Mayor Cherelle Parker, in launching Philadelphia’s experiment with year-round, extended-day schooling Thursday, stressed that the program will not be mandatory for students or change the standard academic calendar.
Instead, 20 School District of Philadelphia and five charter schools will provide expanded programming during winter and spring breaks; before and after school; and on half-days, officials said Thursday. Students will also have the chance to enroll in a 6-week summer program.
Though the schedule may vary from school to school, buildings will generally be open with programming between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, officials said at a City Hall news conference.
Parker said the expanded schooling is designed for families who cannot afford to send their kids to camps or travel during breaks. The initiative is also aimed at helping working parents juggle childcare responsibilities.
“We are not asking anything more of our incredibly hard-working educators,” the mayor said.
Superintendent Tony Watlington Sr. and Parker administration officials indicated that they will lean on outside providers and interested teachers for staffing. They added that the arrangement does not require changes to any union collective bargaining agreements.
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President-elect Arthur Steinberg, in a statement Thursday, agreed that the pilot will not impact contractual obligations for the coming school year.
“However, any new SDP program that could potentially require changes to the school calendar must be negotiated,” Steinberg continued. “Our members await and expect more detailed information about the pilot and potential implications for the next negotiated contract.”
PFT’s current contract expires in August 2025. Parker was reluctant to discuss her vision for the year-round model going forward, saying that the upcoming academic term will serve as a first phase and “learning year.”
Metro was among the first to report the list of schools chosen for the pilot on June 25, prior to the official announcement but after teachers from those schools were notified and invited to an information session.
At that time, Steinberg said the PFT was “not made aware of the plan.” Parker, two days later, said she was frustrated that the list became public and that her administration had not yet had the opportunity to communicate the news to stakeholders.
“We will not be drawn into conflict with any other organization,” she said.
As previously reported, the year-round, extended-day district schools are Vare-Washington, Southwark, Thomas G. Morton, George Childs, Add B. Anderson, Alain Locke, Samuel Gompers, Overbrook Educational Center, Richard R. Wright, Edward Gideon, Solomon Solis-Cohen, John H. Webster, Juniata Park Academy, William Cramp, Thomas M. Peirce, Joseph Pennell, Franklin S. Edmonds, Laura Carnell, Louis Farrell and Joseph Greenberg.
Belmont, Northwood, Pan American, Mastery Pickett and Universal Creighton charter schools are also participating in the pilot.
The program is initially focusing on K-8 students, and Parker’s chief education officer, Debora Carrera, said the schools were selected based on facilities, including the availability of air conditioning, and geography, with two in each of the 10 City Council districts.
Now being referred to as “Extended Day, Extended Year” by the Parker administration, the mayor said the pilot will provide “a structured environment” for children. Watlington said students will participate in activities that align with what they are learning in reading, science and math. Programming will differ between schools, officials said.
“We plan to use this year to understand what our communities need,” Carrera said. “We want to talk to parents, talk to family, and we have to talk to the students about their interests.”
City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, chair of the body’s education committee, said in a statement Thursday that he was grateful to the district and outside providers “for committing to piloting this bold proposal.”
“It is my hope that throughout this process all stakeholders, including our unionized teachers, administrators, climate and custodial staff, will have a seat at the table to put our best foot forward for Philadelphia students and families,” he added.
The pilot is being funded jointly by city government and the school district.
