Penn’s Graduate School of Education is launching The Academy at Penn, a curriculum of activities designed to prepare Philadelphia high school students for the transition to college or the workforce, in spring 2025.
GSE was awarded $3.5 million to launch the initiative in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, as part of an $8 million grant from Education Initiatives. Programming will be free of cost to the District, schools, and students, according to the GSE press release.
GSE’s Office of School and Community Engagement will lead the school’s role in the initiative, headed by Founding Director Caroline Watts.
“By providing year-round academic assistance, social-emotional resources, and exposure to postsecondary pathways, we are equipping 200 Philadelphia students with the skills, experiences, and confidence to pursue their goals,” Watts said.
Foundations, Inc., a nonprofit organization involved with education and enrichment programs, received $3.5 million to spearhead the configuration and execution of The Academy’s programming. GSE’s Consortium for Policy Research in Education, a group of researchers who study the effects of education policy, was awarded $1 million to evaluate Academy programming in hopes of being able to replicate the model.
The programming is meant to assist students facing obstacles in their paths to college and the workforce.
“[The Academy] aims to address the barriers that historically underserved students face in pursuing their higher education and career goals, paying close attention to the unique needs of students impacted by trauma and those who are the first in their families to attend postsecondary schooling,” the press release said.
GSE has been working to expand its community collaboration. Katharine Strunk, Dean and George and Diane Weiss Professor of Education, spoke about engaging with the School District of Philadelphia.
“This initiative represents not just a commitment to expand opportunities for students across the city in our local schools, but also a chance to develop a national model for college and career readiness,” Strunk said in the press release. “By working closely with our partners, we aim to create a program that transforms lives here in Philadelphia while setting a new standard for educational support and opportunity across the country.”
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