Advisory board creates criteria for schools

Some of Philadelphia’s poorest performing public schools will be transformed under a new program dubbed the “Renaissance Schools Initiative.”

Some of Philadelphia’s poorest performing public schools will be transformed under a new program dubbed the “Renaissance Schools Initiative.” It’s part of the District’s five-year plan, and its advisory board was introduced Thursday.

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The 36-member board includes parents, teachers and business leaders. It’s job is to establish the criteria that would determine which underperforming schools will get a make-over. The chosen schools will remain open this year but behind the scenes will be making academic changes and staffing decisions to transform each one before the first day of class next year. The mayor’s Chief Education Officer, Lori Shorr, is one of the co-chairs.

Shorr: What’s the criteria that can be used to make these selections so that its not based on people’s personal predilections or connections or hearsay. That it can actually be based on a set of standardized criteria.

Shorr says the criteria will include more than just test scores. The advisory board will present their recommendations within three months.