Joining districts across the nation, The Board of Education has approved a resolution calling on governors and state legislators to preserve state funding for public education and asking Congressional delegations to advocate for additional federal funding for public education. Board members consider this a critical resolution for public education in Philadelphia, as the district has…
Members of the Board of Education extend a warm welcome to our newest member, Ameen Akbar, who was appointed to the Board of Education by Philadelphia City Council on May 1, 2020, for a four-year term. Over the last two years, members of the board have worked hard to develop a spirit of collegiality and…
(Board President Joyce Wilkerson presented the following testimony to Philadelphia City Council during a budget hearing on May 20, 2020.) Good morning, Council President and members of City Council. Thank you for having us here today. My name is Joyce Wilkerson, and I am the President of the Board of Education. I…
At this moment, when our schools, city, and country are experiencing the impact of generational trauma and suffering, suffering which has most critically impacted the Black community, Board Members want to respect this time for our school communities as a moment to process events and to begin healing. We believe that the trauma our students,…
As we officially mark the end of the 2019-2020 school year and turn toward all that is to come in 2020-2021, Board Members are spending time reflecting on the year. To end our year, we’d like to share with you the reflections of individual Board members presented at our June 11th committee meeting. We look…
Julia Danzy Mallory Fix-Lopez During the last several months, we have all been focused on the new realities of living in a socially distanced world – from learning remotely to working from home to celebrating milestones online. And some things may have fallen to the wayside, like filling out the 2020 Census. However, there…
While the new school year will begin with remote learning, Board members look forward to the time when students and teachers can safely return to their classrooms and when Board members and the public can also safely return to district headquarters for Board meetings. We know that getting back to in-person learning will require significant…
Today the Board of Education publicly released the Inspector General’s Report commissioned to investigate the major renovation project at Benjamin Franklin High School and Science Leadership Academy that led to the closure of their shared campus in October 2019. “The Board felt it was crucial to have an independent investigation and to share the Inspector…
Toluwanimi Olaleye and Keylisha J. Diaz will be formally installed on September 17th as the new Student Board Representatives for the 2020-20201 school year. Toluwanimi Olaleye, a junior at Carver Engineering and Science, described as passionate and determined, loves biology and is an aspiring pediatric oncologist. She currently participates in the Junior Fellows Program, hosted…
Keylisha J. Diaz and Toluwanimi Olaleye will be formally installed on September 17th as the new Student Board Representatives for the 2020-20201 school year. Keylisha J. Diaz, a junior at Philadelphia Military Academy, is a natural leader who, as a Student Board Representative, wants to be a voice for all students across the district to…