Vital Statistics for Children in Philadelphia

Philadelphia children need the tools and resources to achieve and be healthy. 

• Only 34% of students are passing the English and Language Arts PSSA. 
• A shockingly low 19% of students are passing the Math PSSA.
• Less than half of Philly’s young enrolled in high-quality pre-k.
• 243 children and teens were victims of gun violence; 31 of them died.

Children First is calling on Mayor Parker and City Council to make the FY25 city budget a budget for kids by:

1. Increasing city funding for the School District by $100M.
2. Adding 250 additional slots for the city’s pre-k program, PHLpreK.
3. Giving children after-school enrichment options by preserving afterschool services for 8,000 children served currently by the School District, investing $8.8M for youth programming at recreation centers, and continue $2M for Philly Youth Sports Fund that serves 5,000 more youth.
4. Make neighborhoods safer by redirecting the $4M in cost savings associated with reduced juvenile justice spending to diversion programs.

See for yourself the Vital Statistics for Children in your council district and across the city: