In 2005, Kensington High School was divided into three small schools with the goal of improving education in the neighborhood. Each school has a different concentration —business, performing arts, and culinary arts — to provide more autonomy for each of the schools and more options for students.
An integral part of the success of the small schools at Kensington High School is community investment. In 2004, the Philadelphia Education Fund began working with civic and student leaders in Kensington to invest them as stakeholders in the future of their neighborhood high school. Since 2004, the daily attendance rates at the three Kensington schools have increased by more than 10%. This is a compelling example of how community members can band together with students to change school climate.
The Small Schools Project ensures that not only the students and the community are invested, but that teachers are invested as well. Teacher attendance is extremely important because if the teachers are committed to the students, the students will be inspired to commit to their studies. Since the Ed Fund began its Small Schools Project at Kensington High School, teachers have had an improvement in their daily attendance.
