Philadelphias School Reform Commission Unveils Process for Private Sector Involvement Friday, January 11, 2002 Yesterday, Philadelphias School Reform Commission issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from education management companies (EMO) who seek to provide consulting services to the Philadelphia School District (PSD). This move follows the historic partnership forged between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia and the state take-over of schools on December 22, 2001. The RFQ asks organizations to provide a full accounting of the consulting and educational services and qualifications that they could provide the PSD. The RFQ asks EMOs to provide in-depth information, data and plans, including: information on how the EMO proposes to review, evaluate and improve the school districts systems and ability to recruit qualified executives, principals and teachers; a plan for leadership training and teacher professional development; ability to provide recommendations for organizational system changes; curriculum selection and classroom management for urban school districts based on best practices; a plan for implementing a technological infrastructure on both the school and central office level, that may include electronic academic assessment and electronic report cards. Responses to the RFQ are due to the SRC on January 25, 2002. The SRC has taken an important step toward the possible inclusion of education management organizations as a part of the educational solution for the 210,000 children in Philadelphias schools, said Chris Whittle, Edisons CEO. Edison looks forward to responding to the RFQ and the opportunity to assist the SRC in implementing its reform plan. The SRC announced that it will issue a second RFQ next week for the management of schools to be operated by private companies in partnership with local community groups.
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