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The U School
The U School, nominated by A Revolution in Education, is a high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban area.
Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Governance Public District School
Grades High
Students 253
Locale Urban
Founding Principal Neil Geyette
Demographics
Percentage of students*
2%
English Learners
100%
Free/Reduced Lunch
28%
Students with Disabilities
African American or Black 74%
American Indian/Alaska Native 1%
Asian —
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —
Hispanic or Latino 19%
White 3%
2+ Races —
Why The U School was nominated
Students are engaged in real-world, community-based activities which support their learning in context driven by their interests. Through this methodology they become empowered to consider what THEY want to do in the world and how they can do that.
Student experience design
Youth Development Focus: This boils down to a few important elements: All students will have the opportunity to exercise voice and choice from the small group to school level; and All students will join an advisory team (called Possi(bilities)) with peers and a mentor educator who will design and create a vibrant high school experience. Possi supports goal-setting, college and career planning, and strong engagement with families to support learner growth. Competency-based: Student grades are based upon their PERFORMANCE. Learning goals are organized as “competencies” - the knowledge and skills learners must successfully apply in order to solve real world problems. Learners only advance once they have demonstrated proficiency of the learning goals. We have written Common Core/Next Generation Science and C3 aligned “Continua” which are competency specific rubrics written as “I can” statements, for educators and students to have common conversations about progress and performance. Personalized learning: Students have access to their learning at all times. We offer students that are ready the opportunity to move at their own pace, once they prove ready to advance through their learning independently! When students are ready, they may design and propose their own learning.
Core Practices
| Core Practices | Length of Use |
|---|---|
|
Student Advisories |
5+ years
|
|
Project-based Learning |
5+ years
|
|
Restorative Practices |
5+ years
|
|
Universal Design For Learning |
5+ years
|
All Practices
Anti-racist Practices
Assessments For Social-emotional Skills
Blended Learning
Community And Workforce Partnerships
Family And Community Support Services
Competency/mastery-based Education
Culturally Responsive Practices
All Courses Designed For Inclusion
Industry-recognized Credentials
Individual Learning Paths
Mental Health Services
1:1 Mentoring
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics
No Tracked Classes
Peer To Peer Support
Performance Based Assessment
Reallocation Of Resources For Students Most In Need
SEL Integration School-wide
Student-led Conferences
Students Access Their Own Data
Student-led Goal Setting
Self-paced Learning
Students Develop Projects
Trauma-informed Practices
Tutoring
key reasons for innovating
Address systemic inequities
Improve academic achievement
Increase student agency
Date Updated: 4/1/2025
*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.