Paid Grad Student Internship available at Phila. Public School Notebook

Posted by on March 17, 2006

Paid Grad Student Internship available at Phila. Public School Notebook, Summer 2006

Philadelphia Public School Notebook, an award-winning quarterly newspaper that promotes public involvement in efforts for quality and equity in Philadelphia public schools, is offering a 10-week, paid graduate student internship for the summer of 2006, to coordinate research and writing for an edition focused on the contracting out of educational services by the School District of Philadelphia. The graduate student internship is funded by the Samuel S. Fels Fund.

The project: The School District of Philadelphia has a reputation for being slow to change, but the state takeover of Philadelphia schools in 2001 has led to a striking shift in the role of private companies in the school system. In education, contracting out of services to private companies has traditionally taken place mainly in areas peripheral to the core mission of schools, such as security, transportation, or food services. This is no longer the case in Philadelphia. The most visible, dramatic change in Philadelphia was the hiring in 2002 of seven for-profit and nonprofit entities to provide school management services at low-performing schools. But since that decision in 2002, the School Reform Commission that governs the school system has shifted in significant ways to contracting out as the preferred method of acquiring expertise related to the design and delivery of academic programs.

With test scores rising in Philadelphia, some have leapt to the conclusion that ?contracting out? is a success. But there has been little real analysis of the changes in Philadelphia. The situation calls for a more careful and candid discussion of the lessons from contracting out in Philadelphia. What have been the benefits and the drawbacks? The intern will be at the center of an editorial process ? working with the Notebook staff and an editorial committee ? to research and write articles that will be published in the fall 2006 edition of the quarterly independent newspaper Philadelphia Public School Notebook. A key goal of the project is to generate more public conversation about the important decisions the School District is making about contracts.

Who is eligible to apply: Any graduate student who is enrolled in, will begin, or has graduated from a graduate or professional program in 2006. We are open to candidates with a background in social sciences, education, business, or journalism. We anticipate a competitive application process.

Key qualifications:
-knowledge of urban public education issues
-familiarity with issues of privatization and the role of markets in public education reform
-superior writing skills; ability to explain complex concepts to non-academic audiences in clear, accessible language
-experience doing interview research
-commitment to improve public education and to educational equity for all students
-ability to work collaboratively with a staff team and an editorial board
Familiarity with the Philadelphia public school system is desirable.
Must be available to work full-time for 10 weeks between late May and early September 2006.

Stipend: $6,000 for 10 weeks of full-time work.
To apply: Send letter of interest, resume, and writing sample (10 pages or less preferred) to Philadelphia Public School Notebook, 3721 Midvale Ave., Philadelphia PA 19129 or email to notebook@thenotebook.org. Deadline for receipt of applications is April 3, 2006.

Philadelphia Public School Notebook is a quarterly, independent newspaper founded in 1994 to build a grassroots movement for school reform. It has a circulation is 52,000, a monthly email newsletter, and a website (<a href="http://www.thenotebook.org">http://www.thenotebook.org</a>). The Notebook is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. The Samuel S. Fels Fund has supported "internships in community service" since 1992.