Improving Academic Quality across West Philadelphia
Through the Graduate School of Education, the schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering, and the Center for Community Partnerships, Penn has worked to improve academic quality across all of West Philadelphia's public schools. This has included the development of new curriculum units, mentoring, and professional development programs with Powel Elementary, Drew Elementary, Lea Elementary, University City High School, and West Philadelphia High School. The University has also helped coordinate resources from local corporations and institutions to support two West Philadelphia high schools and their 23 feeder schools. Penn has also implemented health screening, education, and referral programs at four West Philadelphia schools.

Some detailed examples of these efforts include:

• Instructional support: The Graduate School of Education provides professional development programs and technical assistance to West Philadelphia teachers to improve instruction in math, science and literacy. Over 500 teachers have participated in programs that strengthen their content knowledge and promote effective teaching strategies to improve student performance in meeting higher academic standards. The School of Education has also created the Carruth Fellowship program for West Philadelphia teachers to take courses at Penn in their fields.
• Evaluation: Penn's Consortium for Policy Research in Education conducts evaluations of the District's success in meeting its educational goals.
• In-school service programs: Faculty, staff, students and alumni from across the university are involved in mentoring, tutoring, curriculum development, teaching, community service and school-to-work programs at schools throughout West Philadelphia schools. At the same time, local high school students participate in internships on Penn's campus.
• Academic Resource Boards: Since 1998, the University of Pennsylvania has been the Senior Partner in the West and Southwest Academic Resource Boards for the West Philadelphia public schools. Co-chaired by Susan Fuhrman, dean of the Graduate School of Education, and Ira Harkavy, associate vice president and director of the Center for Community Partnerships, these coalitions of institutional, business, civic and community leaders work to coordinate and leverage services that will help children achieve in school and after graduation. These services range from health screenings and tutoring programs to enrichment opportunities with area museums, art groups and science and technology providers. These two resource boards work with University City and West Philadelphia high schools as well as their respective feeder elementary and middle schools, for a total of 25 institutions.
• West Philadelphia Improvement Corps: Founded in 1985, the West Philadelphia Improvement Corps (WEPIC) is a year-round program that involves 7,000 children, their parents, and community members in educational and cultural programs, recreation, job training, community improvement, and service activities. WEPIC's goal is to revitalize neighborhood schools through a curriculum that emphasizes a community-oriented, real-world problem-solving approach. WEPIC is coordinated by the West Philadelphia Partnership, which links together local institutions such as Penn with neighborhood organizations, community leaders and the School District of Philadelphia. Through the University's Center for Community Partnerships, Penn students support all aspects of the WEPIC program by assisting in its evening and weekend, extended-day, and school-day programs.