Nearly 65,000 Philadelphia students attend public charter schools. Their futures depend on decisions being made clearly, fairly, and consistently. Yet today, schools and families are navigating a process that is unpredictable.
We are advocating for an independent structure for evaluating charter schools and making decisions about them, with one responsibility: ensuring every public school meets clear, consistent, and transparent standards.
What’s Not Working
The way charter schools are evaluated in Philadelphia is uneven and lacks transparency. In today’s system, the same entity oversees public charter schools and decides whether they can open, grow, or continue serving students. An independent legal review in 2023 confirmed that the current structure creates a conflict of interest which undermines trust in how decisions are made.
This current system erodes trust, waste resources, and ultimately disrupt students’ education. This is not how a strong public education system should operate.
A Better Way Forward
Philadelphia should establish an independent structure responsible for evaluating schools and making decisions about them, so that decisions are guided by clear, consistent standards.
A better approach would:
- Set clear expectations for all schools
- Apply standards consistently and transparently
- Ensure decisions are grounded in data and policy
- Protect fair processes for schools and communities
- Create the stability students and families rely on
Other cities have already implemented this approach and have seen stronger, more consistent results. Philadelphia can do the same.
Philadelphia public students and families deserve a system they can understand and trust.
Take Action
Join us in calling for a fair, transparent process that puts students first.
Sign the petition and place your name next to thousands who agree that public charters deserve a fair and balanced system in which to thrive and provide education to Philadelphia's students.