Authorizing Philadelphia City Council's Committee on Education to conduct public hearings to evaluate the benefits and effectiveness of the Philadelphia Talent Collaborative and other programs that help improve educational outcomes and the economic viability of the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Talent Collaborative is an education continuum in the City of Philadelphia that is comprised of the organizations Campus Philly, Graduate! Philadelphia, PhillyGoes2College, and the Graduation Coach Campaign; and

WHEREAS, Campus Philly

is a nonprofit organization that fuels economic growth by encouraging college students to study, explore, live and work in the Greater Philadelphia tri-state region

; and

WHEREAS, Graduate! Philadelphia is an organization focused on assuring that every adult who has some college credit and aspires to complete their degree has access to advising services, resources and supports they need to get to and through college; and

WHEREAS, PhillyGoes2College, an initiative of the Mayor's Office of Education, is an information and referral center that works to guide Philadelphians of all ages through the process of applying for and transitioning to college; and

WHEREAS, The Graduation Coach Campaign is an initiative of the Mayor's Office of Education that works to educate adults in the City of Philadelphia to better support a young person through high school graduation and post-secondary attainment. The Campaign believes that youth with supportive and knowledgeable adults are in a better position to obtain their diploma and succeed in college and their careers; and

WHEREAS, Through direct services to middle and high school students, college students and adults, and collaboration with other City and regional entities, the Talent Collaborative encourages students to attend college, help to retain students in Philadelphia after they graduate from college and assist and encourage adults to complete their degrees; and

WHEREAS, In the five year period between 2008 and 2013, the Collaborative has helped raise Philadelphia's high school graduation rate from 57% to 64% and Philadelphia's college attainment rate from 18% to 24%. Further, the Collaborative has helped raise an additional investment of $6.5 million towards college access, success and retention; and

WHEREAS, Since 2008, the number of partner colleges and universities served by Campus Philly have grown from 15 to 31 while the economic impact of the program has benefitted the City greatly; and

WHEREAS, Since 2008 Graduate! Philadelphia has served as a model for Connecticut, Chicago, Memphis, and Greensboro, N.C. and has provided direct service to 4,500 adults in Philadelphia, with its graduated clients adding an estimated $5 million in new earnings to the local economy; and

WHEREAS, Due to budgetary cuts, Philadelphia schools have laid off counselors and other necessary support staff that assist students with their college search and preparation, to the detriment of students; and

WHEREAS, In this time of austerity, it is necessary for the City to explore alternative methods to educate young people in an efficient manner which includes leveraging resources and expanding programs with successful track records; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Philadelphia City Council's Committee on Education is authorized to conduct public hearings to evaluate the benefits and effectiveness of the Philadelphia Talent Collaborative and other alternative programs that help improve educational outcomes and the economic viability of the City of Philadelphia.

End