Honoring the 125th Anniversary of the education justice and parent and caregiver advocacy organization, the Philadelphia Home and School Council, which continues its long legacy of establishing diverse and representative Home and School Associations, sponsoring workshops to train advocates, and empowering marginalized school communities, by giving Philadelphians voice and power in the decisions that shape their children's' schooling.

WHEREAS, The work of the Philadelphia Home and School Council (PHSC) dates back to the organization of the "National Congress of Mothers" in Washington DC, February 17, 1897, where Philadelphia women organized the "Mother's Club of Philadelphia" to promote wider use of public schools in Philadelphia. Thereafter, the first neighborhood school-based councils and other local advocacy organizations began forming in 1900. In 1909, a conference of these organizations formed a League of Home and School Associations to establish closer relations between the home and school in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, In 1926, the League reorganized as a County Council of the Pennsylvania Congress and of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers, and was renamed the Philadelphia County Council of Home and School Associations. The PHSC has since grown rapidly in influence. Since 1965, the PHSC has helped pass the Home Rule Charter Educational Supplement, gained representation rights at negotiations between the Board of Education and the teachers union, organized and won more funding for public schools from Harrisburg, instituted the Parents' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, and was responsible for the Quality Education Survey of 1975; and

WHEREAS, Today, PHSC continues its mission to train all Philadelphia parents on how to become education activists to ensure their communities are protected against student displacement and so that each student has an equitable and holistic educational experience; and

WHEREAS, PHSC fulfills this mission by seeking to create Home and School Associations in every school in Philadelphia, by standing with schools, families, and staff affected by hardship and disempowerment, empowering schools and families with Parent Educational Leadership Trainings and Workshops, ensuring that Home and School Associations’ leadership are diverse and representative of their communities, activating families’ and stakeholders’ legislative awareness and engagement, and providing space for other service-providing organizations to reach families and schools in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, The organization maintains the Philadelphia Home and School Council Stance 2020, fighting for meaningful family and community-led engagement, healthy and safe schools, equitable fully-funded schools, a quality curriculum and whole child learning environment, and trauma responsive supports in every Philadelphia school; therefore be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor the 125th Anniversary of the education justice and parent and caregiver advocacy organization, the Philadelphia Home and School Council, which continues its long legacy of establishing diverse and representative Home and School Associations, sponsoring workshops to train advocates, and empowering marginalized school communities, by giving Philadelphians voice and power in the decisions that shape their children’s’ schooling; now, therefore, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Philadelphia Home and School Council as an expression of the sincere respect and awe of this legislative body.

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