May 8, 2026
Education is a Shared Responsibility Sparks flew at the Philadelphia School Board meeting last week when it voted behind closed doors to approve a $3 billion facilities plan, closing 17 schools and modernizing 169 others. The vote took place shortly after...
May 8, 2026
Children First’s Statement Ride Share/School Closures Presented to Philadelphia City Council, May 2026 Inella Ray, Director of Parent Advocacy & Engagement Children First DOWNLOAD PDF The District and School Board need to rebuild trust in the process so that City...
Apr 21, 2026
Testimony to Philadelphia City Council Presented by Donna Cooper, Executive Director, Children First Re: Resolutions 26025 and 260208 My name is Donna Cooper, I live in Councilman Young’s district, and I am here to speak to the resolutions to enact new taxes on...
Mar 17, 2026
Forty States’ Certification Systems are Better Suited to Retain High School CTE Teachers than Pennsylvania. In 80% of all states, where 2.3 million educators are teaching in public schools, Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers can attain tenure via a...
Mar 13, 2026
Checking the Boxes for Philly Kids While we always want more, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker continues to invest in Philadelphia children and teens. As a candidate in 2023, she pledged to support the comprehensive Kids’ Campaign agenda, and her new fiscal...
Mar 2, 2026
Testimony to the School Board of Philadelphia Re: School Facilities Plan Feb. 26, 2026 DOWNLOAD PDF Good evening, board members. My name is Symbol Lai. I’m with Children First. I’m testifying about the school district’s facilities plan. I want to thank the district...
