
me
the
realization
that
education
is
the
foundation
upon
which
all
opportunities
are
built
upon
which
the
cycle
of
poverty
is
broken
and
upon
which
our
children's
dreams
are
realized.
M
M
I
am
empathetic
with
and
stand
in
support
of
all
the
families
who
are
immediately
impacted
by
the
recently
introduced
high
school
student
selection
process.
I'm
not
part
of
that
immediate
impact,
but
I
feel
for
what
they
are
going
through,
and
I
implore
council
members
to
listen
to
these
parents
and
students
to
hear
their
anguish
and
to
promptly
address
their
concerns
regarding
the
educational
opportunities
that
they
fear
have
been
destroyed.
As
a
result.
M
I
truly
appreciate
that
student
selection
is
an
incredibly
complex
and
complicated
process
using
zip
codes
as
a
proxy
for
diversity
is
inherently
specious
and
it
risks
the
opposite
of
the
intended
outcome,
as
you
already
heard
from
so
many
folks
earlier
today,
lottery
based
admissions
will
absolutely
overlook
some
of
our
most
talented
and
capable
youth
from
all
corners
of
the
city.
So
I
also
stand
ready
to
support
the
necessary
work
to
accomplish
the
board
of
education
and
school
district's
daunting
task
of
ensuring
a
fair
and
more
equitable
process
for
high
school
admission.
M
There
are
several
critical,
evidence-based
approaches
that
we
can
undertake
and
that
would
improve
access
for
many
of
our
deserving,
but
currently
underrepresented
students,
for
example.
The
selection
process
can
include
weighted
factors
to
acknowledge
and
account
for
a
student's
resources
or
lack
therein
for
students,
hardships
or
lack
therein,
and
recognize
and
value
the
importance
of
character
and
integrity
and
potential.
M
That
may
not
and
frankly,
are
not
reflected
in
traditional
measures,
and
this
holistic
approach
can
achieve
equity
without
dashing
the
hopes
of
deserving
students
who
just
happen
to
reside
in
the
wrong
zip
code
that
particular
year
or
they
strike
out
in
the
lottery.
But
these
kind
of
multi-factorial
admissions
approaches
they
require
time.
They
require
resources,
thoughtful
discourse
and,
frankly,
sensitivity
towards
all
affected
from
all
backgrounds.
M
So
today's
hearing
is
about
ensuring
that
we
do
not
compromise
educational
opportunities
for
current
eighth
graders,
not
this
year,
not
ever
but
beyond.
Today
we
need
significant
investment
in
all
of
our
neighborhood
schools.
We
need
validated
research,
we
need
expansion
of
seats
and
criteria-based
schools
and
we
need
institution
of
meaningful
metrics
to
demonstrate
meaningful
gains
in
equity,
not
token
gains,
while
we
maintain,
if
not
enhance
the
standards
and
quality
of
our
children's
educational
experience.
M
So
right
now
we
ask
for
emergent
action
from
the
leadership
of
this
city
to
address
the
myriad
issues
that
have
been
raised
today.
But
real
and
durable
solutions
will
require
council
members
to
commit
to
ongoing
prioritization
of
all
of
our
schools,
broad
stakeholder
engagement,
inclusion
of
relevant
counsel
from
experts
who
are
ready
and
willing
to
collaborate
with
the
school
district
and
board
of
education
to
give
of
our
time
and
our
expertise.
And
it's
only
through
this
longitudinal
commitment
that
we
can
elevate
education
to
the
platform.
M
It
deserves
that
we
can
implement
fair
and
holistic
school
and
student
selection
approaches
and
that
we
can
realize
our
shared
imperative
to
increase
diversity,
equity
inclusion
and
opportunity
for
a
high
quality
public
school
education
for
all
philadelphians.
And
I
want
to
thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
share
those
thoughts.
Today.
F
R
I
am
archbishop,
mary
floyd
palmer
and
I
am
the
first
african.
I
am
the
first
archbishop
in
the
city
of
philadelphia
in
the
state
of
pennsylvania,
where
I
serve
also
as
president
and
presiding
bishop
of
the
philadelphia
council
of
clergy,
as
a
community
activist
and
radio
show
host,
but,
more
importantly,
I'm
a
long,
lifelong
citizen
of
this
city.
R
This
was
guided
through
me
and
was
pivotal
in
my
career,
no
matter
what
station
in
life,
as
mr
jones
said,
it
helped
me
in
bad
parts
of
my
life
when
things
were
not
so
great,
but
it
was
my
education
that
carried
me
and
afforded
me
the
opportunity
to
seek
employment
and
to
be
stellar
at
whatever
assignment
I
had
as
a
faith
leader.
I
have
listened
intently
to
more
than
a
few
parents
who
shared
with
me
their
concern
and
their
august
to
this
current
situation.
R
R
R
R
But,
more
importantly,
this
is
not
just
about
these
children
now
because
it
is
highlighted,
but
it's
about
all
children,
as
previously
has
been
said,
having
the
same
opportunities
of
education
across
all
sectors
and
sections
of
our
city.
I've
lived
in
philadelphia
all
of
my
life.
I
was
afforded
an
opportunity
when
I
wanted
to
apply
to
the
philadelphia
high
school
for
girls
coming
from
a
private
education.
I
was
told
what
the
process
was
two
years
in
advance.
R
I
was
not
only
given
assistance,
but
support
study
helps,
if
needed,
for
me
to
be
able
to
take
an
entrance
exam
to
attend
this
particular
school.
It
was
a
selection
process,
but
I
was
readily
prepared
and
my
parents
expected
me
to
do
the
best
that
I
could
and
thankfully
I
did
well
to
change
an
opportunity
for
children
after
a
promise
has
been
made,
would
make
any
parent
or
any
leader
subject
to
wondering.
Can
they
be
trusted?
R
R
It
is
important
for
us
as
parents
to
be
able
to
tell
our
children
that
honesty
is
the
best
policy
and
to
make
and
ensure
an
environment
where
transparency
is
key.
There
is
nothing
in
life
that
can
do
any
alteration
that
we
can
always
predict
the
outcome.
However,
we
do
have
a
voice
that
can
help
to
transplant.
R
I
would
venture
to
say
from
the
number
of
people
that
have
reached
out
to
me
both
publicly
and
or
privately
either
through
the
radio
show,
or
even
in
boxing
me
that
there
is
a
great
concern
that
at
this
time
is
a
concern.
Should
we
be
throwing
our
children
into
additional
trauma
after
coming
from
a
pandemic?
R
R
Many
of
us
are
not,
but
we
are
existing
because
there
is
a
need
to
and
for
us
to
now
put
this
burden
on
our
children
when
they
yearn
to
be
back
in
a
social
environment
that
only
helped
in
their
educational
achievements
and
then
to
say
sorry,
we
don't
have
a
process
or
sorry.
This
process
is
now
or
sorry
you
don't
have
a
voice
or
even
worse
than
that,
if
you
don't
like
it
go
somewhere
else.
R
I
am
a
proud
parent,
a
proud
grandparent,
and
I
have
always
taught
my
children
that
if
there
is
something
that
is
not
right
to
speak
up,
I'm
speaking
not
only
as
a
leader
and
a
community
activist,
but
I'm
also
speaking
as
one
who
has
gone
through
the
public
school
system
and
years
later
expect
my
children
to
be
proud
of
the
same
process
that
their
parents
and
I
and
other
taxpayers
are
paying
for.
I
believe
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
has
good
intentions.
R
I
want
to
believe
that
they
are
advocating
what
is
best
for
our
children,
but
when
a
process
brings
more
harm
than
good,
it
is
time
to
revisit
it.
It
is
time
to
look
at
it
and
it
is
time
to
carefully
and
thoughtfully
figure
out.
Is
this
the
best
time
at
the
end
of
the
day?
It
is
my
hope
that
we,
as
leaders,
who
are
supposed
to
be
exhibiting
ethics
and
morals,
and
protecting
the
gentle
minds
of
our
children,
will
help
us
to
be
honorable
people
before
them.
R
R
R
R
R
F
S
Okay,
good
afternoon,
council,
members
and
guest
speakers,
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
today.
From
a
principal
perspective,
my
name
is
sharon
finzemer,
I'm
a
retired
principal
of
the
franklin
spencer,
edmond
school
in
the
philadelphia
school
district,
where
I
served
as
principal
from
2005
2002
to
2015..
S
Prior
to
that
I
was
the
principal
of
the
georgia
ward
house
school
from
1995
through
2002..
I
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
appear
before
council
today
and
offer
my
views
regarding
the
magnet
school
selection
process
in
philadelphia
during
my
20
years
as
principal
every
year,
many
of
my
students
would
apply
to
the
district
magnet
schools.
It's
a
stressful
process
for
the
applicants
and
the
school
district
must
take
that
into
account
when
altering
a
selection
process.
S
Changing
the
process
without
a
pilot
program
for
eval
before
making
significant
adjustments,
is
not
fair
to
the
students
who
have
been
anticipating
and
preparing
for
a
different
process.
I'm
expressing
my
support
for
the
concerns
of
many
that
came
forward
to
object
to
the
current
changes
proposed
by
the
school
district
in
the
selection
process.
I'll
address
some
of
the
reasons
quickly.
S
A
computer
graded
writing
sample
has
many
problems,
as
we've
heard
all
morning
for
a
variety
of
reasons.
Those
who
design
such
programs
advise
against
using
these
programs
for
grading
purposes.
It's
a
it's
a
program
used
to
improve
student
writing
ability
not
to
grade
writing
ability,
introducing
a
program
and
then
to
utilize.
The
results
as
part
of
the
selection
process
is
unduly
stressful
and
not
fair
to
the
student
applicants.
I'm
also
a
principal
that
represented
learning
support
students,
emotional
support
students
and
autistic
support
students.
S
So
I
know
firsthand
what
kim
caputo
addressed
in
reference
to
504,
accommodations
and
accommodations
for
our
special
needs.
Students
deleting
the
results
of
standardized
test
scores,
takes
away
a
significant
way
to
level
the
playing
field
among
applicants
and
identify
students
with
significant
potential.
S
Apparently,
applicant
zip
code
will
be
used
as
an
input
for
the
evaluation
process.
The
weight
of
zip
code
will
also
be
used
as
an
input
for
the
unintended
consequence
of
eliminating
those.
The
new
process
seeks
to
help
the
curriculum
in
the
five
schools
impacted
is
very
demanding
and
it's
important
to
admit
those
students
who
have
the
best
chance
to
succeed
the
zip
code
where
a
student
lives
is
not
a
valid
predictor
of
future
academic
performance
test
scores
are
at
least
a
valid
predictor.
S
The
impact
of
eliminating
scores
and
adding
zip
code
needs
to
be
carefully
evaluated
and
explained
bottom
line
as
a
principal
in
the
philadelphia
school
district.
I
was
always
very
careful
to
make
it
my
priority
to
engage
all
family
and
community
stakeholders
in
the
decision-making
process
regarding
our
philadelphia
students.
The
fact
that
the
news
selection
process
did
not
include
public
comment
or
involvement
is
contrary
to
what
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
represents.
S
S
The
top
educational
resources
in
philadelphia
need
to
be
effectively
used
to
let
our
best
and
our
brightest
excel.
The
new
admission
criteria
and
overall
policy
that
governs
the
magnet
school
selection
process
must
come
forth
from
a
collaborative
and
identification
of
those
creators
who
are
accountable
for
impactful
policy
change.
Many
such
sweeping
and
significant
change
with
little
or
no
transparency
is
not
good
public
policy.
P
Hello,
thank
you
for
listening
to
me.
My
name
for
the
record
was
dr
helene
fourian,
and
I
am
an
adjunct,
professor
at
drexel,
where
I
specialize
in
community-based
learning
and
social,
racial
and
economic
justice
work
and,
like
everybody
who
has
spoken
today,
we
you
know
absolutely
agree
with
the
comments
that
dr
jubilee
made
about
improving
equity
and
equality
and
understanding
that
those
two
terms
are
not
the
same,
but
I
do
want
to
say,
like
most
people
who've
spoken
today,
that
I
have
grave
concerns
about
the
process.
I
P
I
know
that
we're
running
late
and
I
I
want
to
keep
my
comments
very
brief.
So
what
I'm
going
to
do
today
is
to
just
give
you
some
background
information
on
the
student
experiences
of
the
writing
test,
as
it's
played
out
across
the
school
district,
and
you
know,
as
we
heard
from
dr
joshua
wright,
that
process
is
deeply
flawed
and
I,
I
think,
fatally
floored
to
the
point
where
it
has
to
be
removed
from
the
evaluations.
P
That,
I
think,
has
been
in
part
answered
by
the
fact
that
content
was
not
evaluated
in
that
test,
and
these
are
students
who
excel
at
producing
content
and
argument.
There
were
creative
writers
who
were
thoughtful
writers
and
whose
emphasis
would
have
been
on
the
production
of
content
that
that's
not
evaluated,
I
think,
is
a
fatal
flaw
right.
Part
of
the
education
that
they
receive
in
writing
is
content-based.
It's
not
just
about
the
bare
bones
of
grammar
and
structure.
P
The
prompts
also
tended
to
prioritize
content
and
argument,
and
that
means
that
that's
what
the
students
will
have
will
have
pushed
their
attention
to.
I
also
want
to
point
out
that
what
we've
also
observed
is
that
those
prompts
were
massively
inconsistent,
so
there
were
prompts
that
said
things
like
choose
a
superpower
right
define
success.
P
Why
is
your
school
great
right
up
against
prompts
that
said
things
like?
How
could
your
school
incorporate
community
service
into
its
curriculum
discuss
the
ban
on
phone
use,
while
driving
athletes
need
c's
to
play?
Discuss
right?
These
are
prompts
that
are
not
available
to
the
experience
or
knowledge
of
a
middle
schooler,
and
certainly
not
to
all
middle
schoolers,
as
they
have
to
be
in
order
for
them
to
be
fair.
P
That
means
that
the
scoring
that
we
have
is
in
no
way
representative
of
skill
or
ability
and
is
not
in
any
way
fair,
equitable
or
equal
right
and
and
in
that
sense,
is
completely
unacceptably
flawed.
The
therefore
you
know
I
want
to
argue,
as
other
people
have
today,
that
those
scores
need
urgent
revision,
that
they
need
to
be
replaced
with
a
different
kind
of
writing
sample,
and
I
want
to
refer
back
to
the
very
early
comments
made
about
by
a
parent
talking
about
their
child.
P
S
P
So
in
conclusion,
the
district
has
admitted
they
do
not
know
if
this
will
work,
but
a
dramatic
change
like
this
in
process
should
know
if
it
will
work.
It
should
be
backed
by
research,
data,
community
and
professional
consultation
and
testing
that
ensures
it
will
achieve
its
goals
before
it
is
implemented,
not
experimenting
and
potentially
in
vain,
with
the
high
stakes
of
children's
futures.
C
C
I
came
to
this
country
as
a
third
grader
and
an
esl
student,
and
I
got
into
the
magnet
program
by
seventh
grade.
I
came
in
in
1987.,
so
my
whole
family
came
here
and-
and
we
started
you
know
with
nothing
and
and
had
everything
you
know
build
everything
up
and
I
can
personally
relate
to
the
immigrant
students
and
and
the
impact
that
this
policy
has
on
them
and
as
well
as
first
generation
immigrant
parents
yeah.
My
my
family
came
here
for
a
better,
better
opportunity.
C
You
know
and
my
family
also
my
mother,
especially
I
sacrificed
everything
for
my
sister
and
my
future.
She
always
inspired
us
to
work
hard
and
we
can
contribute
to
society.
She
is
no
longer
with
me
today.
She
has
passed
away
a
few
years
ago
and
we
are
here
today
because,
according
to
the
district's
budget
plan
for
the
fiscal
year
2021,
it
was
provided
funding
for
about
four
billion
dollars
in
revenues
funded
by
tax
dollars
paid
by
taxpayers.
C
It
is
imperative
that
the
voices
of
the
taxpayers
be
heard.
Many
parents
in
the
chinese
community
have
reached
out
to
me
after
they
got
to
know
me
from
the
christina
lou,
stop
hate
and
city
of
brotherly
law.
Vignetti
rally
as
dr
martin
luther
king
had
a
dream
that
one
day
all
of
our
children
can
live
in
a
nation
that
will
not
be
judged
by
the
color
by
the
color
of
the
skin,
but
by
the
content
of
their
character.
C
We
must
teach
them
that
each
individual,
as
endowed
with
their
unique
gift
and
talent.
We
must
liberate
their
minds
so
that
they
have
the
power
to
become
the
change
that
they
want
to
see
in
this
world.
As
nelson
mandela
say
also
said,
education
is
the
most
powerful
weapon
that
we
can
use
to
change
the
world.
We
must
inspire
our
young
children.
We
must
inspire
them
to
become
who
they
want
to
be
so
that
one
day
they
may
render
this
in
hope
of
uniting
humanity,
and
it
is
also
a
slogan
of
the
united
nato
college
fund.
C
That
a
mind
is
a
terrible
thing
to
waste
and
many
many
and
the
asian
immigrant
com.
Many
many
in
the
asian
immigrant
parent
and
children
have
questioned
why
none
of
the
zip
codes
in
those
neighborhoods
that
represented
many
of
the
low-income
asian
families
like
chinatown,
like
some
in
some
some
areas
in
south
philly,
and
there
is
a
northeast
where
there
are
many
low-income
working-class
asian-americans
that
work
in
restaurants,
behind
kitchen
restaurant
kitchens
and
doing
waiters
they
delivering
food
and
supermarkets
and
and
warehouses.
C
C
C
C
Sorry,
but
they
struggle
with
english
and
grammar.
Even
student
among
the
top
of
their
class
may
not
be
among
their
friends
next
year.
If
they
lose
the
lottery.
How
is
it
fair,
I'm
sorry,
how
is
it
fair
that
a
poor
student,
regardless
of
race
that
perform
at
the
top
of
their
class,
because
they
value
education
and
study
hard
might
lose,
might
not
lose
a
seat
to
someone
less
qualified
and
may
even
be
from
a
wealthier
family?
H
H
C
Our
young
children
that
their
grades
and
efforts
do
not
matter
the
entire
process
undermines
the
principle
of
marriage
and
academic
academic
integrity
that
are
of
the
essence
and
maintaining
high
standard
of
quality.
At
top
performing
schools
like
central
and
mastermind
our
children
are
competing
globally,
with
students
from
all
over
the
world
for
spots
at
in
our
universities.
C
This
new
policy
is
unfair
to
all
families,
regardless
of
race
or
economic
background,
especially
to
those
children
who
have
worked
hard
to
meet
the
admissions
criteria
under
the
merit-based
system.
My
question
is:
why
not
improve
education
at
all
levels
by
creating
more
classrooms
with
students
who
can
qualify
into
these
magnet
schools
at
all
levels
with
in
even
in
grade
schools
through
marriage,
rather
than
lowering
qualification
standards
and
and
they
wouldn't,
there
would
be
a
need
for
the
use
of
a
lottery
system
with
four
billion
dollars
of
funding
for
our
school
district.
C
According
to
the
school
school
district's
2021
fiscal
year
budget
proposal,
we
can
improve
education
by
expanding
school
buildings,
adding
more
classrooms,
hiring
more
qualified
teachers
and
support
staffs.
We
can
build
new
schools
and
make
more
magnets
these
available
so
that
all
who
qualifies
may
earn
a
seat
criteria
based.
Schools
should
select
student
based
on
academic
achievements
and
scholastic
abilities,
along
with
the
students,
attendance
records,
behavioral
history
and
that's
a
review
by
panel
of
real
teachers
and
real
school
staff,
which
are
essential.
C
I
believe
the
school
board
has
abused
the
power
to
implement
the
new
admissions
policy
without
any
regards
for
public
input
or
accountability.
It
is
a
fake
system,
it
is
a
fraud
and
a
scheme
perpetrated
in
the
name
of
equity
to
destroy
our
top-rated
schools
like
the
mastermind
and
central
carver
and
sla.
C
The
district
has
failed
to
improve
education
at
all
levels.
With
the
4
billion
funding
received
through
taxpayer
money,
we,
as
taxpayers,
must
demand
the
school
district,
be
fair
to
all
students,
respect
all
parents
and
be
transparent
without
process
until
the
school
district
can
meet
these
demands.
We
as
the
process
be
stopped
and
consider
alternatives,
so
that
no
student
may
be
harmed
in
this
process.
C
D
Natalie
morales
of
feltonville
arts
and
sciences,
and
I'm
in
the
eighth
grade,
I
would
like
to
thank
you
for
your
for
having
me
here
this.
I
believe
this
policy
is
highly
unfair.
It
doesn't
score
how
good
students
write
on
on
it
and
it
puts
unnecessary
amount
of
stress
on
students
and
that
also
causes
them
to
perform
worse.
D
D
F
Well,
thank
you
for
the
courage
to
come
out
here
and
testify
it's
important
to
hear
the
voice
of
the
students
also,
and
we
much
appreciate
it.
So,
thank
you
and
I
know,
is
there
anyone
else
here
to
testify
on
this
bill.
We
do
have
written
testimony.
That's
going
to
be
submitted
for
the
record
for
blair,
downey,
genera,
amadeo,
brett,
kamerada
miller,
kelly
collings,
dr
stephen,
newman
and
mitchell
ornstein.
F
F
F
L
F
Thank
you
all
we're
back
at
our
public
hearing
on
the
education
committee
on
resolution
number
two,
one:
zero,
nine,
seven,
eight!
We
do
have
public
comment
period
now
I
believe,
if
we
could
see
who
is
on
the
line,
I
have
a
list
but
not
sure
what
order
if
everybody
is
connected
for
the
record.
I
just
want
to
announce
that
council
member
thomas
is
present
at
the
hearing
modestarina,
who
is
available.
F
R
D
T
D
T
T
D
F
T
Yes,
my
name
is
mark
heeda,
j,
washington,
philadelphia,
civic
city
council
committee
on
education
good
afternoon,
and
I
thank
you
for
allowing
me
to
be
heard
today.
I
come
to
you
as
a
former
teacher
educator
in
the
school
district
of
philadelphia
and
as
a
quiet
activist
for
children,
usually
preferring
to
be
in
the
background.
T
However,
today
I
am
compelled
to
speak
on
behalf
of
children
who
are
being
affected
by
the
new
policy
on
criteria
based
schools.
These
children
include
my
two
grandsons,
a
whirlwind
of
thoughts
and
emotions.
Overcame
me
when
I
became
aware
of
this
situation.
For
the
sake
of
time,
I
will
only
mention
a
few.
Some
of
these
points
might
be
repetitive,
but
they
are
my
thoughts.
T
My
first
thought,
as
an
educator,
was
to
look
at
the
assessment
tool
with
which
these
students
are
being
judged.
Am
I
right
in
2019
in
a
published
position
paper?
Am
I
right
by
their
own
admission,
wrote
that
this
is
a
tool
that
should
be
used
for
scoring
and
giving
students
comprehensive
lessons
on
writing
essays
and
get
prompt
feedback
on
their
strengths
and
weaknesses
after
providing
several
reasons,
why
am
I
right?
Should
not
be
relied
upon
as
an
assessment
tool?
T
T
A
system
of
assessment
should
provide
opportunities
for
students
to
demonstrate
what
they
know
and
what
they're
able
to
do
in
a
variety
of
ways.
It
should
assure
that
multiple
forms
of
evidence
about
student
progress
and
achievement
are
available
and
that
they
are
used
collaboratively
to
make
judgments
about
students
with
such
high
stakes
attached.
Ensuring
arts
children's
learning
progress-
where
is
the
data
to
show?
If
am
I
right,
is
a
valid
and
reliable
tool
for
assessment?
T
T
T
I
contend
that
two
years
of
fragmented
learning
would
affect
the
student's,
writing
and
writing
process
more
adversely
than
other
content
areas
and
I'll
pause
for
a
moment,
because,
as
a
teacher,
I
realized
what
it
was
like
to
get
a
writing
piece
for
my
students.
It
was
definitely
a
process
and
not
something
that
they
could
sit
down
in
front
of
a
computer
and
generate
with
a
hundred
percent
proficiency.
T
Finally,
my
soon-to-be
thirteen-year-old
a
curious,
responsible
and
amazing
person
during
these
most
impressed
unprecedented
precedented
times,
said
to
me:
mom.
They
don't
understand
the
position
that
they're
putting
us
in
I'm
angry
for
three
years.
They
have
told
us
to
work
hard,
get
the
best
grades
that
we
can
so
that
we
can
get
to
where
we
want
to
go.
He
told
me
it's
all
been
for
nothing.
T
One
of
his
classmates
said
that
this
is
an
experiment
and
we
are
the
lab
rats.
He
is
a
student
at
masterman,
laboratory
and
demonstration
school.
I
venture
to
say
that
many
students
throughout
throughout
the
city
are
feeling
this
way.
I
applaud
you
today
on
your
efforts
to
address
equity
in
the
school
district.
T
In
conclusion,
in
the
words
of
the
m
I
write
paper
I
referred
to
earlier
substituting.
Am
I
right
for
a
teacher
assessed
essay
does
not
make
a
dependable
summative
grade
in
the
name
of
equity
and
in
consideration
of
the
unprecedented
times.
Do
not
throw
the
baby
out
with
the
bath
order.
Take
a
pause,
re-evaluate,
listen
to
the
solutions
being
proposed
today
and
please
do
not
allow
our
8th
graders
to
suffer
the
brunt
of
hasty
decisions
yielding
terrible
results.
Thank
you
very
much.
F
T
T
The
policy
is
also
spelled
out
in
the
student
handbook,
which
describes
the
middle
school
year
program
as
a
6th
through
10th
grade.
We
have
150
high
school
seats
and
only
60
8th
graders.
There
is
enough
space
for
hill
freeman
middle
schoolers
and
for
children
from
the
lottery,
whom
we
welcome
to
join
us.
T
T
T
T
T
T
H
Good
afternoon,
rather,
my
name
is
mitchell
orenstein,
I'm
an
educator,
a
professor
of
russian
and
east
european
studies
at
university
of
pennsylvania.
I've
lived
in
the
city
since
2007,
I've
served
on
university
admissions
committees
and
I
have
a
child
who
loves,
I
mean,
loves,
attending
a
public
magnet
school
here
in
philadelphia.
H
I
want
to
thank
council
member
o
for
organizing
these
hearings,
council
members,
squilla,
thomas
and
blackwell,
and
all
council
members
and
community
members
for
their
participation,
professor
joshua
wilson
of
university
of
delaware,
an
author
of
17
articles
on
automated
writing
assessment
stated
that
the
use
of
am
I
right
for
high
stakes.
Decisions
like
admission
was
problematic
and
boy.
Was
he
right?
H
The
way
the
writing
sample
was
rolled
out
was
not
only
unfair
but
also
subject
to
many
irregularities
that
have
yet
to
be
fully
aired.
Some
were
mentioned
before,
but
am
I
right
is
only
one
of
the
damaging
aspects
of
the
new
selection
process.
The
lottery
undermines
the
principle
of
merit
to
me
honestly.
That's
the
biggest
problem,
the
existing
zip
code.
Preference
does
little
to
address
widespread
problems
of
equity
in
our
city,
and
this
system
does
not
account
for
schools
that
admit
not
in
ninth
grade
but
in
middle
school.
H
H
H
H
H
By
contrast,
the
approach
the
district
has
chosen
to
achieve
equity
is
perverse
and
unfair.
When
the
district
finally
announced
the
preferred
zip
code.
Several
weeks
after
the
selection
process
was
announced.
On
october
6th,
only
six
zip
codes
out
of
approximately
50
in
the
city
were
designated
for
preference
in
the
lottery,
but
I
ask
you:
does
anyone
believe
that
those
zip
codes
are
the
only
places
where
socioeconomic
or
racial
injustice
are
located
in
the
city?
These
zip
codes
do
not
include
any
in
west
philadelphia
or
southwest
philadelphia
or
chinatown.
H
H
H
School,
this
need
is
most
pronounced
for
disadvantaged
groups
that
have
no
other
choice.
Magnet
schools
provide
a
vital
pathway
of
opportunity
in
the
city.
Let's
not
lose
sight
of
that
magnet
school
selection
matters
deeply
to
a
majority
of
parents
of
different
races
and
socioeconomic
status
throughout
the
city.
That
is
why
we
see
such
an
outcry
on
this
issue
today.
H
H
F
H
We
hear
you
hi
my
name's,
michael
my
name's
michael
young
and
I'm
the
parent
of
a
fifth
grader
at
mastermind,
and
I
oppose
this
admission
system
for
all
the
reasons
which
you've
already
heard.
I
just
want
to
touch
on
two
one
of
which
I
think
has
not
had
enough
play.
The
first
one
is
that
we're
throwing
our
eighth
graders
under
the
bus.
H
The
second
point
is
that
we're
lowering
the
criteria
for
entry
into
some
of
the
highest
ranking
schools
we're
lowering
the
criteria
it
used
to
be
in
massmen,
for
example,
that
all
a's
in
eighth
grade
great
performance
throughout
fifth
through
eighth
grade,
would
get
you
into
the
high
school.
You
had
fifty
percent
chance
at
worst
and
you
probably
were
a
hundred
percent
chance.
H
I
don't
want
to
belabor
all
of
this,
because
I
have
very
little
time.
What
I
would
like
to
do
is
propose
a
solution
and
the
solution
isn't
that
difficult?
It's
not
perfect.
It
doesn't
solve
all
the
problems,
but
we're
in
a
pickle
here
that
the
district
has
put
us
in
a
position
where
any
major
change
to
what
they're
already
doing
will
be
difficult
will
take
time
and
lots
of
thinking.
It
will
turn
the
plan
upside
down
again
and
they've
already
turned
a
bunch
of
students
upside
down.
H
The
second
50
percent
will
go
back
to
being
chosen
by
the
principles
so
that
they
will
pick
their
own
eighth
graders,
based
on
merit
and
taking
into
account
the
essay,
but
not
using
the
essay
as
a
hard
stop
on
admissions
and
applying
other
factors,
such
as
you've
heard
a
few
ideas
about
waiting,
continuous
scores,
etc.
The
principal
will
choose
the
second
50
percent.
H
H
So
the
zip
code,
kids
will
go
first,
but
we
should
put
a
cap
on
how
many
get
into
any
particular
school
cap
at
twenty
percent.
So
in
other
words
the
zip
code.
Kids
go
first
if
they
qualify,
they
get
into
the
school
of
their
choice.
With
a
cap
of
twenty
percent,
the
lottery
chooses
the
next
fifty
percent
of
the
students
into
the
school
and
then
the
principals
do.
What
principals
can
do
within
a
committee
that
they
choose
a
couple
of
teachers?
H
What
we
can't
do
is
go
back
and
ask
these
eighth
graders
to
do
anything
more
than
they've
already
done.
They
survived
the
pandemic.
They've
worked
their
butts
off
for
the
last
four
years
to
keep
all
a's.
To
get
good
grades.
To
go
on
to
school,
they've
been
forced
to
take
this
essay,
which
is
wrong.
Wrong-Minded
and
harsh.
H
H
H
A
school
like
mastermind
is
already
overcrowded,
but
you
could
take
a
mastermind.
You
could
add
60
plus
seats
to
the
ninth
grade,
do
so
for
the
next
four
years
and
move
mastermind
to
a
center
city
location
in
a
high
rise.
We
can
move
a
couple
of
other
schools
into
center
city
as
well
and
increase
their
ninth
grade
for
the
next
four
years
as
well,
and
then
go
back
and
renovate
those
old
schools
for
the
school's
return
or
for
use
by
another
school
or
use
as
a
new
school.
H
H
So
please
consider
this
plan.
It
helps
mitigate
any
harm
from
the
new
lottery
policy.
It's
measured,
it's
thoughtful!
It's
fair!
It
can
be
implemented
with
a
minimum
of
adjustments
to
the
announced
plan
and
it
requires
nothing
more
from
a
stressed
out
group
of
eighth
graders
and
it
fulfills
the
promises
made
to
them.
H
It
tamps
down
the
controversy
with
the
parents
and
students
and
then
it
allows
us
to
spend
our
time
trying
to
reimagine
a
school
system
and
philadelphia
needs
reimagining,
philadelphia,
scores
for
math
proficiency
and
for
reading
proficiency
or
in
the
mid
20s
and
low
30s,
and
that's
not
good
for
the
city.
The
city
needs
better
schools,
we
should
start
from
scratch
and
I
haven't
asked
for
city
council
and
the
ask
is
that
you
form
a
commission
of
experts
and
bring
them
in
and
study
the
subject
of.
H
How
can
we
turn
the
philadelphia
school
system
into
a
model
education
system
for
urban
environments?
We
could
be
the
model
for
the
world
and
have
this
commission
working
with
the
district
working
working
with
the
board
pulling
in
experts
when
they
need
to
rethink
reimagine
the
philadelphia
school
system.
It's
not
that
crazy,
an
idea.
H
A
Chairman,
could
I
interrupt
for
a
second,
as
you
call
maggie
lee
zhang,
just
just
to
state
that
we
are
running
against
the
clock?
There's
a
200
two
o'clock
meeting
and
you
know
I
would
just
request
that
the
witnesses
just
keep
in
mind
that
you
know
we
have
about
eight
more
witnesses.
So
you
know
it's
typically
about
three
minutes,
but
so
we
could
get
everybody
in.
Thank
you
very
much
chairman.
F
F
D
D
Qualified
means
that
they
have
met
the
high
standards
for
admission.
These
students
have
still
had
to
make
excellent
grades,
show
excellent
attendance
and
keep
a
clean
disciplinary
record.
Students
who
are
not
qualified
will
not
be
eligible
for
the
lottery
waiting
for
zip
codes
acknowledges
that
some
students
have
struggled
in
underprivileged
schools.
This
city
and
this
council
gave
them
and
still
came
out
qualified,
but
these
people
who
were
able
to
buy
their
house
in
a
nice,
neighborhood
or
use
school
selection
to
transfer
into
a
gentrifying
school
believe
that
only
their
children's
hard
work
counts.
D
The
only
exception
is
objection
to
the
timed
writing
test,
which
people
on
all
sides
agree
must
be
abolished,
but
I
noticed
that
not
many
of
these
voices
objecting
to
high
stakes
testing
were
there
when
it
was
the
pfsa.
Instead,
some
of
these
objections
are
from
privileged
parents
who
are
simply
upset
that
they've
rigged
their
game
towards
the
wrong
test.
D
Statistics
do
not
lie.
Philadelphia's
magnet
schools
are
not
representative
of
philadelphia's
demographics
or
zip
codes
and
have
become
overwhelmingly
a
concentration
of
privilege.
This
policy
levels
the
playing
field
while
still
requiring
excellence.
The
people
protesting
at
our
self-interest
should
be
ashamed
of
themselves
and,
while
we're
at
it,
it's
telling
that
this
process
seems
to
have
blindsided
people
on
council
when
it
was
in
work
for
over
a
year
with
a
whole
bunch
of
focus
groups.
D
In
a
survey
in
the
spring
2021
that
I
participated
in
I'm
sorry,
but
if
this
change
took
you
legislators
completely
by
surprise,
you
are
not
paying
attention.
I
am
doing
this
for
free
and
you're
paid
six
figures,
but
now
there
are
all
these
new
voices
suddenly
claiming
to
care
about.
What's
fair
in
italy,
schools
now
that
it's
no
longer
a
cakewalk
directly
into
magnet
school
for
your
most
privileged
constituents,
you're
running
your
hands
over
a
couple
extra
points
for
an
underprivileged,
zip
code.
D
H
H
Hi,
my
name
is
mark
stein.
I
am
the
parent
of
an
8th
grader
in
the
school
district.
As
it
happens,
I
also
taught
english
literature
and
writing
at
the
university
and
high
school
level
in
the
city
and
overseas
for
a
long
time.
You,
however,
don't
have
to
have
had
my
experience
to
know
and
understand
that
the
computer
grading
of
a
writing
assignment,
as
was
used
in
the
district,
is
so
fundamentally
and
fatally
flawed
has
to
be
irredeemably
hopeless.
H
However,
what
I
really
want
to
talk
about
today,
very
briefly,
is
to
tell
you
about
what
was
happening
on
the
ground
in
the
schools
at
homes
leading
up
to,
during
and
after
the
writing
exam
and
add
some
color
and
detail
that
you
may
not
have
heard
about
yet
dr
fernand
testified
that
the
exams
were
not.
The
writing.
Exam
was
not
given
simultaneously
and
therefore
the
prompts-
and
there
were
only
18
of
them-
circulated
like
wildfire.
As
you
can
imagine.
You
can't
blame
the
students
for
that
happening.
H
The
students
then,
could
practice
writing
essays
to
the
prompts
that
they
would
actually
receive
some
students,
moreover,
were
able
to
locate
automated
grading
software
that
mimicked
the
software
that
was
actually
used,
put
their
essays
into
that
software
and
get
an
assessment
of
grade.
They
could
then
tinker
with
their
essays
and
understand
what
the
software
was
looking
for,
moreover,
cheat
sheets
on
how
to
gain
the
system.
H
I
happen
to
know-
and
this
is
firsthand
knowledge
that
something
very
different
was
going
on
in
certain
charter
schools.
Some
schools
didn't
know
anything
whatsoever
about
this
exam
until
november.
14Th
calls
to
the
district
were
not
returned.
Some
students
had
to
register
for
the
exam,
verify
an
account
and
then
had
to
be
removed
to
another
location.
To
take
the
writing.
Exam
now
briefly,
what
happened
during
the
actual
exam?
H
H
Moreover,
as
you
also
know,
the
internet
connections
were
lost
at
at
least
one
school,
and
now
after
the
exam
was
over,
as
we
have
heard
today,
the
students
immediately
received
their
scores.
You
can
imagine
what
that
was
like
students,
some
students
found
they
had
achieved
scores
above
their
desired
cutoff.
They
were
understandably
jubilant
joyous
happy
others.
H
About
that
other
students
finding
out
that
their
score
was
below
the
cutoff
were
publicly
shamed
and
humiliated
simultaneously
in
front
of
their
peers.
I
don't
think
it
is
too
much
of
an
overstatement
to
say
that
it
was
a
traumatic
event
for
those
children
and
a
completely
needless
and
useless
problem.
H
H
F
D
See
I'm
I
don't
have
a
children
right
now,
but
my
daughter
is
went
to
central
high
school
on
the
2000s,
so
I
I
really
appreciate
the
philadelphia.
You
know
that
that
time
they
just
you
study
good
and
you
do
the
good
the
school.
Take
it
to
you.
I
think
about
the
year
for
just
make
a
like
say:
you
should
go
to
lottery,
so
people
are
gonna,
be
saying
who
handed
the
lottery,
the
lottery
gonna
be
fair
or
another
fail.
D
Maybe
you
know
inside
maybe
say,
for
example,
if
I'm
under
the
law,
the
ring,
maybe
I
can
play
the
lottery,
maybe
my
friend
or
my
family
or
somebody
can
go
to
the
school,
not
because
of
the
schools
study
the
good
they
can
go
to
good
school.
So
I'm
I
I.
I
have
four
property
here.
I
think
I
buy
the.
I
pay
this
good
tax,
but
I
thank
you.
I
love
this
philadelphia
around
philadelphia.
D
Good,
I
think
even
we
philadelphia
is
good
because
we
have
a
good
school
here
and
the
worst
japan,
so
the
the
people
gonna
be
more.
People
want
to
stay
the
philadelphia
and
also
people
want
to
get
the
more
job,
so
they
or
you're
going
to
get
the
more
taxes
from
the
everybody
here
right.
But
if
the
school
go
to
the
library
I
I
thank
them
to
go.
Maybe
quality,
maybe
because
the
other
dance,
so
maybe
everybody
want
to
move
out.
So
really
is
not
the
good
idea.
I
don't
think
that
the
lottery
is
illegal.
D
Is
fair.
Like
the
the
people
have
the
professional
person,
you
know
the
tax
doesn't
when
you
take
a
tax
without
the
sato
any
tax
reading
or
math,
the
tax
doesn't
know
your
use,
white
or
black
or
you're
raised.
That
is
fair,
fail,
just
never
use
the
law.
You
know
you,
you
need,
you
need
to
care,
and
then
you
go
there.
If
you
don't
meet
here,
you
know
that
you
don't
get
there
and
the
school
teachers
they
really
want
to
go
to
the
school.
D
D
They
pay
the
money
for
the
school.
Even
the
public
is
good
too.
So
if
you're
school
good,
you
also
could
get
a
lot
of
luggage
internationally.
You
then
put
here:
if
you
try
to
screw
the
quality
you
make
everything
miss
up.
I
really
don't
think
that
a
lot
of
it
is
equity.
I
I
I
think
so
that's
why
I
really
want
to
get
some
point.
I'm
sorry
about
it.
Maybe
I
say
something
tonight:
okay,
I
finished.
F
H
H
H
H
H
All
right,
so
when
my
son
and
I
first
discovered
carver
in
2015,
the
admissions
process
was
very
clear,
simple,
straightforward
and
and
equitable.
So
we,
the
prerequisites,
were
exemplary
academic
performance,
behavior
attendance
and
recommendation
letters
from
teachers.
Now
we
lived
in
the
ogon
section
of
philadelphia
was
carver
being
at
16th
and
north
street.
H
Population
was
drawn
from
across
every
zip
code
in
the
city
as
the
principal
at
the
time
principal
bombers,
attested
to
many
times
over
the
years
that
my
son
attended.
The
school
now
think
about
this.
For
a
second,
what
could
be
more
quote:
equitable,
unquote
than
the
standard
adhered
to
where
any
child,
no
matter
from
what
zip
code
he
or
she
hailed
could
be
accepted
into
any
special
admissions
schools
across
the
city
based
solely
on
merit,
academic
achievement,
behavior
attendance
and
teacher
recommendation.
H
D
H
H
How
do
the
actions
of
the
school
board
non-transparency
in
the
process
of
formulating
the
new
proposals,
the
sudden
disrupted
ill-timed
implementations
of
the
proposals,
proposals
that
threaten
the
smooth
or
certain
transition
of
the
eighth
graders
into
the
ninth
grade?
The
principal
attested
to
the
fact
that
the
middle
school
was
formed?.
H
Into
the
high
school,
given
a
candid
and
factual
presentation
of
the
current
status
and
position
of
carver
may
the
school
board
respond.
Hopefully,
candidly
and
factually
to
the
above
questions.
Trey
and
I
were
lucky.
We
were
spared
the
plight
of
being
told
abruptly
and
unsuspectingly
in
the
midst
of
the
admission
process
that
the
processors
changed
effectively
immediately,
causing
the
severest
anxiety,
disruption
and
dislocation,
as
hoisted
upon
the
parents
and
students
of
this
current
carver
eighth
grade.
Thank.
F
D
D
D
D
High
three
years
ago
and
did
not
get
accepted
during
that
time,
she
told
me
that
her
classmate
were
grades
that
were
not
as
outstanding
as
hers
got
the
bicentence.
At
that
moment
I
told
her.
Probably
you
have
to
try
harder.
If
you
get
accepted,
I'm
afraid
you
would
not
be
able
to
handle
the
workflow
and
will
suffer
from
stress
and
pressure.
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
Speaking
of
the
perspective
of
many
asian
americans,
we
hope
and
seek
the
potential
of
united
states
striving
for
betterness.
Our
american
dream
is
to
let
our
children
and
grandchildren
achieve
their
all-american
dreams
and
then
build
the
united
states,
but
our
school
district
is
now
destroying
children's
dream
and
all
the
parents
effort
into
achieving
our
children's
dreams.
D
D
D
I
think
so
many
people
echoed
a
lot
of
the
sentiments
I
have
and
the
way
that
I
feel,
I'm
speaking
from
the
perspective
of
I
run
after
school
programs
in
the
heart
of
north
philadelphia.
So
I
see
you
know
the
the
need
in
this
area,
but
I
also
am
the
mother
of
eighth
grade
student
who's
enrolled
in
hill
freeman
academy
and
raising
a
young
boy
of
color
in
the
city
of
philadelphia.
D
So
the
stakes
are
very
high
and
different
for
me
as
a
mother,
as
well
as
an
employee
here,
working
in
the
heart
of
north
philadelphia,
I'm
all
for
a
more
equitable
process,
but
I
think
everyone
needs
to
be
very
clear
that
equity
does
not
mean
equal
for
all
and
while
this
new
process
may
seem
to
be
equitable
for
some
children,
it
in
turn
truly
is
not
equal
or
fair.
At
all.
D
There's
a
significant
number
of
details
that
have
not
been
shared
with
parents
at
all
about
how
exactly
this
process
was
determined
and
also
how
we
rolled
out.
So
how
do
we
really
know
truly
if
it
is
equitable,
there's
over
80
zip
codes
in
the
city
of
philadelphia?
How
were
only
six
determined
was
income,
a
factor?
D
I
think
it
really
doesn't
answer
a
lot
of
parents,
questions
or
concerns
about
if
they
live
in
zip
codes
that
weren't
selected
and
no
there
aren't
any
students
in
their
current
zip
code
that
are
attending
these
illustrious
schools.
How
is
that
equitable
for
these
students
in
their
communities?
I
still
am
not
really
clear
on
how
these
zip
codes
were
selected.
As
I
know,
many
other
parents
aren't
how
many
slots
it
also
wasn't
shared
how
many
slots
at
schools
have
been
reserved
for
this
lottery.
D
That
also
is
not
clear
for
people
which
I
think
has
led
to
this
increased
concern
for
parents
like
myself,
whose
son
is
enrolled
in
hill
freeman
world
academy,
who
that
is
a
special
admit
school
who
are
feeling
like
well?
Are
our
students
going
to
get
pushed
out
to
accommodate
this
new
lottery
system
that
wasn't
made
clear
either
and
how
was
it
determined
how
many
students
would
be
enrolled
at
special
admit
school
that
would
potentially
be
pushed
up
by
this
process?
D
I
think
none
of
those
questions
were
either
asked
and
or
answered
or
provided
to
parents,
which,
I
think
makes
this
process
during
this
particular
time
as
we're
coming
up
on
almost
two
years
of
dealing
with
a
unprecedented
global
pandemic.
Just
really
adds
to
a
lot
more
fears
and
concerns
that
we
all
have
faculties.
D
You
know
when
acceptances
start
to
roll
in
my
son
again,
a
student
of
color
who's
going
to
be
faced
with
so
much
in
his
young
life,
as
well
as
in
his
adult
life,
merely
because
of
who
he
is,
and
so
many
others
who
look
like
him,
but
who
also
work
really
really
hard.
He's
an
honorable
student
in
the
middle
of
a
midst
of
a
pandemic
who's
working
really
really
hard.
D
I
too
feel
a
lot
of
the
parent
sentiments.
What
am
I
supposed
to
tell
my
son,
while
I'm
also
trying
to
keep
him
safe
in
a
city
that
there's
increased
violence,
students
enroll
in
the
city,
philadelphia,
public
school
system,
as
early
as
kindergarten
are
not
being
set
up
for
success?
The
system
is
flawed
and
has
failed
many
of
them,
rendering
them
hopeless
and
helpless,
which
indeed
has
to
be
one
of
the
largest
contributors
to
the
increased
violence
and
death
in
this
city.
D
Why
this
the
this
is
the
reason
why
parents
are
going
to
feel
the
way
they're
going
to
feel
about
this
process
are
going
to
have
these
concerns
are
going
to
have
these
fears
because,
as
a
parent,
you
just
want
to
protect,
provide
and
nurture
your
children,
and
you
cannot
do
any
of
this
during
this
process,
which
is
just
extremely
difficult
and
me
as
an
educated
person,
I'm
struggling
even
more
because
one
would
think
you.
You
come
with
some
of
that
expertise,
and
I
can't
answer
my
son's
questions
and
it's
hard
for
me
as
a
parent.
D
I
just
wanted
to
take
the
time
today
to
share
that
sentiment
as
a
mother,
as
well
as
someone
who
works
in
a
community
of
need
and
understands
the
need
for
the
support
of
the
students
that
I
support
every
single
day
that
look
like
my
son
and
just
wanted
to
make
sure
that
I'm
making
sure
that
my
son's
voice
is
being
amplified
during
this
process.
So
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
address
the
council
today.
D
D
Okay,
thank
you.
My
name
is
maggie
lizan.
I
am
a
first
generation
immigrant
parent
of
a
ninth
grader
and
fourth
grader
of
the
school
district
of
philadelphia.
I'm
also
a
licensed
professional
counselor
and
my
specialty
is
helping
asian
american
families
middle
with
middle
school
students
and
high
school
students.
D
D
I'm
here
to
share
with
you
what
some
eighth
grade,
students
and
their
parents
shared
with
me.
The
students
can't
be
here
today
since
they
are
in
school,
although
it
was
a
delight
to
hear
from
natalie
and
a
lot
of
parents,
they
have
very
limited
english
skills.
Again.
I
was
so
happy
to
hear
miss
lingling's
testimony
with
her
daughter's
help.
D
D
D
We
immigrated
to
the
us
barely
speaking
and
english,
so
did
our
daughter.
She
had
to
work
really
hard
all
by
herself
as
parents.
The
best
we
could
do
is
to
work
day
and
night,
so
we
can
afford
to
hire
a
tutor
to
help
her
pass
her
esl
test
and
she
works
extremely
hard
in
order
to
get
into
a
good,
high
school
and
then
college,
and
now
it
seems
that
all
that
will
be
changed.
D
All
these
students
and
the
families
are
negatively
affected
by
this
new
selection
process.
It
is
the
right
thing
to
do
to
pause
it
right
now
and
reconsider
it,
based
on
the
suggestions
and
the
requests
given
by
the
experts,
the
parents
and
the
wider
community,
and
that
is
truly
called
doing
right
by
our
students.
Thank
you.
F
A
If
I
could,
chairman
I'll
make
a
comment,
thank
you.
This
is
a
hearing
based
on
a
resolution
in
response
to
an
outpouring
of
concern,
confusion,
anger
and
and
most
of
all,
frustration
that
people
were
not
being
heard.
Parents,
students,
including
experts
in
the
field-
and
I
think
that
is
very
concerning
I
understand
passion
and
I
understand
research
and
and
believing
you're
right
as
a
councilman,
there's
things
that
I
do
and
sometimes
I
have
to
walk
it
back.
A
Sometimes
the
people
speak
and
I
have
to
walk
it
back
and
I
I
I
feel
that
is
the
right
thing
to
do
when
the
evidence,
when
the
information
is
presented,
that
perhaps
I
did
not
consider
everything
or
I
I
I
did
not
hear
from
every
expert
that
was
available-
you
know
those
type
of
things
I
do
think
it
is
important
for
the
school
district
to
listen,
and
I
want
people
to
understand
that
the
school
district
is
a
independent
body
of
government.
We
do
not
have
a
power
over
it
to
tell
the
school
district.
A
What
to
do.
I
do
think
there
is
something
lacking
in
that.
However,
there
is
something
that
can
be
done
and
I
think
it
has
to
be
done
quickly.
I
don't
know
the
outcome,
but
based
on
what
I've
heard
today,
I
will
make
an
effort
to
either
present
a
letter
or
a
resolution
calling
for
the
halt
of
this
process.
A
There
are
good
goals,
of
course,
but
the
process
should
not
be
worse
than
the
one
that
already
exists,
and
sometimes
the
one
that
you
know
is
the
one
that
you
can
work
within
and
a
new
process
creates
confusion
and
problems.
But
there
has
been
plenty
of
just
data
and
information
very
objective
that
clearly
states
that
there's
something
wrong
with
this
process
as
it
is.
However,
it
does
lead
to
problems
even
if
it
is
paused,
but
that
is
a
problem
created
by
what
I
think
is
the
school
district.
A
Rushing
in
to
do
this,
taking
the
opportunity
during
covid
when
there's
a
lot
of
confusion
to
to
introduce
a
massive
change
like
this,
while
people
are
distracted,
discouraged
and
other
things,
perhaps
I'm
wrong
in
that
assessment.
But
I
find
that
to
be
a
very
reasonable
assessment
as
to
why
something
like
this
would
be
announced
and
and
already
implemented
with
such
little
input
and
consideration
people
if
you
like
this
process,
speak
up.
If
you
don't
like
this
process,
speak
up
because
you
know,
action
will
have
to
be
taken
rather
quickly.
A
That's
what
I
have
to
say
chairman.
I
appreciate
the
time
and
let
me
thank
chairwoman.
Maria
quinoa
sanchez
timing
was
very
important,
we're
about
to
go
to
our
last
session
tomorrow,
and
so
this
hearing
was
granted.
She
included
in
it,
and
I
appreciate
all
the
council
members
who
sponsored
who
voted
it
passed
unanimously
and
all
the
council
members
who
are
on
the
call
and
listening
and
participated.
Thank
you
chairman.
F
Thank
you,
councilmember
owen.
Thank
you
for
your
resolution.
It's
important
conversation
and
what
we'll
do
is
we'll
leave
this
to
the
call
of
the
sponsor.
If
we
need
to
have
another
hearing
in
the
education
committee
to
work
with
the
chairman
sanchez
on
that,
if
there's
no
other
comments
and
no
one
else
here
to
testify.
F
That
will
call
an
end
to
our
hearing
and
thanks
everyone
who
gave
their
time
and
efforts
there'd
be
no
further
questions
the
members
of
the
committee
and
no
other
witnesses
to
testify.
This
concludes
the
business
before
the
committee
on
education
today.
Thank
you
all
for
your
attendance.
Thank
you
for
your
testimony.
Your
passion
and
desire,
looking
forward
to
working
with
the
school
district
to
come
up
with
a
system
that
could
work
for
all
have
a
great
day.
Everyone
thank
you,
have
a
happy
and
healthy
new
year.