Donna Frisby-Greenwood is president and CEO of The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia and the former Philadelphia program director for Knight Foundation. Knight is supporting the efforts of the fund with $250,000 in support to promote success in Philadelphia’s schools and encourage talented people to stay in the city.

Above: Students at J.S. Jenks Elementary School take part in a special program in the  auditorium. Photo courtesy The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia.

Education is supposed to be the great equalizer. 

But let’s face it. In Philadelphia, too many of our children are in schools that have not helped them get where they need to go, to college or to careers that are meaningful, productive and fulfilling. The quality of education should not depend upon how much their parents make or their ZIP code. A high-quality education should be available for all of our children in Philadelphia.  

This year, Philadelphia School Superintendent, Dr. William R. Hite has a plan in place to fix that. Dr. Hite’s Action Plan 3.0 is all about equity.  He has pledged to be accountable for providing “the best academic program, and the chance for a better life that comes with it, to each student: the student who excels, the student who struggles, all the students in between and to our neediest students, those who continue to be failed by adults and therefore need us most.”

In Harrisburg, lawmakers are finally working on a fair funding formula that would bring millions of additional dollars to our schools. We are reaching a turning point in the fight to keep a promise we made to our children: to give a “thorough and efficient” free public education to every child. It’s the cornerstone of American progress. 

Andrew Jackson Elementary School teachers work with a class of  ”young scientists.” Photo courtesy The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia.

This is also the year that The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia has a new mission, new leadership and renewed commitment to making a difference in the fortunes of 142,000 Philadelphia public school students and to making an investment in this city.  

In the next five years, The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia has a goal of raising $25 million to champion and focus on Philadelphia’s public education priorities such as early literacy and college and career readiness. We intend to provide support where it will have the most impact, which includes in the classrooms where passionate teachers and committed principals are struggling to meet the needs of bright, talented students. Our mission is to identify, coordinate and connect philanthropic resources—with effective public-private partnerships—to leverage investments in neighborhood public schools. 

The superintendent’s Action Plan is working, but he can’t do it alone. Reading and math courses are aligned to core standards. Schools are focused on raising reading levels in early grades. School advisory councils are engaging more parents. The fund is taking action to help. We are creating strategic pathways for private giving to fund programs that will meet the needs of students in neighborhood public schools and propel them to success.

Knight Foundation is part of this. Its support of $250,000 will enable the fund to build its capacity to share what’s working well in our schools in hopes of retaining talented people in our city who will send their children to public schools and help us build the great education system that every child deserves.  

I am proud to lead the new Fund for the School District of Philadelphia and to be a force to organize Philadelphia’s collective will around our schools. We are all invested in the education of our children: parents, leaders, organizations, businesses, foundations. 

If we take action for all of our children, our schools will get better. So, we’re sending out an SOS: Support Our Schools. Well-educated children will benefit our families, our economy and our city’s future. 

For more information on The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, visit thefundsdp.org.