5. Curriculum changes and how the district deals with families
Better communication and customer service is a priority for the district. Watlington said too many parents felt the district wasn’t listening to their concerns, so they plan to improve customer service at the schools through a two-way communication system called “Let’s Talk,” which was previously used in the district. The system tracks every time they receive an email, letter or phone call and allows them to measure how long it takes to resolve the parent’s issues or reason for contacting the office. It also gives them a way to rate the district’s performance and customer service in handling the contact.
They also plan to relaunch the Parent and Family University in early 2025, which will allow parents and students to meet directly with district superintendents/assistant principals who will be stationed near schools at 15 locations across the district.
“We will improve our engagement with our parents,” said Watlington, who noted that the district will also visit barber shops, salons and community centers to meet with parents and listen to their concerns and needs.
“They don’t have to come to the headquarters, but they have a contact person from their neighborhood available to them,” Watlington said of the program, which is scheduled to start in early 2025. The program was discontinued under the last superintendent.
They also plan to change the curriculum to make it more streamlined. Teachers will use the Science of Reading, an evidence-based approach that looks at how the brain learns to read. Additionally, a streamlined English curriculum will now be used for all students across the district. Currently, schools offer several variations of the English curriculum, which Watlington hopes will increase and improve student success.
But Watlington said none of this would be possible without the support of lawmakers.
“Thanks to the leadership of Governor Shapiro and other legislators in Harrisburg, including Senator Vincent Hughes, Speaker Joanna McClinton, Chairman Jordan Harris and Delegation Leader Morgan Cephas and others, this district will receive an additional $230 million this school year,” said Watlington, who also praised Mayor Parker’s city tax increase as a step in the right direction for students across Philadelphia.
“And thanks to the leadership of Mayor Cheryl Parker, who increased the share of homeowner taxes that goes to the school district by 1%, we will receive an additional $24 million over five years. They have provided us with some funding. We will work to get a good return on investment for every penny that the city and state give to the school district,” Watlington said.
