Fattah Announces Increased Title I Funding for Philadelphia School District

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) announced that The School District of Philadelphia is set to receive approximately $191 million in Title I funds for FY 2016—up more than $20 million from the previous year's funding level. Fattah sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Education which oversees federal discretionary funding to the Department of Education.

The preliminary funding allocations were recently released by the Department of Education; they are based on increased levels set for Title I funding in the FY 2015 Appropriations Act and passed by Congress. The Philadelphia School District is currently slated to receive $191,544,198; final funding allocations will be announced in June. In FY 2015, the district received $170,023,277.  In FY 2014 and FY 2013 it received approximately $178 million and $176 million respectively.

"This is good news for the Philadelphia School District. For years we have watched as Title I funds were slashed as a result of spending cuts and sequestration. Now, we can be optimistic that these additional funds will help support students and teachers in Philadelphia's high-poverty schools," Congressman Fattah said. "The School District still faces an uphill battle, but this new funding announcement, coupled with the recent passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), offers real hope that our schools will see a significant increase in the amount of resources and support available to their students and teachers." 

Title I funding is the primary mechanism for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to receive federal funding from the Department of Education. In December, Fattah joined in passing a bipartisan overhaul of No Child Left Behind, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA reauthorized and amended the country's national education law—to provide for even greater resource equity and bring more opportunity to the Philadelphia area. The 2015 reauthorization represents the first time since 2001 that the bill has been updated.

"The additional funding is great news for children attending resource-starved Philadelphia schools," said Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, "Philly's educators appreciate the work Rep. Fattah has always done to support and improve public education."

Congressman Fattah applauded the passage of ESSA in December, asserting that the bill will make significant progress in providing universal access to highly effective teachers, early childhood education, access to college preparation, and equitable instructional resources.  

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

Related Links

http://www.fattah.house.gov