Elevate 215

TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA SO THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO A QUALITY EDUCATION AND ARE PREPARED TO PURSUE THEIR POST-SECONDARY GOALS.

SCHOOL AND TALENT INVESTMENTS THE ORGANIZATION MAKES GRANTS TO SCHOOL OPERATORS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT, EXPANSION, OR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOOLS. GRANT FUNDING SUPPORTS THE EXPENSES OF STARTUP, GROWTH AND/OR TRANSFORMATION COSTS OVER THE COURSE OF A SINGLE OR MULTIPLE YEARS. THE ORGANIZATION SCREENS PROSPECTIVE APPLICATIONS BY CONDUCTING EXTENSIVE DUE DILIGENCE ON THE APPLICANTS BEFORE APPROVING GRANTS, INCLUDING EXAMINATION OF QUANTITATIVE DATA ON ACADEMIC OUTCOMES, ANALYSIS OF STUDENT ATTENDANCE, ATTRITION, GRADUATION AND MATRICULATION DATA, FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, REVIEW OF STRATEGIC GROWTH PLANS, ASSESSMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP CAPACITY, INTERVIEWS WITH SCHOOL LEADERS, AND SCHOOL SITE VISITS. GRANTEES MAY ALSO APPLY FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS WHICH TARGET DISCRETE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO MAKES TALENT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, WHICH ARE FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING SCHOOLS IN DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING THE SKILLS OF SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS. FUNDS ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT DIRECT COACHING OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS. IN 2021, THE GREAT SCHOOLS FUND SUPPORTED 28 ORGANIZATIONS. COMMUNITY RESOURCES THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPS AND MAINTAINS TWO TECHNOLOGY-BASED RESOURCES TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN SELECTING SCHOOLS THAT ARE A GOOD FIT FOR THEIR CHILDREN. GREATPHILLYSCHOOLS.ORG IS A MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION RESOURCE THAT HELPS PARENTS AND GUARDIANS TO LEARN ABOUT SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA BY SHARING INFORMATION ON SCHOOL SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE RATINGS FOR MORE THAN 2,000 PRE-KINDERGARTEN AND K-12 SCHOOLS; IT ALSO FEATURES ADVICE AND ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON VARIOUS TOPICS, INCLUDING SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESSES SPECIFIC BY SECTOR, SCHOLARSHIPS, HOW TO APPLY TO HIGH SCHOOLS, INTERACTING WITH A STUDENT'S TEACHER, AND MUCH MORE. IN 2020, OVER 200,000 FAMILIES UTILIZED THE WEBSITE. GREAT PHILLY SCHOOLS ALSO MANAGES THE HIGH SCHOOL FAIR, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL EVENT IN OCTOBER WHERE OVER 100 SCHOOLS PROVIDE INFORMATION TO 10,000 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THE SECOND TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM IS APPLY PHILLY CHARTER. LAUNCHED BY THE ORGANIZATION IN 2019, APPLY PHILLY CHARTER IS AN ONLINE STANDARD APPLICATION SYSTEM WHICH FACILITATES THE ENROLLMENT AND ACCEPTANCE PROCESS FOR A MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA ON A SINGLE WEBSITE. POLICY AND ADVOCACY TO ENSURE THAT THE CONDITIONS EXIST IN PHILADELPHIA AND PENNSYLVANIA TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY SCHOOLS, THE ORGANIZATION OCCASIONALLY ADVOCATES IN SUPPORT OF EDUCATION-RELATED POLICIES AND MAKES GRANTS TO SUPPORT SUCH ADVOCACY. THE ORGANIZATION'S ADVOCACY IS ALWAYS NONPARTISAN; IT DOES NOT SUPPORT OR ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTED OFFICE OR EDUCATION LEGISLATION.

EQUITABLE ENROLLMENT INITIATIVES- THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT PROCESS THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT OF APPLY PHILLY CHARTER, WHICH IS AN ONLINE STANDARD APPLICATION SYSTEM WHICH FACILITATES THE ENROLLMENT AND ACCEPTANCE PROCESS FOR 80+ PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA ON A SINGLE WEBSITE. THIS SYSTEM IS USED BY OVER 10,000 FAMILIES PER YEAR TO MANAGE THE HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT PROCESS IN OVER 80+ SCHOOLS CITYWIDE.