In November, the School Reform Commission voted down a proposal to terminate a contract with K12 Inc.
By a 3-2 vote, K12 Inc. maintains its $3 million contract to provide science materials to grades K-3 (The company also has a $250,000 contract for professional services to Hunter School). Commissioners James Nevels, James Gallagher and Dan Whelan voted against the proposal, submitted by Sandra Dungee Glenn after an offensive racial statement broadcast by K12 co-founder William Bennett on his radio show. Commissioner Martin Bednarek voted with Glenn.
The SRC voted to approve the following resolutions:
-Authorization for negotiations on 4601 Market Street site for new West Philadelphia High School
District representatives will negotiate with nonprofit Urban Education Development Research and Retreat Center, Inc., for purchase of 4601 Market. The 15-acre site is proposed for the construction of a new West Philadelphia High School.
-$2.6 million from general fund to Kaplan K12 Learning Services for curriculum development and benchmark testing
The contract would provide scoring and data reports for all secondary benchmark assessments in math, science, and English; consulting services for development of three 12th-grade courses; and continued support for staff on core curriculum. Kaplan received a $4.5 million contract in 2003 and 2004.
-$39 million to Academic Books Services from various funding sources for reconditioned textbooks
Books will be purchased from September 2005 to August 2009.
-$55,000 in operating funds to Heidrick & Struggles, Inc. for General Counsel search
The employee search will fill the position left vacant by Wendy Beetlestone, who headed the District’s law office.
-$490,000 in operating funds to Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership for artist-in-residency program
The program will take place in elementary and middle schools that do not offer music or art education under the guidance of certified specialists. The SRC separately approved $60,000 in operating funds to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to provide a “comprehensive arts educational experience” for fourth graders.
-$2.7 million in operating funds for four “small schools transition managers” to provide consultative services to a total of 12 schools under conversion to small schools. Covers October 2005 – June 2006. This is the second contract for each of the companies at these same schools:
-$450,000 to SchoolWorks for Motivation and Robeson High Schools, two transitional schools that had been part of Bartram High School.
-$900,000 to Princeton Review for Lamberton, Sayre, Vaux, and Parkway West High Schools, four transitional schools that had formerly been middle schools or part of a larger school.
- $675,000 to Kaplan K12 for Carroll, formerly an alternative school; Lankenau, and Randolph High Schools, formerly satellite campuses of a larger high school.
-$675,000 to ResulTech for Communication and Technology High School and the Philadelphia High School for Business and Technology, formerly part of Bartram; and Parkway Center City High School, formerly a Parkway satellite campus.
-$540,000 in categorical/grant funds to EducationWorks for National School and Community Corps
Will go toward operations in nine schools and span September 2005 to June 2006.
