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Our Approach

The School of Tomorrow Begins Today

Our Focus Areas

Elevating Philly's Future

Increasing the quality of more schools by identifying, investing, replicating, and scaling the practices needed to improve student outcomes and wellbeing across all school sectors—public, public charter, and private.

  1. Set a Citywide Vision

    Align civic leaders to achieve academic excellence. Define and measure student and school success.

  2. Invest In Schools and Educators

    Good-to-great cohorts of tri-sector, beat the odds schools. New schools and expansion of great schools. Comprehensive talent pipeline and development efforts.

  3. Create Conditions for Student Success

    Expand family access, education, and enrollment services through GreatPhillySchools and Apply Philly Charter. Invest in family engagement and policy advocacy. Scale and share the modern learning experience.

  4. Change the Narrative 

    Communicate the vision for quality, modern learning in Philadelphia. Focus on asset-based lens to highlight what is working for kids.

Our Strategic Plan

Three Steps Forward To Elevate Schools

  1. Phase One:
    Convene + Define

    Gather partners, develop a vision, identify opportunities, and invest in proof points.

  2. Phase Two:
    Execute + Iterate

    Implement a collaborative plan, study what works and replicate.

  3. Phase Three:
    Expand + Reinforce

    Extend the practices and resources to all areas of the city and continue to explore and adapt.

The Elevated School

A modern learning experience for every child

Schools should be designed as vivid and inspiring learning environments where students discover and reach their fullest potential.

  1. Social Emotional Supports

  2. Youth Development and Afterschool Programs

  3. Learner Friendly and Tech Smart Facilities

  4. 21st Century Operating Systems

  5. Real-Time Assessment Data and Systems

  6. Rigorous Instructional Approaches

  7. Comprehensive Talent Pipeline and Development

  8. Parent and Family Engagement

“This moment offers an unique opportunity to reimagine the learning experience for our kids and to transform education in our city. If we can work together and rely on the evidence about what works and what doesn’t in making great schools, we can elevate all schools and put more children on a path to a better life by providing them with a chance to thrive in the classroom and beyond.”
Dr. Stacy Holland, Executive Director of Elevate 215