The University, the Graduate School of Education and the Center for Community Partnerships have been deeply involved in the existing public elementary school closest to campus, Lea Elementary. Penn faculty and students serve as volunteers in the school. Recent partnerships with Lea have included Intensive professional development activities with over half the staff to strengthen curriculum in literacy, math, and science.

Penn has helped develop a new library at Lea which opened in 2001. And the University has worked with Lea teachers and staff to develop new procedures to handle disruptive students and help streamline referral processes.

Through the UC Green initiative with the public-private University City District, Penn helped create the new 1,600-square-foot Lea School Garden, once a concrete courtyard. Children helped design the garden together with a professional architect. The result is not only the visible beds for plants, bushes, trees and flowers, a raised bed with a shallow pond and seeding area, a trellis and murals depicting the four seasons. It has been a unique learning environment where students can engage in hands-on science activities with the support of Penn faculty and students.