C I T Y

O F

P H I L A D E L P H I A

CITY COUNCIL
HELEN GYM
ROOM 592, CITY HALL
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107
(215) 686-3420 or 3421
Fax No. (215) 686-1930
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COUNCILWOMAN AT-LARGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DATE: January 11, 2016
CONTACT: Ian Gavigan, 215-686-3408 (ian.gavigan@phila.gov)

Councilwoman Helen Gym Responds to District Announcement on Charter Conversions

City Councilwoman Helen Gym has released the following statement in response to the School
District of Philadelphias announcement regarding Wister Elementary School and the
proposed conversions of Cooke and Huey Elementary Schools into Renaissance schools:
I am pleased that the School District has called off the proposed conversion of Wister
Elementary. The flawed data behind the Wister proposal underscores the danger of relying on
standardized test data to decide the fate of an entire school community.
For years, parents and community leaders have questioned the rationale behind targeting
schools for closure and Renaissance conversion based primarily on standardized test data.
Parents must have a clear voice in shaping their childrens future and a guarantee that charter
operators will be held accountable to them and their communities. I hope to work with the
District and school communities to ensure that parent voices are prioritized.
Still, I have deep concerns about the future of Cooke and Huey Elementary Schools. In the case
of Cooke, the School District has opted to hand the school over to Great Oaks, a charter
operator known for its outdated no excuses discipline policies that lead to more push-out
and less educational opportunity for students.
Finally, in our data-driven environment its critically important to stand for a vision of public
education that moves beyond test scores and aims to meet the needs of all children in all
schools.
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