"I'm most concerned about the students," said Jennifer Chiu, the Bridging Cultures manager, now unemployed. "Some of them feel like the bottom has dropped out."
Others feel the same way.
Poised to disappear from 19 high schools is a program that put tutors beside 1,000 failing ninth graders - direct academic help to the youths most likely to drop out.
"It's one of many, many tragedies," said Martin Friedman, executive director of EducationWorks, which runs the Classroom Academic Assistance Program.
Gone from 11 elementary schools is an initiative that provided structured recess activities, resulting in calmer and better-behaved students.
"Our poor kids," said Marjorie Nightingale, executive director of Playworks in Philadelphia.
In the context of the district's $3.2 billion budget, Playworks cost little - $23,500 per school. It was financed through funds allocated to each school, to be used at the principals' discretion.
But those budgets were slashed 30 percent. What last year looked like an effective and reasonably priced program now seems an extravagance.
"You immediately cut the things that are not in the classroom," said Rob McGrogan, head of the city principals union.
Critics say the district dug its budget hole through waste and mismanagement. School officials blame an unprecedented reduction in state funding and the loss of federal stimulus money. More programs may be lost due to an added $35 million shortfall - beyond the $629 million - as hoped-for funding for charter schools failed to materialize.
"We would like to not have to eliminate or decrease funding for any of those programs," said spokeswoman Shana Kemp. "Unfortunately, these are some of the tough choices."
