Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to explore existing partnerships between cultural institutions and schools in the City of Philadelphia and to evaluate the benefits of expanding these partnerships.

WHEREAS, Cultural institutions serve as important educational resources, providing valuable learning opportunities for students of all ages; and

WHEREAS, Partnerships between educational and cultural institutions can enhance learning outcomes by offering hands-on experiences and exposing students to historical, scientific, and artistic collections; and

WHEREAS, Existing partnerships such as the Partner Program

presented by the Barnes Foundation provide free in-depth programming in select partner schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Eligible classrooms receive a field trip to the Barnes and two in-school lessons led by grade-level specialists. The Mann Center also offers free educational programs to give every young person the opportunity to be inspired by the sights, sounds, and rhythms of the performing arts. Motion & Music Academy (MMA) is an after-school arts learning program that provides choir, drumming, and dance lessons to local students; and

WHEREAS, Programs like this have shown positive impacts on student engagement, creativity, and critical thinking, according to the Reinvestment Fund which

examined the role of cultural institutions in promoting social well-being in communities across the United States

. Rich out-of-school time (OST) opportunities allow students to explore and develop skills that are otherwise more difficult to access; and

WHEREAS, Understanding the current landscape of cultural institution-school partnerships and identifying best practices can help maximize the benefits for all students, especially those from underserved communities; and

WHEREAS, Gathering input from educators, cultural institution professionals, students, and other stakeholders is necessary to assess the effectiveness of current partnerships and explore innovative ways to strengthen and expand these collaborations now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, authorizes the Committee on Education to hold hearings to explore existing partnerships between cultural institutions and schools in the City of Philadelphia and to evaluate the benefits of expanding these partnerships.

End