Giving Compass' Take:

• Big Picture Philadelphia is a nonprofit that ensures students in its school network obtain relevant internship experience and tailored learning instruction. 

• Why is it important for schools that have students who are dealing with trauma early on have personalized learning goals and specific instructional paths? 

• Read about Philadelphia's success with outdoor education programs. 

From academic intensive care to world-class exemplars of inquiry-based learning, the 10 progressive autonomous schools in the Philadelphia Innovation Network work together to expand opportunity. Part of the School District of Philadelphia (@PHLschools),  the network includes a variety of productive local and national partnerships that serve children and families.

David Bromley has worked in some of America’s most under-resourced communities, but about Philadelphia’s Sharswood neighborhood he said, “This is a whole different level of need.”  About 80 percent of students live in public housing. Many have suffered heavy trauma.

Gentrification is evident just blocks away from the urban island of unemployment, poverty, and crime. Social services are almost nonexistent. The two schools serving the neighborhood closed long ago. Bromley is the executive director of Big Picture Philadelphia. The nonprofit operates two new schools under contract to the school district (the only contract schools in the Big Picture Learning or BPL, network).

Schools in the BPL network use student internships to engage young people in areas of interest and to build work-ready skills.

In its second year, the school serves freshman and sophomores. The assessed math and reading levels of incoming students are less than fourth grade. At full enrollment, Vaux will serve  540 students.

“We meet them where they are cognitively,” said Bromley. He argues that drill and practice would only cause students to drop out. “We created a place kids want to be. We created ownerships through internships,” added Bromley. As part of the Innovation Network, “We have a lot of latitude and independence in how we implement our model of learning,” said Vaux principal Gabe Kuriloff.

Read the full article about progressive schools in Philadelphia by Tom Vander Ark at Getting Smart