The economic recession resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic is already significantly impacting the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) and over 200,000 children and families across our city who depend on their schools.

Next school year, the District is projecting a $38 million funding shortfall, which will grow to $508 million in the next five years unless specific action is taken by the Commonwealth. The current financial crisis could be just as severe as what we lived through 10 years ago when the state’s $300 million funding cut to SDP led to drastic layoffs, reduced supports for schools, significant decreases in school building maintenance and improvements, and more. If state legislators cut education funding again, it could erase all of the progress we’ve made together over the last eight years.

In order to avoid drastic budget cuts and continue to provide the academic programs and supports our students need and deserve, we need the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to do two things:

• At a minimum, maintain public education funding at current 2019-2020 levels. Do not cut public education funding for SY2020-2021, for SY2021-2022, nor beyond. At a minimum, maintain funding at current levels. Our School District receives 51% of its funding from the state. Major budget cuts from our primary funding source would be harmful to our students and schools--not just for the coming year, but for any school year. While we are glad that our state lawmakers have pledged to not make cuts for the coming school year (SY2020-2021), we must do better. As our school district faces a $508 million deficit by 2025 because of substantial losses in forecasted tax revenue due to COVID-19, we will need steady financial support from the state for years to come in order to provide safety and stability for our schools and children in these uncertain times.

• Send the School District of Philadelphia all of its allotted federal relief funds. Do not use these funds to meet other state obligations or offset other funding for our schools and students. Don’t let the state balance its budget next year at the expense of our children.

Let's let our voices be heard in Harrisburg! Visit philasd.org/fundourschools for more information and translated versions of this text. #FundOurSchools