Primary Education

Positioned for Success

The program, launched by recent College of Arts and Sciences grads Taussia Boadi and Cheryl Nnadi, was a 2023 Projects for Progress winner and provides academic support to middle school students affected by gun violence.

Kristen de Groot

A shared passion for community engagement

The Graduate School of Education helps students put their knowledge into practice through community engagement. Three soon-to-be graduates speak with Penn Today about how their service enabled them to deepen their connection with West Philadelphia.

Amanda Mott

How to explain war to children: Tips from Penn GSE

Marsha Richardson, director of Penn GSE’s School and Mental Health Counseling Program, says navigating disturbing current events is challenging, but can be done in thoughtful and supportive ways.

From Penn GSE

How to encourage student attendance

From Penn GSE’s Educator’s Playbook, Michael Gottfried highlights approaches that schools and teachers can take to address absenteeism by identifying root causes and creating a supportive environment for all students.

From Penn GSE



In the News


Philadelphia Inquirer

Sandra Day O’Connor and the promise of civic education

Jonathan Zimmerman of the Graduate School of Education writes that teaching schoolchildren about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship might be the only way to heal our polarized society.

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CalMatters

Schools in poorer neighborhoods struggle to keep teachers. How offering them more money and power might help

Richard Ingersoll of the Graduate School of Education says that giving educators more authority at their workplace makes them feel like respected professionals.

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The Irish Times (Dublin)

Lego, martial arts and dance classes: How one school tackled school absenteeism

A 2022 Penn study found a return of three dollars for every dollar invested in City Connects, a pilot project that links students with support for basic needs and enrichment activities.

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Inside Higher Ed

How gross inequalities in institutional wealth distort the higher education ecosystem and shortchange the vast majority of middle- and lower-income undergraduates

Penn is noted for its pledge to contribute $100 million over 10 years to renovate decrepit Philadelphia schools, potentially assisting a more diverse student body.

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Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico can turn the tide by increasing classroom time

A study co-authored by economists at Penn found that a longer school year showed an “extremely robust” association with higher student achievement.

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Education Week

Africana studies can save education—and the world

Ismael Jimenez of the Graduate School of Education writes that "Africana studies is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the study of Black people and history, but it also represents a foundational building block of a more just world."

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