In low-income communities, families face a variety of hurdles in trying to head off learning loss when students are on summer break. Springboard Collaborative is a program that focuses on parents and what a difference they can make with just a little support and guidance.
Across the city, summer recreational programs were trying to incorporate reading into their activities this summer.
Summer slide, or summer learning loss, is a big problem in Philadelphia. There are attempts this summer at a coordinated citywide effort to address it.
The Notebook is producing a seven-part multimedia series about summer learning loss in Philadelphia. Here’s why.
Demanding a longer school day from teachers while imposing pay cuts, as Philadelphia is trying to do, is not a likely formula for school improvement.
Two years ago, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel got the longer school day that Philadelphia now wants. But although Chicago officials say their “Full School Day” has helped boost graduation rates and test scores, critics point to a growing list of unintended and potentially damaging consequences.
A look across five Philadelphia schools — public, charter, and private — finds some variation and experimentation with alternatives to the eight-period school day.
Researchers point to plenty of evidence that more time can have a positive impact on achievement.
A nearly broke school district is trying to beef up partnerships so its schools can offer programming outside of normal hours.
Understaffing and contractual issues can get in the way, but schools in Philadelphia are managing to find ways to bring teachers together to plan and coordinate.