Edison Schools CEO Terry Stecz and Chief Education Officer John Chubb today hailed a report from The Center for Education Reform (CER) which finds that the multiple provider model introduced in Philadelphia five years ago is working for Philadelphia students. 

"The unprecedented student achievement in Philadelphia continues to turn heads nationally," Stecz said. "And Edison Schools is proud to be a part of that success."

Edison Schools was hired in 2002 by the School Reform Commission (SRC) in Philadelphia to manage 20 of the district's lowest-performing schools – by far the largest number of any of the non-district providers.  In a report released today, CER says Philadelphia public schools have seen a "radical transformation" over the last five years.

"For the first time in modern history, educational achievement is on the rise in a meaningful way," wrote the authors of The Philadelphia Story of 2007: Education Progress in the City of Brotherly Love. "Such progress is attributable to the introduction of new and varied providers of education, something few traditional education researchers and observers are able to fully acknowledge."

The report credits District CEO Paul Vallas as having "challenged the status quo in ways that no other school district leader in Philadelphia had ever done." 

"What seemed impossible for the Philadelphia public school district to accomplish throughout the latter half of the 20th century – educating its most needy and lowest performing students – may finally be within sight for all students," according to the report.

The report concludes, "All of Philadelphia's public schools have clearly progressed.  But the essential lesson that must not be lost in the review of data that inundate policy and media in-boxes is the fact that the district struggled for decades to improve and spent millions to make piecemeal progress. But it was not until Philadelphia adopted a transformative solution, one that changed the entire system for the better, that all boats were lifted.

"Five years after the state intervened to force change in Philadelphia's schools, five years after a dynamic schools CEO was hired, and five years after the multiple provider model was introduced, the achievement results from 'The Philadelphia Story of 2007' are clear – competition works for all students."

Chubb notes that student achievement is up dramatically across the board in Philadelphia, and that Edison Schools contributed substantially to those gains. "In the 20 schools Edison operates with the District, student achievement is up significantly in reading and dramatically in math," said Chubb.

"Over the past five years, the School District of Philadelphia has had the largest student achievement gains of any other big-city district in the country," said Stecz. "We believe Edison has not only contributed significantly to this success, but that the competitive environment created by the 'diverse provider model' has raised the bar for everyone in the Philadelphia district.  We thank our partners in Philadelphia – CEO Vallas, SRC Chairman James Nevels and other board members, along with the leadership in the Pennsylvania House and Senate for their continued partnership and support.  Together with our principals, teachers, staff and parents we are changing the lives of thousands of Philadelphia children." 

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