Superintendent Tony Watlington is determined to make The School District of Philadelphia the fastest-improving large urban school district in the country. He and his team see progress being made, says Watlington, District Administration‘s 2025 Superintendent of the Year.
“We have a long way to go, but we’re really excited that teacher and student attendance is up,” Watlington says. “Test scores are up in grades three through eight across a number of areas, including science. And the graduation rate is up and the dropout rate is down.”
The graduation rate has grown by about 7%, from the low 70’s to the high 70’s. With help from city agencies, the district has reduced dropouts by about 1,400. Watlington points to a study that warns that every dropout costs taxpayers $405,000.
A key to success is the hard work teachers, administrators and other staff do to deliver high-quality, culturally appropriate curricula. “We’re clear about the top two levers for improving performance—highly qualified, well supported and stable teachers is the No. 1 lever,” he explains. “No. 2 is highly qualified, well supported, stable principals.””
Maintaining a robust roster of educators means providing appropriate professional development support for everyone, from graduates of teaching programs to those who are operating on emergency licenses.
“We’ve got to have a no-judgment zone for teachers to be free to say, here’s what I’m struggling with,” he continues. “Even if it’s a cultural gap with some of our students and families, we’ve got to have a no-judgment zone to help people to be in a position to feel safe with trust to tell us what they need help with.”
His strong relationship and open dialogue with Philadelphia’s school board are also crucial drivers of progress.
“One of the things I love about our board—there are many things I love about our board of education—is we’re really clear about roles and the line that exists between the board and the superintendent,” he explains.
“The board works above that line in terms of oversight and accountability. The superintendent and staff work below that line to execute the goals of the district and to report regular progress to the to the board.”
Beyond academics, Watlington is focused on solidifying partnerships with parents and community organizations. He intends to relaunch the district’s “parent and family university” for the first time since 2012 and improve customer service response times.
“We are also going to invest more resources in our regional learning networks and our regional district offices so that we can place resources closer to our community,” he adds.
Watlington is also optimistic about increases in state funding after a court ruled Pennsylvania had been short-changing public education.
“What I want everyone to know,” he concludes, “is Philadelphia is a prime example that if we invest more resources and not less in our young people, particularly in the urban environment, and we have a strong strategic plan and we’re focused on outcomes of return on investment, we absolutely can improve outcomes for our young people so that they are prepared to participate in the world’s largest democracy and the world’s largest economy once they graduate from high school.”
