(2012-05-20) Philadelphia Privatizing Whole School System

Philadelphia Pa seems to be moving toward privatizing their entire Public School system.

Diane Ravitch is alarmed.

The plan was prepared with the assistance of Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a major global-business consultancy and school "right-sizing" mastermind. Boston's previous accomplishments include recommending that New Orleans, which has decimated its Teachers Union and put most schools under Charter School control, create the exact same species of achievement networks in 2006. Last year, Boston also recommended that Australian education leaders close schools and cut spending. Indeed, Boston recommendations seem like a forgone conclusion: Their website touts "reform" hallmarks like evaluating student achievement through standardized tests and undermining traditional teacher certification.

The Public School Notebook revealed that the state was investigating 29 Philadelphia schools (among 89 statewide) for cheating on Standardized Test-s. By March 2012, the scope of the scandal had widened dramatically: Citywide, 56 schools — including one in five district schools — are under investigation, including 11 of the city's top-tier Vanguard Schools.

The district Public SchoolSpending is $11k/child.

The district has been under PA state control since 2001!