Education

Extended Day, Extended Year

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Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the schools participating in the year-round school pilot program at City Hall, June 27, 2024. (Tom MacDonald/WHYY)

Progress Updates

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Mayor Parker touts educational funding, programming at State of Schools event

(Philadelphia Tribune) Speaking at the School District of Philadelphia’s third annual State of the Schools address, Mayor Cherelle Parker said her administration has made progress on educational funding and on her extended-day, extended-year initiative.

“I’m only in year two, and we’ve already shifted 1.5% of that revenue to the school district,” Parker said. 

She noted that her first budget shifted $25 million in property tax revenue to the School District of Philadelphia, followed by an additional $12 million under the city’s second budget five-year plan.

The extended-day, extended-year program operates in 40 public and charter schools and offers 12,000 slots. More than 2,100 students enrolled in the winter break camp this year. The fill rate increased from 66% last year to 87%.

Mayor Parker believes her vision of a "safer, cleaner, greener Philadelphia with economic opportunity for all," starts with a high-quality education for the city's students. And she sees her Extended Day, Extended Year program as a core component of achieving that.

The program launched in June 2024. According to our partners at Chalkbeat, it entails free before- and after-school programs, camp experiences during winter and spring breaks, and participation in the city’s existing six-week Summer Achievers summer camp.

Here's what has happened with the effort so far:

  • 40 schools are participating, comprising 30 district schools and 10 charter schools.
  • About 3,000 students have participated in the various before and after-school programs offered at the participating schools. Education officials expect the initiative’s expansion will add 5,000 seats.

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