What's New in Philly 
December 2007 Newsletter Vol. 1 Issue

Philadelphia’s statistics are alarming. The city’s dropout rate currently stands at 40%, while its poverty rate is the highest of any major city in the United States. Of the 25% of Philadelphia residents who live in poverty, 35% do not have a high school diploma. Other citywide issues related to Philadelphia’s educational problems include homicide and unemployment. The murder rate in Philadelphia has been rising steadily since 2002, and is currently higher than that in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Meanwhile, the racial unemployment gap in Philadelphia is also growing. In 2006, the unemployment rate for blacks was over double the rate for whites, at 9.9%.
 

With the New Year fast approaching, we must take a proactive stand against these issues, and mobilize the Philadelphia community to better prepare our children for successful futures. PCF is hopeful that with the involvement of Philadelphia’s schools, families, businesses, and organizations, we will be able to enhance our city’s educational and career growth.

At a recent citizen forum, Philadelphia residents discussed the need for a “user-friendly” website that allows parents to make well informed decisions about their children’s education. PCF has developed an innovative educational and career resource website that suits this need. Among many useful resources, the “Philadelphia Children’s Connection” (www.philly-connect.org) offers a complete database of all the schools in the Philadelphia area, classified by grade level and type, and with user rating and recommendation links.
 

Philadelphia’s newly elected Mayor, Michael Nutter, has proposed another solution to the city’s school problems. He believes that the business community must assume a larger role in education, namely by providing more internships, mentoring programs, and summer jobs for Philadelphia students. PCF shares this view, and is currently seeking the support of local businesses and community stakeholders. We believe that exposing students to a greater variety of job prospects will keep them better motivated in the classroom.

Lastly, we need to encourage vocational and technical education, as effective alternatives to the traditional academic track.  Because the standard school curriculum caters to college-bound students, those who are not interested in pursuing postsecondary schooling are likely to drop out. Vocational and technical schools are an excellent option for students who may not succeed academically, but are interested in learning marketable skills. To raise awareness of these schools, PCF is planning to provide tours of regional vocational and technical schools in the spring.