Contentious contract negotiations, like those involving the School District and the teachers’ union, are usually at heart a battle of narratives – between management, which is often in financial crisis, and labor, whose narrative is about protecting beleaguered workers from being exploited. They are rarely a celebration of hard data and facts about hiring, compensation …
teacher quality
Major study released on teaching in Philadelphia
A major new study released today on Philadelphia’s teaching force confirms what we know from our investments in Philadelphia’s great schools: Talent is key and as a city we’re not doing enough to attract, develop and retain great teachers. Read a summary of the report here. The National Council on Teacher Quality’s in-depth study– available …
Reforms for next school contract
It's not every day that we can point to a labor negotiation as a great opportunity for children.
We are members of the Coalition for Effective Teaching, a coalition of the city's education, business, and community leaders who want the public to know that, while the discussion about the Philadelphia School District contract likely will focus on money and budget issues, the negotiations also present a unique opportunity to boost the effectiveness of teaching and learning in our schools.
Two must-reads
We want to be sure you catch two “can’t miss” commentaries that ran in the Inquirer this week: This morning, School Reform Commission chair Pedro Ramos explains that the District’s request for more funding isn’t about saving the status quo; when coupled with meaningful reforms, the funding will help to build on the transformational change …