14 Philadelphia schools to get overhaul

District officials named fourteen low-performing schools that may overhauled as so-called “Renaissance Schools.”

Caption: A packed house at the SRC meeting.

Wednesday’s School Reform Commission meeting drew a packed house of parents, education advocates, and others interested in school reform. District officials named fourteen low-performing schools that may overhauled as so-called “Renaissance Schools.”

Listen:
[audio: 100127LFMEET.mp3]

Venard Johnson is a public education activist from West Philadelphia. He has a response ready for teachers unhappy that those who work at “Renaissance schools” may have to work longer days, some Saturdays, and part of July.

Johnson: A lot of these schools have been struggling for years. And the School District for years has been ignoring these schools. Whatever it takes to improve the educational climate in those schools needs to happen. And if you’re a teacher who is opposed to that: improving the climate in the schools, working longer days, good bye.

Johnson says neither of his daughters who went through Philadelphia schools got the kind of education they should have received.

District officials say they plan to create parent-led School Advisory Councils for the Renaissance-eligible schools that will help make recommendations for reform.