Hite: Philadelphia school cuts without $216 million

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It looks like more major budget cuts could be coming for the School District of Philadelphia.

School officials announced on Friday that the district needs $216 million to keep operating as they are right now.

The district has already made deep cuts over the last several years, and school officials say they don't have anywhere left to cut that won't affect learning.

Superintendent Dr. William Hite said Friday that if the district can't come up with the money, they will be forced them to increase class sizes even more.

And some one thousand staff members could be laid off.

"Short of the $216 million, our schools will go from insufficient to just empty shells that do not represent what, I would consider, a functioning school," Hite said.

The School Reform Commission will have a public hearing on this latest budget next Wednesday, April 30, at 5:30 pm.

City Council hearings on the budget are scheduled for May 5th.

The SRC will vote on a final budget on May 29.