An influential school reform group is urging Philadelphia school leaders to approve every charter school applicant that can effectively run schools that serve a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.
Last week, district officials heard pitches from operators hoping to open 40 new charter schools across the city.
To back up its advice on charters, Philadelphia School Advocacy Partners – an arm of the Philadelphia School Partnership – has released a report that sorts Philadelphia’s public school landscape into two systems: “high impact” and “underperforming.”
“For poor and minority students in Philadelphia, there really are two kinds of schools: those that work and those that don’t,” said the report. “Students who end up in the effective schools achieve significantly better outcomes.”