For the third year in a row, Philadelphia’s public school graduation rate has continued to increase. Now, we’re focused on accelerating this trend.
To make sure all students can graduate ready for college or a career, we instituted 9th grade academies in all of our high schools. Academies welcome students to high school and provide individualized support to plan and track their successful path to graduation.
Philadelphia public high schools improved their graduation rates, some by double digits.
In Keystone exams: Biology (+6%-pts.), Literature (+5%-pts.), Algebra 1 (+2%-pts.).
Certifications earned by CTE students qualifying them for post-graduation jobs.
2018 Priorities
Equip every high school student with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to graduate on time and succeed in post-secondary opportunities.
Ensuring Success in High School
Tamika Jones-Tabbs, College/Career Coordinator, South Philadelphia High School
As high school freshmen, students meet new classmates, adjust to new teachers, and face new academic expectations.
To support successful transitions to high school, all 9th grade students can participate in Outward Bound to build friendships and experiences that show them how to trust themselves and one another.
For the rest of the year, the Outward Bound students are more confident, more ready to learn, and more excited to conquer challenges that lie ahead.
“At the start of the course, I was nervous, but then everyone cheered me on.
Now I’m fearless.”
—Markell Ferguson, 9th Grader
South Philadelphia High School
Launching Careers
Our Career and Technical Education programs offer challenging academic content leading to industry-recognized credentials or certificates along with a high school diploma, giving our students an edge in college and career-building job applications.
