Of more perfect unions: Considering the “right” to education.

The cover of the program for the 22nd annual National Dropout Prevention Network Conference featured a picture of a scrolled draft of the United States Constitution, set next to an ink pot and quill.

Sure, it was a bit of a cliche for a conference held in Philadelphia, but we like what that image evokes: Education as an inalienable right for all Americans.

But sadly, as it happens, the City of Brotherly Love was a good place to examine the rather inequitable state of education in America.

A typical Philadelphia student has $2,215 less, per year, spent on his or her schooling than a typical student from the Philly suburbs. In fact, six suburban districts near the city are spending more than $5,000, each year, above what Philadelphia spend on its students, according to the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia.

By the end of 13 years of schooling, students in those high-spending districts have had $65,000 more spent on their educations than the students in the city. That's roughly what it would cost to send an in-state student to Temple University — for four years.

Is it any wonder that a third of Philadelphia's students don't graduate? We haven't invested in their success in the same way as we have for others.

None of our other rights are so significantly affected by geography. You don't get more freedom of assembly if you live in one part of the country. You don't get fewer protections against unreasonable search if you live in another. So why should the quality of our children’s educations be determined by where they live?

It's worth noting, that in spite (or maybe because) of the fact that it has so much less to spend per student than many nearby districts, Philadelphia has become an innovative leader in dropout prevention and recovery. The district has embraced the idea of "multiple pathways" to graduation — including a re-engagement center for students who have already dropped out and want to get back to school.

Its methods seem to be working: From 1995 to 2005, Philadelphia Public Schools improved the city's graduation rate by more than 23 percent — more than any other large city during that period.

There's still a long way to go, of course. But even the founders knew that there would always be room for improvement.

They also knew that was not an excuse, but rather a call to action — for we should all be striving for a more perfect union.

Gregg Rosann and Rebekah Richards are the president and chief academic officer, respectively, of The American Academy, which partners with school districts across the nation to enroll dropouts back into school — and get them to graduation. For more information on The American Academy’s dropout recovery program, visit schoolasaservice.com.