An updated ordinance being proposed in the City Council would require every school in the School District of Philadelphia to ensure compliance with “best practices” for asbestos testing, remediation, abatement, cleaning and management before a school is allowed to open. We know this proposal comes from a sincere place of concern for our school children…
On June 16th, Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D., was sworn in as the new Superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the School District Administration Building and was followed by a reception for employees to meet the new Superintendent. Dr. Watlington will soon be sharing his vision for the…
In an effort to connect with students on important issues, Student Board Representative Armando Ortez participated in a recent panel discussion on the impact of gun violence on students across the city. More than 100 people attended this virtual meeting, including students, educators and former Superintendent William R. Hite Jr., Ed.D. This panel was organized…
At the Board’s Action Meeting on May 26th, Board Member Mallory Fix-Lopez asked our school communities to support Governor Wolf’s proposed education budget for K-12 schools. The proposal includes significant funding increases for Basic Education, Special Education, and the Level Up initiative as well as charter school funding reforms to align payments with costs. This…
At its May 26th Action Meeting, the Board of Education approved the operating budget for the 2022-2023 school year. This operating budget increased by more than $175 million, reaching the highest level of investment in our schools and students since fiscal year 2011. A one-time infusion of federal funding from the American Recovery Plan Act…
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education supports the Budget Bill, approved by the Pennsylvania House and Senate and signed by Governor Wolf, that will include a $525 million increase in basic education funding, the largest increase in Pennsylvania’s main subsidy for public schools. Not only will this benefit all public school districts in…
At its Action Meeting today, the Board of Education will consider adopting a resolution to support the Pennsylvania School Funding Lawsuit, which could significantly impact funding for under-resourced school districts across the state. The lawsuit, now being tried in Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg, alleges that school funding is inadequate and inequitable and asks the state…
The Board of Education has authorized Ballard Spahr LLP, a Philadelphia-based law firm, to conduct an independent investigation concerning allegations of racial bias in charter school authorizing practices. The law firm will conduct this investigation on a pro bono basis. The Board, which authorizes charter schools in Philadelphia, takes allegations of racial bias seriously. The…
In January, the Board began its second year of progress monitoring of Goals & Guardrails, the Board’s five-year plan to increase student achievement. Goals are related to academic achievement and college and career readiness, while Guardrails are the conditions that must exist in schools to support student achievement. The Board has invested significant time each…
The Board recently adopted a resolution to support the Pennsylvania School Funding Lawsuit, which could significantly impact funding for under-resourced school districts across the state. The lawsuit, being tried in Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg, alleges that school funding is inadequate and inequitable and asks the state to distribute more funds to low-wealth districts. According to…