Renaissance Schools in Philadelphia: Examining Early Implementation of a Turnaround School Model

This study, commissioned by the Accountability Review Council of the School District of Philadelphia, focused on the early months of Superintendent Arlene Ackerman’s Renaissance Schools Initiative, designed to turn around chronically low-performing schools. Thirteen schools were included in this initiative during the 2010-2011 school year, split between two strategies–external (charter) management, and internal (district) management. RFA’s research focused on the role of community members in the reform efforts for each school, as well as changes in school climate, staffing, and leadership.