Philly Student Union

Many people who support standardized testing have good intentions: they would like an objective way to evaluate how well schools are serving their students. They would also like to use the results to help figure out which schools need help. They have an admirable central goal - to ensure that all students are learning.

Heidi Ramirez, the first Latina ever appointed to the School Reform Commission and the youngest member at the age of 35, resigned yesterday with tears in her eyes.  The Commission will not look the same, not because Heidi is slated to be replaced by a republican, which will change  the face of the Commission, but because she not only asked hard questions and held people accountable for the Latino community but for every community.  

Over at YPP there is a great discussion happening of the Imagine 2014 plan and the role (or lack there of) that students, teachers, and communities play in the plan.

In the days leading up to the School Reform Commission's vote on their 5-year strategic plan,  Imagine 2014,  PSU and other goups put forth a set of demands that needed to be met before the School Reform Commission could responsibly vote on the plan.

Following up on yesterday's post on the Imagine 2014 presentation at the School Reform Commission we now have video of students testifying at the meeting. Here from them all here - playlist - or below.

The School Reform Commission today held a presentation on the Imagine 2014 plan. There were few changes to the plan, and there remain many questions around the costs to implement Dr. Ackerman's proposal.

On February 25, outside of the Philadelphia School District's building, came together a diverse crowd of people, eight rows deep, provoking the very image of community that they hoped to see implemented in the city's public school system.
The Philadelphia Student Union (PSU) hosted this event, where students, parents, and those in the community joined to voice their concerns over the proposed 5 year strategic plan called Imagine 2014. It has been proposed by CEO of Philadelphia Schools Arlene Ackerman to help solve the crisis of education.

This video was produced by Philadelphia Student Union and Media Mobilizing Project as part of the ongoing series: Our City Our Voices

This video was produced by Philadelphia Student Union and Media Mobilizing Project as part of the ongoing series: Our City Our Voices