PHILADELPHIA, PA --  Congressmen Robert Borski and Robert Brady today joined
Congressman Chaka Fattah in embracing seven principles for Philadelphia school reform.  Now,
the entire Philadelphia Congressional delegation, along with every member of the City Council,
support the Fattah principles for Philadelphia’s schools.  
    
The Fattah principles outline seven core indicators for quality public schools for Philadelphia’s
children.  They are:
     •    access to instruction in core courses from a fully qualified teacher.
     •    access to rigorous academic curriculums, both basic and advanced.
     •    access to textbooks and instructional supplies as current as their suburban counterparts.
     •    classroom sizes substantially equal to their suburban counterparts.
     •    access to a school with an up-to-date library staffed by a certified librarian.
     •    a student-to-computer ratio similar to their suburban counterparts.
     •    access to guidance counselors in a ratio that is comparable with that of other students in
     suburban districts.

In a letter  to Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker, Congressmen Borski and Brady wrote:
“We strongly support those principles and urge you to include them in any actions taken on
behalf of Philadelphia’s children.”

On Thursday, every single Member of the City Council of Philadelphia voted for a resolution to
call on “Governor Mark Schweiker to insist that Edison Schools Inc. include in their report on
the Philadelphia School District an assessment of where the School District stands currently with
the Fattah Principles and that any plan for the future incorporate steps to improve the School
District in terms of those principles.”
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