Eastern States

One of the largest and oldest school districts in the country is the School District of Philadelphia. This public school system is the eighth largest school district in the United States, and it dates back nearly two centuries. As such, the district has faced more than a few challenges throughout its long and illustrious history. From the passage of child labor laws at the end of the 19^th century to the restructuring of the governance of the district today, the School District of Philadelphia has seen its share of strife and success.

The Early Years of the School District of Philadelphia

The School District of Philadelphia was established in 1818, although the school board was not created until a number of years later. The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia states that changes in the city at that time prompted the state government to establish a public school district when crime and poverty were becoming huge issues for the growing city. The school system was designed to provide a public education to the city’s poor children after forcing their free entry into private schools did not work as planned.

This video offers a look at one of the early school buildings, the Bok Building.

While the new system was an improvement over what had been established in the past, it still failed to miss the mark in many ways. Some of those problems were answered

At a time when schools are examining standardized test scores for math, reading, and writing, schools in the District of Columbia are assessing their students’ aptitude in another subject – health. Last year, students in D.C. completed the first-ever standardized test on subjects like health, nutrition, and sex education. While some are touting the decision by D.C. to include this assessment, others are wondering why the focus has shifted to health when math and reading scores are still lagging in this school district.

What Was Tested?

The new standardized test was comprised of 50 questions developed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The test was created in response to a provision in the Healthy Schools Act of 2010, which lawmakers want to use to raise awareness of health-related subjects among D.C. youth. According to DCist, subjects varied somewhat based on the grade level, but included:

• Health and Wellness
• Disease Prevention
• Physical Education
• Safety Skills
• Healthy Decision Making
• Sexuality and Contraception
• Drugs

Parents were allowed to opt-out of allowing their students to answer the questions on sex, contraception, and drugs if they chose. Around five percent of fifth-graders opted out of sex-related questions, while approximately two percent of eighth-graders and high school students did so. The rest of the questions were administered in a similar fashion to any other standardized examination on reading, mathematics, writing, or science. Questions might include subjects like what physical activities are best for improving heart health or how to put out

The city of Philadelphia has appeared to have a type of love-hate relationship with education in recent decades. Burdened by financial woes and hounded by parents, educators, and lawmakers who want to see a higher quality education offered to Philadelphia youth, public schools have seen more than their share of ups and downs. However, problems seem to be coming to a head in the City of Brotherly Love, with a proposal to close nearly 40 schools on the negotiating table. While parents and students protest this proposed move, school officials assert that a budget crisis leaves them with little choice but to downsize.

School Closing Decision Raises Controversy

My Fox Philly reports that the School District of Philadelphia has announced plans to close 36 schools throughout the city. According to the district, the closures and subsequent moves will put schools “on the road to a higher-performing school system that improves academic outcomes for all students and is financially sustainable.” The recommendations for school closures took a number of factors into consideration, including the academic performance of all students, reducing excess capacity, and limiting capital expenses to a more practical level. However, some opponents of the proposal have suggested the decision to close so many schools is all about the bottom line for the district.

“In its bottom line-focused rush to close neighborhood schools, the SRC [School Reform Commission] is turning its back on the parents, students, and communities that will be affected by these closures,” Jerry

Prince George Public Schools is the second-largest school district in the state of Maryland and the 18^th largest district in the United States. The diverse student population consists of primarily African-American and Hispanic students, with less than five percent of Caucasian students included in the demographics. The diversity of the student body poses some challenges to the school district, but the adoption of a unique management model has made a positive impact.

What is the Comer School Development Program?

The Comer School Development Program was first created in 1968, in an effort to bring up the quality of education at two failing Connecticut elementary schools. The program was introduced through a partnership between the Yale University Child Study Center and New Haven Public Schools. The two New Haven schools in question were suffering from a variety of serious obstacles at the time, from test scores near rock bottom to staff morale that was just about as low.

The management model introduced a focus on child and adolescent growth, as well as interpersonal relationships. Through a careful integration of collaboration, problem solving and decision-making by consensus, the Comer School Development Program was proven to be effective in improving education quality through improvement of leadership within the public school system.

Three teams are assigned to oversee the Comer School Development Program at each school. Those teams include:

• School Planning and Management Team (SPMT)
• Student Staff and Support Team (SSST)
• Parent Team (PTO , PTSA)

These teams work together through

Fairfax County Public Schools, located in Fairfax County, Virginia, is one of the largest and oldest school districts in the United States. Founded directly after the Civil War, this district serves more than 181,000 students in nearly 200 schools. The district boasts a long, sometimes controversial history and is currently known for high student spending and a tradition of academic excellence.

Early History of Fairfax County Public Schools

According to Wikipedia, Fairfax County Public Schools was formally established in 1870, after the Civil War. It was the same year that Virginia was readmitted to the Union and boasted significant economic growth directly in Fairfax County. The Fairfax County Government website lists Thomas Moore as the very first superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, with his appointment dating September 18, 1870. This was the first free public school system that was available to students in that area. Prior to that time, students could only attend private institutions.

Like other school districts in the country, Fairfax County Public Schools was a segregated district from its creation to the middle of the 20^th century. The Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education changed segregation laws in this country in 1954, but Fairfax County did not participate in desegregation until 1960. Two years later, in 1962, the largest high school in the county and the state, W.T. Woodson High School, opened its doors.

This video offers a look at the history of the