Corbett speaks out on schools; leaked poll suggests that he take on teachers’ union

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

For the first time, Gov. Corbett has issued a formal statement on Philadelphia’s school-funding crisis, saying he is "committed to finding a solution … that is focused on students and is fiscally responsible for taxpayers."

His statement came minutes after Daniel Denvir of City Paper published a leaked poll, conducted by a prominent national Republican polling group, Public Opinion Strategies. The poll of Pennsylvania voters concludes that Corbett can increase his popularity — and chances for re-election — by taking on the Philadelphia teachers’ union, especially on the issue of teacher seniority.

PennCAN, a chapter of a national education reform organization that emphasizes school choice and "better measures of teacher effectiveness," paid for the poll, said its executive director, Jon Cetel.

Among other things, the poll asked more than 600 respondents whether they supported proposals that the School District is asking for in contract negotiations with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers — using "performance" rather than seniority in assigning and transferring teachers, giving principals more say in who teaches in their buildings, and ending automatic raises for extra years of service and additional degrees or certifications.

"My organization is about being a pragmatic organization finding a way to achieve our goal," Cetel said. "We want more funding for Philadelphia schools, and we think a winning political strategy is putting political pressure on the governor by showing him there is a strong appetite for funding if it’s accompanied by fair reforms."

Cetel said that the poll, which oversampled voters in the Philadelphia suburbs, "came back even stronger than anticipated" on the issue of teacher seniority. It said that 82 percent supported "a proposal that would allow Philadelphia’s public schools to assign and transfer employees based on performance, not based on seniority of the individual." Eighty percent also supported a similar statement, saying principals should have more say in who teaches in their classrooms.

But on the issue of ending automatic raises based on years served and educational attainment, the polling results were evenly split. Most teacher contracts in the state give raises based on those factors.

The poll also says that education has risen markedly as a point of concern for state voters and that voters "overwhelmingly disapprove of the way Corbett’s handling the issue."

Public Opinion Strategies is a Republican pollster, but Cetel said he chose it because it would have credibility with Corbett and Southeast Pennsylvania Republicans, who will have a big say in whether the city gets more money — and are also key to Corbett’s re-election hopes.

In his statement on the Philadelphia school-budget crisis, Corbett talks about “student-centered contributions from the state, the city, the school district and the union.” But then he emphasizes the District’s contract demands, although in vague terms.

"Among the proposed solutions, Philadelphia School Superintendent William Hite is asking employees for wage and benefit changes, including sharing a portion of their healthcare premiums and for the ability to staff schools around the needs of students.”

“Such changes will help stem the financial drain on the school district’s budget so that resources may be redirected back into the classroom for high-quality teaching and improved learning.”

Corbett, in his statement, mentions “many viable ideas and solutions” to closing the District’s $304 million budget gap. He doesn’t specify how the state might raise additional money for the city schools, but he does talk about the city improving its tax-collection system to bring in more funds and “redirecting 1 percent of the existing city sales tax to the school district.”

He does not mention a $2-a-pack cigarette tax, a measure that City Council has passed, but that needs state enabling legislation to enforce.