Education news: Philly schools, colleges & policies

Students protest on behalf of their teachers during a demonstration at the Philadelphia High School of the Creative and Performing Arts. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Health care concessions a tough pill to swallow for city teachers

Speech and language pathologist Sonya Brintnall has been dreaming lately of the Pacific Northwest. “I used to live in Oregon ...

8 years ago

Listen

Philly parents complaints not about curriculum, says Pa. education head

With resources stripped to bare-bones levels, parents in the Philadelphia school district filed more than ...

8 years ago

Nearly 200 students refused to go to school at Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, demonstrating on behalf of their teachers. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Students take to the streets to protest termination of Philly teachers contract [photos]

Philadelphia students refused to attend classes at some district high schools Wednesday morning to express solidarity with teachers who t ...

8 years ago

What are parents saying about termination of Philly teachers contract?

By unanimously voting to terminate the Philadelphia teachers union contract Monday, the School Reform Commission sent shock waves through ...

8 years ago

Retired teacher Lisa Haver denounced the SRC decision to restructure teacher health benefits without first receiving public input. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

Outrage over SRC dissolution of Philly teachers contract

A cry of “shame” was heard from the audience as the School Reform Commission announced Monday, during a suddenly scheduled me ...

8 years ago

Listen

Education Dept awards $75M in innovation grants

The Education Department has awarded $75 million to 24 colleges and universities to foster innovation in college value and efficiency. ...

8 years ago

Photo via ShutterStock) " title="shutterstock_11698222" width="360" height="240"/>

Fallout of Pa. cheating scandal continues with charges against two Philly principals

Early in the morning, before anyone else arrived, former Communications Technical High School principal Barbara McCreery would sit in her ...

8 years ago

Quaris Carter, 38, was told by his Community College of Philadelphia sociology professor to ride SEPTA's 23 bus from Center City through North Philadelphia to Chestnut Hill and read a book by famed sociologist Elijah Anderson's book 'Code of the Street.' (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

From armed robbery to criminology: A Philadelphia Community College success story

When he was 35, Quaris Carter arrived in North Philadelphia as a stranger to the East Coast, carrying two garbage bags of clothes and bar ...

8 years ago

Listen

DA files criminal charges against two more former Philly principals

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane has filed criminal charges against two more former Philadelphia principals. Barbara Mc ...

8 years ago

Cigarette prices in Philadelphia will soon reflect a $2 per pack tax levied by the city to raise money for schools. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Philly cigarette tax: To pay or dodge?

The long-debated $2-a-pack tax on cigarettes in Philadelphia is set to go into effect as soon as next week. Now, the questions are: Who w ...

8 years ago

Listen

Philadelphia cheating probe nets two more educators

An ongoing state probe of cheating on standardized tests in Philadelphia has led to the arrests of two more ex-principals. Charges ...

8 years ago

Flanked by Gov. Tom Corbett, right, and School Reform Commission Chairman Bill Green, Philadelphia School District Superintendent William Hite expresses his elation after the governor signed the Philadelphia cigarette tax bill into law Wednesday. (Mary Wilson/WHYY)

Corbett signature makes Philly cigarette tax official

Gov. Tom Corbett has signed a long-awaited measure to let Philadelphia levy a tax on cigarettes beginning next month to raise money for i ...

8 years ago

Listen

Now that the Pennsylvania Legislature has passed a Philadelphia cigarette tax of $2, smokers in the city will be paying an average of $8 or $9 per pack. The extra tax revenue will go to the city school district. (AP file photo)

In a huge victory for Philly schools, lawmakers reach consensus on cigarette tax

Philadelphia schools received a tremendous victory in Harrisburg Tuesday as Senate lawmakers passed a long-sought $2-per-pack cigarette t ...

8 years ago

Listen

Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School (Kevin McCorry/for NewsWorks)

What to do if your school closes a month into the year: The case of Philly’s Walter Palmer charter

The scuffle between the Philadelphia School District and Walter Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School may soon create more t ...

8 years ago

The floor of the Pennsylvania State House is shown in this 2011 file photo. (AP PHOTO/Bradley C. Bower)

Pa. House passes $2-per-pack Philly cigarette tax on to Senate

In a 114-84 vote, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Monday once again approved the $2-per-pack Philadelphia cigarette tax for cit ...

8 years ago

BBC World Service

Listen Live

Travel with Rick Steves

Education