Schools, districts, and education policy in Pennsylvania.
A district-commissioned Year 1 evaluation of Philadelphia's K-8 EL Education curriculum found widespread concerns about phonics instruction, teacher preparedness, and support for struggling readers, while state test scores fell. The district has made adjustments; second-year results remain pending.
A federal lawsuit challenges the repeal of a parental opt-out from school-issued internet-connected devices, alleging violations of constitutional rights. The district disputes the claims.
The School District of Philadelphia is offering the Infinite Campus hall pass system districtwide. Similar tools in New York City and Oregon have drawn privacy lawsuits and civil liberties criticism.
The policy, rooted in a 1994 consent decree, had required families to forfeit access to schools where their child met all criteria if they sought an individualized review for a different school.
The FY2026-27 state budget boosts the Ready to Learn Block Grant by 41 percent and adds to basic, special, and early childhood education. To protect an $8 billion reserve, lawmakers pulled over $500 million from off-budget funds and delayed Medicaid payments.