Carly Sitrin

Philly schools will get $193 million more in a new state budget lawmakers finally passed Pennsylvania lawmakers and Gov. Josh Shapiro said the budget deal reflects a bipartisan compromise.

I yelled when we didn't have a budget so only fair that I yell when we do have a budget

www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

Philadelphia schools on the hook for millions in interest as state budget delay drags on The Philadelphia school district has borrowed more than $500 million to make up for missing state funding as Pennsylvania’s budget impasse has hit four months. Even once lawmakers reach a deal, the di...

Sorry to be annoying but PA STILL DOESN'T HAVE A STATE BUDGET. Philly schools are having to burn millions of $$ on interest payments just to "keep the lights on." That’s equivalent to roughly 200 teacher salaries.

www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

Newark board member’s late-night vote swap was “totally improper” expert says In a surprise move Thursday night, the Newark school board’s sudden decision to flip a member's vote raises ethical questions about board procedures.

Newark's board of ed considered extending the superintendent's contract in Sept. That vote failed.

Then, in the dead of night a month later with no public notice, a board member changed her vote.

The district now says the whole thing is legit. We have questions.

www.chalkbeat.org/newark/2025/...

Feeling optimistic and eager to see impactful and much-needed solutions reporting from AGVR.org co-director Sammy Caiola in this crucial new role:

And just like that, Newark’s superintendent apparently got a contract extension Last month’s proposal to extend Roger León’s contract fell short after objections from parents and others. But at Thursday’s meeting, with no prior public notice, a board member announced she would re...

Over and over again Newark residents have demanded that their school district leadership be more transparent. Instead, decisions to extend Superintendent León’s contract have consistently been made with little to no public input.

www.chalkbeat.org/newark/2025/...

We've been following Alpha School co-founder Mackenzie Price's efforts to open a cyber charter school in PA.

It's been rejected as "untested" with no evidence that the school can help students meet academic standards www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

You absolutely can! And if there's something specific you're looking for, let me know and I can try and pull the stable link for you

We've got a lot of those stories digitized in our Chalkbeat system and I've been compiling the closure coverage specifically this week, but also all of the print editions are over at Temple! I was at the special collections room today looking through boxes!

We've been digging around in the Philadelphia Public School Notebook archives to see how different Philly school district leaders presented school closures and I gotta say, it's all looking a little familiar...

www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

How Philly’s early intervention program is failing the city’s youngest kids When Kimberly Halevy’s son was 3, she started hearing from his preschool that he needed extra support. But more than a year later, she describes the effort to get her kid services through Philly’s ear...

Across Philadelphia, young kids are waiting months and sometimes years for early intervention services that they are legally entitled to.

Parents told @rebeccaredelmeier.bsky.social getting support through the federally mandated, publicly funded early intervention system can be exhausting.

Philly preschool owners are draining their savings during the state budget impasse More than 100 days into the Pennsylvania budget impasse, some Philly preschool owners are using their own savings and taking out loans to stay afloat. But lawmakers still seem far from a budget agreem...

Hey hi, Pennsylvania still doesn't have a state budget and it's having a REAL impact on our youngest learners www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

OK EVERYBODY WE’RE PIVOTING TO HOCKEY

‘We are not being proactive’: State lawmakers push bill to gather school facilities data Concerns about crumbling asbestos have closed several Philly schools in recent years. One lawmaker who spoke in favor of the legislation said the current state of school buildings is “both a crisis of education and a public health crisis.”

Concerns about crumbling asbestos have closed several Philly schools in recent years. One lawmaker who spoke in favor of the legislation said the current state of school buildings is “both a crisis of education and a public health crisis.”

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ahhhhhhhhhh

JORDAN DAVIS ROLLS A NAT 20

Hi from the Philly school fair! Thank you to all of the overwhelmed families who took the time to chat with me about the school selection process today!

After Charlie Kirk's assassination, what teachers say faces a new kind of scrutiny Charlie Kirk’s death has led to investigations of teachers for their social media posts and calls for a crackdown on inappropriate speech. But his assassination has also highlighted uncertainty about how teachers can foster debates and inquiry in a climate where political strife and anxiety are pervasive.

After Charlie Kirk's assassination, what teachers say faces a new kind of scrutiny

Students shot at Evergreen High School in Jefferson County: What we know so far Three people, all teens, are in critical condition, according to officials.

www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/202...

Ribbon-cutting: Trump administration abruptly ends National Blue Ribbon Schools program Many schools took enormous pride in receiving federal Blue Ribbon recognition, which began under President Ronald Reagan. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education said ending the program wo...

The Trump administration won’t be handing out any blue ribbons to schools this year. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/09/04/b... #edusky

SEPTA service cuts must be reversed immediately, judge says The order does not include a prohibition on fare increases.

#SEPTA must reverse all cuts to services immediately, a #Philadelphia judge ruled Thursday.

🔗 inquirer.com/transportati...

40 states could lose federal funds for sex ed if they keep gender identity in curriculum The Health and Human Services Department told 40 states to remove references to gender identity from their federally funded sex education programs. When California refused to comply, the agency termin...

"Withholding federal funds to punish states for teaching about gender identity is yet another way the Trump administration has sought to control what young people learn." www.chalkbeat.org/2025/08/26/t... #edusky

Inside Pennsbury High’s Legendary Prom: The Most Epic School Dance in America A six-figure budget. Hundreds of helpers. Giant art installations. A tentacled kraken. This prom is like no other.

It's funny! It's heartwarming! It made me cry a few times!

@phillymag.com's preeminent teen-chronicler Emily Goulet spent months behind-the-scenes with the town that throws America's biggest prom. A must read:

Are you worried about SEPTA cuts derailing your commute? We want to know. Chalkbeat is reporting on how planned major SEPTA cuts will affect students and educators across Philadelphia. Let us know how your commute is changing.

A sincere THANK YOU to everyone who wrote in with your concerns, questions, and frustrations. We're going to continue to stay on this story so keep talking to us! www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

Follow 2 students as SEPTA cuts complicate their commute on the first day of school Students across Philadelphia are waking up earlier and waiting longer for SEPTA to get them to school. But many say they’re bound to be late anyway, with less reliable service and more crowded routes....

The stellar @rebeccaredelmeier.bsky.social got up at the crack of dawn to ride SEPTA to school with two Philly students. The whole trip took over an hour and they missed a bus and had to walk the last mile to Palumbo. These cuts are already having a real impact on Philly's young people:

Are you worried about SEPTA cuts derailing your commute? We want to know. Chalkbeat is reporting on how planned major SEPTA cuts will affect students and educators across Philadelphia. Let us know how your commute is changing.

Hey Philly! We're trying to connect with students, teachers, and parents who rely on SEPTA for school transit. Help us spread the word and lmk if your route is getting cut: www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

‘They’ve given her a lot of hope’: A NYC school fights to educate an undocumented teen under Trump For Bridget and Marta, ELLIS Prep often felt like the only public institution with its arms open in a city and country that seemed not to want them.

For 6 months, I’ve followed ELLIS, a Bronx HS for newcomers, to understand what it means to educate immigrant students in Trump’s second term.

Proud to share the 1st of 2 stories about ELLIS, Bridget, an undocumented teen, & the fight to keep her education alive.

www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...

As ballots sat uncounted, Madison clerk prepped for ‘cookie extravaganza’ Records obtained by Votebeat help explain what Maribeth Witzel-Behl was up to when the crisis erupted in her office: a baking staycation.

This Votebeat story is A WILD RIDE and features the timeless quote: "None of the witnesses we deposed disclosed her cookie staycation.”

www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

Philadelphia community leaders ring alarm bells about school closure process School district officials have pledged not to repeat mistakes that fractured communities and hurt students. But parents and community leaders involved in the district’s facilities planning process, wh...

Philly's school district wants the community to participate in its closure/modernization process. But members of their advisory groups say their time has felt wasted by bureaucratic presentations. They worry the district is using them to add credibility to a flawed process.

Can’t wait for my commute on the Comcast-Aramark-Pond Lehocky 32 bus

Here’s what led to the approval of Philly’s first new charter school in 7 years Since 2018, when the city regained local control of schools, the Philadelphia Board of Education had rejected all attempts to start new charter schools. But when the backers of Early College Charter School of Philadelphia’s application sought approval, the ground began to shift.

Philadelphia Board of Education approves city’s first new charter school since 2018
https://www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2025/05/29/board-of-education-approves-first-new-charter-school-in-nearly-a-decade/