O’Neill: In Camden, Philanthropy, District, Charter and Innovation Schools Are Working Together to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities | The 74

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A local foundation called the Camden Education Fund (CEF) is forging a community of district, charter and other innovative public schools, with a particular focus on educating students with the greatest needs. This holistic, city-based approach prioritizes what’s best for families and puts philanthropic resources to work to ensure that the needs of all students, including those with disabilities, are central. The fund’s model can be replicated wherever there are school choice options, local funders and underserved families.

Camden has long been a place of tremendous need. For decades, the city was ranked as one of the poorest in America, and for years was among the most dangerous. A range of civic reforms, including housing rehabilitation and a larger, revitalized police force that engages with local community watch groups, have put it on a more positive trajectory, but daunting challenges remain. About 28.6% of Camden residents had an income below the poverty line in 2019, which was 68% greater than the poverty level statewide.

There are roughly 15,000 students in public schools in Camden. Academic performance has historically been catastrophically low across many measures, including test scores and dropout rates. In an effort to reverse this chronic pattern, the state intervened in the Camden school district in 2013, and it remains under state control. Reform efforts are, however, starting to make a discernible difference.

One approach to changing the patterns in Camden is to offer parents more choice in where they send their children to school. In addition to its traditional public schools, the city now has five charter networks and three networks of renaissance schools — which have charter-like autonomy but serve neighborhood catchment areas. Both charter and renaissance schools operate independently of the Camden district. In many cities, competition for students and friction among these different types of schools would be a barrier to collaboration. In Camden, however, educators are cooperating to break down institutional divisions and to specifically prioritize improving outcomes for students with disabilities. This effort is being led by CEF, a funder with a commitment to student-focused education reform in Camden. The fund is marshaling its resources to foster the sharing of ideas and promising practices and drive systemic change, through a coordinated suite of elements including:

These programs foster collaboration and a sort of cross-pollination of ideas and best practices to better serve families and students, including those with disabilities. Taken together, these approaches break important new ground. While political barriers and divisions among different types of schools often preclude these sorts of coordinated citywide reform efforts, the theory of change at work in Camden is replicable in communities across the country. Wherever parents have school choice options, student need is substantial and there is a local funder committed to building bridges by fostering the success of all students, this model can take root. It is crucial work in service of equity and deserves close attention and support.

Paul O’Neill is co-founder of the Center for Learner Equity.