Temple Partners with Philadelphia Schools for Educational Initiative

Temple University Embarks on a New Educational Collaboration in North Philadelphia

In a strategic move to enhance educational outcomes, Temple University is initiating a focused teaching partnership with two North Philadelphia schools. Set to commence in the fall of 2026, this initiative aims to improve K-12 student performance and advance teacher training.

The Temple Partnership Schools Network, approved by the Board of Education on March 26, will see collaboration between Temple’s College of Education and Human Development and two local schools: Dr. Tanner G. Duckrey Public School and Mary McLeod Bethune School, situated near Temple’s Main Campus and Temple Hospital, respectively.

Moving away from the traditional model of distributing student teachers across the city, this program emphasizes a concentrated, ongoing presence within these neighborhood schools. “We have always partnered with the district,” said CEHD Dean Monika Shealey. “What’s different now is the level of focus and coordination around a smaller number of schools.”

The program will embed Temple students in roles such as teacher education, counseling, and school psychology for both early fieldwork and student teaching placements. Faculty will also engage in on-site course instruction and provide professional development for teaching staff.

This collaboration is inspired by a nationally recognized professional development school model, which integrates teacher candidates into classrooms early and consistently, pairing them with mentor teachers while blending coursework with practical classroom experience.

Temple’s initiative reflects the belief that schools serve as community anchors. By directing resources to these two locations, the university intends to bolster the surrounding neighborhood. “We believe when schools thrive, neighborhoods thrive,” Shealey noted.

Currently, education majors are required to complete three practicums and one student teaching course. Fiona Kahn, a junior majoring in elementary education, is concluding her practicum at Bethune and will begin student teaching in the fall. “The staff is really dedicated, but they’re definitely stretched thin or burnt out,” Kahn shared. “Schools like Bethune need more sustained support.”

At Bethune, proficiency levels in reading and math are 13% and 5% respectively, while Duckrey reports 18% reading proficiency and 6% in math, according to state test data. These metrics underscore the need for the partnership, as Duckrey Principal David Cohen emphasized, “This partnership is more than support. It is about transformation.”

Beyond academic support, the partnership will offer family engagement programs, workshops, and access to services like trauma-informed care. “By offering workshops focused on academic support and college readiness, we can better equip parents to support their children’s success,” Cohen stated. “These sessions also strengthen the connection between home, school and university, ensuring that families feel involved as true partners in education.”

Temple anticipates that the partnership will also enhance existing university resources in these schools and monitor improvements in student achievement and classroom support. The Temple Future Scholars program, launched in February 2025, supports college readiness for first-generation and low-income students, including those at the partnership schools.

The B4USoar program, which began in 2019, allows local high school students to earn free college credits and utilize university resources. The university and school district plan to track outcomes related to student achievement and classroom support.

“This is about being intentional,” Shealey concluded. “And making sure what we are doing actually makes a difference.”