The University of Pennsylvania is proposing a multi-million dollar partnership with Henry C. Lea School – the K-8 public school located four blocks west of Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander (aka “Penn Alexander”) School, their first partnership school in West Philadelphia.

The proposed Penn-Lea partnership is for five years, during which the university will be making a total grant commitment of $816,500 per academic year, totaling $4,082,500. A portion of these funds will be in the form of services provided by individuals who are paid by Penn.

Concerns about rising home values, gentrification and displacement have followed the announcement. Home prices in the Penn Alexander catchment rose exponentially since 2000.

The partnership would “provide supplemental funding and support to Henry C. Lea School in order to further enhance and improve school operations, instruction, culture, and student achievement,” according to the memorandum of a pending agreement between Penn Trustees, the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

The proposed partnership aims to emulate the success of the Penn Alexander School, which has been supported by Penn since it was built in the early 2000’s, and to provide the highest quality educational opportunities for children in West Philadelphia, according to the memorandum.

Approximately 500 children in grades pre-kindergarten through eight are currently enrolled in the Lea School.

The proposed agreement will be discussed at tomorrow’s (Jan. 27) Board of Education meeting. If signed by the Superintendent, the agreement will go into effect on July 1, 2022.