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City Council Committee Votes To Release $25M For Schools, But Scrutiny Isn't Over

By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- City Council is expected to release $25 million for city schools, but council members at a hearing today said the scrutiny of district finances will continue.

Relations between the School District and City Council are more cordial, now that both sides have signed an agreement giving council a say in the district's five-year plan and frequent briefings on school finances.

Council president Darrell Clarke, at an appropriations committee hearing to release $25 million held back from city schools, said that agreement was a jumping-off point.

"It is a start. And we don't want anybody to think that we signed a document and everything's going to be okay."

Clarke said Council is not happy with the district's decision to outsource the management of substitute teachers. And, he says the district has to reach a contract with its teachers union so that expenditures can be predictable.

After the brief hearing, the committee OK'd transferring the $25 million to the district. The funding bill now goes on to the full council.

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