PROGRAMS UNDER TITLE 1, ESEA, WHICH ARE SHARED WITH NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNICATION SKILLS The Communication Skills Program provides remedial reading, writing, and speaking as well as a program of enrichment. The teachers, employed by the Pittsburgh Public Schools under Title 1 ESEA, go into the parochial schools to teach effective communication. Approximately sixty teachers are involved in this assault on language problems and other stumbling blocks in the realm of communication. SAFETY EDUCATION This program will provide for an expansion of the safety education staff by two and also provide for the initial purchase of important safety equipment which can be used as effective teaching devices. Among the specific duties of the expanded staff in certified Title 1 ESEA schools will be: (1) to make distance checks; (2) to conduct traffic safety survey of all schools-need for cross walks, lady guards; etc.; (3) to inspect bus routes; (4) to supervise school safety patrol operations; (5) to be responsible for accident reports; (6) to help teachers in charge of driver club programs in high schools; (7) to conduct fire drills in the schools and pre-school centers; (8) work with City Bureau of Fire Prevention on Junior Fire Patrol Programs. MUSIC INSTRUCTION This is a plan to provide free instrumental music instruction for talented elementary school pupils in public and non-public schools. This music project will provide instrumental music instruction for students from grades 1 to 8 in identified areas of the city. The children in these underprivileged areas will have the opportunity for cultural growth through the study of a musical instrument. ELEMENTARY COUNSELORS This program sets forth ten elementary counselors who will work with guidance and counseling services in the elementary public and non-public schools. This will be a concentrated effort because typically the disadvantaged child needs to be helped with his total development: educationally, socially, and emotionally. SECONDARY COUNSELORS This program sets forth eight secondary counselors who will work with guidance and counseling services in the secondary public and non-public schools. This will be a concentrated effort because typically the disadvantaged child needs to be helped with his total development: educationally, socially, and emotionally. HOME AND SCHOOL VISITORS Because of the acute shortage of professionally trained home and school visitors, this project selects ten outstanding individuals and trains them parttime for certification, and utilizes them the majority of their time as "Home and School Visitors" to work with disadvantaged youngsters in the public and nonpublic schools. EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISORS Pittsburgh, for three years, has demonstrated the worth of providing job placement services particularly for graduates and drop-outs who, on their own. are not successful in finding suitable employment. Present economic conditions offer an opportune time for establishing positive relationships with employers in the Pittsburgh community. Two additional placement officers are assigned to areas of social and cultural deprivation to arrange employment for graduates and drop-outs. PSYCHOLOGISTS The implementation of this program will enable the psychological staff to more nearly meet the demands for increased service in Title 1 ESEA Programs, particularly in elementary schools, and to make possible some services for parochial school pupils. EYEGLASSES Eyeglasses will be provided for needy children who do not receive them from Public Welfare but who fit Title 1 ESEA criteria. SPEECH, HEARING, AND VISUAL IMPROVEMENT The Mobile Speech and Hearing Center will be designed to meet the special educational needs of pupils with speech or hearing handicaps from pre-kindergarten through high school. This service is made available to both public and non-public schools. ADMINISTRATION The service of the administrative staff under Title 1 ESEA is available to nonpublic schools and their staff for information, consultation, and implementation of appropriate educational programs. LIBRARY AIDES This program will provide library aides on the basis of one-half time in a public school and one-half time in a parochial school in certified Title 1 ESEA areas of the city. The aides are trained to do sub-professional library work in order to free the librarian for better service to the children. TEACHERS-UNWED MOTHERS The basic purpose of this program is to enable pregnant school age girls to complete their high school education and graduate. This service is available to public and non-public school students. EDUCATIONAL CAMPING Educational camping is a three day outdoor educational experience for sixthgrade pupils in Title 1 ESEA public and non-public schools. This program provides an outdoor laboratory for the "incubation" of pupil skills. ASSISTANT TEACHERS-PRE-PRIMARY Assistant teachers are hired to lend supportive service to teachers in the preprimary program, This service is made available to both public and non-public school youngsters in Title 1 ESEA areas of the city. FAMILY RELATED EDUCATION Family Related Education provides classes for adults whose interest cannot be met by the standard evening school program. In order to help culturally deprived children to develop their potential, Family Related Education seeks to provide more educational and cultural opportunities for the parents and adults in the communities where these children live. This service is made available to parents of public and non-public school pupils in Title 1 ESEA areas of the city. TELEVISION Television programs will provide structural linguistics instruction to junior and senior high school pupils in public and non-public schools in Title 1 ESEA areas. The regular classroom work is supplemented by two daily television programs, "News 66 and Structural Linguistics." The program is made available to non-public school pupils through the use of television sets on loan for this specific purpose. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA, Hon. CARL D. PERKINS, DEAR MR. PERKINS: We deeply appreciate the opportunity afforded our Superintendent, Dr. C. Taylor Whittier, of appearing before the Committee a few weeks ago. The enclosure, "Federal Funding Needs, School District of Philadel phia, Pennsylvania" is a follow-up to that appearance to further acquaint you with Philadelphia's needs, plans and hopes. Big cities find that local revenue sources can no longer meet the increasing costs of public education. With respect to programs using Title I money, Philadelphia will need $14,000,000 in additional funds just to stand still. Another $10,000,000 will also be needed to implement new and expanded programs in the basic skills areas. At the present time, 40% or 108,000 children in Philadelphia's Public schools are classified as educationally disadvantaged. A variety of specialists, materials, supportive services and programmatic approaches to develop new educational, remedial, guidance and psychological service programs are needed to overcome this deprivation. Funds granted on a per pupil basis rather than categorical funds would permit the school district to implement unique and innovative approaches. $250 per child is the basic allotment that is needed. Approximate cost-$27,000,000. Experimentation and innovation are the keys to educational change. In order to implement desirable change, facility renovation and design are necessary components to the development of new and innovative educational programs. Funds for alterations and improvements and new building construction keyed to innovation and experimentation should receive incentive grants of 25% from the Federal government. These funds will add impetus and will help to develop the types of programs that can be unique and dynamic forces in changing the focus of education. The teaching of educationally disadvantaged children requires new approaches and special techniques. Teachers of these children must be constantly involved in staff development programs so that they can more adequately fulfill their role in the classroom. In order to do this, massive staff development programs must be implemented. These programs will greatly enhance the instruction these children are receiving and will also provide teachers with needed and necessary teaching skills. The proposed increases in the 1967-68 budget for the implementation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act would make it possible for the schools of Philadelphia to build upon the gains made from this source of funds. We strongly urge that the Committee, under your astute leadership, give full support to the increases so as to sustain and increase the forward movement already in motion to provide all children with equality of educational opportunity. Sincerely yours, ROBERT L. POINDEXTER, Federal funding needs, School District of Philadelphia, Pa. At present, allocations are made on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the State plan. A minimum of $3 million is needed for next year. Local effort must be $12 million. As demands on the Operating Budget of the Philadelphia School District increase, the capability for providing matching funds diminishes. Recommendations 1. Establish allotments on the basis of population and need. 2. Reduce the local contribution factor from 50% to 10%. 3. Include children in special education as eligible recipients and waive the requirement that they must be in grades 9 to 12. 4. The $3,000,000 needed for next year should be divided as follows: $2, 000, 000-Trade and Industry Equipment 750, 000-Distributive and Commercial Education 250,000-Home Economics 5. An additional $1,000,000 is needed for staff development and for the development of new program manuals. SMITH-HUGHES AND GEORGE-BARDEN ACTS The formula should be increased to $75 per child. Reimbursement should be allotted for children who are presently in Comprehensive High Schools. Students in the Commercial Course should also be included. Approximate cost$1,012,500. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT Title I B-Neighborhood Youth Corps At present 1600 youths are enrolled in the full-year Work Training Program and 2,500 in the summer program. This program has cut the drop-out rate but does not provide adequately for the great number of potential drop-outs. It is proposed that the program be expanded to enroll 3,000 in-school youth during the school year and summer. Approximate cost-$3,000,000. Title II A-Community action programs 1. Operation Outreach.-provides remedial reading, tutorial homework help, counseling, and cultural enrichment. It should be doubled in size instead of being phased out. An estimated 20,000 children need this service during afterschool and evening hours. Approximate cost-$1,750,000. 2. Full Year Head Start Program.-Currently provides prekindergarten education for 5,500 children between the ages of 3 and 5. There is a need in Philadelphia for a program for at least twice this number-11,000 children. Approximate cost-$12,500,000. 3. Summer Head Start Program. To maintain the present level of this sixweek kindergarten program for 1,500 children would cost $400,000. 4. Head Start Follow-up.-New and innovative approaches to the individualization of instruction must be developed to provide the vehicle for moving disadvantaged children more rapidly into the regular instructional program. Head Start Follow-up will help to maintain the gains achieved in the pre-school program. Cost-$10,000,000. Title II B-(Title III ESEA) Adult basic literacy 700 adults each year during the past two years have acquired fundamental reading and writing skills. This program should be expanded to serve 1100 adults. Cost-$960,000. MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ACT To maintain the present level and to expand the program to meet increasing needs for training and retraining workers would cost $2,000,000. Title III NATIONAL DEFENSE EDUCATION ACT Grants under this Title are made on a matching basis. Although additional funds are needed to buy equipment, books and materials in eligible areas, the burden imposed by the 50% contribution makes it difficult for the School District to benefit because of its tight budget. Congress should reduce the contribution to 10% and thus increase the ability of the School District to benefit. To con tinue to improve Science Laboratories, Instructional Materials Centers and provide funds for eligible materials, the School District needs $2,000,000. Title V To provide a ratio of one counselor to 400 students in our secondary and special schools, the allotments should be increased to $3.88 per child. Cost$467,000. Title IV CIVIL RIGHTS ACT Better insights are provided when teachers and administrators participate in in-service training in inter-group education. Funds under this Title will also be used to foster integration in the schools. Cost-$500,000. EDUCATING THE ATYPICAL CHILD The physically, emotionally and mentally handicapped child requires skills, curriculum and methods of instruction that are unique. Individual attention to the needs of each child is of paramount importance. To do the job so that handicapped children can become productive members of society will require $5,000,000 next year. NATIONAL TEACHER CORPS A change of focus is needed in the prescribed use of corpsmen. Corpsmen would be of greater service if they were permitted to carry a regular teaching load, with intensive supervision, and with adjustments in their schedules to permit time for college course work. At present they can be used only as supplemental personnel. Philadelphia could use 300 interns and 60 team leaders. Approximate cost-$3,370,000. EDUCATION PROFESSIONS ACT Funds for upgrading the instructional and administrative skills of 2,000 staff members next year would cost $400,000. Teacher aides have demonstrated their dedication and interest in the disadvantaged children in the inner city schools. Many aides could become competent teachers if funds could be provided for tuition grants. Grants for 200 aides would cost $120,000. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT Funds provided in this act impose a real hardship on local school systems because of the restrictive nature of the guidelines. We agree with the general principle that guidelines must be established. However, we feel that these should be broadly stated so that local professional judgment can be the basis for expenditures. Innovation and creativity are stifled because the guidelines are so structured in nature. Programmatic change when needed is impeded because of the necessity of prior approval from the granting agency. It is therefore our view that guidelines broadly stated, giving local educational agencies freedom to use funds as needed but with auditing procedures established so that abuses will be avoided, would be the soundest approach to the expenditure of these funds. The second limitation of the legislation is the pattern of funding. Appropriation should be made early enough and guaranteed over a period of years, so that sound educational planning and implementation of projects can be undertaken. A fundamental change should be the funding of projects on a program year basis rather than on a fiscal year basis. With these changes in effect, and with the establishment of guidelines that will stay in effect for the life of the legislation. school districts would be able to develop programs that will more nearly meet the needs of disadvantaged children. Title I The Iowa Test scores in Reading and Arithmetic for Philadelphia highlighted the need for a massive program to upgrade basic skills. Planning committees are now at work designing new programs to help overcome these deficiencies. In order to fully implement these and other essential programs. $25,000,000 will be required next year. Early notification of funding is imperative so that programs can be carefully planned, organized and evaluated. |