Education is a basic right for every child aged 5 years and above. Philadelphia schools play an important role in empowering children to become useful people in a state. In the city of Philadelphia, learners can access education through public, private, or home institutions.
While at school, the learners are taken through three stages. The stages are elementary school, middle school, and high school. The average age at an elementary school is 5 years while completing high school is 18 years.
As a parent or guardian, you are responsible for your children’s education. However, choosing the most appropriate school for your child can be challenging. Also, do you know that kids have a right to attend the school of their choice? Well, there are a number of factors to consider before you admit your child to any school.
Factors to Consider when Choosing a School for your Child in Philadelphia
Cost
Can you afford the tuition fee in a certain school? Assess your financial ability first. Some schools also offer financial aid and scholarships. You may need to factor this in.
Location
How far is the school from where you live? Does the school provide any means of transport, or will you need to invest in a personal car? Are you comfortable with your child learning too far from you? These are some of the questions you may need to answer.
Size
The size of a school and classrooms matter. Everyone has their preferences when it comes to choosing size. Smaller classes are better if you want your child to have better access to his or her teacher. Larger classes are fit for learners who can get by alone.
Personal preferences
Sometimes you may prefer a school because of its facilities, religion or philosophy. For example, a Muslim living in Philadelphia will prefer Islamic schools. Other parents like it when their children spend their school days in boarding schools. You may also need to consult your child on what they like before admitting them to any school.
Teachers
How can they fail to appear among these factors? Teachers are the accelerators of your child’s learning process. Find a school with the most reliable teachers to mentor and instruct your child. At some point, ask for the teachers’ qualifications, just to be sure.
A child needs to connect with his or her teacher. Schools that change staff frequently may interfere with your child’s learning process.
Safety
Your child should be safe at school. Bullying can affect a child’s learning in many negative ways. Dig deep into a school’s safety history before taking your child there. Some schools may also be located in areas that rate high in crime. You may need to avoid such schools.
Success Rate
Research about the number of students who graduate from the school and their acceptance rate. Top schools provide successful graduates.
Extra-curricular Activities
You probably don't want your child to be dull due to a lack of play. Schools are important in nurturing the talents of children. Therefore, find a school with enough facilities to help your child grow in sports, music, theater, and more.
How can someone who recently moved to Philadelphia find out all these factors about a school? It is simple. Pay a visit to that school which appears among your preferences. You will find out about the classes, teachers and more factors.
Make sure you prepare some perfect questions, prior to the visit, about the school. During the visit, ask for a private meeting with the principal for your questions to be answered.
You can also consult the parents of learners in the school. Unlike teachers and staff of your preferred school, parents may be honest with their opinions. Ask some learners from your neighborhood if they are happy in that school. Schedule to attend some PTA meetings. Parents tend to raise important issues during these meetings.
After you have gathered all the required information, choose the best school for you and your child. The data collected should guide you. Sometimes, you may need to trust your gut – teachers and staff may have treated you to your feeling during the visit.
Public Schools in the City of Brotherly Love
These are schools that are run by state departments of education. Most of the funding in these Philadelphia schools is from property taxes.
Public schools in rich suburbs tend to receive more funds. As much as funding in these schools is free, parents may be requested to pay little fees. This fee that varies between schools could be to purchase books, learning equipment, or uniforms. Population in state-owned schools is larger compared to private schools.
This can be advantageous to a parent who wants his or her child to interact with different types of students.
You may enjoy a number of advantages by taking your child to a public school. Firstly, these schools cost less compared to other schools.
Secondly, your child might be closer to the school than you thought. This is because public schools largely depend on geographical location for establishment.
Thirdly, state-owned schools have many facilities compared to private schools. For this reason, your child may be largely involved in showcasing his or her talent.
Lastly, state-owned schools hire the best teachers and pay them well. The minimum requirement to teach in one is a bachelor’s degree in a specialized education area.
District Schools
A district school in Philadelphia is a public school that falls under a school district. The School District of Philadelphia runs most elementary, middle, and high schools. Many parents prefer these schools.
This explains why they have an approximate population of over 200 000 students. The schools accept any student regardless of ethnicity or race. Apart from the native English speakers, you may find Spanish, Chinese, Arabs, French, Russians, Portuguese and other students.
Therefore, your child is likely to make new friends here than in private, chattered, or religious schools. People in the wealthier neighborhood have an advantage because the areas are assigned to quality district schools.
Philadelphia district schools are classified according to performance. Vanguard schools are ranked the best and therefore require a thorough admission process for learners. Non-vanguard schools perform averagely and are ranked as traditional district schools. Schools that struggle to perform are categorized under Empowerment schools. Lastly, failing schools are put under renaissance and may be privatized.
For staffing, the Philadelphia School District allows principals to hire teachers. They also have the power to motivate the best performing teachers through incentives.
District schools have tracking tools for teachers to measure the learning process and its effect on students. Consequently, you are assured of a positive learning outcome for your child. Most importantly, parents have a direct link to the district headquarters through several available call centers.
Philly High Schools
Secondary education is categorized into two – middle and high school. At this stage, students are given the freedom to move to different classes while choosing their preferred subjects. Philadelphia is home to some of the oldest high schools, like the Central High School.
High schools are usually the final stage of secondary education. The average age for high school students is 14 years for grade 9 and 18 years for grade 12. The curriculum classes in most Philadelphia high schools include:
- Four years of Mathematics and English. The content covered in Mathematics includes algebra, trigonometry, and geometry. Literature, research, and writing skills are taught in English.
- Three years of Science and History. The science course covers chemistry, biology, and physics. History includes U.S history, History of the world, and civic education.
- Two years for Foreign Language (optional), Physical Education, and Computer classes.
- Health Education covers nutrition, sexuality, and First aid.
High schools are rated according to test results. The best performing high schools may benefit largely in terms of funding. This is why most high schools emphasize academic performance during admissions.
Suppose you are looking for a good high school for your teenager look at factors such as a school's population, student-teacher ratio, and average graduation rate. The best schools rank top in these factors. You are also likely to find a good high school in the rich suburbs of Philadelphia.
Admissions in other schools like the South Philadelphia High School, West Philadelphia High School, and Northeast High School only involve students from within their catchment area. Students outside the school’s catchment area may apply and merit on a "first come, first served basis."
Middle Schools in Philadelphia
Middle schools are the first stage of secondary education in Philadelphia. They cover grades 6 to 8. In some rare cases, you may find middle schools ranging from grades 7 to 9. The subjects taught in Philadelphia middle schools include English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. A few schools offer courses in a foreign language.
Most middle schools only admit students within their catchment area. Students not living within the school neighborhood stand little chance of admission.
Top-performing middle schools have strict admission guidelines. Transferring a student from another neighborhood to a Philadelphia school can be done through its School Selection Procedure. As a parent, consider having multiple choices in order to secure a chance for your child in these schools.
Since most middle schools in Philadelphia are public, they have many amenities to facilitate learning. Your child may grow their talents in performing arts, sports, and music in schools like Beaver Middle School.
After identifying a school for a student, check to see if the school exists and is updated. Some schools like Pepper Middle School may have been closed down due to various factors like natural calamities. The structural design of the school should also be appropriate to push students’ levels to success.
Elementary Schools Options for Students
Philadelphia hosts around 149 elementary schools. They offer learning from kindergarten to eighth grade. Children who get admitted to elementary schools must be aged 5 years. These schools introduce basic education to learners.
They teach socialization skills and enhance positive behavioral changes. The content they pass to the learners is simple to understand. The curriculum includes:
- Social skills: Students are taught the values of friendship, tolerance, and self-control.
- Reading and writing: During reading and writing sessions, learners spend more time reading stories. Teachers also emphasize writing in the right spelling.
- Mathematics: Your child is taught basic arithmetic such as counting and performing operations such as addition subtraction
- Science, Technology, and Social Studies: Students learn basic scientific and technological skills. They also learn the history and cultural practices of others.
The content of the curriculum changes with different developmental phases. They also base on the needs of the learners. One class of students with similar needs is attached to a specific teacher. The teacher handles several subjects.
Because of this reason, Philadelphia elementary schools emphasize hiring certified teachers for a specific grade.
For admissions to most Philadelphia elementary schools such as McClure Elementary School and Comly Elementary school, students must be from specified neighborhoods. Otherwise, applications may only be done when space is available.
Private Schools
The government does not fund these learning institutions. Instead, they charge fees for the services they offer. You may consider taking your child to one if you can afford the cost. Private schools in Philadelphia have the freedom to choose their type of curriculum. Teachers are more flexible and can choose to implement customized curriculums in several styles.
Private schools offer high-quality education to match their high fees. The charges also give them an advantage in terms of extra-curricular activities for students.
They offer the best opportunities for students while providing reliable support. Children with special needs also get special attention from teachers.
Securing a chance in a private school is easy. You don’t need to follow any rigorous District Selection Procedure. The admission is not limited to a certain catchment area. Students from other neighborhoods qualify for a chance in the schools. Boarding facilities in most private schools simplify the process.
Nevertheless, admission may be limited by a number of factors. For example, parents may tend to compete for chances in popular private schools. When there is such competition, the schools can impose strict measures to sieve out some students.
Another factor that can be used to determine admission in private schools is religion. Some schools may only prefer students from specified faiths.
Setting up a Foundation: Christian Schools
Are you a Christian parent in need of passing your values to your child? Christian schools exist in Philadelphia and are classified as independent private institutions with Christian affiliations. They combine biblical teachings with the normal curriculum.
Most public schools in Philadelphia do not teach religion. They only allow students to learn religion as an extra-curricular activity.
The philosophies in religious schools vary from one school to the other. Different denominations have different philosophies. Some schools only admit students from families with the same believes as the church sponsor. During admissions, students might be required to sit for a paid-for religious entrance exam.
The Catholic Church holds the biggest number of Christian schools. The catholic schools are either elementary or secondary schools. The schools are put under dioceses and parishes. The dioceses and parishes collect fees, hire teachers, and oversee the implementation of the school curriculum.
One advantage of Christian schools is that they produce disciplined students. The graduate rate in these schools is high, with a bigger percentage of students proceeding to college. Hardworking students also stand higher chances of scholarship awards. Additionally, catholic schools get involved in most community development projects.
Charter Schools: Preparation for the Future
Charter schools are special public schools. They are opened and run by individuals or organizations under a performance contract monitored by the local school district.
The schools receive funding from the state for the period specified in the contract. Schools that don’t meet performance expectations are closed down.
Students don’t pay any fee but are required to make separate admission applications to these schools. Chances in charter schools are limited due to the quality of education they offer. The learning environment in many charter schools is also unique.
For example, Philadelphia Academy Charter has state-of-the-art classrooms and enough computer labs for each student. To ensure that admission chances are fairly administered among applicants, most charter schools apply a lottery means of selection.
Charter schools are regularly guided by selected mission statements. The statements aim to meet the standards and needs of their community. Teachers and staff of charter schools enjoy the freedom to make decisions directed towards academic achievement.
Charter schools that have existed for a long could be considered the best. They have proven their worth.
Boarding Schools
Boarding schools in Philadelphia provide food and accommodation to students. You may wish to refer to it as a thriving group of scholars and talented young adults. Boarding schools in Philadelphia are classified based on their goals and what they teach.
However, most of them are linked to religious and private schools.
The advantages associated with boarding schools are numerous. Firstly, the classes are small. Therefore, learners have a better student to teacher ratio.
Secondly, students fully involve themselves in extra-curricular activities because they spend more time in school.
Thirdly, boarding schools prepare students adequately for life at the college. Finally, grades earned are genuine despite the academic pressure.
Philadelphia boarding schools can be a good thing for foreign students and those from distant neighborhoods. They offer a friendly environment that makes learners feel at home. Good boarding schools may even offer discounts to parents with more than one child in their school.
Summer Schools: Refocus During Off Times
Summer schools are learning programs organized by an organization or school for students during the summer holidays. They are not part of the main school academic program. Schools frequently fix them to give students a chance to do retakes or for special classes.
Students may also attend summer schools to prepare for college. A summer school may be held within the hosting school or selected community colleges.
The period you spend in summer school may vary, but it may not exceed three weeks. Summer classes last for about five hours for high schools and four hours for middle and elementary schools.
Summary
Did you know that there are numerous types of schools in your neighborhood? As a parent or guardian, you need many school options to choose the best school for your child.
Other than the numerous private and public schools, there are many other Philadelphia schools. You now have an opportunity to empower and make your child great for the future.