Education Discussion Group at 3901 Market St.

A City That Works - May 20, 2008

The group was comprised of two men and three women. The participants were very excited to contribute their thoughts and opinions regarding the importance of education. They exchanged ideas in a respectful way and discussed ideal solutions for proposed ideas, identified performance measures, and the impact it could have within the community as well as preferred customer-service standards. -- Moderator Erika Evans

What does this goal mean to you?

• Funding that goes to the education of students.

• Uniformity in the allocation of funds across districts so school needs are fulfilled for everyone.

• More power and control has been given to principals so funds can be appropriately divided.

• Issuance of daily mood assessments, increased mentoring and monitoring of students to increase success.

• Restrictions of neighborhood stores, bodegas, etc. surrounding schools that no products be sold to students before 9 a.m.

• Educators have regained their power and control as authority figures vs being parallel to the children.

• Parents are mandated to be more involved in the education of their children.

• Holistic development of children which includes partnerships, investments into after school programs, education, nutrition, social/lifeskills groups, available resources.

• A clear readdress on the concept of pride and respect in curriculum for children at earlier ages.

• Increased emphasis on math, science, discipline and results in schools.

• Extermination of profane language to authority figures within schools.

• More and stronger partnerships with higher education and local schools, which would include an increase in mentors and volunteers, which would indicate a clear investment into the communities and redeveloping citizens and communities. Ultimately this would feed the goal to address dropout rates and increase possible BA candidates as well as entice graduates to stay in the area due to the investments they’ve made to the community.

Performance measures (What would success look like?):

• Sixty percent to 90 percent decrease in lateness and absenteeism.

• Decrease of waiting lists for students to get into charter schools, the lists would go down (the increase of wait lists reflects the frustration Phila parents feel with public schools.)

• Reduction in salaries to top administrators (i.e. Chief Council for Schools) and money is given back to students and principals.

• Each principal has more control or autonomy of their school.

• Administrators possess appropriate licenses and credentials to hold administrative positions.

• Increase in investment of parent involvement or enforcement of penalties will occur.

• Increase the number of community schools (defined as the hub of community, includes after school programs and hours, academic and social development, extended learning for adults and families).

• Increase in enrollment and interest in parents and students returning to the Philadelphia school system to enroll their children into public schools.

Customer-service standards:

• Ability to contact school officials to notify person/persons in control of defiant behaviors of students which include inappropriate dress or profane language with a guarantee it will be rectified.

• Post basic education would include emphasis on a student’s identified interest like a training program.

• Transparency in funding and decision making in school/after school programs would be available to everyone.

• Access to up to date school data that is user friendly to everyone.

• Education representatives will exhibit and demonstrate respectability in communicating with others.

• Freedom to articulate concerns, observations, etc without a fear of repercussion from students or administration.