About Us
The School District of Philadelphia is the eighth largest school district in the nation, by enrollment. Located in a historic and culturally rich setting, we are a racially and ethnically diverse community committed to education. We are students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members; we are the School District of Philadelphia.
Our Mission
The mission of the School District of Philadelphia is to provide a high-quality education that prepares, ensures, and empowers all students to achieve their full intellectual and social potential in order to become lifelong learners and productive members of society.
Our Vision
We believe all children can reach their learning potential and that the achievement gap can be eliminated. The School Reform Commission is responsible for that improvement and is obligated to support the District's mission. The Commission commits itself to raising student achievement through District-wide reforms and restructuring measures. We have done much but we have a long way to go.
A Snapshot of the District
Here are some facts about the School District of Philadelphia, the eighth largest in the nation by enrollment, serving a racially and ethnically diverse student population.
Budget | |
|---|---|
| Fiscal Year 2008 Operating Budget | $2,191.8 million |
Source of School District Revenue
| Source | Percentage |
|---|---|
| State | 59.6% |
| Local | 40.4% |
Per Pupil Expenditure1 | |
|---|---|
| Per Pupil | $11,490 |
1 Based on Fiscal Year 2006 Actual Budget including categorical funds. | |
Enrollment2
Students: 163,064 (K-12)
| Ethnicity | Students |
|---|---|
| African American | 61.2% |
| Asian | 6.2% |
| Caucasian | 13.3% |
| Hispanic | 17.6% |
| Native American | 0.2% |
| Other | 1.6% |
2 Does not include Pre-Kindergarten, night school programs or charter school students. | |
| Grades | Students |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 12,137 |
| 1st - 8th | 97,730 |
| High School | 48,543 |
| Alternative Education3 | 4,653 |
3 Includes alternative, accelerated and night schools. | |
Schools4
| Type | Schools |
|---|---|
| Elementary | 176 |
| Middle | 29 |
| High School | 62 |
| Alternative Education | 17 |
| Privately Managed5 | 28 |
| Total | 284 |
|
4 Includes privately managed schools and excludes charter schools. | |
Charter Schools | |
|---|---|
| Number of Schools | 63 |
| Number of Students | 32,348 |
Employees | |
|---|---|
| Number of Employees | 25,104 |
| Number of Teachers | 10,109 |
| Number of Principals | 281 |
Students Transported Daily | |
|---|---|
| Total Students on Yellow Buses6 | 35,000 |
| District Students | 16,700 |
| Charter Students | 8,600 |
| Private/Parochial | 9,700 |
| Total Students Riding Public Transportation for Free | 36,000 |
| 6 Includes public, charter, private and parochial students. | |
School Meals Served Daily | |
|---|---|
| Schools with Universal Free Meal Program7 | 211 |
| Free breakfasts served daily | 40,000 |
| Reduced-price breakfasts served daily | 3,800 |
| Free lunches served daily | 85,900 |
| Reduced-price lunches served daily | 8,300 |
| 7 Includes nine (9) charter schools. | |
Governance
The School District of Philadelphia is governed by a five-member School
Reform Commission (SRC), established in December 2001, when oversight
of the School District shifted to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The
Governor of Pennsylvania appoints three of the SRC members, while the
Mayor of Philadelphia appoints two members of the commission.
More about the School Reform Commission (SRC)