Posted on January 16, 2020
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Categories: effective instruction, facilities, literacy, school climate & support

The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) redesigned 163 pre-kindergarten to third-grade classrooms into interactive learning environments. These renovations built on the District-wide Early Literacy Strategy already underway in the District, which includes implementation of the Balanced Literacy Framework, a weeklong Summer Literacy Institute, and a full-time Early Literacy Specialist (ELS) in every school. This evaluation examined five primary questions over the 2018-19 school year:

  1. To what extent have the renovations and professional development been implemented as intended?
    a. Which classrooms were renovated?
    b. Who benefited from the renovations?
    c. Who participated in professional development?
  2. To what extent are classroom teachers satisfied with the renovations and professional development?
  3. How do teachers perceive changes to their instructional practices and student outcomes associated with the project?
  4. To what extent have participating teachers experienced changes in their implementation of the 120-minute literacy block?
  5. Did students in the renovated classrooms show growth in literacy and attendance rates? If so, to what degree?

Use the button below to download the 21-page report.