Education

Mayor Cherelle Parker went to Philadelphia public schools her entire childhood, and she's hoping she can make a positive mark on the 200,000-student school district as an adult. The Philadelphia School District's challenges include low test scores, deteriorating buildings and high teacher attrition. And, like many districts across the U.S., it's also recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. There have been some recent bright spots, including lower dropout rates and higher math scores. Mayor Parker is betting that a multi-pronged approach to education will continue to improve outcomes.

 

Initiatives

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)

Improve Teacher Retention and Pay

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

Extended Day, Extended Year

School bus at evening on the streets of Philadelphia downtown

Progress Updates

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Mayor touts progress on initiatives at State of the City address

(Impacto) In her 2025 State of the City address, Mayor Cherelle Parker highlighted her administration's progress on public safety, education, the environment and economic opportunity. 

Her highlights included: A decline in homicides and shootings, bringing Philadelphia close to a 50-year low; funding for before- and after-school programs that covers 40 public and charter schools through the Extended Day, Extended Year initiative; and city-wide cleaning efforts such as block cleanups, vacant lot maintenance, and expanded twice-a-week trash collection.

Parker also signed Executive Order No. 7-25, formally committing the City to ending street homelessness. The order directs the Office of Homeless Services to facilitate and financially support the operation of 1,000 new shelter beds by January 31, 2026. 

Mayor's education efforts include more learning hours and teacher retention

In her 2024 inaugural address, Mayor Cherelle Parker pledged to: 

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for out-of-school programs
  • Modernize school buildings
  • Improve teacher retention and support 

In 2024 city budget, Mayor Parker allocated funds for: 

  • extended-day, extended-year enrichment
  • school facilities improvement 

Key offices and efforts

Key quotes

  • "Our children have the same right to come to school and learn in clean, modern school buildings, with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, as any child does anywhere in our Commonwealth!" (inaugural address, Jan 2024)

  • "A Safer, Cleaner, Greener Philadelphia with Economic Opportunity for All starts with ensuring our children have access to the highest quality education." (announcement of extended Day/ Extended Year program, June 2024)

  • “On public education, our goals are high — they must be. For far too long, our students have struggled with far too little. The days of settling for crumbs are over. Our students deserve a full loaf and they’ll get it." (budget address, Mar 2025) 

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Explore Other Issue Areas

Philadelphia Skyline with Greenery in Foreground From Drexel Park

Clean & Green

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA downtown skyline from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

Public Safety

An aerial view from a rooftop on Magee Avenue in the Cheltenham neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States February 22, 2025

Economic Opportunity

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA downtown city skyline at dusk.

Solutions Progress Report

The Solutions Progress Report tracks updates on the key issues and initiatives of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration. 

Explore the Solutions Progress Report