Superintendent William R. Hite talking to students at Alain Locke Elementary School (Photos courtesy of Philadelphia School District).

The School District of Philadelphia has announced an expansion of its early literacy pilot program and will provide modernized classrooms and materials to pre-Kindergarten through third grade students at 11 additional schools, including in West Philadelphia.

One of the schools already participating in this pilot program is Alain Locke Elementary School in West Philly where the announcement was made earlier this week during Superintendent William R. Hite’s visit. Due to its low performance in reading proficiency at the beginning of the year, Locke received upgrades from the District, including: desks, chairs and seating options better suited for students’ age groups; improved lighting, new paint, new cabinets and new closets in classrooms; and new technology in classrooms to support small-group instruction. 

The approximately $20 million expansion will reach more than 160 classrooms in the following schools during the 2018-2019 school year: J.H. Brown, George Childs, Anna B. Day, Louis Farrell, William Hunter, Morton McMichael, J. Rhoads, William Rowen, Steel, John Taggart and John Webster. Current work focuses on kindergarten through second grade classrooms, while the expansion will reach students in pre-Kindergarten through third grade.

In addition to Locke, schools that were modernized for this school year include: Stearne, Pennell, Henry C. Lea, Tanner D. Duckrey, Edward Gideon, General George G. Meade and Haverford Learning Center.

Alain Locke Elementary School classrooms received upgrades, including new technology, as part of the early literacy pilot program.