Education Discussion Group at Perzel Community Center

City That Works - May 7, 2008

The group was engaged and thoughtful about the issue and put forth great effort at responding to the questions. The discussion ended with the group suggesting that the city should divide into smaller towns or zones that would work specifically with the human dimensions of the community. The city should have a person who would be a community builder in each zone to work specifically with the folk in the community to understand the nature of the issues that would feed into the 311 stat response system. Performance would be linked directly with a person, thus putting a human face to the 311 system. The community builder would support the development of the human and organizational capacity within each particular community. This position should be a city paid position where the community developer is the connection to the 311 stat to facilitate the support of the system. -- Moderator Fatima Hafiz

What does this goal mean to you?

• Decrease dropout and truancy rate.

• 100 percent graduation rate.

• Decrease the dropout rate by 5-10 percent in five years.

• Increase education opportunities outside schools.

• Education for all citizens.

• Integration of special education.

• Increase alternative education options.

• Development of more Vocational Schools.

• Helping students to become more responsible citizens.

Inputs:

• Business Involvement in Education system.

• Resources into libraries, recreation centers.    

• City divide into smaller reporting zones.        

• Surveys and dialogue.

• Philly Stat 311.

• Hold parents accountable and too the same standards of students.

• Speaking with young people.

• Money resources in libraries.

• Human and material resources in schools.

Outputs:

• Mentors (teach young people what to wear, being on time)

→ Bridging schools and business

→ Internships (see others people than their parents/teachers)

→ More accurate information about needs of young people

→ Students can access information and report issues with school

→ Parents inquire more about education expectations

• More young people with jobs; entering higher education; technical skills; military choice; engaged in meaningful activities; are happy.

• More guidance for students through middle and high school process.

Performance measures (What success would look like):

• Youth Leadership.

• More youth served.

• More positive interactions between adults and young people.

• More parent involvement.

• Number of students choosing different post secondary options.

• More young people working and engaged in meaningful activities.

Causes:

• Kids leave school because they don’t see a future.

• Children who don’t fee like they belong.

• Community is toxic.

• Lack of feedback from young people.

• Low standards, values.

• Parents not involved.

• Economics (poverty).

• Neighborhood quality.

• Language differences.

• Different learning abilities.

Activities:

• Decathalons – academic, sports, etc.

• Rewards, contracts.

• Develop activities for more cooperation between kids, parents, teachers.

• Go into five schools and ask students what they need

• Open forums for discussion of the challenges.

Strategies:

• Business incentives

• Partner with foundations to support libraries and recreation centers

• Threaten parents

• Re-instill shame

• Pride in self

•  Update libraries (hi-speed internet, continuous teachers).

• Address language differences.

• More art and music in the schools.

• Resource allocations more equitable.

• Increase library hours, services, books and material for disabled.

• Offer different kinds of education opportunities.

• Extra curriculum academic programs.

• Different kinds of classroom settings.

• Desegregation in abilities, race.

• Valuing those who work with their hands.

Other:

A participant mentioned quotes from Nutter that stood out for him: “pride in what you do,” “re-instill shame,” “pride in self.”