Our commitment to active, on-the-ground engagement in Philadelphia is a reflection of the University-wide values expressed in the Penn Compact 2022. Penn GSE is not just located in Philadelphia—it is of Philadelphia.
“Philadelphia is at the heart of national conversations about education reform and the future of public schools. At Penn GSE, we’re committed to putting our research to work to develop teachers, leaders, and resources that can help unlock opportunities for the children of Philadelphia.
We partner with schools in small and large ways to work towards social justice—always endeavoring to leverage the expertise of the larger research university in service of a better education for all.”
Penn GSE Dean Pam Grossman
The University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education is deeply involved in Philadelphia schools. It is crucial to our mission that Penn GSE faculty and students engage in all levels of education, both formal and informal, in traditional and alternative settings, to better learn how we can solve the challenges of urban education and contribute to the growth and well-being of our citizens. More than a third of our faculty work in or with Philadelphia public schools on issues ranging from improving the quality of writing instruction to teaching coding as part of the elementary school curriculum.
We recognize and acknowledge that the University of Pennsylvania stands on the Indigenous territory known as “Lenapehoking,” the traditional homelands of the Lenape, also called Lenni-Lenape or Delaware Indians. These are the people who, during the 1680s, negotiated with William Penn to facilitate the founding of the colony of Pennsylvania. Their descendants today include the Delaware Tribe and Delaware Nation of Oklahoma; the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, Ramapough Lenape, and Powhatan Renape of New Jersey; and the Munsee Delaware of Ontario (credit: Penn Association of Native Alumni). For more information, please visit the Association of Native Alumni and The Original People and Their Land: The Lenape, Pre-History to the 18th Century.
In any given year, Penn GSE is involved in about 400 activities in almost 250 schools across Philadelphia. Additionally, we take part in over 70 community activities in over 65 locations. View a map of our activities in Philadelphia
What types of work are highlighted on the Penn GSE in Philadelphia maps?
Who does the work highlighted on the Penn GSE in Philadelphia maps?
The challenges faced by those living and learning in our city are many, and include …
Within this complex social and political context, the need for quality educational programs that have an enduring impact on learning and achievement, and upon future opportunities, has only become clearer. The investment of Philadelphia’s powerful institutions of higher education is essential to the well-being and success of its youth.
The Office of School and Community Engagement (OSCE) at Penn GSE directly supports the mission of the School and the University in engaging meaningfully and intentionally with the city of Philadelphia—and with documented impact. Our aim is to facilitate and support partnerships with schools and communities in order to improve the educational outcomes and overall well-being of children and youth in Philadelphia.
Calvin Bland Fellows Ed Brockenbrough, Penn GSE, Lisa Lewis, Penn Nursing, and Toorjo Ghose, SP2.
The Penn Futures Project is an ambitious and unprecedented initiative by three professional schools at the University of Pennsylvania—the Graduate School of Education, the School of Nursing, and the School of Social Policy & Practice—to collaboratively address pressing social issues that affect Philadelphia’s most vulnerable young people and their families.
Launched in 2015, the Penn Futures Project was born of the knowledge that solutions to our country’s most complex challenges require a multifaceted approach. Rather than continue to seek answers for vulnerable populations in isolation, faculty, students, and staff are working on cross-professional teams, identifying synergies and learning how education, healthcare, and social well-being intersect in practice.
The project is also fostering innovative collaborations with community organizations, local businesses, and government agencies across Philadelphia. The success of the initiative will make the University of Pennsylvania a national hub for integrating public data, which is currently collected and analyzed by field, so that it can be used more effectively in the service of children and families.
The Penn Futures Project is a model for graduate education around the country. It represents the future of professional practice and strives to improve the lives of Philadelphia children and families, enriching neighborhoods and our city as a whole.