A coalition brought together by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has taken a giant step toward fixing building problems that undermine teaching and learning in the city’s public schools, acting on a key plank of the AFT’s national Fund Our Future campaign(link is external) in which educators and their communities across the country are standing up with a clear message: We’re not going to accept underfunding and crumbling schools(link is external).
That giant step is a smartphone application, conceived of by the union, endorsed by the coalition of community leaders and paid for by the PFT’s Health and Welfare Fund. Teachers and staff can use the app to detail problems with their building’s infrastructure. Users simply fill out a form and upload photos to report problems—as varied as moldy walls and rodent infestations—to their union. So far, well over 100 PFT members and parents have reported issues like leaks, flaking lead paint, and extreme heat or cold.
In response to the flood of reports from the app, the school district is trying to up its game(link is external) on repairs, telling local media that it’s hiring more than 100 building maintenance workers. Before the app was created, school staff were only able to report problems through the district. Now, in addition to using district procedures, anyone can use the free app(link is external) on either Apple or Android phones.
The PFT Healthy Schools Tracker has resulted in quicker repairs and more collaboration with the district. Since the app’s inception in January, 75 schools have reported more than 200 problems, and about two-thirds of the complaints have been resolved. PFT immediately forwards problems to the district, and then the union and district schedule a joint visit to the school and generate an action plan. Once the plan is carried out, the district reports back to PFT, and the member receives an update.
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