Education

Improve Teacher Retention and Pay

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A teacher reads to a group of students at Andrew Hamilton school. A new report found that teachers in their first three years of teaching and teachers of color leave their jobs at higher rates than others. (Carly Sitrin/Chalkbeat)

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 Cherelle Parker wants to lower teacher attrition, in part to uphold educational quality and consistency for students in the Philadelphia School District. Here's some of what she's done so far on this front:

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