PHILADELPHIA, PA --  Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) today wrote Pennsylvania Auditor General Robert P. Casey, Jr. to encourage him to address troubling new reports of potentially illegal bidding practices by the State of Pennsylvania in relation to Edison Schools, Inc.

Congressman Fattah asked the Auditor General to look into five specific matters:

First, are Pennsylvania taxpayers being fairly served by a state budget that drains funds away from an already cash-strapped school system in order to pay consulting fees to a for-profit corporation?

Second, did the awarding of this lucrative contract to Edison Schools follow state laws regarding competitive bidding, or was this an illegal, no-bid deal between the state and Edison?
Third, does a $101 million consulting contract to a corporation that stands to benefit as a result of its own recommendations constitute a financial conflict of interest?

Fourth, were reports of Edison’s poor track record in other states – from California to Kansas to Massachusetts – fully examined before awarding this contract?  In San Francisco, for example, Edison was accused of performing no audits, providing misleading test scores, discriminating against minority students, and discouraging special education children from enrolling.  What assurances did Edison give that these complaints were unfounded?

Finally, how have the financial risks associated with a for-profit corporate takeover of Philadelphia’s public schools been weighed against the state’s future financial obligations?  If Edison puts our schools in even more dire financial straits, what is the state’s responsibility to the students negatively impacted?

“With such a massive amount of taxpayer dollars being quietly directed to a corporation dedicated to privatizing our public schools and guided first by profits, Pennsylvania taxpayers have a right to know the answers to all of these questions before an agreement is reached between Edison Schools and the State of Pennsylvania,” wrote Congressman Fattah. “If a full investigation is warranted and Friday’s deadline looms large, I ask that you stop any further action between the State and Edison Schools until such investigation is complete.”

State audits in both Texas and Massachusetts have questioned Edison’s performance.  Congressman Fattah also asks if these states’ audit findings have been considered.