Superintendent Watlington talks budget, graduation rates ahead of State of School Address

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- As the School District of Philadelphia district begins to eye the 2024-25 budget, Superintendent Tony Watlington is warning of a looming financial cliff.

He says $1.2 billion in federal COVID-19 relief money is running out.

"The dollars sunset in September of this year. We've built enough of those dollars into our fund balance, where we can stave off a big deficit this year and next," he said. "But after next year, if we don't get more resources from the state, we absolutely will have a structural deficit and we'll have to address that through position cuts."

Action News sat down with Watlington ahead of next Tuesday's State of the School address.

He says despite being underfunded, the district made strides last year, improving test scores across the board in both reading and math, having fewer students drop out, and raising the graduation rate to 74%.

As part of his "Accelerate Philly" plan, the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia has been tasked with raising $40 million in 5 years. Those dollars come from corporations to individuals and go directly to students in the form of STEM education to chrome books.

"The return on investment at the fund is immediate. The vast majority of the initiatives that we ask for support are going into schools within the same year," said Kathryn Epps Roberson, president and CEO of the fund.