Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman Outlines Strategic Plan for Philadelphia Schools on District Leader's Podcast

In the latest posting on DistrictLeadersPodcast.com, Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, discusses her district's five-year strategic plan, focusing on "back to basics" and laying the groundwork for what the district wants to offer as far as classroom resources, teachers, extracurricular activities, and more. It's all about giving students greater opportunities to succeed in school.

Dr. Ackerman also discusses the impact of both President Obama's federal stimulus package and the growing call for national educational standards. She told Arthur Griffin, Jr., senior vice president of McGraw-Hill Education's Urban Advisory Resource, who moderates the interview, that she fully supports national standards and even national assessments.

In the podcast, Dr. Ackerman said the hardest thing about being a superintendent is always keeping in mind that the children come first. She said it's easy to let the priorities of others in the district cloud your mind, but she's constantly reminding her staff to make what is in the best interest of the children a top priority.

"The late Dr. Ron Edmonds (founder of the Effective Schools Movement) said something that I carry with me all the time," Dr. Ackerman said. "And that is that we already know everything we need to know about how to educate all children well. The question is: Do we have the will to do so?"

Dr. Ackerman has more than 30 years of experience in leading large, diverse urban public school systems. Before assuming her duties in Philadelphia in June 2008, she was with the Teachers College of Columbia University, where she served as Director of the Urban Education Leaders Program and Chairperson of the Superintendents and Scholars Symposium. Dr. Ackerman also works with the Los Angeles-based Broad Center, where she facilitates and directs the Broad Superintendents Academy. The Academy is a ten-month executive management program designed to prepare CEOs and senior executives from business, government, and education backgrounds to lead urban public school systems.

About DistrictLeadersPodcast.com

The District Leader's Podcast team is passionate about education and deeply committed to student success. The site serves as a valuable tool for anyone interested in improving America's schools. District Leader's Podcast is sponsored by McGraw-Hill Education's Urban Advisory Resource comprising former education leaders and other experts with extensive experience in managing large school districts. It is produced by TeachersPodcast.org, a professional development resource for educators with an audience of more than 4.3 million listeners. The podcast is currently listed on iTunes as "New and Notable" for K-12 Education. Visit www.DistrictLeadersPodcast.com for more information.

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SOURCE: McGraw-Hill Education; District Leader's Podcast

CONTACT: Tom Stanton, McGraw-Hill Education, +1-212-904-3214,
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