School Choice
The city’s birth rate has been declining, but competition from cyber charter schools and private schools could be significant factors.
In an October gubernatorial debate appearance, Shapiro said he's "very open" to the program. But no commitment yet, as undecided Democratic governors face mounting pressure.
Democrat Josh Shapiro has spent his governorship threading a needle on education. Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity has taken a stronger stance in support of public school alternatives.
Philadelphia families covet the city’s magnet schools. But many students still don’t know if they have a chance to get in due to the state test score delay.
Experts say having a single application for all schools can improve equity and make families’ lives easier. But it takes political buy-in to create and maintain.
Philadelphia students will begin applying to selective schools nearly a month later than planned because official state test scores remain delayed.
Voters' views of Philadelphia schools have worsened over the past year, according to a new survey conducted after a turbulent year for the district.
The Yass Prize — an organization founded by Yass and his wife Janine — announced new ‘Opportunity Knocks’ scholarships. Critics say they represent a attempt to lure students away from public schools.
Shapiro says he wants to see how much authority states will have over the program under rules that will be released by the U.S. Treasury Department.
The school district and outside organizations are launching tools to make the process simpler but families say it’s still too complicated and stressful to navigate.
The board had rejected the Early College Charter School of Philadelphia’s application in February, a move that raised eyebrows.
State Republicans held a hearing about the Philadelphia school district’s finances. But no district representatives were present to answer lawmakers’ questions.
Since it regained control of the district from the state in 2018, the board has not voted to approve a new charter school.
The state determined Unbound Academy failed to meet several state requirements for cyber charter schools and did not provide enough evidence to support its bold academic claims.
Texas tech entrepreneur MacKenzie Price wants Pennsylvania to be the next home for her new AI-driven educational model. She’s promising students will learn “twice as fast.” Some don’t buy it.
Mayor Cherelle Parker said Monday she will be introducing a new intergovernmental committee to advise the school district during its difficult school “rightsizing” process.
Nearly 15,000 Philadelphia students are enrolled in cyber charter schools. Families say they feel safer and prefer the schedule flexibility of online learning. But public education advocates point out some cyber charters have serious issues.
The district introduced a revised lottery system in 2022 to make the process more equitable, but students and educators have sharply criticized it.
Shapiro spoke in favor of private school vouchers but then vetoed a proposal to establish them. He’s also signed public school funding increases and universal school breakfasts into law.
The Pennsylvania governor could join the Democratic presidential ticket, yet his embrace of vouchers is out of step with many in his party.