Despite years of underfunding and financial strain, William Penn School District is beating the odds and outperforming similar districts in math achievement, according to Maddie Hanna for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
A new Education Scorecard analysis from researchers at Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth Universities identified William Penn as a “district on the rise” after students in grades three through eight gained an additional half-year of learning in math since 2022.
The district serves approximately 4,500 students across Colwyn, Aldan, East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, Darby and Yeadon, with more than 80% considered economically disadvantaged.
Superintendent Eric Becoats credits the progress to a sharp focus on data-driven instruction, benchmark testing, and targeted intervention programs.
COVID-19 relief funds also played a role, helping the district purchase new technology and an updated English curriculum, while investing in professional development to help teachers better interpret and act on student data.
“This is something we’ve built over time,” said Becoats. “You have to be able to show people the research and data behind why… and then you continue to move it forward.”
The gains are significant, but challenges remain. William Penn still grapples with aging buildings, financial pressures, and lagging reading scores, the last of which could potentially be improved by reducing class sizes.
Read more about the district’s progress and the statewide findings in the full article from The Philadelphia Inquirer.
_______
