PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School District and Mayor Cherelle Parker are set to announce on Thursday the 20 schools that are voluntarily taking part in a pilot that will test year-round extended day programs for students starting in the fall. The programming will include both before and after school activities.
It’s a step in the direction of year-round schooling, which is endorsed by Parker.
"We are trying to see whether or not us being creative with scheduling and time, and offering the opportunities, if Philadelphians take full advantage of them and if they help to move our city forward," she said.
However, the teachers union said it wasn't notified of the pilot starting this fall. Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president-elect Arthur Steinberg said in a statement that he's asked the district for more information on how his members would be affected.
For the pilot, the extra time for students wouldn't be mandatory, and the programs would be staffed by existing out-of-school-time providers.
Mayor Parker says the year-round concept is worth taking a chance on.
"You will never know whether or not it works until you try,” she said. “"Is this different? Absolutely, but I don't apologize for that."
The district did try year-round classes at Grover Washington Middle School for four years until 2004, but abandoned the effort after test scores failed to show a dramatic improvement.