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The Philadelphia Board of Education voted to spend an additional $25 million to support the district’s new math curriculum at their last action meeting of 2024.
Philadelphia schools are in the midst of an overhaul to their math, English, and science curriculums in an attempt to catch students up after the COVID pandemic and deliver on Superintendent Tony Watlington’s commitment to make Philly the “fastest improving, large urban district in the nation.”
Some educators have said the new curriculum rollout has been a tough adjustment, in part because some of the lessons demand physical tools or manipulatives that teachers have said they’ve had to purchase or source on their own.
The new money approved by the board Thursday will cover “consumable materials” like blocks and other tools for all K-12 schools through June 2028, according to the district.
Watlington said Thursday the district is already seeing some promising — but incremental — early returns for students in the form of rising test scores for some student groups and a declining number of dropouts.
The board also unanimously voted to re-elect Reginald Streater as president and elect board member Sarah-Ashley Andrews as vice president. Andrews will replace former vice president Wanda Novalés, who will remain on the board.
“We started great work together and there’s a lot of work to do ahead,” Novalés said Thursday. “Although my term is ending, my dedication remains strong.”
During the public comment section of the meeting, several community members raised issues with the ongoing principal search at Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP), a specialized college preparatory school for students in grades 5-12.
A group of parents started circulating a petition last month claiming the district has not been adequately communicating with the GAMP community about the search since the “abrupt departure” of former Principal Jovan Moore in 2023. Speakers said the job posting has been vague, and that the posted requirements are insufficient for GAMP’s unique needs as a music school that educates both middle and high school students.
“The word music is not even mentioned in the job posting … it seems that the school district is just phoning in this entire effort,” said Kathryn Ott Lovell, a GAMP parent and vice president of the school’s Home and School Association.
Ott Lovell said she believes the process at GAMP is not an isolated incident, but is “emblematic of a weak recruitment and hiring process for principals system-wide.”
“We’ll be sure to review this,” Watlington said in response to the speakers.
Public speakers also continued calls for the board to reinstate Northeast High School social studies teacher Keziah Ridgeway, who was suspended following a complaint from the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
The complaint accused Ridgeway of antisemitism for her public criticism of Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza and of making a threat of violence. The federation cited a social media post from Ridgeway that included an emoji of a gun.
According to a petition circulating in support of Ridgeway, “students have dropped out of her classes” and “every day more damage is done.”
Several public speakers — including Ridgeway’s adoptive mother Suad Malik — reiterated the negative impact that Ridgeway’s reassignment has had on the Northeast High community.
“You have separated an important teacher from an important child,” Folk Arts – Cultural Treasures Charter School teacher Lily Cavanaugh said.
Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.
