This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
The School District has published its 2014 "Guide to School Budgets" that lays out quite starkly what to expect next year unless new money can be found. The document is meant for principals, School Advisory Councils, teachers, parents, assistant superintendents and community leaders.
Long lists of items have the word "eliminated" after them. We’ve already reported on some of them, including assistant principals, secretaries, extra-curricular activities, sports, counselors, and librarians.
But there is more.
A sampling of the items marked as "eliminated":
Gifted programs, itinerant music teachers, $100 each teacher has received for classroom supplies, summer reorganization funds, extra teachers and professional development for Promise Academies, programs for school-age parents, in-school suspension support, accelerated learning, vocational education training, money for annexes to ease school overcrowding (overcrowding is a problem in some neighborhoods), books and supplies (to augment or replace what a school already has), and what’s left of desegregation support funds.
Look for reams more budget information later this week on the School District’s website – the District’s detailed annual breakdown of its overall budget and individual school budgets.