RECAP: Looking back on the week that was
• Judge eviscerates Pa. school funding formula
The formula Pennsylvania uses to decide how much money to send schools — which leaves districts with a huge reliance on local property taxes — ends up so imbalanced it violates some students’ constitutional rights, a Commonwealth Court judge ruled last week. The lawsuit, first filed in 2014 on behalf of districts in lower-income areas, could still be appealed. If it stands, the Shapiro administration has a big job ahead to craft a more equitable solution. [Chalkbeat/Billy Penn/WHYY/PA Spotlight]
• Temple wields anti-strike threats
Striking graduate students at Temple University got an ultimatum last week: if you don’t end your union action, you’ll have to pay tuition in full by the beginning of March. That could leave students on the hook for up to $20,000. The moves by the administration, which included cutting off health benefits, were denounced by labor advocates and elected officials around the nation. [@TUGSA_6290/Billy Penn/NPR/Vice]
• New leadership for Center City District
Thirty-three years after the Center City District was founded to revitalize Philly’s sleepy downtown, the org will get its first new leader. CEO Paul Levy will step down at the end of this year, the CCD announced last week, and be replaced by Prema Katari Gupta. The district’s VP for parks/public spaces since 2020, Gupta formerly led Navy Yard redevelopment for PIDC and worked at the University City District. [CCD/UC Review/KYW/Inquirer$/LinkedIn]
• Eagles mania takes over
Spy balloon what? State of the Union who? The rest of the nation may have followed these news narratives closely, but Philly was a bit distracted. The Eagles’ Super Bowl LVII appearance brings the big game’s first Black woman coach, spurred Comcast to finally color their skyscrapers, offered jurors a new way to mark attendance, and is the reason 4,000 green jello shots are hurriedly being prepped. It all culminates today. [Billy Penn x 4]
VISION: Looking forward to the week ahead
• Petition season kicks off
The crowded races for positions in Philadelphia’s government — like mayor, City Council, and controller —will thin somewhat over the next month. Starting Tuesday, anyone who wants to be on the May 16 primary ballot for municipal office can start circulating signature petitions. Contenders who don’t get enough by the deadline are likely to drop out. Look for our detailed explainer on the process this week. [BP x 3/Phila Gov]
• Forten family legacy on display
This week is your first chance to visit the new exhibition at the Museum of the American Revolution about a part of Philly history that’s previously been undercovered: how free Black Philadelphians helped shape the nation. With dozens of documents and artifacts from Revolutionary Era patriarch James Forten and his descendants, the exhibit offers an interactive look at the city’s African American past. [Billy Penn]
• Play Super Bowl bingo
When the Eagles take the field for Super Bowl LVII, a few things are certain: the poles on Broad Street will be slick with grease, there will be a ton of Philly celebs in the stands, and the TV coverage will be littered with Philadelphia cliches. On the first, we offer safety tips. On the last two, we offer two bingo boards to track these things during the game. Download or screenshot here, and tag us on social if you play. [Billy Penn x 2]
• Schools open late tomorrow
We can’t plan too far in advance, since no one knows who’ll win (despite an internet hoax it was “scripted”), but parents and teachers get a bit of reprieve either way: schools in Philadelphia and several suburban districts start 2 hours late on Monday. What else is riding on the game outcome? A ton of officials and institutions made Super Bowl bets — we rounded up all the cheesesteak-vs-BBQ fun here. [Poynter/WHYY/Billy Penn]
Catch up on the previous week
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