The Pennsylvania state education budget is in crisis, having been cut by $1 billion since 2010. Locally, the cuts have financially distressed the School District of Philadelphia, which has asked City Council in its FY 2014 budget to provide an additional $60 million to schools. Come with us to City Council to show your support!

Without this additional funding, concessions from the unions and an additional $120 million from state legislature, Philadelphia public schools will be left with a bare bones budget, cutting instrumental music, art and music teachers, sports teams, nurses, secretaries, extracurriculars, and more.

GroundSwell, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) are working together to bring a coalition of arts education supporters, parents and school staff to City Council to show their support for increased public school funding and arts education. We will be at Council sessions every Thursday between now and mid-June. Council sessions begin at 10:00AM; we will convene outside of Council Chambers at 9:30AM. If you have time, please make a sign you can hold up during the session to show your support for public schools.

To RSVP for the May 23 session, click here.