PHILADELPHIA, PA --  The Philadelphia congressional delegation today expressed its
strongest possible opposition to the State’s plan to takeover the Philadelphia School District. 
The delegation, consisting of Congressmen Robert Borski, Robert Brady and Chaka Fattah, call
on Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker to commit to a negotiated agreement between the
elected Mayor of Philadelphia and the State of Pennsylvania as to the future funding and
operations of the Philadelphia School District.  

“We will not support an outcome that is not negotiated or agreed to by the Mayor of
Philadelphia,” said Congressman Fattah.  “As an elected official chosen by the people of
Philadelphia, the Mayor deserves an active role in a decision that will have an enormous impact
on the children of Philadelphia and their families.”  Notwithstanding its difficulties due to lack of
funds, Philadelphia ranks as one of the top urban school districts in the country.  Students have
improved their academic performance at a rate better than any other large urban district.   

The Philadelphia Congressional Delegation maintains that it is in the best interest of the children
of Philadelphia that the Governor and Mayor reach an amicable resolution of the school funding
crisis in Philadelphia.  The Governor has indicated that if he and the Mayor do not reach an
agreement by November 30th, he will proceed to have the state seize control of the city’s public
school system.

Edison Schools, Inc., which billed the state almost $3 million to evaluate Philadelphia’s schools,
believes it can implement a fiscally and academically sound program for the city’s 210,000
students.  Questions, however, have been raised about Edison’s ability to manage one of the
nation’s largest school districts.  The five year old company has lost contracts for lack of
performance and for exceeding projected costs in Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, and
California.  Edison is also at risk of losing contracts in Georgia and Kansas.

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