Teaching in Philadelphia

Our Students and Schools

Philadelphia Teaching Fellows work throughout the city, in any school where there is a need for dedicated educators to teach critical shortage subjects. While many Fellows work in the School District of Philadelphia, some obtain positions in area charter schools with similar student populations.

The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is one of the largest districts in the country. Including charters, it serves nearly 200,000 children who represent the diversity and vibrancy of the city itself. Approximately 58% of SDP students are black; 18% are Hispanic; about 14% are white, 7% are Asian, and 3% identify as another ethnicity. Over 78% of Philadelphia students are eligible to receive free or reduced lunch. Nearly 15% of students receive special education services, and 8% are English language learners.

Working with such a diverse and high-need population brings rewards and challenges, but Fellows hold high expectations for students and themselves, ensuring that all students get the support they need to succeed in school.

Helping All Philadelphia Students Achieve Their Potential

As a Philadelphia Teaching Fellow, you will be working in a city that has steadily increased its focus toward one vision: a belief that “all children can reach their learning potential and that the achievement gap can be eliminated.” The School District strives to provide all students with a high-quality education that prepares them to achieve their full intellectual and social potential and empowers them to become lifelong learners and productive members of society.

At the state level, Governor Corbett, a former teacher, “understands the importance of providing a quality education to each and every child in Pennsylvania.” His education agenda puts students first and builds upon the fundamental premise that that parents and teachers need support to ensure that students get the opportunities they deserve. Corbett believes that "improving educators' pracices" is the key to improving student acheivement, and to support that vision he has proposed building a robust evaluation system that will help state’s teachers and principals achieve professional excellence. The new system will provide educators with targeted resources, support, and feedback so they can improve their instruction and help students reach their potential. This new evaluation system is just the latest effort of SDP to transform educational opportunities for students by ensuring that there is a great teacher in every Philadelphia classroom.

As a Philadelphia Teaching Fellow, you will be a part of the movement to close the achievement gap by putting students first, providing an outstanding education to your students that prepares them for success in school and beyond.