Dear Governor Schweiker:

I write to you once again to discuss Philadelphia’s schools.  I have done extensive research on Edison Schools and found they have lost contracts in several schools around the country, including Sherman, TX, Goldsboro, NC, Lansing, MI and Minneapolis, MN.  In schools in Macon, GA, Wichita, KS, Inkster, MI, and San Francisco, CA, school boards are trying to end Edison’s contract because of poor student performance and rising costs.  Even many of the schools Edison claims are successes, like the one in Miami, FL and some in Illinois, have failed to show improvement and are at the bottom of their state’s assessment test.

In fact, right here in Pennsylvania, the 2001 PSSA shows the Edison-run Lincoln-Edison Charter Academy had 60% of students below basic level in math and 70% below basic in reading.  This is the worst performing school in York County and it is run by the company that you propose to takeover the entire Philadelphia public school system, a system which, on average, performed better than the Edison-run school. 

It would be important and helpful to add to my research any information that you or your staff has compiled on Edison’s real, and not self-proclaimed success.  Although we all agree that Philadelphia’s schools need significant improvement, we need to build on the progress that is already underway.  I know that you want appropriate due diligence.  I am confident that your staff has information showing Edison provides the world-class education they promise.  However, because I am unable to find this information through my own research, I hope you can make your findings available.

I have called on the General Accounting Office of the Federal Government to initiate an investigation of Edison and other for-profit companies’ claims of academic achievement.  It is important to get to the bottom of the troubling and glaring inconsistencies between studies like the PSSA and Manhattan Institute and those commissioned by Edison.  Thank you for assistance in this matter and I do hope to hear from you soon.

Very truly yours,
Chaka Fattah 
Member of Congress