Last night, parents from Germantown stood up to years of systemic failure and compelled Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission to override Superintendent Hite’s recommendation to preserve the status quo at Wister Elementary School. Read about it here.

As Dr. Hite put it in this morning’s Inquirer, “The SRC just felt the weight of the parents.”

Following hours of impassioned testimony, petitions from more than 500 families, and the sobering reality that only 6 students at Wister are on grade level in math, the SRC voted to put three struggling schools on the path to transformation.

“My heart is heavy… at the way the district has allowed many of our schools in low-income neighborhoods to fail our students and their families,” said Commissioner Sylvia Simms, who demonstrated extraordinary political courage in leading the unprecedented action.

We applaud Commissioners Simms, Green and Houstoun for responding to families and doing what’s right for students. Please join us in expressing your thanks.