Philadelphia school board member Angela McIver resigns, effective immediately

Members of Philadelphia’s Board of Education
Shown is Philadelphia’s Board of Education during a virtual meeting. Angela McIver, left third row, announced her resignation at Thursday’s meeting. (Johann Calhoun / Chalkbeat)

Philadelphia Board of Education member Angela McIver announced her resignation, effective at the end of Thursday’s board meeting. 

Neither McIver nor board President Joyce Wilkerson gave a reason for her exit or disclosed what she’d be doing next.

In 2018, McIver was one of the first nine members Mayor Jim Kenney appointed to the Philadelphia Board of Education. The board took over control of the district after the state-appointed School Reform Commission disbanded. McIver is credited with creating the board’s “goals and guardrails” initiative to focus on student achievement.

“Her contributions to the board’s evolution from the School Reform Commission have been invaluable,” Wilkerson said. “Dr. McIver was instrumental in the development of goals and guardrails.” 

Wilkerson also cited McIver’s work on the board’s five-year plan to raise student achievement and her efforts to boost arts and music education, as well as athletics. 

“I speak on behalf of the board and saying we’ve truly valued Dr. McIver’s perspective, both as an educator particularly in the area of math, and as a parent, as we worked on policies, budget, and strategic plans together,” Wilkerson said.

McIver, a former middle school math teacher, is the founder of Trapezium Math Club, which helps children build foundational math skills through after-school programming.

McIver thanked President Wilkerson for her leadership and expressed gratitude to other board members “who made me love coming to work every Thursday.”

McIver’s departure comes just months after Mayor Jim Kenney appointed three members: Lisa Salley, Reginald Streater, and Cecelia Thompson.

The Latest

Credit-recovery programs give students the chance to earn credits they need for the next grade or graduation. But do these second chances to pass give the system permission to fail?

Roughly 90% of high schoolers who weren’t on track to graduate by the end of 9th grade stayed off track in 10th grade, according to a November district analysis.

A survey of 1,361 Chicago adults, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, found lower awareness of the elected school board among younger people and those who identify as Black and Latino.

Dozens of school districts filed a lawsuit against the state challenging conditions placed on receiving school safety and mental health funding.

Mayor Cherelle Parker has publicly said she wants to use vacant buildings for housing. The school board approved a resolution saying it will look into it.

NYC’s School Construction Authority faces widespread criticism from parents and educators over chronic delays, shoddy work, and cost overruns on critical school renovation projects.